Source: Forbes

History tells us that war is often a handmaiden of disease. During World War I, the influenza epidemic that spread around the world had its likely origins in a military training base in Kansas. That disease killed more American soldiers than died on the battlefield. 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine comes in the middle of another pandemic, and while both countries have experienced a decline in cases from winter’s peak, the virus is still transmitting at high levels. Prolonged conflict in the region threatens a humanitarian crisis, public health experts say. 

World Health Organization director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus said Thursday that he authorized $3.5 million from the agency’s contingency fund to purchase and deliver medical supplies to Ukraine. “Maximum care must be taken by all parties to ensure that health facilities, workers, patients, transport and supplies are not targeted,” Ghebreyesus said in a statement.

According to data from Johns Hopkins University, there were 26,819 new cases of Covid-19 in Ukraine on Wednesday, down from a record high earlier in February, but still a high amount in a country of about 44 million people. Over 1,700 people died in Ukraine from Covid-19 during the past week. Less than 35% of the population is fully vaccinated, leaving many vulnerable to severe symptoms.