Geneva, June 30 (RHC)-- The WHO warns the pandemic "is not even close to being over," as the number of deaths worldwide exceeds 500,000.  Global coronavirus cases now exceed 10 million and more than half a million people have died from the respiratory disease, COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States accounts for about a quarter of all deaths.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has told a briefing:  "We all want this to be over.  We all want to get on with our lives.  But the hard reality is that this is not even close to being over.  Although many countries have made some progress globally, the pandemic is actually speeding up," Tedros said.

The global body is planning to convene a virtual meeting this week to assess progress in research towards fighting the disease.