WHO declares COVID-19 over as global health emergency

The World Health Organization no longer considers Covid-19 as a public health emergency of

international concern, though it is still a global health threat.

"It is, therefore, with great hope that I declare Covid-19 over as a global health emergency."

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference on Friday,

May 5.

The decision comes with a "downward trend" of a pandemic for more than a year due to growing immunity among the global population from vaccination and infection, also the decreasing number of deaths.

Tedros added that the declaration does not mean the Covid-19 virus is over as a global threat,

therefore, countries should not be complacent on the pandemic and should not let their guard

down and must remain vigilant in case the record gets high again.

He warned that the emergency status could be reinstated if the situation changes.

Seven million Covid-19 deaths have been reported to WHO, but officials believe that the true toll to be at least 20 million, in the Philippines, more than 66 thousand Covid-19 deaths have been recorded, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

WHO first declared Covid-19 as a global pandemic in March 2020.