WHO Predicts End Dates for Global Coronavirus Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic is expected to end by early next year, according to Hans Kluge, head of the World Health Organization's European Regional Office. "The worst-case scenario is behind us. We know much more about the virus than we did in 2020 when it was first spreading," Kluge stated.

According to the expert, the virus is unlikely to disappear completely from the human population, but there should be no need for stringent restrictions. He also added that this is only a prediction, as no one can say for certain how the situation will evolve. He urged the continuation of vaccination efforts.

The outbreak of the coronavirus began in December 2019 in China, caused by a previously unknown strain of SARS-CoV-2. It has been proven that the coronavirus passed from bats to humans. In mid-March, due to the rapid spread of the infection, the World Health Organization classified the outbreak as a pandemic.

As of February 24, 2021, there have been 112,651,101 reported cases of coronavirus infection worldwide. In the last day alone, the number of infections has increased by 138,517. The total number of deaths from the coronavirus worldwide has reached 2,496,716.