WHO chief says COVID-19 infection rate approaching highest of pandemic so far

Geneva, April 16

The number of new COVID-19 cases per week has nearly doubled globally over the past two months, approaching the highest rate seen so far during the pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization said on Friday.

"Cases and deaths are continuing to increase at worrying rates," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a briefing focused on Papua New Guinea and the western Pacific region.

He said he was very concerned about the potential for a much larger epidemic in Papua New Guinea, and it was vital the country received more COVID-19 vaccines as soon as possible. Reuters