UNICEF PH says COVID-19 as pandemic does not make virus deadlier

MANILA, Philippines — The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared COVID-19 as a pandemic, but UNICEF Philippines said Friday that this does not mean the disease “has become deadlier.”

UNICEF Philippines issued the clarification as it urged for an informed public amid the COVID-19 crisis.

“Characterizing COVID-19 as a pandemic is not an indication that the virus has become deadlier. Rather, it is an acknowledgment of the disease’s geographical spread,” UNICEF Philippines said in a statement.

According to Merriam-Webster, a pandemic is defined as “an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population.”

To recall, the WHO earlier declared COVID-19 as a pandemic since more than 110,000 people have already been infected while over 3,000 died worldwide due to the respiratory disease.  WHO, however, also said it is still not too late for countries to act against the spread of the novel coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19.

UNICEF Philippines then said it “remains steadfast” in its efforts to help the Philippine government to stop further transmission of COVID-19, which outbreak started China’s Wuhan City, Hubei province, in late 2019.

The organization said that it recently provided tents to the Department of Health (DOH) to aid in the management of COVID-19 cases requiring hospital care.

“Following President Rodrigo Duterte’s declaration placing Metro Manila under lockdown from 15 March to 14 April, UNICEF Philippines remains steadfast in working with the Philippine Government and partners to stop the transmission of the virus and to keep children and their families safe,” UNICEF Philippines said in a statement.

Further, UNICEF Philippines said it supports DOH’s move to strengthen its efforts in “hospital preparedness, rapid response, risk communication, and information dissemination.”

“UNICEF is working with DOH to take appropriate measures for the continuous delivery of other essential public health services including access to water, sanitation and hygiene, mental health and psychosocial support, and nutrition,” it said.

Likewise, Wigdan Madani, UNICEF’s Chief of Health & Nutrition, said that “we are intent on staying on the ground working to mitigate impact on children and their families including pushing back against stigma associated with vulnerable groups.”

“We remain concerned by related control measures including school closures, the burden on local health systems for the delivery of primary care, protection risks, and economic pressures felt by families,” Madani added.

Currently, the Philippines has recorded 52 cases of COVID-19, including five deaths.

KGA