Thread by @WHO

Media briefing on #COVID19 with @DrTedros and @FilippoGrandi pscp.tv/w/cbt5-jI2MTAy…

"The pandemic is accelerating.

More than 150K new cases of #COVID19 were reported to WHO yesterday – the most in a single day so far.

Almost half of those cases were reported from the Americas, with large numbers also being reported from South Asia & the Middle East"-@DrTedros

"The world is in a new & dangerous phase. Many people are understandably fed up with being at home. Countries are understandably eager to open up their societies & economies.
But the virus is still spreading fast, it’s still deadly & most people are still susceptible"-@DrTedros

"We call on all countries and all people to exercise extreme vigilance.

Continue maintaining your distance from others. #StayHome if you feel sick.

Keep covering your nose and mouth when you cough.

Wear a mask when appropriate.

Keep cleaning your hands"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"We continue to call on all countries to focus on the basics:

-find
-isolate
-test and
-care for every case.

Trace and quarantine every contact"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"As the #COVID19 pandemic gathers pace, it’s the most vulnerable who will suffer the most.

All countries rich and poor have populations who are vulnerable to a higher risk of severe disease and death"-@DrTedros

"Tomorrow is #WorldRefugeeDay, an important moment to highlight #COVID19 risks for some of the 🌍’s most vulnerable people.
Refugees are particularly at risk because they often have limited access to adequate shelter, water, nutrition, sanitation & health services"-@DrTedros

"Over 80% of the 🌍’s refugees & nearly all the world’s internally displaced people are hosted in low- & middle-income countries.

WHO is deeply concerned about the very real & present danger of widespread transmission of #COVID19 in refugee camps"-@DrTedros

"Beyond the health threat posed by the virus, #COVID19 is also exposing many refugees to even more severe hardship"-@DrTedros

"A report published today by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement shows that about 70% of refugees surveyed in Turkey reported having lost their jobs since the start of the #COVID19 pandemic"-@DrTedros

"We have a shared duty to do everything we can to prevent, detect and respond to transmission of #COVID19 among refugee populations"-@DrTedros

"Public health measures that reduce transmission of #COVID19 require strict and sustained implementation. This is difficult to achieve in refugee camps, where the public health situation is weak"-@DrTedros

"It’s an honour to be here today with my brother Mr @FilippoGrandi, the @UN High Commissioner for @Refugees (UNHCR).

UNHCR’s primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees"-@DrTedros

"WHO’s mission is to promote health, keep the 🌍 safe & serve the vulnerable.

Our organizations are a natural fit and every day WHO and UNHCR work to strengthen the collaboration between our two agencies"-@DrTedros

"Last month, our two organizations signed a new agreement to strengthen and advance public health services for the millions of forcibly displaced people around the world"-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1263451498811396103?s=20

"#COVID-19 has demonstrated that no one is safe until we’re all safe. Only by putting politics aside and working in true collaboration can we make a difference"-@DrTedros

"We are most vulnerable when we are divided, but with solidarity and cooperation, we will overcome the #COVID19 pandemic, and be better prepared for the crises of the future"-@DrTedros

The full briefing by @DrTedros 👇 bit.ly/37KH154

We have not yet seen major #COVID19 outbreaks where we feared them the most, in large concentration, in refugee camps traditionally. This is also due to the fact that we had time to prepare. And this is where our cooperation with WHO has been invaluable-@FilippoGrandi