UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 14 April 2020

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UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 14 April 2020

1:31:50

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14-04-2020

Press Conferences | UNHCR , OCHA , WHO , UNOG , WFP , UNECE

UNOG Bi-weekly press briefing 14 April 2020

ENG

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the virtual briefing, during which journalists heard from spokespersons for the World Health Organisation, World Food Programme, United Nations Refugee Agency, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

COVID-19 pandemic

Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organisation (WHO), responding to questions, said that while the central tenant of the WHO policy was “testing, testing, testing”, the implementation of this policy was up to the national authorities.

The United States of America and their people had always been WHO’s fantastic partners – not only in terms of funding, but in science, cooperation and ideas - and this would continue, regardless of circumstances.

The COVID-19 outbreak in Europe was a mixed picture, with some countries such as Italy and Spain slowing down, and others accelerating, such as Turkey. Globally, 90 per cent of cases came from Europe and the United States, and peak had not yet been reached. Dr. Harris noted the challenges in issuing epidemiological data, including the number of cases per country, the population size and the intensity of testing, which might – in some countries – explain greater caseloads.

In China, the biggest threat at the moment were imported cases, which represented 90 per cent of the infections identified the previous day. Asked whether Russia would see the explosion of cases like the United States, Ms. Harris stressed that no country was alike and that a lot was in the hands of the governments and the population.

Later today, WHO would issue a detailed six-step guidance on the lifting of confinement measures and the stay-at-home orders. Ms. Harris added that antibodies testing confirmed whether someone had been infected, but it did not guarantee immunity and a protection from the second infection. At this stage, none of the antibodies tests had been prequalified.

A journalist noted that many deaths in Mexico were due to atypical pneumonia and asked about testing. Responding, Dr. Harris reiterated that testing was the gold standard that enabled to find those who carried the virus. Quarantining whole communities, which was a blunt measure, simply bought time for the health systems. It was essential to find and isolate those infected so that the communities could resume their lives and activities.

Explaining the vaccine development process, which required human safety trials, Dr. Harris underlined that no one could give a specific date now and that a vaccine was probably not realistic for at least 12 months.

Asked about the criticism directed at WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 response, Dr. Harris said that the WHO had issued a clear timeline of its work, which was available on the website. Organizations would always be criticized and it was important to listen to constructive criticism and learn from it. WHO would do this once the pandemic was over.

Also answering a question, Dr. Harris said that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea had not reported any cases of COVID-19 to WHO.

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva (UNIS), added that as of 12 April, there had been 189 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among the United Nations staff, including 3 deaths. As of the previous week, there had been 10 confirmed cases among the staff of the United Nations secretariat in Geneva; new figures were expected to be available soon.

Humanitarian aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic

Asked about refugee and migrant arrivals via the Mediterranean route, Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), said it had been reported that one boat had landed the previous day in Italy with 101 persons on board. The people had been taken into quarantine and UNHCR staff on the ground was working with partners to identify the arrived persons. Another boat with 77 people had been reported to have arrived in Malta the previous night, and there were indications about another two boats arriving. UNHCR was working to confirm the information.

As for the returns to Venezuela, Mr. Baloch said that UNHCR had registered some people returning and stressed that the agency itself was not promoting the voluntary return since the conditions were not yet in place. The Government had requested the United Nations system to assist the returnees in the context of the humanitarian response plan. UNHCR was providing humanitarian support, including to returnees, however access to all parts of the country was difficult. Many Venezuelans were returning by foot and crossing at informal border crossings, which raised protection concerns.

Answering a journalist who noted that some humanitarian workers had imported COVID-19 cases in Africa, Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva (UNIS), highlighted the need to ensure the continuity in humanitarian operations and stressed that all precautions were being taken to ensure they were conducted as safely as possible.

First United Nations “Solidarity Flights” to bring COVID-19 medical supplies to 54 African nations

Elisabeth Byrs, for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), announced that the first United Nations “solidarity flights” would depart Addis Ababa later this day and would carry COVID-19 medical supplies to 54 African nations. The cargo included one million face masks, face shields, gloves, goggles, gowns, masks, medical aprons and thermometers, as well as ventilators - enough to protect health workers while treating more than 30,000 patients across the continent. This was by far the largest single shipment of supplies since the start of the pandemic; it would ensure that people living in countries with some of the weakest health systems were able to get tested and treated, while ensuring that health workers on the frontlines were properly protected.

WFP was setting up the Addis Ababa Humanitarian Air Hub this week to help transport protective equipment, medical supplies and humanitarian workers across Africa for the COVID-19 response, as well as ensuring Medevac for humanitarian responders. WFP was ready to set up the logistics backbone for global COVID-19 efforts and it urgently needed $350 million to do so; however, as of 14 April, only 24 per cent, or $84 million, had been received for those vital services. More here.

Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organisation (WHO), underlined the importance of WFP air bridges and stressed that collaboration, including between United Nations agencies, was essential to beat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answering questions, Ms. Byrs said that WFP worked with private actors, for example the Jack Ma Foundation, and with regional institutions, such as African regional centres for disease control. Once again, she underlined the importance of receiving the funding to enable WFP to fully support the solidarity flights, which were to bring COVID-19 medical supplies to countries in Africa. The cargo that had landed in Addis Ababa would be loaded to five planes and taken to regional hubs, including in Djibouti, Tanzania and Sudan, whence it would be transported to specific countries.

UNHCR urges greater support to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Babar Baloch, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), highlighted that the coronavirus posed a very great threat to developing nations and that an outbreak - which would put extraordinary strain on already fragile local health-care services – would likely result in avoidable suffering and death. As the race against time continued globally, UNHCR appealed to the international community to boost solidarity with all three countries at this critical time to prevent a larger-scale outbreak of the coronavirus among the most vulnerable communities. More support was desperately needed for Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan as part of collective efforts to combat COVID-19 worldwide. Despite the work being done across the sub-region, the risk of the pandemic becoming unmanageable was now acute. UNHCR’s funding appeal of some US$315 million required for the Afghan situation was merely 17 per cent funded. Full briefing note here.

In response to questions, Mr. Baloch said that no figures about the number of refugees and people living in camps infected with the coronavirus were available at the moment, as the situation was very fluid. He stressed the need for preparedness and prevention measures, especially in countries with weak health infrastructures. There were about 1.4 million Afghani refugees in Pakistan and one million in Iran. To date, more than 60,000 Afghanis had returned to the country from Iran in March. Voluntary repatriation of Afghani refugees from Iran and Pakistan had been suspended from March, thus the returnees were the Afghani citizens who had decided to return on their own. Mr. Baloch also added that in addition to 2.4 million Afghani refugees, there were hundreds of thousands internally displaced persons inside Afghanistan.

Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organisation (WHO), said that three new Ebola cases had been identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of whom had died. The Emergency Committee on Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo had taken place on Friday and was meeting again today. The journalists would be notified of its outcome.

CERF releases funds for emergency relief to Vanuatu devastated by Tropical Cyclone Harold

Jens Laerke, for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that the previous day, the Central Emergency Response Fund had released $2.5 million to get lifesaving aid to Vanuatu, devastated by Tropical Cyclone Harold earlier this month. As many as 90 per cent of the people in Sanma, the most affected province of Vanuatu, had lost their homes, and more than half of all schools and almost a quarter of health centres had been damaged. The emergency funds would enable United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations to get safe drinking water, food, shelter and healthcare to people in need and support local and international logistics to enable the distribution of supplies. Mr. Laerke also highlighted the challenges to the response caused by the global COVID-19 pandemic, which made the movement of people and supplies more difficult. More.

