WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. /Reuters/Denis Balibouse
The World Health Organization (WHO) have said the COVID-19 pandemic remains a public health emergency of international concern.
A statement issued by the WHO on Monday said that the virus was likely in a "transition point" that needs to be navigated carefully to "mitigate the potential negative consequences."
The WHO, who declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March 2020, has said that it hopes to see an end to the emergency this year.
A statement issued by the WHO said that the virus was likely in a "transition point". /AP/Anja Niedringhau
The statement released on the WHO's official website comes after an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee meeting last Friday.
It read: "The WHO Director-General (Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus) has the pleasure of transmitting the Report of the fourteenth meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic, held on Friday 27 January 2023.
"The WHO Director-General concurs with the advice offered by the Committee regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and determines that the event continues to constitute a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).
"The Director-General acknowledges the Committee's views that the COVID-19 pandemic is probably at a transition point and appreciates the advice of the Committee to navigate this transition carefully and mitigate the potential negative consequences."
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According to WHO figures, more than 750 million people across the world have contracted the virus, with almost 7 million people dying as a result of the outbreak.
Several countries across the world are still witnessing high numbers of COVID-19 infections, according to figures from the John Hopkins University.
The latest figures show that Japan has had the most cases out of any country in the world over the past 28 days, with 3,164,902 contracting the virus.
The U.S. (1,497,530 cases over the past 28 days), South Korea (1,017,482), Brazil (462,980) and Germany (369,605) are all also among the nations who have seen the biggest number of infections over the last four weeks.
The WHO has issued a number of temporary recommendations, including maintaining momentum for COVID-19 vaccination. /AP/Rogelio V. Solis
Within the statement released on Monday, Ghebreyesus also issued a number of temporary recommendations in a bid to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
These included maintaining momentum for COVID-19 vaccination, improving reporting of surveillance data to WHO, Increasing uptake and ensure long-term availability of medical countermeasures and maintaining strong national response capacity and preparing for future events.
Furthermore, the WHO encouraged countries to continue working with communities and their leaders to address the infodemic, continue to adjust any remaining international travel-related measures and continue to support research for improved vaccines that reduce transmission.