June 29 (UPI) -- The director of the World Health Organization warned Monday that the coronavirus pandemic is "not close to being over," a day after the world reached grim milestones of 10 million cases and 500,000 deaths.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a video conference from the agency's headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, that despite "unprecedented measures to suppress transmission and save lives," the virus has not been completely stopped.
"Although many countries have made some progress, globally, the pandemic is actually speeding up," he said. "We all want this to be over. We all want to get on with our lives, but the hard reality is that this is not even close to being over."
Ghebreyesus cited WHO statistics showing nearly 180,000 new infections worldwide were recorded in the previous 24 hours -- that included 44,000 new cases in the United States and 39,000 in Brazil.
The rising figures, he said, illustrated that billions of people are still at risk of infection even as many nations are easing up on strict lockdown measures.
"This virus still has a lot of room to move," he said. "The virus is spreading aggressively."
As he has since the first signs of the pandemic in January, Ghebreyesus urged that the world's governments put more resources into identifying people who might have been exposed through contact tracing and other basic measures.
"The single most important intervention for breaking chains of transmission is not necessarily high-tech and can be carried out by a broad range of profession. It's tracing and quarantine contacts," he said.
In China, authorities imposed a strict lockdown in Anxin county after 18 new cases were detected there.
The measure affects 400,000 residents in the county and mandates that "all villages, communities and buildings will be fully closed."Under the rules, families are only permitted to send one person per household outside to purchase supplies once a day. All outside vehicles are banned.
In Beijing, people are still allowed to leave the city if they have a negative virus test.
At the United Nations, the U.N. World Food Program said Monday the coronavirus pandemic has triggered a wave of hunger, pushing "millions more people into food insecurity" in low- and middle-income countries.
"The front line in the battle against the coronavirus is shifting from the rich world to the poor world," food program executive director David Beasley said.
In response, he said, the program is undertaking the biggest humanitarian effort in its history, boosting the number of people it is helping from 97 million last year to up to 138 million in 2020.
New estimates show that the number of hungry people in lower-income countries could rise to 270 million before the year's end -- an 82 percent increase from before the pandemic.
The U.N. agency is urgently seeking to raise $4.9 billion over the next six months for its work.
"Until the day we have a medical vaccine, food is the best vaccine against chaos," Beasley warned. "Without it, we could see increased social unrest and protests, a rise in migration, deepening conflict and widespread under-nutrition among populations that were previously immune from hunger."
A pandemic also is threatening to send about 8 million middle-class Africans into poverty, according to the World Data Lab.
"The tragedy is that because Africa is not growing fast, this collapse of the middle class could take several years to recover," World Data Lab co-founder Homi Kharas told The New York Times.
In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the coronavirus pandemic has been "a disaster" for the country and called for a U.S. New Deal-style program of government investment to help recover from the economic shock.
In comments Monday to Times Radio, Johnson said the pandemic has had a devastating effect on Britain's economy, which is expected to contract by up to 10 percent in 2020.
He called for a "Rooseveltian approach to the U.K.," referring to U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt's 1930s New Deal policies in which massive taxpayer investments were made in public works projects in response to the Great Depression.
"This has been a disaster, let's not mince our words, this has been an absolute nightmare for the country," he said. "The country has gone through a profound shock. But in those moments you have the opportunity to change and to do things better.
"We really want to build back better, to do things differently, to invest in infrastructure, transport, broadband -- you name it."
Labor Party Leader Keir Starmer criticized Johnson's handling of school closures during the pandemic, accusing his government of "a total lack of planning" for not yet announcing if schools will reopen on time in September.
"If there had been a plan that had started two or three months ago, we would probably have most children back in school now," Starmer said.
In the West Bank, Palestinian authorities announced a two-day coronavirus-related lockdown in the Bethlehem district.
Kamel Hmeid, the Palestinian Authority's governor in Bethlehem, said the measure was triggered by an "unprecedented increase" of 33 COVID-19 cases in the district, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.
Palestinian police established checkpoints inside the district and at its entrances in order to prevent citizens from going in or out unless for certain reasons, authorities said.
In South Korea, the number of new virus cases dipped back below 50 on Monday, marking a decline from the weekend's alarming totals.