UN/CEFACT digital standards can help governments reduce the risk of disease transmission from animals and facilitate legal trade

Jean Rodriguez, for the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), said that ensuring proper controls on the international trade in animals and animal products and enabling the adequate enforcement of strict sanitary standards were important steps to limiting the risks of transmission from animals to humans. However, most existing controls on the international trade of animals, plants and other agricultural products worldwide were still done through the issuance and exchange of licenses, permits and certificates in paper format. This was not only slow but also more vulnerable to fraud, forgery and corruption, thus hindering efficient implementation of health and safety controls by governments. Alternative solutions are being tested and rolled out successfully and governments were increasingly turning towards high-tech protection mechanisms, including the standards developed at UNECE’s United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT), which facilitated legal, sustainable and safe trade. The ultimate goal was to contribute to conserving wild species, ensure the legality and sustainability of their commercial trade, and contribute to efforts to protect citizens around the world from future pandemics. Read more.

Announcements

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service in Geneva (UNIS), said that on 24 April, the International Day of Multilateralism, and in the context of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations, United Nations Geneva would hold a virtual exchange on multilateralism in the times of COVID-19.

The participants would include Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva, Fabrizio Hochschild Drummond, Special Adviser on Preparations for Seventy-Fifth United Nations Anniversary, Martin Chungong, Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Fabiola Gianotti, Director-General of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), and Guy Ryder, Director-General of the International Labour Organization.

Teleprompter

Good morning everybody, I hope you had a nice and resting long weekend.

You didn't suffer too much from the confinement.

Welcome to this press briefing of Tuesday, 14th of April.

We will immediately start with the news about the coronavirus, the COVID-19.

And we have 3 speakers who would like to brief you on this subject.

And I will start with the UNHCR, Babar Baloch.

Babar, are you connected?

Morning, dears.

Good morning, you have the floor.

Thank you.

Thank you, Alexandra.

Good morning to all.

Welcome back.

We're trying to highlight the Afghan situation and impact of the the COVID and also efforts to fight coronavirus in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.

Unicia, the UN Refugee agency, urges greater support to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran in the context of COVID-19 pandemic, warning that leaving Afghans and their host communities behind will have a far reaching, far reaching and negative impact on global efforts to fight the virus.

The corona virus a great ****** to developing nations.

An outbreak would put extraordinary strain and already fragile local healthcare services and is likely to result in avoidable suffering and deaths.

As the race against time continues, Unisia appeals to the international community to boost solidarity with all three countries and have at this critical time to help prevent a larger scale outbreak of the coronavirus amongst the most vulnerable communities.

Despite persistent risks and insecurity, Afghans continue to return both from Iran and Pakistan.

10s of thousands of Afghan citizens have crossed over from Pakistan to Afghanistan since the temporary reopening of the border last week from Iran.

While the number of Afghan nationals returning peaked at some 60,000 in the month of March, the daily average now stands at 1500.

Afghanistan faces the prospects of an overwhelmed medical and social services with a dramatic increase in Avans returning home, hundreds of thousands of people living in displacement sites and rising poverty levels.

Pakistan and Iran, as they host some 90% of the world's 2.7 million Avan refugees, are experiencing immense strain on their health systems and economies.

Lockdown measures and a sharp downturn in economic activity have left many Avan refugees confronted with an inability to meet their most basic needs.

For Avan refugees in Iran and Pakistan, the impact of COVID-19 goes far beyond health.

In both countries, those who are employed are commonly hired as daily wage labourers amidst.

Amidst the various levels of lockdowns across the region, such work has abruptly ceased.

And if refugees are left with no income and their hosts are now faced with economic threats to their survival, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan widely report serious difficulties in paying medical expenses and meeting the most basic living costs of food accommodation, leading to many being forced to borrow money.

All three governments are making consulted efforts to include displaced people in national plans and responses, but desperately need international support.

As an example, the government Islamic Republic of Iran, facing the epicentre of the outbreak in Southwest Asia, has facilitated inclusion of Avalans on on it's territory.

UNICR welcomes Iran's recent confirmation that COVID-19 related tests and treatments are free of charge for all individuals, including refugees in Pakistan.

Relevant departments have also been directed to include both refugees and internally displaced people in relief and response measures in all three countries.

UNICR is adapting its operations constantly to these unique circumstances.

More support is desperately needed for Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan as part of collective efforts to come back to COVID-19 worldwide.

Uniciar's funding appeal of some 315,000,000 required for our Avalon situation operations for all the three countries is merely currently 17% funded.

I'll stop here.

There are some more details in the note as well.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Babar.

And I already have a couple of questions for you.

I will start with Jan Heberman.

You're you're being muted just one second.

Yes, you can.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

Yes, thanks.

Yes, good morning, Babar.

Jan speaking, I've 2 questions for you.

One is on the overall picture in terms of refugees or displaced people and and COVID-19.

Do we know how many displaced people have been infected and especially in living those living in camps is the first question.

And the second question is on the missing migrants, refugees.

UNHCR on on Sunday reported out of Rome, as far as I know that dozens of migrants are missing on the Mediterranean and especially especially the closing of the Mediterranean ports make this much more serious than it would have been otherwise.

Many thanks, Mabad, Thank you very much.

And yes, in terms of people being affected in the camp, as you understand, it's a fluid situation.

It could affect anyone alike in terms of all humans, no confirmed figures in that sense.

That's why, yes, it's race against time in terms of trying to make all the preparations.

We need not to let that happen.

Those measures have to be put in place like now countries with weak health infrastructures who are struggling to cope with this pandemic need to be supported right now.

That's where we are coming out with the call for each region.

And this time we are focusing keeping the focus on the Afghan situation with 2.7 million Afghan refugees in Iran, majority, 90% of them in Iran and Pakistan, and also hundreds of thousands of displaced inside Afghanistan.

And we have seen that many up runs themselves deciding to return home from places like Iran and Pakistan.

So it's very important for these efforts to be put in place right now before any unfortunate thing happens to the lives of millions of these people.

And in terms of the second part of your question, we have been chasing reports since yesterday and it's very hard to get confirmation in, in terms of how many boats have left and how many are there.

But I'm just trying to look for a quick update that I heard from colleagues.

Just bear with me.

Two minutes paper in a small office here.

So in terms of what we have from our colleagues, the updates from Italy saying one boat landed yesterday with 101 person or people, you know, was, I mean, this was reported.

Nationalities have yet to be confirmed.

And we have, we are in touch with other humanitarian agencies and actors as well in terms of the identification procedures.

And also I think the as people have arrived, they have been taken to quarantine.

And also there's another boat with 77 people that has been also reported to arrive last night in Malta.

Colleagues talk about one boat with some 55 people and another with 47.

So we're trying to chase all this information in terms of those missing very hard at this stage without any official confirmation or without any official details in that sense.

But we, we our colleagues in the region keep continue to keep an an eye on on that as well.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Babar.

The next speaker on my list is FA Antonio.

Good morning.

I have two questions.

The first one, Babar, can you, do you have an estimate on the total of refugees return to Afghanistan from Pakistan and Iran?

Because in, in the press release there is a figure of 60,000, but only from Iran and and it looks like it's from last month.

So if you have a more accurate figure.

And my second question is, do you know if there's a similar movement from to Venezuela from refugees in in neighbouring countries and do you have more information about this?

Thank you, Babar, thank you very much.

In terms of Avan returning, yes, Iran and as well as Pakistan from Iran, I mean at some stage as we mentioned, the monthly average we saw for the whole month was 60,000.

But also from Pakistan, 10s of thousands have returned.

I think the the rough estimate stains more than 60,000 there as well.

But let's not forget that the voluntary repatriation of refugees from both countries was suspended in March from both countries.

So these are Afghan citizens who are deciding to return on their own on Venezuela.

Maybe we can move on to different things and I can come back in terms of consulting the notes and then reply.

Sure.

I have another question for you from Catherine.

And maybe then you can look at your at your files while we give the floor to the next speaker.

So, Catherine, thank you.

Good morning, Alessandra and good morning Baba.

I would like to come back on the figures that you just gave.

If I understood well how many Afghan refugees left from Pakistan and how many were there before?

So what is the, the Afghan community in Pakistan and what is the figure of Afghan in Iran?

And the figures, if you could be clear, because I understood 7 million in Iran.

I, I, I didn't catch well the figures.

