TheNewsGuru

Tag: Tedros Ghebreyesus

  • Monkeypox no longer public health emergency

    Monkeypox no longer public health emergency

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday declared that the multi-country outbreak of the mpox virus, which began around a year ago was no longer a public health emergency of international concern.

    WHO Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, said this while speaking to journalists in Geneva, a day after the emergency committee which made the emergency recommendation last July, advised the Director-General to declare it over.

    “However, as with COVID-19, that does not mean that the work is over. Mpox continues to pose significant public health challenges that need a robust, proactive and sustainable response,” Ghebreyesus said.

    He said there had been more than 87,000 cases, and 140 deaths worldwide reported to WHO, from 111 different countries.

    The virus, originally known as Monkey Pox, spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids and causes flu-like symptoms, and also pus-filled lesions on the skin.

    Last July, it was spreading rapidly, but he said WHO “has been very encouraged by the rapid response of countries. We now see steady progress in controlling the outbreak based on the lessons of HIV and working closely with the most affected communities.”

    Some 90 per cent fewer cases were reported in the past three months, compared with the previous three.

    From the beginning of the international outbreak of the disease, which has been in circulation since 1970, and occurred primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa, WHO stressed that most of those infected, recover without treatment in just a few weeks.

    He praised the work of community groups, and public health authorities.

    “For informing people of the risks of mpox, encouraging and supporting behaviour change, and advocating for access to tests, vaccines and treatments to be accessible to those in need.’’

    Cases of the virus were concentrated among men who have sex with men, especially those with multiple sexual partners.

    Ghebreyesus noted that while stigma has been a driving concern in managing the mpox epidemic, and continues to hamper access to care, “the feared backlash against the most affected communities has largely not materialised. For that, we are thankful.”

    He said inspite of the downward trend in cases, the virus was continuing to impact all regions, including Africa, where transmission “is still not well understood.”

    There is a particular risk associated with those living with untreated HIV infections, he added, urging countries to keep testing capacity and be ready to respond promptly if cases rise again.

    “Integration of mpox prevention and care into existing health programmes is recommended, to allow continued access to care, and rapid response to address future outbreaks.”

    WHO will continue to work towards supporting access to countermeasures as more information on effectiveness of interventions becomes available.

    “While the emergencies of mpox and COVID-19 are both over, the threat of resurgent waves remain for both,” Ghebreyesus said.

    “Both viruses continue to circulate, and both continue to kill.

    And while two public health emergencies have ended in the past week, every day WHO continue to respond to more than 50 emergencies globally.”

    Ghebreyesus said that as the UN approached the upcoming World Health Assembly and three-level meetings on pandemic preparedness, tuberculosis and universal health coverage, there were many challenges ahead, but also unprecedented opportunities.

    “If real commitments can be made, then real benefits could result, “for generations to come.”

    Each meeting will be an opportunity to catalyse political commitment to drive progress, and to generate concrete action and financial resources.

    “To invest in expanding access to prevention, testing, treatment, vaccines and research for TB.

    “To strengthen the world’s defences against pandemics; and to strengthen health systems, especially primary healthcare, so that no one misses out on the care they need because of who they are, where they live or how much they earn,”   Ghebreyesus said.

  • WHO opens up on international emergency status of COVID-19

    WHO opens up on international emergency status of COVID-19

    The global Coronavirus pandemic is no longer considered an international health emergency, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has decided.

    WHO head, Tedros Ghebreyesus announced in Geneva on Friday the lifting of the highest alert level that can be imposed in the event of a threat, which has been in place for more than three years.

    The pandemic has been following a declining trend for the past year, Tedros said, referring to increased immunity through vaccination and infection.

    The announcement has no concrete impact because each country decides for itself which protective measures it will impose.

    The Coronavirus has not been defeated, Tedros stressed. It continues to circulate in the world, is dangerous and can still develop dangerous variants at any time.

    Nevertheless, the WHO was following the recommendation of an independent expert committee because it is convinced that the world has good tools to protect people from the virus.

    In addition to vaccines and medicines, these include protective measures such as wearing masks or keeping your distance in crowded and poorly ventilated indoor spaces.

