GENEVA, February 15. /TASS/. Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called on the world community to stay vigilant and continue anti-coronavirus efforts, despite the downward tendencies observed in the COVID-19 incidence rates for the fifth week in a row.

"So far this year, the number of weekly reported COVID19 cases has fallen by almost half, from more than 5 million cases in the week of January 4 to 2.6 million cases in the week starting February 8 - just five weeks," he told a briefing on Monday. "This shows that simple public health measures work, even in the presence of [coronavirus] variants."

He noted that there are big hopes that the pandemic would be taken under control but stressed that anti-coronavirus efforts should be continued. "What matters now is how we respond to this trend. The fire is not out, but we have reduced its size. If we stop fighting it on any front, it will come roaring back," he added.