Could you please repeat that?

No worries.

I can come back to it.

In terms of 1 refugee population, we are talking about 2.4 million of ones who are living in Pakistan and Iran.

And when we further breakdown this number, this is 1.4 million for Pakistan in terms of refugees and around the million for refugees in Iran.

The numbers that we are talking about in terms of people who are returning, these are Afghans who are not refugees as both governments have committed not to force the refugee population out of these two countries.

That's why we are saying so.

These are Afghan citizens that we saw around 60,000, more than 60,000 coming from Iran in the month of March but also around 60,000 in last few weeks when Pakistan eased some of its border restrictions.

Since March units here we have a yearly voluntary repatriation programme for refugees that starts in the beginning of the spring in March and then continues till late in that that has been suspended in March.

On to, on, on, on to keep in view the measures that are being taken by all sides on on coronavirus.

Thank you.

Thank you, Barbara.

And I let you look at your files for answering the question on Venezuela.

But I would like to remind all the journalists that on the line we also have other colleagues who may answer some of these questions, including Paul Dylan from IOM and Ruth Etherington from the ICRC.

And of course, we have with us WHO we have with us, Doctor Margaret Harris.

So just in case you want to address some of these questions, please do not hesitate.

I don't know if Paul or Ruth or anybody else has any comment or answer to give to the journalist on the questions which have been already asked, in which case, please write, erase your virtual hand.

So the next question is from Elizabeta.

Elizabeta, you have the floor.

Yeah.

Hi, I have a question to Ruth from RCRC.

Actually, do you have the numbers of cases of COVID in North Korea?

Because so far we haven't, you know, haven't found any information on cases, any cases of COVID in North Korea.

Thank you.

Thank you, Elizabeth.

So I think Ruth was here to answer questions particularly on Middle East, maybe maybe she can answer this too.

And maybe also Missus, Dr Margaret Harris has also something to add to that.

So Ruth, are you connected?

Are you on the line?

Let me see.

Sorry for that.

It takes a little bit of time.

OK.

So I don't see Ruth unless sorry for that.

No, I OK, she announced she was going to be on the line.

So in case we get her, we will ask her the question again.

Elizabeth, bear with us.

Let me see if Margaret is on the line.

Margaret, who is going to brief you in a little while?

Yes, Margaret's on the line.

Margaret, would you have any answer to give to Elizabetha on the number of cases in North Korea?

Yes.

Sorry, I'm.

I'm trying to unmute.

Am I?

Yes, you're you're online.

Thank you very much.

OK, fine.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea have not reported any cases To who?

OK.

Thank you very much.

So my next question is from Laurent.

Yeah, Hi, Alessandra.

Hi, everyone.

A question to Margaret as well.

I don't know whether that was raised in previous briefings, but since I was off for quite a while, I haven't neither heard nor read anything about that.

The question would be, has any decision been taken yet on on WHA or what's planned in order to planning that?

Would you mind, Laurent to bear with us?

Margaret will will brief later on and she will have information I think also on other questions, not just Ebola.

But I would like to keep if possible, all the questions on the issues, humanitarian issues for the moment.

And go back to Katrine.

We seem to have another question and then I'll go back to Babar for the Venezuela question.

Katrine.

Thank you, Alessandra.

My question is in fact for you, Alessandra, and you're also for all the humanitarians spokespersons in Africa.

Most of the cases are imported cases that mean brought by people that came from Europe to Africa and a couple are were brought by humanitarian people.

For instance, the last case, I mean it was the first case for South Sudan was brought in by a humanitarian lady that flew from the Netherlands through Addis Ababa.

She arrived in Juba and she infected her driver and two other people.

She has been flew out to Nairobi.

But I would like to ask you, Alessandra and the other people, how come that we know that Africa is particularly fragile, that humanitarian people that are meant to go there to help people are not tested before?

Thank you.

Thank you very much for this question.

I, I personally don't have an answer, Maybe other colleagues can help me.

But what I can tell you and we've been saying this and many of these briefings and also from New York, is that all the humanitarian operations which are absolutely desperately needed, especially from by these countries which you are mentioning are taking place in under the the strictest guidelines or rules that we can apply.

Obviously, I think that doesn't rule out 100% the possibility that a person that goes into a humanitarian operation may be infected and may unfortunately spread the virus.

But what I can tell you, and we have said it several times, is that all the precautions are taken in order to be conducting this operation and safety is possible.

But I don't know if Jens or or Margaret or anybody else would like to add something on that.

Let me see if there's any hand raised on this from colleagues.

Colleagues, if you want to intervene, please raise your virtual hand.

I don't see any.

OK, Babar, you may have found an answer to the Venezuela question and maybe you have also comment for what Catherine was saying.

Wait a second now.

Yeah, I moved.

Go ahead.

Thank you.

Yeah, just in terms of the returns to Venezuela, yes, we are aware of some small numbers returning, but UNICR is not promoting or facilitating returns as conditions for return are not in place.

Returns are and must always be voluntary and informed for refugees who and asylum seekers who are seeking safety in the region.

In terms of the reasons, the initial reports gathered by an SCR and our partner suggests that they are mostly returning, either because their livelihoods in the host countries have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 emergency or because they wished to rejoin their families in these difficult times.

I'll stop here on Venezuela.

Nothing to add on the other issue.

Thank you very much.

So my next.

Yeah, my next who?

Who?

Who's got the floor?

Somebody is second floor.

I have Bloomberg on my on my list as the next speaker, unless there is another colleague who want to come to come comment on what we've said.

Hello.

Yes, this is Thomas Mueller from Bloomberg.

Do you hear me?

Yes, we do.

Go ahead.

I had a question about the The Who document about the vaccine trials again, Again, Thomas, bear with us.

Margaret will have a chance to brief you on all these subjects.

Do we have any question on the humanitarian issue?

That's that's OK.

OK.

Thank you very much.

I'll go to Paula then.

No, you are muted.

Yeah, Hi, thank you.

I actually have a a question on Venezuela once again, but it's it's rather within Venezuela and I don't know if anyone who's online from Babar could answer to this.

It's regarding news that's the when the Venezuelans are returning to Venezuela, within Venezuela just at the border, they are being held and quarantined in some pretty awful situations condition where they apparently don't have water, there's they don't get food, they're packed into small areas without the ability to, to maintain distances and so forth.

I was wondering if any of the agencies may be planning or maybe they're planning to move to help these people or there's been a request from the government to, to help out in this, in this area.

And so potentially if CRC may have is back online and they have something to say about that.

OK, So Babar, do you have anything to add to this as you had some information about Venezuela?

Yes, I can try to share some of the information that I have in front of me.

Unicia inside Venezuela is providing support to vulnerable person as part of the humanitarian country team and this includes Venezuelans who are coming back to their country precisely because of the difficult conditions.

The Venezuelan government has made a request for help in handling of returns to the whole UN system in the country within the framework of the humanitarian response plan in place and as a as the situation has become more challenging with the COVID-19 emergency.

However, we have limited access to border areas at this moment in time and and have had no access to quarantine areas for Ritter needs.

As far as we understand, many Venezuelans are returning by foot, walking long distances and through informal border crossings, which could be accompanied by heightened protection risks.

I'll stop here.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for this, Barbara.

And I don't see other colleagues who would like to complete this, but if they want to do it later on, just raise your hand.

My next question is Gabriella, I thank you, Thank you.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

Yes, thank you.

It's for Babar, if he has something, some information or anything on COVID cases between people that are waiting for asylum seeking in USA, that are waiting in Mexico, in the north, in the in northern born border, if he has something on that.

Thank you very much.

If I can get a minute or two, I can look into the notes.

OK, So as I don't see other colleagues who would like to have the floor, I will now go to the next briefers, which are Elizabeth Beers, but also Margaret because this is a joint WFPWHO announcement.

So I'll ask Elizabeth to breathe and maybe afterwards we'll give the floor to Margaret for if she has something to add and also for their other announcement on Ebola and we'll take questions afterwards.