  • Poorest countries gain as global life expectancy increases to 73 years

    Poorest countries gain as global life expectancy increases to 73 years

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) says global life expectancy for both sexes has increased from 46 to 73 years, with the biggest gains in the poorest countries.

    Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, said this during an online media conference.

    Ghebreyesus said after years of war, the organisation realised that it was better to work with one other than fight with one another.

    He said that the organisation also realised that a healthier world was a safer world.

    “Their vision was clear, but bold: the highest possible standard of health, for all people. To achieve that vision, they agreed to set up a new organisation.

    “They debated and agreed what this organisation would be and do in a document called the Constitution of the World Health Organisation,” Ghebreyesus said.

    According to him, the organisation marked the 75th anniversary of the day that constitution came into force.

    He said that the organisation’s constitution was the first document in history to formally recognise health as a human right.

    The WHO boss said that since then, the world has made significant progress towards realising that vision.

    He said that smallpox has been eradicated and polio was on the brink.

    “These are actually two of the important highlights during the 75 years of existence of the Organisation. 42 countries have eliminated malaria, the epidemics of HIV and TB have been pushed back. 47 countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease,” he said.

    Ghebreyesus said in the past 20 years alone, smoking has fallen by a third, maternal mortality has fallen by a third and child mortality has halved.

    According to him, just in the past five years, new vaccines for Ebola and malaria have been developed and licensed.

    “And for the past 3 years, WHO has coordinated the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic – the most severe health crisis in a century.

    “We can’t claim sole credit for these achievements, but we have played a leading role in all of them. Partnering with many partners, especially our Member States.

    “And although we have many achievements of which to be proud, we still face many challenges – some old, some new.

    “Around the world, people still face vast disparities in access to health services, between and within countries and communities,” Ghebreyesus said.

    According to him, since 2000, access to essential services has increased significantly, but at least half the world’s population still lacks access to one or more services like family planning, basic sanitation, or access to a health worker.

    He said that often it was because of where people live, their gender, their age or who they are people living in poverty, refugees and migrants, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and other marginalised groups.

    “Meanwhile, since 2000, the number of people who experience financial hardship from out-of-pocket health spending has increased by a third, to almost two billion.

    “Noncommunicable diseases now account for more than 70 per cent of all deaths globally. Rates of diabetes and obesity have increased dramatically, driven by unhealthy diets and physical inactivity.

    “Progress against malaria and TB has stalled, antimicrobial resistance threatens to unwind a century of medical progress.

    “Air pollution and climate change are jeopardising the very habitability of our planet; And as COVID-19 has exposed so brutally, there remain serious gaps in the world’s defences against epidemics and pandemics. For all these reasons and more, the world needs WHO now more than ever,’’ he said.

  • WHO announces cholera outbreak in 23 countries

    WHO announces cholera outbreak in 23 countries

    The World Health Organisation (WHO), on Friday announced the outbreak of cholera in 23 countries, warning that  20 more countries sharing land borders with the affected countries are at risk.

    Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, stated this during the bloc’s online media conference.

    Ghebreyesus further said that a total of more than one billion people globally, were at the risk of cholera.

    “Cholera spreads through contaminated water, so clean water is needed urgently wherever there is an acute outbreak, to prevent transmission,” he said.

    According to him, WHO also strongly recommends countries at risk of cholera outbreaks to scale up surveillance so cases can be identified and managed as quickly as possible.

    The WHO boss noted that though there were effective vaccines for cholera, supply however, was very limited.

    According to Ghebreyesus, the International Coordinating Group that manages the global cholera vaccine stockpile in 2022 suspended the standard two-dose regimen, recommending instead a single-dose approach to extend supply.

    He, however, said in the medium-to long-term, it remained important that global vaccine production was increased.

    “In the meantime, we must rely on other measures to stop outbreaks and save lives,” he said.

    According to him, over the past few weeks there have been many reports of mammals, including minks, otters, foxes and sea lions, being infected with H5N1 avian influenza.

    He noted that the H5N1 had spread widely in wild birds and poultry for 25 years, but the recent spillover to mammals needed to be monitored closely.

