GENEVA • The coronavirus pandemic is now in a "new and dangerous phase", the World Health Organisation (WHO) says, with the disease accelerating at the same time as people tire of lockdowns.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged nations to remain extremely vigilant, as the number of cases reported to the United Nations health agency hit a new peak.
"The pandemic is accelerating. More than 150,000 new cases of Covid-19 were reported to WHO yesterday - the most in a single day so far," Dr Tedros told a virtual press conference on Friday.
He said almost half of those cases were reported from the Americas, with large numbers also being reported from South Asia and the Middle East.
"The world is in a new and dangerous phase. Many people are understandably fed up with being at home. Countries are understandably eager to open up their societies and economies," he said.
"But the virus is still spreading fast, it's still deadly and most people are still susceptible."
The coronavirus has killed more than 460,000 people and infected over 8.8 million since the first cases were reported in China late last year.
Brazil has topped one million Covid-19 infections, trailing only the United States, after reporting record new cases.
In the US, Arizona, Florida, California and Nevada set one-day records and Texas outpaced its seven-day average on Friday, fuelling concern that the spread is worsening in the American Sun Belt.
Italy's top health agency has urged caution after seeing "warning signs" last week of new coronavirus transmission, especially over outbreaks of cases in Rome.
WHO emergencies director Mike Ryan said countries needed to be on alert for second waves of infection - and second peaks within the first wave if the outbreak is not properly suppressed.
"You may have a second peak within your first wave, and then you may have a second wave: It's not either or," the Irish epidemiologist said.
While increased numbers of confirmed cases could be down to improved testing, he said unexpected rising hospitalisation and death figures were a better indicator of a resurgence.
"Exiting lockdowns must be done carefully," he said. "If you don't know where the virus is, the chances are that the virus will surprise you."
Dr Ryan said countries needed to be more agile and react quickly and precisely to new clusters.
He praised the intensity of investigations going on in Beijing, which is battling a new outbreak.
"When you see a cluster, you have to jump on the cluster... if we want to avoid the blunt instrument of lockdown," he said.
China's fresh coronavirus outbreak emerged at its capital's biggest wholesale market, with the number of infections linked to the market since last week now totalling at least 205.
Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, said virus sequences from the new outbreak were already available for study, and that it appeared closely related to the European strain.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BLOOMBERG
