Globally COVID-19 situation is worsening: WHO chief

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks at the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, May 18, 2020. (WHO/Handout via Xinhua)

"More than six months into this pandemic, this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal."

GENEVA, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday said that although the situation of the COVID-19 outbreak in Europe is improving, globally it is worsening.

According to Tedros, more than 100,000 cases have been reported to the WHO in nine of the past 10 days, and on June 7, more than 136,000 cases were reported, "the most in a single day so far."

"Almost 7 million cases of COVID-19 have now been reported to WHO, and almost 400,000 deaths," Tedros said.

Food delivery men wait near a restaurant in Kolkata, India on June 8, 2020.(Str/Xinhua)

As for the situation in Africa, the WHO chief said that most countries there are still experiencing an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, with some reporting cases in new geographic areas.

"We also see increasing numbers of cases in parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia," he told reporters.

The WHO chief also reminded those countries with positive signs to avoid "complacency," since most people globally are still susceptible to infection.

"More than six months into this pandemic, this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal," he said.

People wearing face masks take a train in Tokyo, Japan, on May 25, 2020. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)