COVID-19 continues to spread and the world will reach 1 million plus cases in the coming days, World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said.

Axar.az reports citing foreign media.

"Over the past five weeks, we have witnessed a near exponential growth in the number of new COVID19 cases, reaching almost every country, territory and area. The number of deaths has more than doubled in the past week. In the coming days we will reach 1 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, and 50,000 deaths," the official said in a briefing Wednesday.

"I am deeply concerned about the rapid escalation and global spread of infection," Tedros noted, saying that the WHO realizes "that COVID-19 could have serious social, economic and political consequences" for regions including Africa, Central and South America.

"Many countries are asking people to stay at home and shutting down population movement, which can help to limit transmission of the virus, but can have unintended consequences for the poorest and most vulnerable people," he explained. He added that governments must put social welfare measures in place "to ensure vulnerable people have food and other life essentials during this crisis."