Effects of coronavirus to be felt for decades: WHO

GENEVA/ LONDON: The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has predicted that the effects of the coronavirus pandemic will be felt for “decades to come” even as Mexico surpassed Britain to become the third worst-hit nation in terms of Covid-19 fatalities.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who has described the pandemic as a “once-in-a-century health crisis”, reconvened the WHO’S expert committee on Friday to consider recommendations needed to stem the spread of the coronavirus.

Mexico on Friday recorded 688 fatalities to bring its death toll to 46,688, with 424,637 confirmed cases.

The UK has recorded 46,204 deaths and 304,793 cases. Mexico follows the US and Brazil, the two worst-hit nations in terms of deaths.

In Germany, thousands of people, protesting over coronavirus restrictions, converged on Saturday in Berlin for a demonstration proclaiming that “the end of the pandemic” has arrived just.

People were seen chanting, “We are here and we are loud, because we are being robbed of our freedom.”

In the UK, the government on Saturday announced that its ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme, aimed at helping the restaurant industry to get back on its feet, will come into effect for this month - from Monday to Wednesday.

Diners will get a 50% discount, up to a maximum of £10 per person, on food and non-alcoholic drinks. More than 53,000 restaurants and cafes have signed up for the scheme.