The words ‘COVID’ and ‘positive development’ don’t usually go in the same sentence, but over the weekend the World Health Organization (WHO) ended the disease’s emergency declaration status. But WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was quick to point out that the end of the emergency doesn’t mean the end of COVID… “The worst thing any country can do now is to use this news as a reason to let down its guard, to dismantle the systems it has built, or to send the message to its people that COVID-19 is nothing to worry about,” Dr. Tedros said. The ending of the emergency declaration was also a moment to reflect on the toll of COVID, which official records show has claimed more than 6.9 million lives. The WHO says the true figure is likely closer to 20 million dead. Australia has had over 11 million confirmed cases since the start of 2020, with 20,119 deaths.