"COMMUNICATIONS"

“Right now there are many respiratory pathogens that are circulating in the Northern Hemisphere, as we enter the winter months, people are spending more time indoors and we tend to see an increase in respiratory infections, whether this is due to COVID-19 or influenza, but also other viruses like adenovirus, rhinovirus and some bacteria like Mycoplasma pneumonia,” a WHO representative said. WHO

Climate mitigation talks in Dubai were a “COP of hope”, IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack said today in Washington, DC. Tens of thousands of journalists, policymakers, bankers and civil society organizations are gathered there for the UN’s 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC. IMF

Asked about the latest developments with regard to the disputed Essequibo region along the Venezuela-Guyana border, Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa today said, “we are going to respect the sovereignty of each of the countries,” and called for the establishment of “real protection for our borders and that there is no type of invasion or appropriation of something that does not belong to another nation.” UNIFEED

Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council that “often invisible but always insidious, transnational organized crime is a vicious threat to peace, security, and sustainable development wherever it operates.” UNIFEED

WHO appeals for protection of the health system from further attacks and degradation of its capacity. WHO

A new report from the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) finds more lives are being protected from dangerous climate change but there is a long way to go. Half of countries globally are still not protected by multi-hazard early warning systems. UNDRR

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “WHO welcomes the extension of the humanitarian pause in the conflict in Gaza, and the release of hostages and prisoners by both sides, the pause has enabled WHO to increase deliveries of medical supplies in Gaza, and to transfer patients from Al-Shifa hospital to other hospitals south of the Wadi Gaza.” WHO

On the fifth day of a pause in fighting in the Gaza Strip, UN humanitarians echoed the UN Secretary-General and called for a full humanitarian ceasefire and for more aid deliveries to enter into the devastated enclave, such is the scale of need. UNTV CH

A UN top political affairs official told the Security Council that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK’s) launches “represent a serious risk to international civil aviation and maritime traffic.” UNIFEED

General Assembly: 38th plenary meeting, 78th session.