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WHO warns of third and fourth waves of COVID-19

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World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has warned that there could be third and even fourth waves of coronavirus.

Addressing, the WHO COVID-19 briefing on Friday, Ghebreyesus says it is a mistake to think that falling death rates in some countries mean that the pandemic is over.

He says the United Nations health agency will make countries with little or no vaccine doses its priority.

“This has been a landmark week for COVAX with the first vaccinations starting in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. In addition to those two countries COVAX has now delivered vaccines in Angola, Cambodia, Colombia, DRC, Gambia, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Moldavia, Nigeria, Korea, Rwanda Senegal, Sudan and Uganda. In total COVAX has delivered more than 20 million doses to 20 countries.”

Below is Ghebreyesus’ address to the media:

Third wave

Last month, Health Minister Dr. Zweli Mkhize said South Africa and the continent must prepare for a possible third wave of the coronavirus.

He says the impact of the third wave will be more devastating.

Health protocol

Co-chair of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on COVID-19, Professor Salim Abdool Karim, says the severity of the third wave depends on the ability of South Africans to maintain adherence to health protocols.

Karim says government expects a third wave of the virus in June or July coinciding with the winter months.

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