Geneva, May 12 (RHC)-- In Geneva, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom called on wealthy nations to stop hoarding vaccine doses at the expense of poorer countries.  Dr. Tedros said:  "The shocking global disparity in access to vaccines remains one of the biggest risks to ending the pandemic.  High- and upper-income countries represent 53% of the world’s population but have received 83% of the world’s vaccines.  By contrast, low- and lower-middle-income countries account for 47% of the world’s population but have received just 17% of the world’s vaccines.”

In the Czech Republic, mourners lit nearly 30,000 candles at Prague Castle to commemorate the number of victims who’ve fallen to COVID-19.  The Czech Republic has the second-highest per capita death toll in the world from COVID, after Hungary.

Worldwide, cases have edged down from record highs set in April but remain at a dangerous, high plateau. Case rates are highest in countries with low vaccination rates.