• Coronavirus, WHO: "There is a global shortage of protective devices"

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March 04, 2020 Coronavirus causes "a more severe seasonal flu disease: globally, approximately 3.4% of Covid-19 reported cases have died while seasonal flu generally kills far less than 1% of those infected ". The WHO stressed it, explaining that "while many people around the world have accumulated immunity to seasonal strains" this "is a new virus to which nobody is immune". "We have vaccines and treatments for seasonal flu, but - added WHO - there is currently no vaccine and no specific treatment for covid-19".

Lack of protective devices
There is a shortage of protective devices worldwide, from masks to gloves, due to the consequences of the coronavirus epidemic, and companies are expected to increase production by 40% to cope with the emergency. The WHO writes in a statement, in which it stresses that there are also phenomena such as hoarding and incorrect use to cause the increase in demand.

These devices, the note points out, are needed by healthcare professionals to protect themselves and others from infections, but the shortcomings are leaving doctors and nurses unprepared to deal with the epidemic.

According to the organization's calculations, for example, 89 million masks would be needed every month for the response to Sars-cov-2, while for gloves the figure increased to 76 million. To cope with growing demand, companies should increase production by 40%. "Without the supplies - says the general manager of Omstedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus - the risk for operators all over the world is real".