LONDON, May 5 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization on Friday declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency, marking a major step toward the end of the pandemic that has killed more than 6.9 million people, disrupted the global economy and ravaged communities. "It is therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that the end of the emergency did not mean COVID was over as a global health threat. The WHO's emergency committee first declared that COVID represented its highest level of alert on Jan. 30, 2020. The status helps focus international attention on a global health threat, as well as bolstering collaboration on vaccines and treatments. The decision to end the global health emergency status was supported by a majority of the committee, said Didier Houssin, head of the agency's COVID emergency committee.

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