One million Covid-related deaths so far this year - WHO

The World Health Organization announced today that one million people with Covid-19 have so far died in 2022, calling it a "tragic milestone" when all the tools existed to prevent deaths.

Nearly 6.45 million deaths have been reported to the WHO since the virus was first detected in China in late 2019. But WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus questioned whether the world was really on top of the pandemic, this far in. "This week, we crossed the tragic milestone of one million reported deaths so far this year," he told a press conference. "We cannot say we are learning to live with Covid-19 when one million people have died with Covid-19 this year alone, when we are two-and-a-half years into the pandemic and have all the tools necessary to prevent these deaths. "We ask all governments to strengthen their efforts to vaccinate all health workers, older people and others at the highest risk, on the way to 70% vaccine coverage for the whole population." Mr Tedros wanted all countries to have vaccinated 70% of their populations by the end of June.

But 136 countries failed to reach the target, of which 66 still had coverage below 40%. "It is pleasing to see that some countries with the lowest vaccination rates are now making up ground, especially in Africa," he said today.

He said only 10 countries had less than 10% coverage, most of which were facing humanitarian emergencies. "However, much more needs to be done," said Mr Tedros. "One-third of the world's population remains unvaccinated, including two-thirds of health workers and three-quarters of older adults in low-income countries. "All countries at all income levels must do more to vaccinate those most at risk, to ensure access to life-saving therapeutics, to continue