WHO - Coronavirus may never go away

A police chopper in Eastleigh, Nairobi, on May 11, 2020, after the government ordered the cessation of movement in the area to slow down the spread of coronavirus. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Coronavirus "may never go away", the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported.

At a time when citizens are on the lookout for more positive reports, it is unlikely that further spread of the disease will ease the situation.

The coronavirus national tally stood at 758 as at Thursday.

Citizens have criticised the containment measures set up in place, including the cessation of movement order in Eastleigh and Old Town. They say it has hurt businesses and ability to make ends meet.

The majority of Kenyans are youth who have little savings to cushion them from the effects of the virus.

Many are employed in the informal sector, which has also been hard hit by the coronavirus.

Restaurants have been closed as long distance public service vehicles stay away from the roads in line with the lockdown order.

Other measures that have hurt cash flow are the order against public gatherings, advice to work from home and social distancing.

The WHO report that coronavirus may never go away means life as we know it may become the new normal.

Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, WHO emergencies director Dr Mike Ryan warned against trying to predict when the virus would disappear.

He added that even if a vaccine is found, controlling the virus will require a "massive effort".

Some 4.3 million cases of coronavirus have been reported and more than 300,000 dead.

The UN has further warned that governments need to keep a keen eye on the effects of coronavirus on mental health.

Some of the cases that have meade headlines in the past weeks include the killing of a man by his girlriend in Umoja. He was stabbed eight times.

In a separate incident in Kayole, a woman stabbed her two children aged two and seven. She later unsuccessfully tried to commit suicide before neighbours stopped her.

The UN urged governments to make mental health considerations part of their overall response, the BBC also reported.

Dr Ryan said, "It is important to put this on the table: this virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities, and this virus may never go away."

He added that nobody "can predict when this disease will disappear".

According to the BBC, there are currently more than 100 potential vaccines in development. However, Dr Ryan cited other illnesses, such as measles, that have not been eliminated yet there are vaccines for them.

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