The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said today, Monday, that the world is witnessing a "critical period" due to the surge in the new Coronavirus infections.
"It is a critical moment for leaders of the world to act and for people to unite for one goal", he said.
Tedros's comments came during his conversation with journalists while he was self-isolating after he announced on Twitter that he had contacted a person infected with the Coronavirus.
WHO's Emergency Committee had declared that the Coronavirus pandemic remains an emergency on an international scale.
WHO called on countries' governments to take measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
On the other hand, environmentalists warn that a trillion disposable face masks could irreversibly pollute our oceans unless urgent action is taken to recycle them.
Scientists insist that immediate steps are needed to stop single-use materials from being sent to the landfill, allowing them to release toxic chemicals into the natural world.
The researchers urged governments and companies to ban their "unnecessary" use in stores and to recycle more disposable personal protective equipment in medical settings.
It is estimated that the world population is now using 129 billion face masks and 65 billion plastic gloves every month as the world struggles to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
Despite efforts by some companies to recycle items, activists say 90% of them end up in the landfill, equivalent to more than a trillion face masks annually.
Dr. Christian Dunn, Senior Lecturer at the School of Natural Sciences at Bangor University in Wales, UK, said that it could have harmful effects on the planet as the world needs urgent conduct more research on the potential danger of microplastics.
Follow the latest news on Google News