So Elizabeth, you start.

OK Good morning.

Today we have logistical information.

WFP has airlifted vital WHO medical equipment for the COVID-19 response.

These first UN solidarity flights are moving the cargo to all countries in Africa where it's badly needed.

The cargo arrived in Addis Ababa this morning from WH O's Dubai regional logistic hubs and this flight will move from Addis Ababa this afternoon around 3:00 PM Geneva time and we then flights will transport the vital equipment to five other country, Djibouti, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia and Tanzania.

The cargo includes 1,000,000 face mask, face Shields, gloves, goggles, gowns, medical aprons and thermometers, as well as ventilators, enough to protect health workers while treating more than 30,000 patients across the continent.

This is by far the largest single shipment of supplies since the start of the pandemic and it will ensure that people living in countries with some of the weakest health systems are able to get tests and treated, while ensuring that health workers on the front lines are properly protected.

WFP is setting up the Addis Ababa Humanitarian Air Hub this week to help transport protective equipment and medical supplies and humanitarian workers across Africa for the COVID-19 response.

To do so, we need funding, we badly need funding and we stand ready to set up logistic backbone for global COVID response efforts.

But we urgently need $350 million to do this.

As of today, WFP has received only 24% of the funding needed, that is to say $84 million of the 350 million we need to provide these vital services.

So this funding is urgent and it's badly needed.

Our air bridges need to be fully funded to do this.

We stand ready to transport to the front line health equipment and humanitarian workers for and cargo for those humanitarian workers, but we urgently need this funding.

We call on donors to respond to this call as soon as possible because it's for the all humanitarian community and we provide this logistical support to all humanitarians and NGOs and partners and government, of course.

Thank you very much, Elizabeth.

Margaret, do you have anything to add on this before I go to the questions?

One second there been you have been a muted.

Can we unmute Margaret?

Yeah, there you are or you're online.

OK.

Not specifically except to say I have seen with my own eyes the incredible importance of the air bridge and the work provided by WFP.

And also, this is an indication of the how crucial it is that we are and how important it is that we are all working across agencies and how this COVID response has to be an across UN response.

This is how the world is going to beat it.

In the DRC during the Ebola outbreak, WFP provided all the transport, all the air bridges.

And there is no way we could have done the work we've done without that.

It's an absolutely crucial component of a response against any serious outbreak, but particularly against this outbreak.

Thank you very much.

Absolutely.

Thanks for underlying this.

So I've got 3 questions now on my list.

Margaret, is it, is it OK if there are questions to you on COVID, you can answer now and then we will go to Ebola, right?

Is that OK?

OK, So let's start with the first one, which is from Antonio.

Antonio, hi again.

So my question is for WFP, I would like to know if you have similar information of flights to with with aid to Spain and Latin America because I know you also have established this kind of house in Belgium and Panama, I think.

So I don't know if you have information.

Elizabeth, wait one second.

Elizabeth, can you unmute?

Elizabeth, please go ahead.

Yeah, sorry, I do not have precise information on those hubs and on those flights.

But I can let you know that tomorrow we will have one of our Head of the Logistic department and in Geneva.

And of course, I will ask the the question and come back to you as soon as possible.

And those who would be interested in doing 1 to one interview with him are very welcome.

OK, thank you very much for this information.

So you'll go back to the to the journalist to FN.

Next one is Katrina and Margaret.

Hi, I, I saw that you had apparently some problems with your mic when I addressed my question.

So I'll get back to it.

And then I have a question for WFP.

My question is, again, how come that's humanitarian?

People that are flying to countries that have a particularly very weak health systems are not tested before going to these countries.

I spoke about the case in South Sudan because it was the first case in South Sudan due to humanitarian, but we have several cases also in Mali.

You have different people that are working for the Musema and they came back from their rest in Europe and they brought back COVID-19 in Mali.

And we have also cases that I know that is not addressed to you because it's the French army militaries that are based in sail that went to France and brought back the COVID-19.

How come that these people are not tested like health workers?

Because their role, as you said, it is vital for, for, for these countries.

But I mean, they cannot bring also infect these countries.

This is for Margaret.

And now I will do also ask my question at the same time for WSP.

Yes, for Elizabeth.

Hi, Elizabeth.

You just told us that you need some more funding.

And as Margaret under lighted, we know that it's crucial.

Bridges, air bridges are crucial.

So how do you work with the private sector?

Because we know that it is WFP that brought the donation from Alibaba, from Jack Ma to different African countries.

So do you have agreements with the private sector or does it go through the West?

If we understood well last time when we had an acne briefing.

So please could you both elaborate a little bit on my questions.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Katrina.

I will start with Margaret.

Thank you.

Am I am unmuted?

Yes, you are.

OK.

Yeah.

So as you know, a central plank tenet of our policy is testing, testing, testing.

But testing is down to the authorities in the different countries.

So how it is implemented is still down to the authorities in the different countries.

So you've mentioned a number of different cases.

These people may have come from different countries, perhaps the test is.

So I cannot tell you why or why not this will be down to policy.

But one of the issues I think in some countries, especially in Africa where there have been some instances of positive cases among humanitarian workers, this may be down to and and it is being seen as only the humanitarian workers.

It may be down to access of testing by those those individuals.

So in other words, we don't know the wider spread of the infection in the community.

They may not even have imported it.

So it's not it's not a case that they have imported it.

It's not clear.

Thank you very much for this answer.

Elizabeth, can you answer Catherine's question?

Yes, Yes, Catherine.

What I can tell you of course is that we work for the providing medical supplies donated by Ethiopia, by the Jagma Foundation.

Of course, we work with the African Union through the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

This African Union centre provide Technical Support and coordination for the distribution of supplies.

With regard to the donation of the private sector, I can we'll come back to you with more details on who has donated what for the funding.

All I can say for the moment is that we have only 24% of this funding and we need to be funded 100% to continue this vital support to WHO and to other humanitarian organisation.

Thank you very much to both of you.

My next question is from Lisa Schlein.

Just.

Yeah, you are unmuted.

Lisa, go ahead.

OK, great.

Good.

Good morning to everyone.

I hope you're all healthy.

You look well, the ones I see.

Yeah, these questions, there may be overlaps for both Elizabeth and Margaret.

Anyway, Elizabeth, you mentioned several countries, five countries, I guess, where the supplies are going to go and from there they're going to be distributed to the other countries.

So I'm wondering to how many countries are these actually going and and which I don't want you to mention all of them, they're probably too many, but which are the most severely affected by COVID-19 at this point?

A second question on that is that I'm assuming, I'm not sure, but is this just the first of a number of ongoing airlifts of supplies of various kinds?

Because if the if the pandemic, the epidemic explodes, which it looks like it will in Africa, you will need a lot more.

And then, Margaret, specifically for you on the question of money, even though you brought this up, Elizabeth, and you can answer too, is that is the United States contributing specifically to this effort in in Africa?

And, and to you, Margaret, no surprise to you, I'm sure that the Trump administration says that it will at least considering maybe more than that cutting its contribution to the World Health Organisation.

What do you know about that?

And if the United States indeed goes through with these cuts, what kind of an impact will this have upon the organisation and upon the COVID-19 operation?

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Lisa.

That makes a lot of questions.

So I will start with Elizabeth and then to Margaret.

Elizabeth, you are unmuted.

Go ahead.

OK Lisa the the Solidarity flight is part of a larger effort to ship life saving medical supplies to 95 African country 95 countries.

Of course there we target the countries in priority what the weakest health system.

We are particularly concerned for country, a country like to give you an example like Central African Republic for example, like to give you other examples, but we are trying to reach as many country as possible.

The cargo which landed in Addis Ababa will take this cargo will be loaded on five other flights, different flights to Djibouti, to Sudan, to Eritrea, to Somalia and to Tanzania.

And from those hubs, those five herbs, they will be dispatched in as many countries as possible.

Thank you very much.

Oops, sorry.

So it's going to be.

She was asked whether you were thinking about more to come.

