GENEVA — World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Friday said that the COVID-19 Delta variant has put the world in a critical situation.

During a press conference Dr. Ghebreyesus directly from WHO's headquarters in Switzerland said the situation demands more precise studies and analysis in order for the organization to respond effectively.

Annexing more than 98 countries, the current matter at hand is to request world leaders to apply a 10 percent minimum vaccination rate by the end of September and 70-percent by mid-2022.

Dr. Ghebreyesus also added that reaching this objective and overcoming this delicate period in an effective way, will lead to saving lives and structure an even more effective way of distributing vaccinations, as there is a current shortage in vaccination quantities.

Ghebreyesus said the Delta variant, first found in India, is continuing to evolve and mutate, and it is becoming the predominant COVID-19 virus in many countries.

“I have already urged leaders across the world to ensure that by this time next year, 70% of all people in every country are vaccinated,” he said, adding that would effectively end the acute phase of the pandemic.

He noted 3 billion doses of vaccine have already been distributed and, “it’s within the collective power of a few countries to step up and ensure that vaccines are shared.”

Of the vaccine doses given globally, fewer than 2% have been in poorer countries. Although rich countries including Britain, the US, France and Canada have pledged to donate 1 billion COVID-19 vaccines, WHO estimates 11 billion doses are needed to immunize the world. — Agencies