‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that Covid-19 no longer represents a “global health emergency”.
The statement represents a major step towards ending the pandemic and comes three years after it first declared its highest level of alert over the virus.
Officials said the virus’ death rate had dropped from a peak of more than 100,000 people per week in January 2021 to just over 3,500 on 24 April.
The head of the WHO said at least seven million people died in the pandemic.
But Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the true figure was “likely” closer to 20 million deaths – nearly three times the official estimate – and he warned that the virus remained a significant threat.
“Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern. I’ve accepted that advice. It is therefore with great hope that I declare Covid-19 over as a global health emergency,” Dr Tedros said.
He added that the decision had been considered carefully for some time and made on the basis of careful analysis of data.
But he warned the removal of the highest level of alert did not mean the danger was over and said the emergency status could be reinstated if the situation changed.
“The worst thing any country can do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that Covid-19 is nothing to worry about,” he said.
The World Health Organization first declared Covid-19 to be a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) in January 2020.
This signalled the need for coordinated global action to protect people from the new virus.
It will now be up to individual countries to continue to manage Covid in the way they think best.
Vaccines were one of the major turning points in the pandemic. According to the WHO, 13 billion doses have been given, allowing many people to be protected from serious illness and death.
But in many countries vaccines have not reached most of those in need.
More than 765 million confirmed Covid infections have been recorded worldwide.
The US and UK, like many other countries, have already talked about “living with the virus” and wound down many of the tests and social mixing rules.
Dr Mike Ryan, from the WHO’s health emergencies programme, said the emergency may have ended, but the threat is still there.
“We fully expect that this virus will continue to transmit and this is the history of pandemics,” he said.
“It took decades for the final throes of the pandemic virus of 1918 to disappear.
“In most cases, pandemics truly end when the next pandemic begins.”
By Smitha Mundasad and Philippa Roxby of BBC, Health reporters
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
Kuo fakaha foki ‘e he Kautaha Mo’ui ‘a Mamani kuo ikai toe hoko a e Koviti-19 ko ha mahaki ke tokanga fakavavevave ki ai ‘a mamani.
Pehe ‘e he kautaha kuo ‘osi lava he taimi ni ‘o tali pea kei hokohoko atu ‘o ‘ikai ko ha toe ‘isiu ke fai ha hoha’a fakavavevave fakamamani ki ai.
Pehe e he ulu o e WHO Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus ko e fakaofiofi fakaofisiale kuo mate ‘a e toko 7 miliona he Koviti ka ko e fika totonu oku ‘i he 20 miliona. Pea ne fakatokanga ‘oku kei fu’u fakatu’utamaki pe ‘a e vailasi.
Kuo pehe ‘e he taukei epitemolosisi ‘a Nu’u Sila Michael Baker ko e tu’utu’uni taimi totonu pe ‘eni ‘a WHO pea ‘uhinga lelei pe ‘a hono liliu ‘o e tukunga fakakolope he taimi ni pea ko e toki me’a pe ia ki he ngaahi fonua ke nau tokanga’i e pipihi ‘a e mahaki.
Kuo fakaha foki ‘e he Kautaha Mo’ui ‘a Mamani kuo ikai toe hoko a e Koviti-19 ko ha mahaki ke tokanga fakavavevave ki ai ‘a mamani.
Pehe ‘e he kautaha kuo ‘osi lava he taimi ni ‘o tali pea kei hokohoko atu ‘o ‘ikai ko ha toe ‘isiu ke fai ha hoha’a fakavavevave fakamamani ki ai.
Pehe e he ulu o e WHO Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus ko e fakaofiofi fakaofisiale kuo mate ‘a e toko 7 miliona he Koviti ka ko e fika totonu oku ‘i he 20 miliona. Pea ne fakatokanga ‘oku kei fu’u fakatu’utamaki pe ‘a e vailasi.
Kuo pehe ‘e he taukei epitemolosisi ‘a Nu’u Sila Michael Baker ko e tu’utu’uni taimi totonu pe ‘eni ‘a WHO pea ‘uhinga lelei pe ‘a hono liliu ‘o e tukunga fakakolope he taimi ni pea ko e toki me’a pe ia ki he ngaahi fonua ke nau tokanga’i e pipihi ‘a e mahaki.
Ko e sitepu lahi ‘eni he nga’unu ke fakangata ‘a e panatemiki pea ko e hili ia ‘ a e ta’u ‘e tolu hili hono fakahā ‘a e fakatokanga ma’olunga taha ki he vailasi’.
Pehe ‘e he kau ‘ofisiale kuo holo ‘a e mate ‘i he vailasi mei he tumumu ne i he toko 100,000 he uike ‘i Sanuali 2021 ki he 3,500 pe ‘i ‘Epeleli ‘aho 24.
Pehe foki ‘e he WHO ko e toko 7 miliona ne mate he panatemiki neongo oku iai ‘a e tui ko e fika totonu oku i he 20 miliona.
Na’e toe pehe mei he WHO ‘oku ‘ikai uhinga ‘a hono to’o ko eni ‘a e fakatokanga fakamamani ki he tu’unga fakavavevave ke pehe ‘oku ‘ikai ha toe fakatu’utamaki o e mahaki ni. E lava pe ke toe fakafoki mai ‘a e fakatokanga tu’unga fakavavevave kapau ‘e toe ‘i ai ha liliu he tukunga.
Ne ‘uluaki fakatokanga ‘a e WHO i Sanuali 2020 kuo ‘i ai ‘a e tokanga fakavavevave ‘a mamani ki he Koviti.
Ne fakamahino mai ai ‘a e fiema’u ha ngaue fakataha fakakolope ke malu’i ‘a e kakai mei he vailasi fo’ou.
I he taimi ni leva e tuku pe ki he fonua taki taha ke nau leva’i ‘a Koviti.
Ko e huhu malu’i ‘a e ki tefito ki he liliu lahi ko eni ‘i he ta’au ‘a e panatemiki. Fakatatau ki he WHO ko e fo’i tousi ‘e 13 piliona ne faka’aonga’i ‘e he kakai, ‘o malu’i ai ‘a e kakai mei he puke lahi pe mate.
Ka ‘i he ngaahi fonua lahi ne ‘ikai a’u ‘a e faito’o kia kinautolu ne nau fiema’u. Fe’unga mo e toko 765 miliona ne pihia fakamamani lahi ‘i he Koviti.