Yes as as I said it's the what we call those solidarity flights it's this one is part of a larger effort to but we don't know yet to have more but I have no precise details because of course we work with who and I have I do not have this information yet OK so I go to Margaret maybe she can complete this and then go to the question that Lisa asked specifically to you Margaret.

Sure my answer is the United states has always been a fantastic partner not just a funder but a partner in terms of expertise in terms of support for every kind of emergency every kind of aspect of the work we do whether it's normative whether it's producing guidance because they're fantastic science fantastic people fantastic people with ideas.

And our work will go on regardless of any kinds of issues our work will go on thank you very much OK so now let's go to Byram Byram yes good morning thank you for taking my question Alessandra my question is for much pressure for Margaret.

COVID-19 this pandemic is still infecting and killing a large numbers of people across the Europe and I'm just wondering if there is any sign yet that the peak of the region 's outbreak has been reached and on the other hand some countries including Switzerland have already announced that they will remove or ease some restrictions at the end of April what is the WH OS advice on that thank you.

Thank you very much Margaret yeah sure so that's 2 questions the first question about the outbreak it's a mixed picture in Europe some of the very large outbreaks that we're seeing in Spain and Italy we're beginning to see a slight deceleration in cases it's going to take time but yes they're seeing a slowing other countries we're still seeing an increase like Turkey like the UK so it's a very mixed picture and the overall world outbreak 90% of cases are coming from.

Europe and the United States of America so so we're certainly not seeing the peak yet your second question is about easing of the restrictions of the stay at home orders this we have put out guidance actually very clear 6 steps that each country 's need to ensure that they've got in place before they start to ease the restrictions and the most important one is is your transmission controlled and you know whether your transmissions in controlled is if you're doing the second.

One first of all you know where the virus is but you've got the ability to test for that virus and you've got the ability to track all the cases of all the contacts of the people that you know are currently infectious so that you've really got the ability to separate those who are infected from those who are healthy and you also need to ensure that your health system is is able to just cope with the number of new cases because you still will have new cases but you need to give your health systems a break so you need to ensure.

That you've got the space you've got the people and you can give your health workers a rest you also need to ensure that your workplaces and your schools are safe these are the places where people are most likely to crowd so have you put in place means of of of creating an opportunity to socially distance that is not be close together but working separately can you ensure that most people still can telework so that you don't have crowded workplaces.

And finally you need to ensure that your community knows what you're doing understands what you're doing and is very committed to that so there's a lot of stuff you have to put in place and we're actually going to release a much bigger document today I think it's today maybe tomorrow but it will flesh out all that stuff really giving a lot of advice about this new phase that some countries are moving into this period of considering easing their restrictions thank you very much that was very complete.

Next question I've got a long list of questions here so our next question is Gabriela thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to ask hello everybody and in Mexico there are a lot of deaths due to a typical pneumonia but the seasonal flu it's over so my question is do you think that they should count.

These deaths as COVID-19 that is one question and then the other one is that the Mexican government says that the authorities of health say that with so many cases it's ******* to test no testing it's I mean it's ******* So what do you have to say to a country like that thank you Gabriela I guess this is all for Margaret so Margaret of the floor.

So I would just simply repeat testing is the gold standard you don't know where the virus is unless you're testing you can't separate the healthy from the sick until you know exactly where it is now This is why countries when they have not been able to test have moved into these very very blunt instruments the stay at home orders for the entire community because essentially they're quarantining the entire country but ideally you want to be able to to not have to do that.

Quarantining the whole community a lockdown as it's often called simply buys you time what you need to be focusing on is finding where your virus is finding who's infectious separating them from the healthy so that you can get on with life I think your other question was about people who've died but haven't been tested or died.

Ideally you should you should be I think she was referring to the atypical pneumonia that has right so atypical pneumonia can be caused from a range of of things but certainly in some countries for instance when China was overwhelmed back in February they put in a case definition I think you all remember that because we got lots of questions about that they used a case definition instead of the test as as such because they simply again couldn't test but they made a big effort to try and.

To identify who potentially had the coronavirus so but it but remember a case definition is not absolute scientific confirmation it gives you a strong sense of who's got it but it doesn't necessarily prove it so no nothing in specific for Mexico it's a more general answer good thank you very much I have a long list of questions please try to be brief in your question so next one is Thomas from Bloomberg.

I just I have a question about the the vaccine trials in in the document it says that given the **** enrollment rates.

That that it's expected to achieve reliable results within 3 to 6 months of receiving sufficient supplies from a vaccine developer is it fair then to assume that this these vaccine trials will be the clinical assessment will be much shorter than what normally would be needed like 12 months at least Margaret.

OK so I'm not quite are you talking about the document on our website I think you are yeah OK so it's referring really to.

Proof of concept not necessarily proof of safety so the the the rate limiting step is the safety testing you really have to ensure that not only immediate safety that there are no immediate side effects but also long term side effects at the same time also you need to follow the immune profile so you need to measure the antibodies that a vaccine induces and you have to try to see if that actually protects so that's actually the phase 3 test and what.

Which we are saying is you can shorten usually the human safety trials are done in Phase 2 and then you go into phase 3 once you're satisfied that Phase 2 has been met and you couldn't do the 2 together but we still are really looking at more like a 12 month lead time we we really shouldn't be expecting to see the vaccine at least for 12 months or or or longer thank you very much Shane from CCTV?

Yes thank you go ahead OK this is Shane from China Central Television CCTV and my question to Margaret and Margaret I think around 3 weeks ago you mentioned that the US could be the epic centre of this pandemic and yesterday doctor Ryan mentioned that in.

The number of countries in Europe the they have seen the symptom of civilization so does it mean that right now the US has has become the epic centre of this pandemic and my second question is also about the criticism that has been received by WHO for many I think you have received certain criticism from politicians from the public as well but as a journalist here in Geneva we have seen I have seen what you have done in the past 2 or 3 months and seeing what's your efforts.

So what's your response to that criticism criticism because you also mentioned you released the the timeline on your website seeing what you have done and you have mentioned and repeated so many times about your efforts and to call out for the solidarity and to use a window opportunity but still people didn't get this information so they are accusing you about accusing WHO of this so what's your response to that and do you think the what do you think might be the reason.

For people to doing that thank you OK so we have 2 questions here Margaret yeah so on the first the US certainly has the largest outbreak now in the world a much larger outbreak than than any other country at the moment secondly criticisms yes there have been criticisms and yes we have put a very clear timeline on our work.

But there's not much to say beyond that there will always be criticisms of organisations it's important to listen to criticism especially constructive criticism because that always helps you to improve your work science is all about looking reassessing working out what's working at the after this outbreak we will all look at everything and we will there will be lessons learned and there will be important lessons.

Yeah and the contribution of WHO as the journalist said has been listed accurately for these days and supported by the secretary general I will have a new question from Stephanie Stephanie off the floor yes morning thanks just a quick follow up for Elizabeth I recall it the figure given the other day for this logistics operation was 230 1,000,000 if I'm correct on Friday.

From tedros but you seem to have given a 350 1,000,000 figure can you just help me understand you know the difference thank you Margaret it was for it was for Elizabeth actually I'm sorry sorry that's right I'm sorry I think sorry yeah no no you're right Elizabeth mentioned that number Elizabeth sorry for that yeah you're a muted go ahead.

OK Stephanie the amount of the appeal in of WFP appeal inside the the the ocha global appeal is all together 350 1,000,000 and so far we have received 24% of these 350 1,000,000 it means that we have received 84,000,000.

I suppose the head of WHO used in fact the funding at that time and the different the when you withdraw the 80 the 84,000,000 so we we still need 350 1,000,000 and the difference we have 84,000,000 so we need the difference which is I don't know.

300 - 84 it's something like yeah 200 and and I don't have the the the precise figure but we have 84,000,000 out of 350 1,000,000 sorry I'm not good with mathematics I think that we can make the calculation.

