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WHO envoy says coronavirus ‘will stalk the human race for a long time to come’

KEY POINTS
  • The special envoy to the World Health Organization doesn’t expect the coronavirus to disappear entirely until a vaccine is developed.
  • “We think it’s going to be a virus that stalks the human race for quite a long time to come until we can all have a vaccine to protect us,” Dr. David Nabarro, a representative for the WHO, told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
  • The U.S. has reported at least 530,000 coronavirus cases with at least 20,608 deaths. There are over 1.7 million cases globally with at least 109,000 deaths.
GP: David Nabarro responds to a member of the press. Selwin Hart...
David Nabarro responds to a member of the press.
Albin Lohr-Jones | Pacific Press | Getty Images

The special envoy to the World Health Organization doesn’t expect the coronavirus to disappear entirely until a vaccine is developed.

“We think it’s going to be a virus that stalks the human race for quite a long time to come until we can all have a vaccine to protect us,” Dr. David Nabarro, a representative for the WHO, told NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Nabarro was asked what the United States should expect in the fall from the coronavirus as countries around the world continue to struggle with overcoming the pandemic.

“There will be small outbreaks that will emerge sporadically and they will break through our defenses,” he added.

The U.S. has reported at least 530,000 coronavirus cases with at least 20,608 deaths. There are over 1.7 million cases globally with at least 110,042 deaths.

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President Donald Trump has publicly been laying siege to the WHO and has accused the organization of being too late at taking the virus seriously. Conservative critics have said they believe the health group was too trusting of China. Trump has threatened to withhold the U.S. funding to the WHO, which he says goes up to $500 million each year.

“As you know we give them approximately $500 million a year and we’re going to be talking about that subject next week. We’ll have a lot to say about it. We’ll hold it,” Trump said at a press conference on Friday.

Nabarro addressed Trump’s threat on NBC.

“We love our partnership with United States,” he said.  “It would be so unfortunate if anything happened to lessen that cooperation.”