Media Home
UN Web TV
UN Audiovisual Library
UN PhotoWHO / COVID-19 UPDATE
Download
There is no media available to download.
Share
STORY: WHO / COVID-19 UPDATE
TRT: 4:30
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS
DATELINE: 22 JUNE 2020, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
FILE - GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Wide shot, WHO Headquarters exterior
22 JUNE 2020, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
2. Wide shot, exterior
3. Wide shot, dais
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
"It seems that almost every day we reach a new and grim record. Yesterday, more than 183,000 new cases of COVID-19 were reported to WHO – easily the most in a single day so far. More than 8.8 million cases have now been reported to WHO, and more than 465,000 people have lost their lives."
5. Wide shot, dais
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
"Some countries are continuing to see a rapid increase in cases and deaths. Some countries that have successfully suppressed transmission are now seeing an upswing in cases as they reopen their societies and economies. All countries are facing a delicate balance, between protecting their people, while minimising the social and economic damage. It’s not a choice between lives and livelihoods. Countries can do both. We urge countries to be careful and creative in finding solutions that enable people to stay safe while getting on with their lives.”
7. Wide shot, dais
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Michael Ryan Executive Director, Health Emergencies Programme, WHO:
"Certainly, the numbers are increasing because the epidemic is developing in a number of populous countries at the same time and, and across the whole world. So, from that perspective and a large number of countries are contributing to that overall increase. Some of that increase may be attributed to increase testing, countries are testing more and certainly countries like India are testing more. But we do not believe that this is a testing phenomenon. Clearly when you look at hospital admissions are also rising in a number of countries; deaths are also rising and they're not due to increased testing per se."
9. Wide shot, dais
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO:
“Although the data is still preliminary, the recent finding that the steroid dexamethasone has life-saving potential for critically ill COVID-19 patients gave us a much-needed reason to celebrate. The next challenge is to increase production and rapidly and equitably distribute dexamethasone worldwide, focusing on where it is needed most. Demand has already surged, following the UK trial results showing dexamethasone's clear benefit. Fortunately, this is an inexpensive medicine and there are many dexamethasone manufacturers worldwide, who we are confident can accelerate production."
11. Wide shot, dais
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, COVID-19 Technical lead, Health Emergencies Programme, WHO:
"And we should say that we are seeing millions of people who are recovering from COVID-19, which is a very good sign. But indeed, there are people who have persistent, some people who have persistent symptoms, like a long-term cough, like a dry cough for some time, they may feel quite fatigued for some time, they may feel some shortness of breath while they're climbing stairs. But we are working to better understand what recovery looks like and more specifically, and more importantly, what type of long-term care if needed, what does that look like for people who have recovered?"
13. Wide shot, dais
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, COVID-19 Technical lead, Health Emergencies Programme, WHO:
"Thank you for the question. Yes, indeed we are following this outbreak in this meat packing plant in Germany, as well as a number of outbreaks in clusters that are happening in food processing plants across a number of countries. What I can say is that we need to know more to really better understand why these clusters are happening, why these outbreaks are happening, so that we can learn how to stop them. There may be some, I don't want to speculate too much, because we need to learn more about these and the outbreak investigations need to be carried out to better understand what's happening at the factories, the plants themselves, as well as the individuals who are infected, the living conditions in which they live in and any other potential sources of infection for these outbreaks."
15. Wide shot, dais
Reporting “more than 183,000” new daily cases of COVID-19, the most in a single day so far, WHO’S Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said "almost every day we reach a new and grim record.
Briefing reporters from Geneva today (22 Jun), Dr. Tedros said “more than 8.8 million cases have now been reported to WHO, and more than 465,000 people have lost their lives."
He said, "some countries are continuing to see a rapid increase in cases and deaths. Some countries that have successfully suppressed transmission are now seeing an upswing in cases as they reopen their societies and economies. All countries are facing a delicate balance, between protecting their people, while minimising the social and economic damage. It’s not a choice between lives and livelihoods. Countries can do both.”
The Director-General urged countries “to be careful and creative in finding solutions that enable people to stay safe while getting on with their lives.”
The Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, Dr Michael Ryan, said, "certainly, the numbers are increasing because the epidemic is developing in a number of populous countries at the same time and, and across the whole world.”
Ryan said, “some of that increase may be attributed to increase testing, countries are testing more and certainly countries like India are testing more. But we do not believe that this is a testing phenomenon. Clearly when you look at hospital admissions are also rising in a number of countries; deaths are also rising and they're not due to increased testing per se."
Dr Tedros said “the recent finding that the steroid dexamethasone has life-saving potential for critically ill COVID-19 patients gave us a much-needed reason to celebrate. The next challenge is to increase production and rapidly and equitably distribute dexamethasone worldwide, focusing on where it is needed most”.
Fortunately, he said, “this is an inexpensive medicine and there are many dexamethasone manufacturers worldwide, who we are confident can accelerate production."
For her part, WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme COVID-19 Technical lead, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, said. "some people who have persistent symptoms, like a long-term cough, like a dry cough for some time, they may feel quite fatigued for some time, they may feel some shortness of breath while they're climbing stairs. But we are working to better understand what recovery looks like and more specifically, and more importantly, what type of long-term care if needed, what does that look like for people who have recovered?"
Van Kerkhove said, "we are following this outbreak in this meat packing plant in Germany, as well as a number of outbreaks in clusters that are happening in food processing plants across a number of countries” adding that “we need to know more to really better understand why these clusters are happening, why these outbreaks are happening, so that we can learn how to stop them.”