Thank you very much no problem with that so now I will go to Jan Jan heberman Jan wait one second sorry you've been unmuted that's right go ahead yes good morning again Jan speaking this for for Margaret it's it's also on funding.

DG tedros said on Wednesday last week on the 8th of April that governments and partners rose to the channel more than 800 U.S. dollar 800 1,000,000 U.S. dollars has been pledged or received for the response and then you have this funding charge for your appear and according to this.

To your funding website contributions to WHO for COVID-19 appeal you received only 350 $6,000,000.00 and pledges up to $60,000,000.00 so these 2 numbers don't add up you know you have on the one hand according to Mister tedros more than 800 1,000,000 have been received or pledged and according to this website which is from the 9th of April so one day after tedros said that.

It's only slightly above 400 420 1,000,000 U.S. dollars received and pledged thank you Jan maybe Margaret can clarify this sure so I think we're talking apples and oranges but I will have to go back and clarify exactly what the 2 things are so could you kindly send me an e-mail on that but I think quite the the overall solidarity fund is not just for WHO operations that's really for getting all the.

Equipment and all sorts of other things are needed including the work that fantastic work that's being done by WFP but I I would double check that and clarify it for you so could you kindly send me an e-mail with your questions so I can get you the numbers.

Thank you very much Elizabeth Margaret and I will go not to let's go now to Jamie please while we are muting Jamie I just would like to tell you speaking about emails that Ruth has a big problem to connect so I am told by.

Even Watson that if you have other questions for ICRC you can either write to her or to him E watson@icrc.org I think you have Ruth 's e-mail and they would be happy to answer her later on on the e-mail so now let's go to Jamie who has been muted Jamie you have the floor.

Hi Margaret so nice to see you in person as opposed to seeing your name on the screen Jan just mentioned last week when doctor Tetris was speaking I have another question about what he said 2 really quickly one is he mentioned this attack coming from Taiwan last week.

And I've been trying to get some details on that could you give enlighten us on that and what exactly that attack was and then the second question has to do with what he said yesterday about president trump being I know that he is being supportive president trump has accused WHO being China centric has accused WHO of not reacting quick enough is it accused WHO.

Of of of of of putting you know not not accepting or even criticising which I haven't found but even criticising the travel recommendations and his travel ban in particular from people from China so he's what is your question doctor tedra says supportive what definition of supportive is he using can you please elaborate on that because it doesn't look very supportive thank you thank you very much Amy.

Margaret OK so on the comment made by doctor tedros last week I have no further detail no further information it just stands as it is on your second question there have been good contacts between doctor tedros and and president trump on many occasions and as I said before the US government has been an extraordinarily generous funder not just sympathy of the assessed contributions but of all the many programmes and the American people have.

Always been a wonderful partner partner and I'll leave it at the right there thank you very much Margaret so next question is **** from AFP just one second OK you're on yes hello everybody it's a question to to Margaret and WHO also.

It's about comparing the epidemic because now you say that US is the largest epidemic and before it was Europe or before another country and you are comparing countries with absolute figures and in this case I was wondering if WHO is not thinking to publish statistic with the comparing the number of cases and number of deaths.

Compared to their population because if not it's like comparing like you you were saying before oranges and Thomas or IPOs I don't know in English in French it's carotid issue and because in this for example here Switzerland is saying that they have one of the largest incidents compared to other countries OK so you're Speaking of your second never have their.

Absolute number of the largest in the world so don't you think you you choose change the way the way you are presenting those those figures OK in terms of percentage of the population Margaret yes thank you in fact we did initially initially when we were reporting on all all the countries we did have the population because it's it's an important part of looking at epidemiology it now it has become such a large.

Outbreak in so many countries and also the case numbers can also reflect testing so we're also looking at can we look at testing you know how much testing is being done because that that may also give you an indication of why some countries would have larger case numbers than others so yes there are a lot of different issues when you're you're presenting epidemiological information thank you very much I have now lohon Sierra from Swiss news agency lohon.

That that was just to recall my question on the I think Margaret the effect of the pandemics on on the provisions made to try to organise WHA has any decision been taken on cancelling it or setting up something remotely Margaret so at this stage no I I I'm at this stage I have no information of course this is being looked at but at this stage I have no further information.

Thank you very much that was quick thanks the 3 last question the 4 last question Katherine isabeta Antonio and Gabriela let's start with Katherine yes again for WHO Margaret could you give us a little bit more indication about the new cases of COVID-19 in China.

Apparently there are new cases I'm not sure if it's is in hubei province I know that there are cases on the border with Russia but could you please give us more details about that thank you so much.

Thank you Margaret that's a good question so China in fact is now really focusing on looking at apart from making sure that there are not new local cases but their biggest ****** is imported cases and yes indeed they are finding I think I saw 90% of the cases reported yesterday were coming from people who were travelling from other parts of the world where there is an ongoing outbreak.

That's your answer thank you very much elizabetha can you unmute elizabetha please yeah you're on elizabetha.

Hi Margaret once again another question so I have 2 short questions first one is do you expect that in Russia the numbers will rise to the level of the United states at some point or the restrictive measures can you know cope with the with the curve and send it to Plato and the second question is about the mental health how worried the WTO that people will come out of the locked out of.

They locked down with the bad mental state and bad mental health and do you have any contingency measures for for this one and maybe a follow up is how journalists should cope with the amount of information they received from on COVID and be mental statementally stable thank you OK question for everybody go ahead Margaret that's a hard one.

OK so on the first one no country is the same as another and what we've always always said from the beginning what happens is in the hands of the people in the country so we know what to do we own test.

Isolate or find every contact isolate protect your healthcare workers provide decent space in your health healthcare system but no country is the same as another so there is no way we would predict which way something goes or or or compare it with another country on mental health you're so right to raise this it's been a struggle for many people it's not just that being indoors and being cooped up but it's also it's such a change and it's such a completely unprecedented.

Situation for absolutely everyone including all of us so and you're bridging to that for journalists yes indeed it's it's an explosion of information and we talk about an info demic and when we're normally talking about misinformation but it's also an info demic in terms of vast amounts of information we will do what we can to help we're here to help.

And on this particular thing I I'm we are expecting the secretary general also to give a statement on this particular issue of information now I've got 2 more people who have added their hands so let's go to Antonio Gabriela and then Jamil and Paula and I remind you that we have more people who need to brief so I really hope we will come finish there with the question and then go to the next one so Antonio try to be brief please.

You're being a muted Antonio one second I don't know why you still OK there you go you're on OK so 2 quick questions to Margaret the first one some reports in Spanish press.

Said that vaccine could be ready in September is these 2 optimistic and my second question is regarding the conflict between WHO and Taiwan rising since the last week so is there any attempt from the part of WHO to improve relations with Taiwan.

So on the first one again as I mentioned before with the vaccine you have to go through the human safety trials so you first of all you identify candidate vaccines that look like they will offer meet all the requirements for a good thing but you have to do the human safety trials so nobody can put a date on this at the moment secondly as I said before we really don't have anything further to say remember we really don't have anything further to say on the second issue.

Thank you very much that was short thank you I see Ahmad has added himself to the question I will stop after Ahmad and we'll go to the other briefers and then if you have more questions for Margaret or Elizabeth we'll go back to you after the other speakers so I really close after Ahmad Gabriella Jamil Paula and Ahmad and then we go to Jean Gabriella.

Thank you very much the question is for Margaret Margaret doctor tedros said that he will have a press conference with us with the UN press corps so if you have any update on that and then my second question is on China they said that they were using combined strategy for testing and the laboratory one and then the antibody one to know who had the virus.

But WTO doesn't advise a this this test or is there any any antibody test that you are advising that you are you know that you can yeah that's thank you that's a question Margaret.

Yes so on number one have you sent a request to tarek he he you know we will basically organise that according to the usual thing but please just send a formal request so that we can set a date and all that kind of thing.

On number 2 yes so it's really important to understand what the antibody test tells you is that somebody has recently been infected that's all it tells you it doesn't tell you whether they're immune it just gives you information so it's very important scientifically so you can say you know as I was saying before.

