This page brings together information and guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations regarding the current outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that was first reported in Wuhan, China, on 31 December 2019. Please visit this page for daily updates. WHO is working closely with global experts, governments and partners to rapidly expand scientific knowledge on this new virus, to track the spread and virulence of the virus, and to provide advice to countries and individuals on measures to protect health and prevent the spread of this outbreak.
Coronavirus global health emergency: Coverage from UN News
COVID death toll passes 4 million: Global Vaccine Plan essential, declares Guterres
The global death toll due to COVID-19 officially passed four million late on Wednesday, marking yet another “grim milestone” and underlining the urgent need for the world to put a Global Vaccine Plan in place to get the pandemic under control, said the UN chief in a statement.
COVID variants ‘winning the race against vaccines’ warns WHO chief
Variants like Delta are “currently winning the race against vaccines” said the World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday, pinning the blame squarely on a lack of equitable vaccine production and distribution.
Equitable distribution of vaccines, equipment only way out of pandemic: WHO chief
Equitable distribution of equipment and medicines to fight COVID-19 is the only way out of the global crisis, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, in remarks to a meeting of the advisory group making the case for investing in these tools.
COVID-19 Delta variant detected in 98 countries, continues to evolve and mutate, warns WHO
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday urged leaders to push back against daunting new COVID surges through increased vaccination efforts and public health measures, warning that with Delta quickly becoming the dominant strain in many countries ‘we are in a very dangerous period of the pandemic’.
Social protection ‘lifeline’ during COVID, depends on where you live
Although the COVID-19 pandemic had triggered the roll-out of an “unprecedented number” of new and often innovative social protection measures, it was unable to stem a widening gap between rich and poor countries, according to a new UN report released on Thursday.
Delta variant drives Africa COVID threat to ‘whole new level´: WHO warns; ‘dominant’ in Europe by August
With cases now doubling in Africa every three weeks, the Delta variant of COVID-19 has spread to 16 countries and it is present in three of the five nations reporting the highest caseloads. The variant is the most contagious yet - up to 60% more transmissible than other variants.
COVID-19 Delta variant has potential to make ‘epidemic curve exponentially’
The head of the UN health agency expressed concern on Friday over the COVID-19’s delta variant, which he called “the most transmissible” mutation to date.
Link between education and well-being never clearer, UN pushes for ‘health-promoting’ schools
With school closures triggered by COVID-19 disrupting both education and access to nutritious meals, two UN agencies on Tuesday launched new measures to help improve the well-being of 1.9 billion school-aged children and adolescents around the world.
COVID-19: Vaccines donated next year, ‘too late for those who are dying today’
Millions more COVID vaccines need to be donated now to save lives and help the UN health agency reach the key global target of having 70 per cent of all national populations vaccinated, by the middle of 2022.
UN Catch-Up Dateline Geneva – Animals in lockdown, Tigray and COVID vaccine alert for Africa
In this week’s UN Catch-Up, we’re getting in touch with the natural world – a photo contest showing what animals make of COVID lockdowns…Plus, the week’s top news stories from UN News, including likely famine in Ethiopia’s Tigray and alarming coronavirus vaccine shortfalls in nearly all African nations. I’m your host in Geneva, Daniel Johnson, and regular guest Solange Behoteguy-Cortes is with us too for closing comments. Thanks for listening.