WHO says Mideast at 'critical threshold' in virus numbers

Shares The World Health Organization warned Wednesday the Middle East was at a decisive moment in the fight against the novel coronavirus, with cases surging as countries ease lockdown measures. "We are at a critical threshold in our region," the WHO's Middle East head, Ahmed al-Mandhari, said in an online press conference. According to figures published by the global health body on Wednesday, the 22 countries from Morocco to Pakistan had recorded 1,077,706 novel coronavirus cases and 24,973 deaths. Mandhari said passing a million infections marked a "concerning milestone" and urged countries to strengthen their healthcare systems. "The number of cases...