The director-general of the World Health Organization said Monday that the coronavirus pandemic is spreading at an increasingly rapid pace as he called for cooperation from the world’s wealthiest nations to fight the outbreak.
At a press briefing Monday in Geneva, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said more than 350,000 cases had been confirmed around the world.
“The pandemic is accelerating,” Tedros said. “We need to attack the virus with aggressive and targeted tactics.”
More than 15,000 people have died worldwide, including at least 200 in the United States.
Tedros said Monday that it took 67 days to confirm the first hundred thousand cases, 11 days to confirm the second hundred thousand cases and just four days to confirm the third hundred thousand cases.
He added that it’s essential for the world’s wealthiest nations to work together to combat the virus, a comment that seemed aimed at a growing feud between the United States and China.
President Trump
in recent days has increasingly sought to blame China for the spread of the virus, while Chinese officials have spread baseless rumors about the United States.
“We need unity in the G-20 countries,” Tedros said Monday, referring to the Group of 20. “Political commitment at the G-20 level means a very strong solidarity that can help us to move forward and fight this pandemic in the strongest terms possible.”
*story by The Hill