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WHO Chief Warns of Malaria Spike in Africa

VOA News

   TheWorld Health Organization(WHO) chiefwarned Wednesdaythatborder
   closures andtradedisruptions due to COVID-19
   precautionscouldcausemalaria deaths in sub-Saharan Africato double.

   At his regular briefing in
   Geneva,WHODirector-GeneralTedrosGhebreyesustold reportersa new modeling
   analysis published last week estimates potentialCOVID-19
   relateddisruptionstodeliveriesofmalaria servicessuch asvaccines and
   other treatmentsin 41 countries insub-Saharan Africa.

   In theworst-casescenario,hesaid,the number of malaria deaths
   insub-Saharan Africa could double.

   Tedrossaid 21 countries worldwide are reporting shortages of
   vaccinesforother diseasesas well, including measles, polio, cholera,
   yellow fever and meningitis.

   He saidapproximately13million people havebeen affectedglobally by
   delays in regular immunizations.

   Tedros also re-emphasized that the WHO is concerned about trends of
   increasing infections in Africa, as well as Eastern Europe, Latin
   America and some Asian countries.

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