Pandemic accelerating - World Health Organization chief

The World Health Organization has warned that the Covid-19 pandemic is entering a “new and dangerous” phase. Thursday saw the most cases in a single day reported to the WHO.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the day had seen 150,000 new cases with half of those coming from the Americas and large numbers also from the Middle East and South Asia.

He said the virus was still spreading fast and the pandemic accelerating.

He acknowledged people might be fed up with self-isolating and countries were eager to open their economies but he said that now was a time for extreme vigilance.