WHO Says 780 Million People Worldwide Infected With COVID-19
The World Health Organization estimates as many as 780 million people - one in 10 - might have been infected by COVID-19.
But that's not the bad news. WHO says the really bad news is that the rest of the world remains at the mercy of the contagious respiratory disease that has sickened 35.1 million and killed 1 million others, according to its data.
More than 7 billion more people remain potential victims of this disease that first appeared in Wuhan, China in early December.
"Our current best estimates tell us about 10% of the global population may have been infected by this virus," said Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program.
This percentage, which equates to 780 million people, is 20 times higher than the current number confirmed infected by the disease. Available disease data may undercount infections as a result of delays in collating information.
"It varies depending on country, it varies from urban to rural, it varies depending on groups. But what it does mean is that the vast majority of the world remains at risk. We are now heading into a difficult period. The disease continues to spread," he said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said in July he would take the country out of WHO. Trump has played down the pandemic and has blamed China for the outbreak - which is now the leading cause of deaths in the U.S. Trump was released from hospital late Monday after testing positive for the virus.
The U.S., the largest financial contributor to the WHO, was supposed to have given $80 million this year.
Despite the loss of money, WHO continues to investigate the origins of COVID-19 in China. Dr. Ryan said WHO submitted a list of experts to take part in an international mission to China to investigate COVID-19.
U.S. assistant health secretary Admiral Brett Giroir said it was critical WHO's 194 member states receive "regular and timely updates, including the terms of reference for this panel or for any field missions, so that we can all engage with the process and be confident in the outcomes."