    Ghebreyesus, however, disclosed that at the moment, WHO had assessed the risk to humans as low.

    He said that since H5N1 first emerged in 1996, they had only seen rare and non-sustained transmission of H5N1 to and between humans.

    “But we cannot assume that will remain the case, and we must prepare for any change in the status quo.

    “As always, people are advised not to touch or collect dead or sick wild animals, but to report to local authorities.

    “WHO is working with national authorities and partners to monitor the situation closely, and to study cases of H5N1 infection in humans when they occur,” he said.

    WHO’s global laboratory network, the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System, identifies and monitors strains of circulating influenza viruses, and provides advice to countries on their risk to human health and available treatment or control measures.

    WHO recommends countries strengthen surveillance in settings where humans and farmed or wild animals interact.

    “WHO is also continuing to engage with manufacturers to make sure that if needed, supplies of vaccines and antivirals would be available for global use.

    On the issue of breastfeeding, the WHO helmsman disclosed that a new research had found that less than half of babies born globally, were being breastfed exclusively for the first six months of life.

    Ghebreyesus noted that this was because women lacked support they needed to breastfeed, with more than half a billion working class women globally, lacking adequate maternity protections.

    “Meanwhile, misleading formula milk marketing claims, undermine breastfeeding at every turn.

    “Almost every country has signed the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes, which restricts marketing of formula milk.

    “However, regulations are largely unenforced,” he said.

    “Ghebreyesus called on governments and policy makers, to promote breastfeeding by ensuring all women had adequate maternity protections.

    He recommended at least six months maternity leave with full pay for nursing mothers, as well as time-off for breastfeeding when they resumed work.

    He also reiterated WHO’s call for governments to end exploitative marketing of artificial milk, and increase health sector support for breastfeeding.

  • WHO releases 6 policy briefs to end COVID-19

    WHO releases 6 policy briefs to end COVID-19

    World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday released six short policy briefs that outline key actions that all governments must take to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

    WHO Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, announced this at a news conference at the UN health agency’s headquarters in Geneva.

    He said the policy briefs are based on evidence and experiences of the last 32 months, outlining what works best to save lives, protect health systems, and avoid social and economic disruption.

    He added that the briefs will serve as urgent call for governments to take a hard look at their policies and strengthen them for COVID-19 and future pathogens with pandemic potential.

    He explained that the documents, which are available online, include recommendations regarding vaccination of most at-risk groups, continued testing and sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and integrating effective treatment for COVID-19 into primary healthcare systems.

    He, therefore, urged authorities to have plans for future surges, including securing supplies, equipment, and extra health workers.

    The briefs also contain communications advice, including training health workers to identify and address misinformation, as well as creating high-quality informative materials, he added.

    He said WHO had been working since New Year’s Eve 2019 to fight against the spread of COVID-19 “and will continue to do so until the pandemic is truly over.

    “We can end this pandemic together, but only if all countries, manufacturers, communities and individuals step up and seize this opportunity.”

    According to him, as the number of weekly reported deaths from COVID-19 plunged to its lowest since March 2020, the end of the pandemic is now in sight.

    He said “we have never been in a better position to end the pandemic. However, the world is not there yet. A marathon runner does not stop when the finish line comes into view. She runs harder, with all the energy she has left. So must we.

    “We can see the finish line. We’re in a winning position. But now is the worst time to stop running. The policy briefs outline the key actions that all governments must take now to finish the race”.

  • Nearly one billion people have mental disorder worldwide – WHO

    Nearly one billion people have mental disorder worldwide – WHO

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that nearly one billion people worldwide suffer from some form of mental disorder, according to latest data by the United Nations (UN).

    The data released on Friday said the staggering figure was even more worrying because it included around one in seven teenagers.

    “To make matters worse, in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of common conditions such as depression and anxiety went up by more than 25 per cent,’’ it said.

    It said in its largest review of mental health since the turn of the century, that WHO had urged more countries to get to grips with worsening conditions.

    According to the data, social and economic inequalities, public health emergencies, war, and the climate crisis are among the global, structural threats to mental health.

