Global COVID-19 cases topped 25 million, with much of the activity fueled by steady, high daily cases in Americas countries and India, which reported the highest daily total of any country during the pandemic, according to a news report from the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota.
In other developments, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it received support from the European Commission for the COVAX vaccine initiative and shared results of a new survey that showed widespread disruption of healthcare delivery.
The global COVID-19 total has risen to over 25 million cases, along with more than 848,000 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins online dashboard.
At a WHO media briefing, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, said eight months into the pandemic, it's understandable that people are tired and want to get on with their lives and that countries want to reopen. He said the WHO wants the same thing and acknowledges the steps countries have taken to take pressure off their healthcare systems, which have taken a toll.
"At the same time, no country can just pretend the pandemic is over," he said, adding that the virus spreads easily, can be fatal, and most people are still susceptible. "If countries are serious about opening up, they must be serious about suppressing transmission and saving lives."
