Page 11 - HOH

A7
WORLD NEWS Tuesday 6 OcTOber 2020
WHO: 10% of world's people may have been infected with virus

GENEVA (AP) — The head ing a special session of the
of emergencies at the executive board to con-
World Health Organization sider the follow-up to its
said Monday the agency's previous meeting, in May,
"best estimates" indicate that passed a resolution to
roughly 1 in 10 people look into the world's — and
worldwide may have been WHO's — response to the
infected by the coronavirus pandemic, among other
— more than 20 times the things.
number of confirmed cases The two-day meeting is
— and warned of a difficult the first by the executive
period ahead. board since the Trump
Dr. Michael Ryan, speak- administration set off a
ing to a special session of one-year countdown this
the WHO's 34-member ex- summer toward pulling the
ecutive board focusing on United States out of the
COVID-19, said the figures WHO next July. President
vary from urban to rural ar- Donald Trump, who him-
eas, and between different self has been infected by
groups, but that ultimately COVID-19, has repeatedly
it means "the vast major- accused the WHO of being
ity of the world remains at too accepting of China's
risk." He said the pandemic explanations of its handling
would continue to evolve, In this photo released by WHO, World Health Organisation on Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, WHO Director- of the outbreak in Wuhan
but that tools exist to sup- General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, wearing a mask to protect against coronavirus, ges- late last year.
press transmission and save tures during a special session on the COVID-19 respnse. On a far more conciliatory
lives. Associated Press tone, Assistant Secretary
"Many deaths have been of Health Brett Giroir, the
averted and many more "The disease continues to worldwide. Experts have the world is that with strong U.S. representative on the
lives can be protected," spread. It is on the rise in long said that the number leadership, clear and com- board, told the meeting by
Ryan said. He was flanked many parts of the world," of confirmed cases greatly prehensive strategies, con- videoconference that the
by his boss, WHO Director- Ryan told attendees from undershoots the true figure. sistent communication, United States "looks forward
General Tedros Adhanom governments who make up Ryan did not elaborate on and engaged, empow- to working together to de-
Ghebreyesus, who minutes the executive board and the estimate. Dr. Margaret ered and enabled popula- feat this pandemic and
earlier led a moment of si- provide much of the WHO's Harris, a WHO spokeswom- tion, it's never too late ... Ev- move our people and eco-
lence to honor victims, as funding. "Our current best an, said it was based on an ery situation can be turned nomics back to normalcy."
well as a round of applause estimates tell us that about average of antibody stud- around — and hard-won Giroir also pressed WHO —
for the health workers who 10 percent of the global ies conducted around the gains can be easily lost." albeit gently — to clear up
have strived to save them. population may have been world. She said the estimat- "The pandemic underlines its relationship with the Chi-
Ryan said southeast Asia infected by this virus." ed 90 percent of people the fundamental impor- nese government. He said
faced a surge in cases, The estimate — which remaining without infection tance of investing in public a "key mandate" from the
Europe and the eastern would amount to more means the virus has "op- health and primary health resolution in May was its call
Mediterranean were see- than 760 million people portunity" to spread further care," said Tedros, wearing for a joint mission involving
ing an increase, while the based on a current world "if we don't take action to a stylish black, red and yel- the WHO, the World Orga-
situations in Africa and the population of about 7.6 bil- stop it" such as by contact- low mask. Tedros had not nization for Animal Health,
Western Pacific were "rath- lion — far outstrips the num- tracing and tracking of worn a mask during scores and the U.N.'s Food and
er more positive." Overall, ber of confirmed cases as cases by health officials. of COVID-19 press con- Agricultural Organization to
though, he said the world tallied by both the WHO Tedros, during his remarks, ferences he led at WHO look into the animal origins
was "heading into a difficult and Johns Hopkins Universi- said: "What we have headquarters this year. of the virus and its transmis-
period." ty, now more than 35 million learned in every region of The comments came dur- sion to humans. q

Israeli police clash with mourners at rabbi's funeral

ASHDOD, Israel (AP) — Is- chai Leifer. including an unmasked
raeli police on Monday But thousands of people man, as a crowd screamed
scuffled with mourners at showed up for the funeral, "Nazi" at them. Most people
the funeral of a revered and police said the crowd in the videos were wear-
rabbi — the latest in a did not honor the pledge ing masks, although some
string of clashes between to maintain social distanc- were not. Police said no ar-
security forces and ultra- ing. rests were made.
Orthodox Jews violating a "Police cordoned off the Leifer, 64, was the spiritual
national coronavirus lock- area and when thousands leader of the Pittsburgh
down order. of people arrived, police Hasidic dynasty, a small
Police spokesman Micky eventually dispersed the ultra-Orthodox sect that
Rosenfeld said police crowds in order to prevent was founded in the Penn-
reached an agreement the spread of COVID-19 in sylvania city early last cen-
ahead of time with com- a public area," Rosenfeld tury before relocating to Israeli police try to control a crowd of mourners during the fu-
neral of Rabbi Mordechai Leifer, the latest in a string of clashes
munity leaders to allow a said. Video circulating on the southern Israeli city of between security forces and ultra-Orthodox Jews violating a
limited number of mourners social media showed po- Ashdod. Leifer reportedly national coronavirus lockdown order, in the port city of Ashdod,
to attend the funeral pro- lice officers pushing back died after a long bout with Israel, Monday, Oct. 5, 2020.
cession for Rabbi Morde- members of the crowd, COVID-19.q Associated Press