“With over one million lives now lost to COVID-19 globally, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said that while the ‘agonizing milestone’ is a ‘mind-numbing figure’, the world must never lose sight of each and every individual life,” is an excerpt from an article published in the United Nations website.

UN Secretary General António Guterres said that the pain of losing a loved one due to COVID-19 has been ‘multiplied’ by the savageness of the disease – highlighting that the risk of infection kept families from being with their loved ones, and the process of mourning and celebrating life was made impossible.

He added that there is no end in sight to the spread of the virus – including the loss of jobs, the disruption of education, and the general upheaval of lives.

“Responsible leadership matters.  Science matters.  Cooperation matters – and misinformation kills. As the relentless hunt for a vaccine continues – a vaccine that must be available and affordable to all – let’s do our part to save lives. As we remember so many lives lost, let us never forget that our future rests on solidarity – as people united and as united nations,” says the UN chief.

History Will Judge Us

Meanwhile, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Gehbreyesus said that the milestone, 1 millionth death from COVID-19, will give a ‘pause for reflection’, adding that “History will judge us on the decisions we do and don’t make in the months ahead. Let’s seize the opportunity and bridge national boundaries to save lives and livelihoods.” Read more: Millionth death from COVID-19 ‘an agonizing milestone’: UN Secretary-General, an article published in the United Nations website.