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Coronavirus

The six World Health Organisation conditions to permit lockdown relaxation

Director of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed that a relaxation of confinement relegations could lead to a further resurgence of the virus.

FILE PHOTO: WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a news conference on the coronavirus in Geneva, Switzerland, Feb. 24, 2020. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
Denis BalibouseREUTERS

One of the current concerns affecting the World Health Organisation (WHO) is to ensure that countries control lockdown relaxation regulations in a methodical and structured manner, a point alluded to by director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a recent press conference.

He stated that whilst relaxation measures were welcomed in the likes of Austria and Denmark, he was anxious that a hurried approach could lead to a 'deadly resurgence of the virus'.

The organisation have outlined six key areas that could lead to nations easing confinement regulations:

Control the transmission, guarantee the condition of health workers, minimise the risk of infection in open spaces. Introduce preventative measures in offices and schools, control the possibility of 'imported cases' and ensure that members of the public are constantly informed of the danger the virus presents

Dr. Tedros emphasised the importance of the final point adding: "Each individual has a huge role to play in defeating the pandemic". 

Wuhan starts to open

China sealed off Wuhan, a central city of 11 million people, on 23 January, a drastic step that came to symbolise its aggressive management of the virus. More than 50,000 people in Wuhan were infected, and more than 2,500 of them died, about 80% of all deaths in China, according to official figures.

People wearing face masks walk on a street in Wuhan, China's central Hubei province on April 14, 2020. - China has largely brought the coronavirus under control within its borders since the outbreak first emerged in the city of Wuhan late last year. (Phot
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People wearing face masks walk on a street in Wuhan, China's central Hubei province on April 14, 2020. - China has largely brought the coronavirus under control within its borders since the outbreak first emerged in the city of Wuhan late last year. (PhotHECTOR RETAMALAFP

Last week the original epicentre of the Covid-19 virus ended it's lockdown period although many restrictions and controls remain in place.

Spain on lockdown through to 26 April

In a bid to curb the spread of the coronavirus in Spain, one of the nations most affected by the pandemic, Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez declared a state of emergency on 14 March, ordering people in the country to stay at home as part of measures that were initially due to run until 29 March.

The Spanish government has, however, eased measures as of Monday 13 April to allow some work to start again. There have been 169,496 cases in Spain with over 17,000 deaths but the daily cases and deaths has been in decline now for a couple of days. However, in a sign that the situation was taking a turn for the better, some businesses, including construction and manufacturing, were allowed to reopen.

This handout picture made available by the Moncloa Palace shows Spain's Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska giving a press conference on March 30, 2020 in Madrid. - Spain confirmed another 812 deaths in 24 hours from the coronavirus on Monday, b
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This handout picture made available by the Moncloa Palace shows Spain's Minister of Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska giving a press conference on March 30, 2020 in Madrid. - Spain confirmed another 812 deaths in 24 hours from the coronavirus on Monday, b-AFP

Sánchez secured parliament's backing for a second extension, until 27 April - and, although Spain's rate of cases and deaths has begun to show signs of slowing, he said he was "convinced" he'll also have to seek a third, which would take the stay-at-home order in place in the country into May.

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