You you want to know how widely this virus has gone through the community but this is really for having a broader picture now it does help us make decisions it does not tell you this is the confusion that there's been it does not tell you that those people are protected we just don't know what level of antibody you need and what kind of antibody you need to ensure that you're protected against a second infection very clear thank you very much Jamil.

Yeah thank you very quick question Margaret this is Jamil shadi from Brazil it's about your document on strategy basically to be published either today or tomorrow because of this amount of information and because of the importance of this document would it be possible for us to at least get a head up a heads up in terms of timing or in terms of when this would be coming out.

Why why aren't we having a press conference or at least a briefing with someone that could go through the document with us it's a major element in this story would be very useful if we could get either a heads up or at least some indication of whom we could talk to about it thank you Jamil I'm sorry you had another?

Shamil no I'm fine OK thank you yeah I think it's a very good suggestion it is an important document you're quite right I I again sorry to always be saying send an e-mail but could you send me an e-mail copying tarik and let's see what we can do and maybe this is of interest for the whole court press score so if you have an answer to be sent to everybody Paula.

Thanks for taking the question this is actually being in in America that even for the COVID-19 began building in Latin America the region was already facing its worst epidemic in dengue and I was wondering how the situation has evolved we haven't actually heard very much from you on the situation regarding dengue in in Latin America and you know what sort of care.

Are are these patients getting the same care that they would have minus the COVID-19 you have your connection is not very good Paula so I hope that Margaret understood the whole of your question yes OK go ahead Margaret so yes and this is it's not just dengue it's many other illnesses that we are very concerned that the work needed to look after people?

Continue so director general briefed on all the other kinds of essential health services but particularly dengue yes we have got teams keeping an eye on this there are dengue outbreaks in other parts of the world that we are concerned about as well but yeah part of our work is to ensure that the other essential services continue thank you very much for all this and before I let Margaret go.

Not go I hope you'll be staying virtually with us but you had also something to say about ebola on DRC right yes that's right just just to let you know that the emergency committee on ebola examining the the public health emergency of international concern it still continues for the ebola outbreak in.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo and the emergency committee met last Friday to consider whether or not the the the the public health emergency with national concern should continue or be lifted at that time we learned of a new case in the Democratic Republic of Congo we now have 3 cases 22 people who've died one person who's alive and we've identified all the contacts around those people and they're being vaccinated and followed but there's so the emergency committee.

He is now meeting again today between 12 and 2 and we will notify you by e-mail we're not going to have a press briefing because you've got so much else to deal with but we will notify you of the outcome thank you very much and I guess Ahmad has a question to you thank you I don't know if you hear me yes.

Thank you Alex Alessandra hi Margaret I have a very curious question actually I think this is a question for anybody around the globe for the moment after the the restrictions lifted until this vaccine vaccine coming out what the people will do exactly what is the the guidelines for for The Who how the people can go to work.

Without being infected what what all of this image how the WHOC thank you Margaret I know what I would do I would go to the swimming pool but what the people around the globe would do OK so I I think you're talking about when the restrictions of being in at home and that's part of what we're putting out in this document today about how you will manage that I I think that was your question.

Well yeah what would what would be the recommendation of WHO yeah so we're yeah about how people will manage yeah certainly what we're putting out today is how to manage this phase when we're coming out of the stay at home orders.

A bit later on we will also be putting out further recommendations if you mean finally when everything 's finished or when we can be vaccinated indeed we will be coordinating all of that all the management of the roll out of the vaccine and what to do but that's a little bit further down the road.

Thank you so we wait for this important document today OK so as I had promised I will go now to the next speakers if there are more questions for Margaret we'll take them later on and my next speaker is Jean Rodriguez followed by Jens so Jean you also have an announcement on COVID yes hello do you hear me yes good morning everyone.

So I'm going to talk today about our digital standards developed by UNC fact as you know coronaviruses including the one responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic are a large family of viruses that are common in animals and can occasionally be transmitted to humans a phenomenon known as zoonosis.

Ensuring proper control of the international trade in animals and animal products and enabling the adequate enforcement of strict sanitary standards are therefore important steps to limiting to limiting the risks of transmission from animals to humans however most existing controls on the international trade of animals plants and other agricultural products worldwide are still done through the issuance and exchange of licences permits and certificates in paper format.

This is not only slow but also vulnerable to fraud forgery corruption thus hindering efficient implementation of health and safety controls by governments fortunately alternative solutions are being tested and rolled out successfully to strengthen controls.

That can ensure both the legality of international trade and the enforcement of sanitary standards governments are increasingly turning towards **** tech protection mechanisms including the standards developed at UNECES United Nations centre for trade facilitation and electronic business so-called UNC fact.

These standards cover areas including the E cert system for the electronic exchange of sanitary and fit on sanitary certificates issued to ensure that plants and animals traded internationally are free of diseases the standards has been implemented by countries all over the world just such as in the EU in the US China the Russian Federation Austria New Zealand Kenya the Republic of Korea Chile Malaysia the Philippines Sri Lanka and Japan.

Gaps in implementation tend to be exploited by criminal actors involved in the illegal wildlife trade which together will illegal logging and phishing is worth an estimated one trillion dollars or more per year according to World Bank figures this makes it the 4th largest global illegal trade after narcotics counterfeiting of products and currency and human trafficking according to UNODC.

Action to address these gaps is the basis of the strategic partnership between the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora cites and UNC fact cites regulates trade in over 36,000 species of wild animals and plants among its 183 parties.

Joint work between the sites secretariat umtad and UNECE supports the exchange of electronic E sites permits to significantly strengthen control measures on international trade of sites listed species the layout of the sites permits also has been aligned with the UN layout key developed by UNC fact thus making sites permits and data content easily recognisable for customs officers around the world.

Cites also applies all relevant UNC FAC recommended code lists such as ISO country codes or UNC FAC units of measurement codes in its permits and in the annual trade report submitted by cites parties this allows for more efficient control of trade restrictions and the establishment of a global statistical database on cites trade governments have started to exchange security cites permits which reduces opportunities for fraudulent paperwork in the context of international wildlife trade.

**** lock exchanges of electronic permits have been underway since 2017 when the first Test was launched by Switzerland and France and the European Commission is currently developing a system for the secure exchange of electronic east electronic sidis permits between EU member States and other countries UNEC is now working with ESCAP and umtad to support.

Authorities in Greenland Mozambique Uganda Sri Lanka Thailand and Singapore in their use of these advanced trade control procedures building on the UNC fax standards umtad has also developed an advanced electronic permit management system enabling electronic information exchange with Customs and Border control agencies and allowing electronic data analysis and targeted inspection on wildlife trade the first use of this system was completed in March 2020.

A few weeks ago then in Sri Lanka allowing traders and government agencies to remotely request issue and control sites permits the continued roll out of these new mechanisms will support the implementation of the September 2019 UNGA resolution to urgently tackle illicit trafficking in wildlife which called on countries to take measures making permit systems more resistant to corruption and to take advantage of modern information and communication technologies.

The ultimate goal is to contribute to conserving wild species ensure the legality and sustainability of their commercial trade and contribute to efforts to protect citizens around the world from future pandemics thank you thank you very much Jean OK so let me see if there are any questions about this important issue of the trade I cannot see any for the moment.

Thank you very much stay with us if it's possible and before we quit the issue of the COVID as it has been requested by some journalists I wanted to let you know that as of Sunday evening there were 189 confirmed cases among the UN worldwide.

And that included 3 deaths in the UN system that since the start of the pandemic so Sunday evening 189 confirmed case cases and 3 deaths and they also on the COVID before we we quit we quit the issue.

I just wanted to announce you that on the 24th of April at 10:30 the UN Geneva will hold a virtual exchange on multilateralism at the time of COVID-19 this is going to be a in virtual meeting where we will have discussions about this issue in the framework of the 75th anniversary of the United nations.

And as you know also the fact that on the 24th of April we celebrate International Day of Multilateralism.

