WHO reports nearly 90% drop in global Covid-19 deaths since February

Commuters wearing face masks walk along a street in the central business district in Beijing (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said a nearly 90% drop in recent Covid-19 deaths globally compared with nine months ago provides “cause for optimism” but still urged vigilance against the pandemic as variants continue to crop up.

Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that last week just over 9,400 deaths linked to coronavirus were reported to the WHO.