Charlatans proliferate

“WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the recent upsurge is happening worldwide as the number of new cases per week has nearly doubled.

“Globally, the message is the same, which is that all nations, particularly those who have the means, have a role to play in ending the pandemic.

In one of his weekly addresses, President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his many frustrations over the seemingly invincible opponent that is the coronavirus disease 2019, which even has the ability to adapt and overcome its weaknesses.

Mr. Duterte admitted his struggles to manage the devastation caused by the pandemic before again tightening the quarantine measures.

“I want to cry in front of you but I have no more tears.”

Then he returned the National Capital Region and four nearby provinces under maximum restrictions but exempted those who needed to go to their offices to work.

“Cruel life. If you only knew. It’s like I’m in purgatory at this time,” Mr. Duterte lamented. “We are practically back to zero,” he admitted after announcing the new restrictions.

At that time, the infections have climbed above 8,000 and later on past 10,000 a day. The pervading fear among health experts is that the health system will be overwhelmed.

It was then that the detractors again seized the opportunity to pin the surge in daily positive cases to the President. Predictably this led to the ridiculous call from the handful of yellow mob for him to step down because of it.

The gullible will easily fall for the allegations, which all hinge on whipping up emotions that have built up as a result of the hard times.

Reality, however, shows a problem in an entirely different plane as that being painted by the detractors, and the World Health Organization offers a complete perspective.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the recent upsurge is happening worldwide as the number of new cases per week has nearly doubled over the past two months.

The numbers are approaching the highest rate of infection “that we have seen so far during the pandemic,” according to Ghebreyesus.

He cited the ordeal of Papua New Guinea (PNG) that has been spared of the global curse until lately.

When the year started, PNG reported less than 900 cases and just nine deaths.

WHO figures now show it has more than 9,300 cases and 82 deaths.

While the PNG numbers are still comparatively small, what worries WHO is that the increase is sharp and the potential exists “for a much larger epidemic.”

The problem, according to WHO, is that little is being done by leaders of rich countries, some of whom are busy bashing Mr. Duterte, in ensuring the equitable distribution of the crucial vaccines.

PNG is a perfect example of the need for vaccine equity since it had fended off the threat for so long, but it is now succumbing to the more vicious strain.

WHO also identified the “understandable fatigue with social restrictions, low levels of immunity among the population, and a fragile health system” as culprits for the global upswing.

Globally, the message is the same, which is that all nations, particularly those who have the means, have a role to play in ending the pandemic.

Instances of fraud had increased during these times of difficulty and these include fabricated information that seeks to delude the public.