Coronavirus has demonstrated no seasonal pattern so far: WHO

As the coronavirus cases continue to rise around the world, the World Health Organization(WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu said that Rwanda, New Zealand, Mekong region and islands across the Caribbean and the Pacific have been able to suppress COVID-19 early.

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Tedros called New Zealand's case a "global exemplar" after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern celebrated 100 days with no community transmission.

However, WHO'S health emergencies programme head Michael Ryan warned that the virus has demonstrated no seasonal pattern so far. "take the pressure off the virus, and it will bounce back," he added.

Tedros informed that 50 diagnostics are in evaluation, "including potentially game-changing rapid antigen tests." The WHO chief informed that the first therapy for severe coronavirus - dexamethasone - is in scale-up mode, while adding that "dozens of promising therapies are under analysis".

"My message is crystal clear: suppress, suppress, suppress the virus," Tedros said adding,"if we suppress coronavirus effectively, we can safely open up societies."

"Countries like France, Germany, South Korea, Spain, Italy, and the UK had major outbreaks of the virus but when they took action, they were able to suppress it," the WHO chief asserted. Tedros also noted the steps taken by various countries as the virus spiked, "PM Johnson put areas of northern England under stay at home notifications, as clusters of cases were identified."

"France, President Macron introduced compulsory masking in busy outdoor spaces of Paris in response to an increase in cases." Tedros emphasised that "strong and precise measures" were needed to combat the virus.

Tedros said that "chains of transmission" were broken by rapid case "identification, comprehensive contact tracing, adequate clinical care for patients, physical distancing, mask-wearing and regular cleaning of hands."