The chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday that the COVID-19 pandemic is "a once-in-a-century health crisis," but it is still "in our hands."

Responding to a question from Xinhua, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a virtual press conference that the world has never seen anything like this pandemic for decades, and its effects might last for decades more.

"Since we started probably recording, this is the first ever coronavirus-caused pandemic which has two dangerous combinations: it moves fast, and at the same time it's a killer," the WHO chief explained.

However, he noted, although the crisis is very severe, there are still solutions and hopes.

"I'm not saying there is no solution now. Whatever happens in the next few months or years, I also believe that it's in our hands," he said.

"Since the outbreak started, many countries have shown that it can be controlled, or serious transmission can be suppressed," Tedros said, adding that he has mentioned many such countries in the past, including Spain, Italy, China and South Korea.