Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, the World Health Organization (WHO)’s director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, says governments should be more proactive in their containment polices and the public must respect social distancing rules to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.
In just one week, the number of COVID-19 cases in the Eastern Mediterranean Region has almost doubled from 32,442 cases on March 26 to 58,168 on April 2, Al-Mandhari said in a statement on Thursday.
“I cannot stress enough the urgency of the situation. We have a window of opportunity to limit the spread of COVID-19 in our Region, and we need to act quickly,” he said.
“Government leadership is vital. A whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach are absolutely necessary for an effective response.”
The WHO official called on regional governments to implement “more aggressive” testing, tracing, and isolation measures.
“These actions are critical to controlling and reducing transmission of the disease and changing the course of this pandemic,” Al-Mandhari said.
He also called for much better protections for health workers exposed to the disease.
Containment is not just the job of governments, however, the WHO official said. The public must maintain stricter physical distancing practices and more stringent hygiene behaviours to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.
“Stay home, stay safe is not just a slogan – it is a life-saving reminder,” Al-Mandhari said.
“Anyone showing suspected symptoms of fever and cough must self-isolate, avoid all contact with others, and quickly seek medical care if they have trouble breathing.”
The WHO is working with governments and aid agencies to halt the spread of the virus in displacement camps, where living conditions make social distancing and hygiene policies difficult to implement.
“We still have a window of opportunity, but this window is slowly closing day by day,” Al-Mandhari said.
“Our regional vision is based on safeguarding the health of all people by all people, so countries, communities, and individuals have an equally important role to play.”
“COVID-19 can only be controlled using aggressive, appropriate measures, and an inclusive approach that is built around solidarity and action, protecting every individual’s rights to life and health. We cannot allow this virus to take hold of our Region,” he added.
