From Our Bureau
23rd MAY 2020
The Corona Virus (CPVID-19) pandemic situation remained grim globally, with the confirmed cases across the world soaring to 51,03,006 and the death toll reaching 3,33,401 in the 216 affected countries and territories, according to the latest update from the World Health Organization (WHO).
Globally, European region continued to be the worst-hit in terms of fatalities with 19,87,657 confirmed cases and 1,72,958 deaths. American region came next with 22,82,488 confirmed cases and 1,35,184 deaths. Eastern Mediterranean region reported 4,02,919 confirmed cases and 10,806 deaths.
Western Pacific region’s tally stood at 1,72,696 confirmed cases and 6,844 deaths. South-East Asia region recorded 1,82,278 confirmed cases and 5,556 deaths and African region witnessed 74,256 confirmed cases and 2,040 deaths. WHO Risk Assessment at global level remained very high.
WHO has published a COVID-19 Monitoring and Evaluation Framework listing key public health and essential health services and systems indicators to monitor preparedness, response, and situations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WHO has updated a document on Operational Planning Guidelines to Support Country Preparedness and Response. The document provides a practical guide that can be used by national authorities to develop and update their COVID-19 national plans across the major pillars of COVID-19 preparedness and response.
WHO published an interim guidance on Framework for decision-making: implementation of mass vaccination campaigns in the context of COVID-19. The document describes the principles to consider when deliberating the implementation of mass vaccination campaigns for prevention of vaccine preventable diseases and high impact diseases (VPD/HID), and when assessing risks and benefits of conducting outbreak-response vaccination campaigns to respond to VPD/HID outbreaks.
WHO has also published an interim guidance on Controlling the spread of COVID-19 at ground crossings advising countries to reduce the spread of COVID-19 resulting from travel, transportation, and trade on and around ground crossings, (eom)
