Geneva, Jul 31 (IANS): The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the role of young people in curbing the COVID-19 outbreak.

"Although older people are at a higher risk of severe disease, younger people are at risk too. One of the challenges we face is convincing younger people of this risk," the WHO chief said at a virtual press conference on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.

He told reporters that evidence suggests that spikes of cases in some countries are being driven in part by younger people letting down their guard during the northern hemisphere summer.

Saying that young people can be infected and can transmit the virus to others, Tedros stressed that young people must take the same precautions to protect themselves and others.

"They can be leaders -- they should be leaders and drivers of change," he said, adding that all people have a role to play in reducing the risk of exposure to COVID-19.

More than 16.8 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, including some 662,000 deaths, have been reported to the WHO globally as of Thursday afternoon, according to its latest dashboard on the disease.