The World Health Organization warned member countries again on Thursday that the coronavirus pandemic is accelerating across the globe, highlighting how it only took five weeks for the case rate to double to 12 million. W.H.O. Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for global unity during the agency's press briefing in Geneva, asking the international community to work together and for nations to implement the fundamentals of testing, contact tracing, and isolating of infections to contain the virus.
"The virus can be brought under control. But in most of the world, the virus is not under control; it's getting worse," Tedros stated, adding that the coronavirus is reaching new communities on a daily basis.
In the United States, the virus's spread across the bottom half of the country is starting to bring more death than some communities have faced since the beginning of the pandemic. This past week, Arizona, California, Florida and Texas have accounted for almost half of all new cases, with the four states reaching dangerous new hospitalization levels. The country has also recorded more than 800 daily deaths linked to the virus for three consecutive days this week, forecasting a potentially grimmer future as daily new infections remain unnervingly high.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal's podcast hosted by Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and White House pandemic advisor, stated that states that are experiencing expanding coronavirus outbreaks should reinstate lockdowns similar to the ones imposed back in March.
"What we are seeing is exponential growth. It went from an average of about 20,000 to 40,000 and 50,000. That's doubling. If you continue doubling, two times 50 is 100," Fauci stated. "Any state that is having a serious problem, that state should seriously look at shutting down. It's not for me to say because each state is different."
Total Global Cases: Over 12.37 Million
Total Deaths: Over 556,000
Total Recovered: Over 7.18 Million
Change of Tune
The World Health Organization on Thursday updated its known modes of transmission for the coronavirus to include airborne spread, a stance that the global health agency has been dismissal of in the past.
In an open letter addressed to national and international authorities, more than 200 world scientists called for more stringent protective measures against airborne spread of the coronavirus in indoor settings. The authors wrote that studies have shown "beyond any reasonable doubt that viruses are released during exhalation, talking and coughing in microdroplets small enough to remain aloft in the air."
The W.H.O. stated on Thursday that studies evaluating COVID-19 outbreaks that have taken place in settings like restaurants or fitness classes do suggest that the virus may spread in the air. The W.H.O.'s updated stance on airborne spread is that it cannot be ruled out, "particularly in specific indoor locations, such as crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces over a prolonged period of time with infected persons." However, the agency did note that transmission may have occured from the already understood ways like close contact or contaminated surfaces.