WHO

A WHO study has shown that some of the most high-profile drugs during the COVID-19 pandemic - and in some cases touted by US President Trump - have little to no effect on coronavirus, casting doubt on co-called "miracle treatments" like hydroxychloroquine. The six month study coordinated by the World Health Organization examined the potential impact of treatments like remdesivir and interferon, which have been repurposed from their normal use in the hope of controlling COVID-19.

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Earlier this summer, public health officials warned that new cases of Ebola had appeared in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, indicating that another outbreak was underway. Only around five weeks later, the number of cases nearly doubled to 100, marking the 11th outbreak in the DRC. Whereas the new outbreak was originally declared in the Equateur Province's capital city, it has since spread into 11 of 17 zones, claiming 43 lives.

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Today the World Health Organization spoke on humanity's current handling of global pandemic with COVID-19 here in August of 2020. Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, Technical Lead, COVID-19, WHO Health Emergencies Program spoke in response to a question of numbers - how it may appear that we've flattened the curve, and how some countries appear to be doing quite well with COVID-19 suppression.

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This morning the World Health Organization held a press conference in which they outlined the importance of vigilance in the fight against COVID-19. Speaking on the current state of the global pandemic, with regard to containment and advancements in vaccinations, Dr. Michael Joseph Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Program, suggested that the disease has a lot of potential to become a lot worse, IF we allow it.

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This week remarks from the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed to two "essential elements" in fighting COVID-19 effectively. "Leaders must step up to take action and citizens need to embrace new measures." The WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus's remarks this week pointed to a pair of regions where progress has been made both efficiently and effectively: Rwanda and New Zealand.

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The COVID-19 pandemic is "far from over," experts at the World Health Organization have warned, cautioning against complacency as global cases are still rising and a second wave entirely possible. The ominous announcement comes as the WHO amends its guidance on masks, setting out several important factors wearers should bear in mind as they protect themselves and others in daily life.

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The World Health Organization now recommends wearing a face mask to help avoid the spread of COVID-19, updating its guidance after acknowledging new research during the coronavirus pandemic. The WHO had previously stopped short of recommending face masks, cautioning that the evidence for their efficacy was still insufficient.

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The Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing a new Ebola outbreak as the previous one enters its final phase, the World Health Organization has revealed. The new outbreak comes amid multiple other outbreaks in the region, including ones involving COVID-19 and the measles. A total of six new Ebola cases have been identified; four of those patients have died.

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The World Health Organization is preparing a COVID-19 app that will check symptoms and advise people whether they're likely to have contracted coronavirus, with officials weighing whether to integrate Apple and Google's Bluetooth contact tracing system. Several countries and organizations have launched coronavirus diagnostic tools, designed to better signpost people to their local healthcare providers if it's likely that they could require a COVID-19 test.

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The World Health Organization is advising against the concept of 'immunity passports,' which would be certificates proving that someone has contracted and recovered from the novel coronavirus. The idea behind the passports is that someone who contracted the virus will have antibodies, potentially making them immune to the virus and therefore risk-free. WHO warns there's no evidence to support this idea.

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An alert from the World Health Organization this week did a bit of a mythbuster on the subject of alcohol during our current global pandemic. Misinformation spread over social networks and person-to-person in text chains over the past few weeks suggested high-strength alcohol could "kill the COVID-19 virus." According to the World Health Organization: "It does not."

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WhatsApp has become a hive of misinformation related to the novel coronavirus, the COVID-19 disease it causes, and the state of outbreaks around the world. The World Health Organization is combating this fake news by launching its own chatbot called WHO Health Alert to spread accurate, timely information. The chatbot will provide direct information on the latest case numbers, myths related to the disease, and more.

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