WHO lifts pandemic status for COVID-19

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the end of the coronavirus pandemic. This was reported on the organization's Twitter.

The head of the organization, Tedros Ghebreyesus, during his speech at the briefing, said that COVID-19 is no longer a "public health emergency." He also said that, according to the organization, during the pandemic, 20 million people died from the coronavirus, and the number of detected cases of infection reached 765.2 million.

WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. According to Rosstat, in 2020 at least 162 thousand people died from coronavirus infection in Russia, and in 2021 - 517 thousand. In 2022, Rosstat stopped publishing statistics. Excess mortality has made Russia one of the most affected countries. Restrictions reduced the flow of tourism and slowed down the economy.

Subsequently, the Russian authorities used the ban on holding events during the pandemic as an excuse for fines during rallies and pickets. Moscow City Hall has promised to lift the ban on public events when the WHO announces the end of the pandemic.