After logging 62 new cases on Sunday and 51 on Saturday, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counted 42 infections on Monday, raising the country's total caseload more than 12,700.
Officials said they were frustrated by new cluster infections continuing to pop up around South Korea, with most centered on small-scale gatherings at churches.
World moves to reopen amid COVID-19 pandemic
Visitors wear face masks as they tour the Whitney Museum of American Art as it reopens on September 3. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Visitors wear face masks as they tour the works of art. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
St. Charles Cinema employees place tape on reclining chairs after disinfecting, following a movie showing in St. Charles, Mo., on August 21. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Patrons walk to their movie with refreshments at the St. Charles Cinema. After being closed for months due to the pandemic, movie theaters in the St. Louis area and across the country are reopening. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
A patron looks at the Edgar Degas' sculpture, titled "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen," in the "Degas at the Opera" exhibit in the West Building of the National Gallery of Art, on the first day it reopened to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, in Washington, D.C., on July 20. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
The gallery reopened today on a limited basis after being closed since mid-March. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Sightseers wear face masks aboard a Statue Cruises boat with a view of The Statue of Liberty in New York City on July 20. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
The Statue of Liberty reopened July 20 with reduced capacity to help maintain social distancing. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
A stylist wears a protective face mask while giving a haircut to a client at Roman K. Salon Luxury Hair Salon as New York City enters phase two of a four-part reopening plan on June 22. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Workers break down the street art painted on boarded up windows of a Jimmy Choo retail store in New York City. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Shoppers walk through Macy's department store in New York City after being closed for three months. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
St. Louis Chess Club employees Abby Byer and Caleb Denny play a match with the new plexiglass divider in place in St. Louis on June 22. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Byer wipes down the clock and chess pieces after use. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (L) passes out face masks when he arrives at Grand Central Station to attend a nearby press conference to enter phase 1 of a four-part reopening plan in New York City on June 8. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Visitors take only side-by-side seats at tables for prevention of COVID-19 during a demonstration for reopening of Universal Studios Japan in Osaka on June 4. Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo
A Universal Studios Japan staff member uses an infrared thermometer to check the temperature of visitors during the demonstration. Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo
Harry's Bar and Restaurant is open for business in downtown Washington, D.C., a few blocks from the White House, on May 29. Photo by Pat Benic/UPI | License Photo
A stylist wears a protective face shield as she cuts a customer's hair at the Illusion of Shirlington salon in Shirlington, Va., on May 29. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
A customer has her temperature checked before entering the salon. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Diners seated apart eat at an outdoor restaurant in Washington, D.C. on May 29. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
The Rev. Daryl Gray, of the Clergy Coalition, hands out face masks at the Lively Stone Church of God in St. Louis on May 26. Over 125,000 masks were distributed to churches planning to reopen in June. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
A lifeguard keeps an eye on swimmers, making sure they social distance while enjoying the water at the Wapelhorst Aquatic Facility in St. Charles, Mo., on May 26. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Several swimming facilities in the St. Louis area have opened after extra restrictions because of the pandemic. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Stylist Katie Winston (R) cuts the hair of customer Dee Broderick on the sidewalk outside the 7-0-3 Salon in Chesterfield, Mo., on May 26. Although stylists and customers wear masks, the salon has offered customers the option of haircuts outdoors for those who may have coronavirus concerns. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Employees wearing face shields and masks work at the Matsuya Ginza department store, which partially reopened in Tokyo on May 25. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe lifted the
state of emergency in the city. Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI |
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People gather at Rye Playland Beach in New York on May 24. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Olivette Lanes owner Don Klackner uses a mop to clean the lanes at his bowling alley in Olivette, Mo., on May 19. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Dentist Ronald Sherstoff examines a high-speed drill at his office in Chesterfield, Mo., on May 19. Sherstoff has purchased an air filtration system that destroys airborne viruses that could be transmitted by the drill, and all staff members will use gowns, masks, gloves and face shields to protect themselves. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Students wear protective masks as they return to the Yankus Korchak Elementary School in Jerusalem on May 18. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo
