Photo : PTINew Delhi: The World Health Organisation has begun deliberating on the criteria for calling an end to the global COVID-19 crisis, over two years after the outbreak of the virus. The Geneva-based agency declared the public health emergency on January 30, 2020. The global health agency is not currently contemplating such a declaration but is only exploring what conditions would indicate that the public health emergency is over. Several countries have reported a drop in COVID-19 cases but Hong Kong is witnessing a spike in fatalities and this week China logged more than 1,000 new daily cases for the first time in two years. “The International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on COVID-19 is looking at the criteria needed to declare the public health emergency of international concern as terminated,” the agency said in an email, Bloomberg reported. “As of now, we are not there yet.”Related NewsExpert warns can’t assume COVID in endemic stage, says need to be watchful of future variantsRelated NewsCovid-related ‘excess’ deaths highest in India: Report in The Lancet Last month, the head of emergencies at the WHO had said that the worst of the coronavirus pandemic – deaths, hospitalisations and lockdowns – could be over this year if huge inequities in vaccinations and medicines are addressed quickly. Speaking during a panel discussion on vaccine equity hosted by the World Economic Forum, Michael Ryan said “we may never end the virus” because such pandemic viruses “end up becoming part of the ecosystem.” “We have a chance to end the public health emergency this year if we do the things that we’ve been talking about,” he sai, PTI reported. According to health experts, COVID-19 is unlikely to be eliminated and will continue to kill people, though at much lower levels, even after it becomes endemic.