So we wanted to look at all these issues under the framework of the UN 75th anniversary.

And we will have a discussion of visual discussion with the Director General, Mrs Valvaya.

We will have all Fabrizio Okshil the and the Secretary General for the 75th UN anniversary Martin Chun Horn, a Secretary General of the Inter Parliament Union, Fabiola Janotti, director general CERN while in Zhao secretary general of International Telecommunication Union.

And I'm just told that also Guy Rather of the Director General of Aiello will also take part into this discussion, which will be broadcast live on webtv.un.org.

And there will be a online system that will allow participants to ask questions.

We will send you the details, but you should have received a note to correspondent about that.

So I see now that Nina Larsen has raised their hand.

Is that a question for Jean before I go to Jens, Nina, Yes, Hi.

Sorry, excuse me.

I wanted to ask, you just mentioned the number of cases worldwide of the UN worldwide.

I just wondered if you had any more details on.

No, nothing on for instance, in Geneva where the deaths have occurred.

OK, So we don't have a breakdown of that cumulative number.

We have, as I told you last week, UN Geneva is announcing indeed the cases in the UN Secretariat in Geneva on a weekly basis.

We should have new numbers today.

As of last week, we had 10 cases of UN Secretariat staff in Geneva who had been confirmed to coronavirus.

So that is that is what we have.

But I hope we will have an update today.

We would have had it yesterday if you hadn't been closed, but we are going to try and get it to you today.

As for the larger number, no, I don't have more details than that, I'm afraid.

So thank you.

So I will now go to Jens.

Jens, you are on.

Thank you.

Go ahead.

It's strange because you are unmuted, but we can't hear you.

Can you check your mic, please?

Because you are unmuted.

You should be.

We should be able to hear you.

Nope.

Try again, please.

Can you say something?

Because you are unmuted.

You should be on.

No, we can't hear you.

OK, so while maybe Yancey's trying to work out this, I have two remaining questions from Gabriella.

And.

And Yes.

And I guess those were for Margaret.

So let's start with Gabriella.

Thank you.

Yeah, it was kind of a follow up.

I so I understand what an antibody test is for.

So my question is if W Cho recommends one in particular or not.

And then and then practical question is that we are going to receive new from a campaign, a mailing list or whatever a new name, a new mailing list we are going to receive.

But I didn't receive so far today.

So from WHO?

So I just want to know if you send already today's with this new e-mail address.

Thank you, Margaret.

So in the first one, all, all tests we look at and we pre qualify certain tests.

I do not think at this stage we have pre qualified any of the antibody tests, but I'll have to double check on that for you.

On the second, I don't understand that we're mailing this and perhaps you we need to talk to Carlo who manages that.

Yeah, the issue is that the journalists have received and we also have received quite a message last week which was saying that you were changing the basically the the mailing box from which you were sending messages.

I think that's what she was referring to.

I think that's a campaign monitor and I will check with Carla Drysdale who manages that.

OK, Maybe if other journalists have not received anything, maybe just send a message again to Margaret or to Tarek so that we can clarify this.

I've got again Yens, who should be now connected.

Let's see if it works.

Yens, can you try again?

One second.

So yes, go ahead, Yens.

Hopefully we can hear you now.

Unfortunately, we can't.

I'm sorry.

Can you try again to say something?

I can't see you talking.

No.

Then we we cannot hear you.

Sorry for that.

Yet Also there was a hanging question from Anne.

Yes.

And I guess it's also for Margaret.

Anne.

Yes.

From AFP.

Anne.

Yes.

Yes, go ahead.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Sorry.

I had a technical problem with the Sun before it was on Ebola.

I just wanted to to clarify what you say, Margaret.

You say that the emergency committee met on Friday, but they didn't took a decision on Friday.

Is that correct?

And also just remember to Alessandra, don't forget Lahore question because I'm also very interested by this question.

Thank you.

In fact, Lahore has asked his question about the World Health Assembly.

And Margaret answer was that for the moment we have no update.

Margaret, would you like to add something on Ebola?

Just simply just this to clarify the decision wasn't taken then and they're meeting again after midday today and we will notify you of of the result.

OK, so I guess Yens is not online.

We we must have a problem with that.

So I don't know, maybe we will.

OK, you are on try again, Yens.

All right.

Oh, finally, we hear you.

Go ahead.

You can breathe.

Thank you very much and thanks for your patience everyone.

I showed briefing on Vanuatu.

Yes please.

Earlier this month, Tropical Cyclone Herald caused widespread destruction in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga in the South Pacific.

The cyclone was most destructive in Vanuatu, making landfall as a category 5 cyclone on 6th of April with with sustained winds of more than 200 kilometres per hour.

Nearly 77,000 people, including more than 20,000 children, live in the worst affected areas.

As many as 90% of the people in San MA, the most affected province of Vanuatu, lost their homes and more than half of all schools and almost 1/4 of health centres were damaged.

Crops have been destroyed and many communities remain cut off because of flooding and the destruction of roads.

Yesterday the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund managed by ORCHA released two and a half $1,000,000 to get life saving aid to Vanuatu.

The emergency funds will enable UN agencies and humanitarian organisations to get safe drinking water, food, shelter and health care to people in need and support local and international logistics to enable the distribution of the supplies.

The government and 1st responders in Vanuatu were very active in making people safe ahead of the storm and meeting the immediate needs after it hit.

As the extent of the destruction becomes clear, the UN funding will ensure aid supplies are maintained and reach the people who desperately need it.

The response to the cyclone is challenging due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has made the movement of people and supplies more difficult.

To facilitate the movement of relief, the Government of Vanuatu has eased in country travel restrictions and lifted restrictions on domestic air and sea operations.

Releasing the funds, the Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Loco said that COVID-19 pandemic touches everybody and now is the moment to support vulnerable countries like Vanuatu when they are hit by climate related disasters.

Not only will this save lives but it will help them rebuild their resilience which is essential if they are to successfully fight the virus.

Thank you.

Thank you very much indeed.

Any question for Yens on Vanuatu?

I can't see any.

So thank you very much to you all.

This conclude.

Oh, Catherine has raised her hand.

Is that a question for Yens, Catherine?

No, I had a question, a follow up in fact for Margaret, a follow up one second, please let me see if there's any question for Yens, but I don't see any other hand up.

So ask your question to Margaret and then we'll conclude.

Yes, thank you.

It is a follow up on Gabriella's question.

Doctor Tedros in the last press conference spoke also about a ***** qualified qualification process.

So could you give us a little bit more details about who or what which Commission, what is the composition of the Commission decides that tests are I mean good ones that you can trust or not?

Could you give us a little bit more details on these tests?

I mean both tests, you know the PCR, but also the the one on bloods testing.

Thank you, Margaret.

Margaret, so pre qualification, yes, we have, we always have a committee, we'll have independent experts who assess the elements of different tests.

So we've brought in the system so that we can move quickly on tests, but also ensure that this had an independent assessment.

I don't have the detail who's on what committee.

There are all sorts of things.

We pre qualify, we pre qualify diagnostics, we pre qualify medicines.

We, we pre qualify vaccines.

For instance, we pre qualified the Ebola vaccine before it had been been accepted by the regulators.

We, we do all these kinds of things in order to make it possible to provide something quickly, but also provide it safely.

Thank you very much on this.

And yes, thank you very much, Paula, to remind me, I had forgotten that before I close Babar, have you by any chance found the information about Mexico?

Is that something you can answer now or I got back to Gabriela on on WhatsApp in terms of the information we have had on borders in the Americas is from early April.

Until then, there were no cases reported, but we can get back in case the situation has changed and if we get an update.

Thank you.

Please.

Thank you very much for doing so.

And as I said, if I have any update on the cases in Geneva, I will also send you something today and maybe more, more statement are expected today.

Thank you very much to you all for being with us on this virtual briefing and have a nice afternoon and we'll reconnect on Friday morning.

Thank you to all speakers and journalists.

Goodbye.