Switzerland

GENEVA/ROME, April 10 (Xinhua) -- As some of the European countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic are starting to see signs of slowing in infections, the World Health Organization (WHO) sounded a stern warning on Friday against lifting restrictions too soon, saying it could lead to a deadly resurgence of COVID-19.

"In the past week, we've seen a welcome slowing in some of the hardest-hit countries in Europe, like Spain, Italy, Germany and France," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a regular press briefing.

GENEVA, April 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Growing numbers of fake medicines linked to coronavirus are on sale in developing countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

The WHO said taking these drugs could have “serious side effects”.

One expert warned of “a parallel pandemic, of substandard and falsified products”.

GENEVA, April 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization pleaded for global unity in fighting the coronavirus, following US President Donald Trump’s stinging attack on its handling of the pandemic.

As the WHO prepares to mark 100 days on Thursday since it was first notified of the outbreak in China, director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hit back at accusations that it had been too close to Beijing.

GENEVA, Apr 9 (NNN-WAM) – Today marks 100 days since the World Health Organisation, WHO, was notified of the first cases of “pneumonia with unknown cause” in China.

In the daily media briefing on COVID-19, WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reflected on how dramatically the world has changed, in such a short period of time and gave an overview of what WHO has done in the past 100 days, and what will be done in the near future, to alleviate suffering and save lives.

GENEVA, April 8 (Xinhua) -- "Please quarantine politicizing COVID. If we want to win, we shouldn't waste time pointing fingers," World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged here on Wednesday, saying "Unity is the only option to defeat this virus."

Answering a question from the press about U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to freeze U.S. funding to the WHO, Tedros said his message for the world at this moment is unity and solidarity, instead of politicizing the virus.

GENEVA (AP) — In a heartfelt plea for unity, the World Health Organization’s chief sought Wednesday to rise above sharp criticism and threats of funding cuts from U.S. President Donald Trump over the agency’s response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The vocal defense from the WHO director-general came a day after Trump blasted the U.N. agency for being “China-centric” and alleging that it had “criticized” his ban of travel from China as the COVID-19 outbreak was spreading from the city of Wuhan.

GENEVA (Reuters) - World Health Organization officials on Wednesday denied that the body was “China-centric” and said that the acute phase of a pandemic was not the time to cut funding, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would put contributions on hold.

The United States is the top donor to the Geneva-based body which Trump said had issued bad advice during the new coronavirus outbreak.

U.S. contributions to WHO in 2019 exceeded $400 million, almost double the 2nd largest member state contribution. China, in contrast, contributed $44 million.

ZURICH, April 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — In the Swiss Army’s biggest call-up since World War II, thousands of soldiers have been sent to support health workers in the fight against the coronavirus, but the mobilisation has not been without problems.

Hundreds of soldiers and officers have been confined to barracks after potential exposure to the infection.

While around 80-90 per cent of those who got their marching orders on March 16 answered the call of duty, more than 200 could face military justice for failing to report to their units, said army Brigadier Raymond Droz.

GENEVA, April 7 (Xinhua) -- China surpassed the United States in 2019 as the top source of international patent applications filed with WIPO, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) said on Tuesday in a statement.

With 58,990 applications filed in 2019 via WIPO's Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) System, China overtook the U.S., which filed 57,840 applications the same year, as the biggest user of the PCT System, a position previously held by the U.S. each year since the PCT began operations in 1978, according to WIPO.

GENEVA, April 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — As COVID-19 captures global headlines, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Tuesday that the world needs nearly six million nurses.

The UN’s health agency along with partners Nursing Now and the International Council of Nurses (ICN) underscored in a report the crucial role played by nurses, who make up more than half of all health workers worldwide.

“Nurses are the backbone of any health system,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a statement.