WHO fears global COVID-19 toll underestimated

Michael Ryan, the executive director of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Health emergencies program, said on Monday that the current death toll from the coronavirus disease was likely underestimated.

Michael Ryan, the executive director of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Health emergencies program, said on Monday that the current death toll from the coronavirus disease was likely underestimated.

"Just to reassure you, there are no people who are suffering from accidents being counted as COVID cases ... When you count anything, you never count it perfectly, but I can assure that the current numbers are likely an underestimate of the true toll of COVID rather than anything else," Ryan said during a virtual briefing.

The number of COVID-19 related deaths worldwide is approaching 1 million (996,342), according to the WHO. The total number of confirmed cases stands at 33,034,598.