    It said that depression and anxiety went up by more than 25 per cent in the first year of the pandemic alone.

    It offered examples of good practices that should be implemented as quickly as possible in recognition of the important role that mental health played in positive and sustainable development.

    “Everyone’s life touches someone with a mental health condition. Good mental health translates to good physical health and this new report makes a compelling case for change.

    “The inextricable links between mental health and public health, human rights and socio-economic development mean that transforming policy and practice in mental health can deliver real, substantive benefits for individuals, communities and countries.

    “Investment into mental health is an investment into a better life and future for all,’’ WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus said

    Ghebreyesus said that even before COVID-19 hit, only a small fraction of people in need of help had access to effective, affordable and quality mental health treatment, citing latest available global data from 2019.

    He said, for instance, more than 70 per cent of those suffering from psychosis worldwide did not get the help they needed.

    “The gap between rich and poor nations highlights unequal access to healthcare, as seven in 10 people with psychosis receive treatment in high-income countries, compared to only 12 per cent in low-income countries,’’ Ghebreyesus said.

    According to him, the situation is more dramatic for cases of depression, pointing to gaps in assistance across all countries including high-income ones.

    “Only one third of people who suffer from depression receive formal mental health care.

    “Although high-income countries offer ‘minimally-adequate’ treatment for depression in 23 per cent of cases, this drops to just three per cent in low and lower middle-income countries,’’ he said.

    “We need to transform our attitudes, actions and approaches to promote and protect mental health, and to provide and care for those in need.

    “We can and should do this by transforming the environments that influence our mental health and by developing community-based mental health services capable of achieving universal health coverage for mental health,’’ he said.

  • WHO to rename Monkeypox, publishes guideline on vaccination

    World Health Organisation (WHO) says it is working with partners on renaming Monkeypox and its variants, and also to put in place a mechanism to help share available vaccines, more equitably, as the need arises.

    WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, disclosed this at a news conference on Tuesday in Geneva.

    He said WHO had published guidelines on vaccination against Monkeypox and also published recommendations for governments regarding case detection and control of the disease.

    Speaking to journalists in Geneva, WHO Smallpox expert, Dr Rosamund Lewis, said it was crucial to raise awareness in the population about the level of risk and explain the recommendations to avoid infecting close contacts and family members.

    Lewis explained that although the disease sometimes only produced mild symptoms, such as skin lesions, it could be contagious for two to four weeks

    “We know that it is very difficult for people to isolate themselves for so long, but it is very important to protect others.

    “In most cases, people can self-isolate at home and there is no need to be in the hospital,” she said.

    Monkeypox is transmitted through close physical contact with someone who has symptoms.

    The rash, fluids, and scabs are especially infectious. Clothing, bedding, towels, or objects such as eating utensils or dishes that have been contaminated with the virus can also infect others.

    However, it is not clear whether people who do not have symptoms can spread the disease, the expert reiterated.

    While some countries have maintained strategic supplies of older smallpox vaccines – a virus eradicated in 1980 – these first-generation vaccines held in national stockpiles are not recommended for Monkeypox at this time.

    This is because they do not meet the current safety and manufacturing standards.

    Newer and safer (second and third generation) smallpox vaccines are also available, some of which may be useful for Monkeypox and one of which (MVA-BN) has been approved for the prevention of the disease.

    According to the UN health agency, the supply of these new vaccines is limited, and access strategies are being discussed.

    “At this time, the WHO does not recommend mass vaccination.

    “Decisions about the use of smallpox or Monkeypox vaccines should be based on a full assessment of the risks and benefits in each case,” the guidelines indicate.

    For the contacts of sick patients, post-exposure prophylaxis with a second- or third-generation vaccine is recommended, ideally within four days of first exposure to prevent disease onset.

    Pre-exposure prophylaxis is recommended for healthcare workers at risk, laboratory personnel working with orthopoxviruses, clinical laboratory personnel performing diagnostic tests for Monkeypox, and others who may be at risk.

    Lewis explained that most of the data on the smallpox vaccine was old or from animal studies. “There aren’t a lot of [current] clinical studies,” she said.

