WHO Chief in Quarantine After Close Contact Contracted COVID-19
Director general of World Health Organisation (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrives for his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (not pictured) in the rain at Zhongnanhai Leadership Compound on August 18, 2017 in Beijing, China. How Hwee Young-Pool/Getty Images

The World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Sunday that he was self-quarantining after he had been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

However, he stressed that he was not feeling any symptoms linked to COVID-19. Ghebreyesus announced the incident through a tweet.

"I am well and without symptoms but will self-quarantine over the coming days, in line with @WHO protocols, and work from home," he was quoted in an AFP report.

Tedros has been in the frontline of the United Nation's health agency to combat the pandemic. He said on Twitter that it is hugely important that all comply with the health guidelines released.

"This is how we will break chains of #COVID19 transmission, suppress the virus, and protect health systems," he was quoted.

The WHO chief has repeatedly said that every person has an important role to play in curbing the further spread of the pandemic. WHO urges the public to frequently practice hand-washing, wearing of masks, and social distancing.

The health agency called on officials at various levels to work to find, isolate, and trace, and quarantine those who have been in contact with those positive.

His comments came after a growing anger and exasperation over new COVID-19 curbs.

Several European nations went back the to fresh lockdowns and restrictions in hopes of stopping the rising infections and deaths. The continent now has registered more than 279,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

The WHO is headquartered in Geneva. The country declared a new state of emergency on Sunday and said it would go beyond Swiss national measures and shutdown all bars, restaurant, and non-essential shops.

Hospitals and emergency care units in Geneva are also ballooning in numbers of COVID-19 patients.

In addition, authorities in the region said that new measures were needed due to rising COVID-19 cases. More than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases were being recorded in recent days.

Meanwhile, Ghebreyesus earlier said during a press conference that the virus poses a wide range of serious long-term effects, according to a United Nations news report.

He also added that herd immunity during this pandemic is morally unfeasible. The WHO chief said that it is imperative that government acknowledge the long-term effect of COVID-19, as well as ensuring health services available to all these patients.

Ghebreyesus said that this includes primary health care and when needed specialty care and rehabilitation.

United States COVID-19 Cases

Meanwhile, in the U.S. about over 87,000 new cases were reported on Saturday. This with a total of 909 deaths and reported hospitalizations for six days straight.

In October, 31 states recorded an increase in new cases, 21 for hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and 14 for record increases in deaths, according to a Reuters report.

Critics have slammed U.S. President Donald Trump for his poor handling to contain COVID-19 in the country.

A former Food and Drug Administration top official, Scott Gottlieb, said that the things are getting worse in the U.S. The recent rise in the COVID-19 cases come with days before the 2020 presidential election.

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