School attendance will be voluntary around Israel and classes that return to session will be at the discretion of local authorities. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo
Server Tamara Martinez cleans containers at The Soda Fountain that contain candy on the first day of operation after reopening in St. Louis on May 18. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Soda jerk Ronell McCollum finishes making a Super Shake at the Soda Fountain. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Salesman Drew Murphy tries out a new mattress on the showroom floor at Mattress Giant in Richmond Heights, Mo., on May 18. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Sales clerk Sarah Rhim stocks shelves with new dresses at Mister Guy for Women Clothiers in Ladue, Mo., on May 15. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Bobby Smith (L) and his wife, Boni, enjoy drinks at an open restaurant in Lake Geneva, Wis., on May 15. Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/UPI | License Photo
The Wisconsin Supreme Court, backed by Republican lawmakers, overturned the governor's stay-at-home order. Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/UPI | License Photo
A man walks into a bakery in Edwardsville, Ill., on May 13. Madison County board members have agreed to reopen the county, officially going against Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's statewide stay-at-home order. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Cook Joe Eisenbraun prepares to wrap a "Heart Attack" sandwich at Crown Candy in St. Louis on May 12. Crown Candy is serving only at curbside until the stay-at-home orders are lifted in Missouri later in the month. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
A mother and child wear protective masks as they walk down a street in Paris on May 12. Photo by Eco Clement/UPI | License Photo
France has cautiously begun to lift its lockdown this week with shops allowed to reopen, including in the capital, which still faces tight restrictions. Photo by Eco Clement/UPI | License Photo
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson claps outside Downing Street in London to show his support for key workers during the coronavirus pandemic on May 7.
Doctors released Johnson from the intensive care unit in mid-April after he spent about a week in the hospital with COVID-19 Photo by Hugo Philpott/UPI |
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Shoppers wear masks in the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem on May 7. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo
A security guard checks the temperature of a woman before granting her entrance to the Rami Levy Atarot Mall near Jerusalem. The Atarot Mall is the first Israeli-Palestinian Mall. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo
Israel opened malls and outdoor markets after more than 40 days of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo
Customers have their hair washed at JF Hair Co. in Union, Mo., on May 6. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
People visit the beach after the the city relaxed restrictions in Isle of Palms, S.C, on May 6. Photo by Richard Ellis/UPI | License Photo
Nicholas Calio, president and CEO of Airlines for America, uses disinfecting wipes before testifying before a hearing on the pandemic's impact on the aviation industry May 6 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Photo by Jim Watson/UPI | License Photo
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., talks to reporters at a distance after the Senate reconvened following an extended recess due to the pandemic on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on May 4. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Peter Wolff, owner of the The Gift Nook store, looks down Main Street for customers in St. Charles, Mo., on May 4. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Jeweler Tom Wapelhorst arranges a display in his front window at Walters Jeweler in St. Charles, Mo. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo
Customers have lunch inside El Toro Mexican restaurant in Clute, Texas, on May 3. Photo by Trask Smith/UPI | License Photo
A customer looks at merchandise inside the Boot Barn clothing store in Lake Jackson, Texas, on May 3. Photo by Trask Smith/UPI | License Photo
Shoppers return to Northpark Mall in Dallas on May 1. Elbow bumps have become the new handshake. Photo by Ian Halperin/UPI | License Photo
Missed delivery tags hang on a storefront in Firewheel Town Center. While stores and restaurants may reopen under strict health and social distancing guidelines in Texas, many have chosen not to. Photo by Ian Halperin/UPI | License Photo
A hairstylist and his client wear protective face masks and gloves at a salon in Jerusalem on May 1. Israel has eased some coronavirus restrictions, allowing small stores and beauty salons to open, while maintaining the strict social distancing rules. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo
Pedestrians wear mandatory face masks and gloves while shopping in Jerusalem. Photo by Debbie Hill/UPI | License Photo
Pedestrians no longer practice "social distancing," but continue to wear protective face masks while visiting a popular entertainment district in Beijing on April 26. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
Florida has allowed some of the state's beaches to reopen, including this one along the Space Coast near Cocoa Beach on April 26. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
A child wades in the ocean at Cocoa Beach. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo
Pedestrians walk closely together in Beijing on April 19. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
Newlyweds pose for wedding photos without wearing protective face masks as the government has declared the peak threat of the COVID-19 outbreak has passed in Beijing on April 19. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo
A couple continues wearing protective face masks next to a police checkpoint in Beijing on April 15. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo