Sun | Jul 12, 2026

WHO: ‘Dangerous period’ with delta variant

Published:Friday | July 2, 2021 | 10:08 AM
In this Monday, May 24, 2021, file photo, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), speaks during a bilateral meeting with Swiss Interior and Health Minister Alain Berset before signing a BioHub Initiative with a global COVID-19 Pathogen repository in Spiez laboratory on the sideline of the opening of the 74th World Health Assembly, WHA, at the WHO headquarters, in Geneva, Switzerland. (Laurent Gillieron/Keystone via AP, File)

GENEVA - The head of the World Health Organization says the world is in “a very dangerous period” of the COVID-19 pandemic, noting the more contagious delta variant is identified in nearly 100 countries.

At a press briefing on Friday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the delta variant, first found in India, is continuing to evolve and mutate, and it is becoming the predominant COVID-19 virus in many countries.

“I have already urged leaders across the world to ensure that by this time next year, 70% of all people in every country are vaccinated,” he said, adding that would effectively end the acute phase of the pandemic.

He noted three billion doses of vaccine have already been distributed and, “it's within the collective power of a few countries to step up and ensure that vaccines are shared.”

Of the vaccine doses given globally, fewer than 2% have been in poorer countries.

Although rich countries including Britain, the US, France and Canada have pledged to donate one billion COVID-19 vaccines, WHO estimates 11 billion doses are needed to immunise the world.

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