    WHO underlined the importance of vaccination programme being supported by comprehensive surveillance and contact tracing, and accompanied by information campaigns and robust “pharmacovigilance”, ideally with collaborative studies on vaccine efficacy.

    WHO to determine if Monkeypox is an International Emergency June 23

    Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has on Tuesday announced that the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee will meet on June 23 to determine if Monkeypox should be declared ‘Emergency of International Concern’.

    The WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, said at a news conference at the agency’s headquarters in Geneva, that the Committee had been convened due to the spread of the Monkeypox virus to 32 non-endemic countries.

    The experts will meet on June 23 to assess whether the continuing outbreak represents a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, the highest level of global alert, which currently applies only to the COVID-19 pandemic and polio.

    So far this year, more than 1,600 confirmed cases and almost 1,500 suspected cases of Monkeypox have been reported to WHO, across 39 countries – including seven countries where monkeypox has been detected for years, and 32 newly-affected nations.

    At least 72 deaths have been reported from previously affected countries.

    No deaths have been registered so far from the newly affected countries, but the agency is seeking to verify news reports of a related death in Brazil.

    “The global outbreak of Monkeypox is clearly unusual and concerning,” Ghebreyesus said, calling to step up the response and international coordination.

    Ibrahima Socé Fall, WHO Deputy Director for Emergency Response, explained that the risk of spread in Europe is considered “high”, w hile in the rest of the world “moderate” and that there are still knowledge gaps regarding how the virus is being transmitted.

    “We don’t want to wait until the situation is out of control,” he said.

    WHO has published recommendations for governments regarding case detection and control.

    WHO Smallpox expert, Dr Rosamund Lewis, said it was crucial to raise awareness in the population about the level of risk and explain the recommendations to avoid infecting close contacts and family members.

    Lewis explained that, although the disease sometimes only produces mild symptoms, such as skin lesions, it can be contagious for two to four weeks.

    “We know that it is very difficult for people to isolate themselves for so long, but it is very important to protect others. In most cases, people can self-isolate at home and there is no need to be in the hospital,” she added.

    Monkeypox is transmitted through close physical contact with someone who has symptoms.

    The rash, fluids and scabs are especially infectious. Clothing, bedding, towels, or objects such as eating utensils or dishes that have been contaminated with the virus can also infect others.

    However, it is not clear whether people who do not have symptoms can spread the disease, the expert reiterated.

  • WHO predicts COVID-19 will end in 2022

    WHO predicts COVID-19 will end in 2022

    World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, has expressed optimism that COVID-19 pandemic will end in 2022.

    Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing on Wednesday that it was two years ago, as people gathered for New Year’s Eve celebrations, that a new global threat emerged.

    Since then, 1.8 million deaths were recorded in 2020 and 3.5 million in 2021, but the actual number is much higher. There are also millions of people dealing with long-term consequences from the virus.

    Right now, Delta and Omicron are driving up cases to record numbers, leading to spikes in hospitalisation and deaths.

    Ghebreyesus said he was “highly concerned” that the more transmissible Omicron, circulating at the same time as Delta, is leading to “a tsunami of cases.”

    Earlier in 2020, during meetings of the world’s biggest economies – the G7 and G20 – WHO challenged leaders to vaccinate 40 per cent of their populations by the end of 2021 and 70 per cent by the middle of 2022.

    With only a couple of days left in the year, 92 out of 194 Member States missed the target.

    He attributed this to low-income countries receiving a limited supply for most of the year and then subsequent vaccines arriving close to expiry, without key parts, like syringes.

    “Forty per cent was doable. It’s not only a moral shame, it cost lives and provided the virus with opportunities to circulate unchecked and mutate,” he said.

    WHO chief warned that boosters in rich countries could cause low-income countries to again fall short and called on leaders of wealthy countries and manufacturers to work together to reach the 70 per cent goal by July.

    “This is the time to rise above short-term nationalism and protect populations and economies against future variants by ending global vaccine inequity.

    “We have 185 days to the finish line of achieving 70 per cent by the start of July 2022. And the clock starts now,” he said

    Early on, the director-general acknowledged that beating the new health threat would require science, solutions, and solidarity.

