As China stops reporting cases of local transmission and South Korea brings the coronavirus pandemic under control, the World Health Organization has warned that the COVID-19 epidemic is "far from over" in the Asia-Pacific region.
Even with all the measures, the risk of transmission in the region will not go away as long as the pandemic continues, said Takeshi Kasai, Regional Director for the Western Pacific at WHO.
The organisation believes that current measures being taken are simply buying countries time to prepare for large-scale community transmissions.
"Let me be clear. The epidemic is far from over in Asia and the Pacific. This is going to be a long-term battle and we cannot let down our guard," Kasai said. "We need every country to keep preparing for large-scale community transmission."
He also warned that a tapering off of cases should not result in complacency as the virus could return.
"Whereas countries and areas in this region have shown how to flatten the curve, outbreaks continue to pop up in new places and importation remains a concern," said WHO technical adviser Matthew Griffith.
