Long working hours can cause physical and mental health issues, and the coronavirus epidemic is exacerbating the problem when people are forced to work from home and spend the entire day in front of a computer.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO), the first global study of the loss of life showed 745,000 people died from stroke and ischemic heart disease in 2016 as a result of working at least 55 hours a week, a 29% rise since 2000.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly changed the way many people work. Teleworking has become the norm in many industries, often blurring the boundaries between home and work,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general.
“Many businesses have been forced to scale back or shut down operations to save money, and…