    While elaborating on some successes, such as the development of new vaccines, which he said “represent a scientific masterclass”, the WHO official lamented that politics too often triumphed over solidarity.

    “Populism, narrow nationalism and hoarding of health tools, including masks, therapeutics, diagnostics and vaccines, by a small number of countries undermined equity, and created the ideal conditions for the emergence of new variants,” he said.

    Moreover, misinformation and disinformation, have also been “a constant distraction, undermining science and trust in lifesaving health tools”.

    He highlighted as a case in point that huge waves of infections have swept Europe and many other countries causing the unvaccinated to die disproportionally.

    The unvaccinated are many times more at risk of dying from either variant.

    As the pandemic drags on, new variants could become fully resistant to current vaccines or past infection, necessitating vaccine adaptations.

    For Ghebreyesus, as any new vaccine update could mean a new supply shortage, it is important to build up local manufacturing supply.

    One way to increase production of life-saving tools, he said, is to pool technology, as in the new WHO Bio Hub System, a mechanism to voluntarily share novel biological materials.

    He also pointed to the new WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence, based in Berlin, Gerrmany.

    The WHO chief called for the development of a new accord between nations, saying it would be “a key pillar” of a world better prepared to deal with the next disease.

    “I hope to see negotiations move swiftly and leaders to act with ambition,” he said.

  • COVID-19: Vaccine alone will not end pandemic – WHO

    COVID-19: Vaccine alone will not end pandemic – WHO

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that vaccines alone will not guarantee an end to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Director-General (DG) of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made this known on Monday.

    “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we knew that a vaccine would be essential for bringing the pandemic under control. But it’s important to emphasise that a vaccine will complement the other tools we have, not replace them.

    “Initial supply of COVID-19 vaccines will be limited, so health workers, older people and other at-risk populations will be prioritised. That will hopefully reduce the number of deaths and enable health systems to cope, but the virus will still have a lot room to move.

    “A vaccine on its own will not end the COVID619 pandemic. We will still need to continue surveillance; testing, isolating anr caring for cases; tracing and quarantining contacts; engaging communities and encouraging individuals to be careful,” the WHO DG stated.

    TNG reports Tedros is making these statements as another U.S. firm announced a new COVID-19 vaccine with 94.5% effectiveness.

    American biotechnology company, Moderna, announced on Monday that its COVID-19 vaccine could be up to 94.5 per cent effective.

    The news came a week after U.S. drug maker, Pfizer, announced the development of a vaccine with 90 per cent effectiveness.

    In a statement, Moderna said that after its Phase 3 trial, the vaccine met statistical criteria with an efficacy rate of 94.5 per cent.

    However, experts are warning that the numbers are not conclusive, as both estimates could increase or decrease as trials continue.

    The company requires the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to roll out the vaccine for mass immunisation.

    Moderna said it would ask the FDA for emergency use authorisation (EUA) on a small group of higher-risk individuals.

    It stated that the application, to be made in the coming weeks, would include at least two months of safety data after the last injection in half the volunteers.

    The company added that the FDA application would include the “final analysis” of 151 cases of COVID-19 in its trial, rather than just the initial 95 cases.

    This puts it on track along with Pfizer for possible limited authorisation by the FDA as soon as December.

    Moderna is expected to have 20 million doses to go along with Pfizer’s 50 million for global distribution before more can be made in 2021, according to ABC News.

  • WHO DG, Tedros in coronavirus scare, self-isolates

    WHO DG, Tedros in coronavirus scare, self-isolates

    World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has begun a self quarantine for coronavirus.

    This was after he was identified as a contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

    The Ethiopia-born WHO chief, however, added on Sunday night that he was feeling well and did not have any symptoms.

    “I have been identified as a contact of someone who has tested positive for #COVID19,” he tweeted.

    I am well and without symptoms but will self-quarantine over the coming days, in line with @WHO protocols, and work from home,” he added.

    Tedros became WHO chief in 2017.

    He is 55 years old and does not fall in the COVID-19 high risk bracket.