The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned young people that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) could also affect their population. The WHO added that young people should avoid mingling with other people and spreading the disease.
The virus has now infected over 200,000 people and killed 10,000 in different parts of the world, mostly in mainland China and in Italy.
“Although older people are the hardest hit, younger people are not spared. Data from many countries clearly show that people under 50 make up a significant proportion of patients requiring hospitalisation,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
“Today I have a message for young people: You are not invincible. This virus could put you in hospital for weeks or even kill you. Even if you don’t get sick, the choices you make about where you go could be the difference between life and death for someone else,” Tedros added.
The WHO chief said that what happened in Wuhan, China, the epicentre of the pandemic, which later on recovered proved that the situation can be turned around.
The WHO also said that China has agreed to supply more protective gears and diagnostic tests to augment global shortages.
“Arrangements are being finalized and shipments coordinated to restock its Dubai warehouse to ship supplies where they are needed most,” Tedros said.
