BEIJING, CHINA ~ THE Coronavirus epidemic is far from over in the Asia-Pacific region, a World Health Organisation official said on Tuesday.
Takeshi Kasai, regional director for the Western Pacific at WHO, told a virtual media briefing: “Let me be clear. The epidemic is far from over in Asia and the Pacific.”
Even with all the measures, the risk of transmission in the region will not go away, as long as the pandemic continues, said Kasai.
The virus first surfaced in central China late last year.
Infections have now exceeded 770 000 cases worldwide, with the United States, Italy and Spain overtaking mainland China in confirmed cases.
“This is going to be a long-term battle and we can’t let down our guard. We need every country to keep preparing for large-scale community transmission.”
Countries with limited resources are a priority, such as Pacific Island nations, he said, as they have to ship samples to other countries for diagnoses, and transportation restrictions are making that more difficult.
According to WHO technical adviser Matthew Griffith, the organisation does not expect any country to be safe, as the coronavirus will eventually get everywhere., said WHO technical adviser Matthew Griffith. – REUTERS
“Whereas countries and areas in this region have shown how to flatten the curve, outbreaks continue to pop up in new places and importation remains a concern,” Griffith said at the briefing, citing cases in Singapore and South Korea from people who traveled abroad.
The focus of the epidemic is now on Europe, but that will likely shift to other regions, Griffith said.
