WHO says lack of masks, distancing contributing to virus spread in Middle East
The WHO's regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean also said the number of infections in the area could be higher than reported.
A top World Health Organization official said today that the Middle East is far from defeating COVID-19.
Ahmed al-Mandhari, the WHO's regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said people in the region are not adhering to health measures aimed at mitigating the spread of the coronavirus.
“Preventative measures that we know work well and work now, including mask use, are still not being fully practiced in our region,” Mandhari said during a press briefing Thursday. "Physical distancing, which is one of the most effective ways to prevent transmission, is not strictly followed.”
The WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean region includes countries in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. Mandhari provided a bleak outlook for the area, blaming an “overreliance” on lockdowns. Countries that removed these total bans on nonessential movement did not institute adequate health measures after opening back up, he said.
