WHO: Test the population, we cannot put out fires blindfolded

(Patria) - Experimental testing of the coronavirus vaccine has begun in the US, representing one of the first steps in efforts to find an antiviral vaccine and therapy.

However, experts warn that vaccine approval takes 12 to 18 months.

At the same time, the EU has announced an investment of 80 million euros in the German company CureVac, which is also working on a vaccine, while media reports have been circulating for several days that the US is trying to buy the company.

And while work on an antiviral vaccine intensifies, countries around the world are introducing stricter measures in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19, but the number of infections continues to rise rapidly, exceeding 182,000.

France, Italy, and Spain are practically closed countries, with empty streets, while the population stays in their homes. The EU plans to close its external borders to most foreign visitors.

Experts have confirmed the positive effect of city lockdowns; in the Italian city of Lodi, the number of infected people is no longer increasing.

The World Health Organization appeals to all countries to test their citizens, as this is the only way to break the vicious cycle: 'We cannot put out fires blindfolded,' says the organization's Director-General Tedros Adhanom. 'We cannot fight a pandemic if we do not know who is infected,' he emphasizes.

French President Macron has stated that the country is 'at war' and appeals to the population to stay home for the next 15 days.

In Italy, 2,158 people have died, and more than 30,000 people are infected.

China's Wuhan recorded only one new case on Tuesday.

EU leaders plan to hold their second summit in two weeks to agree on joint action, which is necessary given that Europe is the epicenter of the pandemic. More than 50,000 people have been infected in Europe, and more than 2,000 have died, mostly in Italy.

The European countries with the highest number of infected people are Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Switzerland, and Great Britain.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough, and they recover completely. For vulnerable groups such as the elderly with chronic diseases, the coronavirus can lead to complications such as pneumonia, reports Euronews.