Thread by @cnnphilippines

THREAD: World Health Organization Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus holds a briefing on the coronavirus pandemic.

@DrTedros on the situation in Ukraine: We've received several unconfirmed reports of attacks on 🏥 & health infrastructure, & one confirmed incident last week, in which a hospital came under heavy weapons attack, killing 4 people & injuring 10, including 6 healthworkers

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: The sanctity & neutrality of health care – including of healthworkers, patients, supplies, transport & facilities – & the right to safe access to care, must be respected & protected. Attacks on health care are a violation of international humanitarian law

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: Prior to the conflict, Ukraine had experienced a recent surge of cases of COVI-19. Low rates of testing since the start of the conflict mean there is likely to be significant undetected transmission

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: Coupled with low vaccination coverage, this increases the risk of large numbers of people developing severe disease

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: Critical shortages of oxygen will have an impact on the ability to treat patients with COVID-19 and many other conditions

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: At least 3 major oxygen plants in Ukraine have now closed, and we are seeking ways of accessing oxygen from neighboring countries and ways to deliver it safely to where it’s needed

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: Mass population movements are likely to contribute further to transmission of COVID-19, potentially increasing pressure on health systems in neighboring countries

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: As of yesterday, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees @FilippoGrandi reported that more than 870,000 refugees have left Ukraine, and we expect that number to increase rapidly

.@DrTedros: WHO is supporting neighboring countries to address key health issues among refugees and forcibly displaced persons, including mental health and psychological assistance, as well as treatment for diseases including HIV, tuberculosis and cancer

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: WHO remains committed to meeting the health needs of the people of Ukraine

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: It’s encouraging to see that deaths from COVID-19 are now declining 🌍 and in most regions. It's pleasing to see some countries being able to relax restrictions, without their health systems being overwhelmed. But it's far too early to declare victory over COVID-19

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: There are still many countries with high rates of hospitalization and death, and low rates of vaccine coverage. And with high COVID-19 transmission, the threat of a new and more dangerous variant remains very real

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: We continue to urge all people in all countries to exercise caution, and we urge all governments to support their people to protect themselves and others

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: The only sustainable way out of the COVID-19 pandemic is to reach high vaccine coverage in all countries. Globally, 56% of the world's population has been fully vaccinated, but only 9% of the population of low-income countries

@DrTedros .@DrTedros: To achieve all our targets, we are calling on all countries to fill the urgent financing gap of $16 billion for the @ACTAccelerator