Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, addresses the 74th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, May 24, 2021. (WHO/Christopher Black/Handout via Xinhua)

Coronavirus-related deaths worldwide have passed a grim milestone of 4 million, according to the World Health Organization on Wednesday.

GENEVA, July 7  -- The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said that it has recorded over four million COVID-19-related deaths globally, but the organization's Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, added that the overall death toll is likely underestimated.

"Compounded by fast moving variants and shocking inequity in vaccination, far too many countries in every region of the world are seeing sharp spikes in cases and hospitalization," he said during a virtual press conference, adding that "this is leading to an acute shortage of oxygen and treatments, and driving a wave of deaths in parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America."