The World Health
Organization, WHO, has declared the coronavirus a global public health
emergency after a meeting on Thursday.
WHO chief Tedros
Ghebreyesus said amid efforts to combat the spread and find a solution, there
was the need to make this designation due to events outside of China.
“There are now 98
#2019nCoV cases in 18 countries outside #China, including 8 cases of
human-to-human transmission in four countries: Germany, Japan, Viet Nam and the
United States of America,” he said.
“Our greatest concern
is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health
systems, and which are ill-prepared to deal with it.
“We must remember that
these are people, not numbers. More important than the declaration of a public
health emergency are the committee’s recommendations for preventing the spread
of the #2019nCoV virus and ensuring a measured and evidence-based response.”
WHO issues temporary recommendations which are non-binding but practically & politically significant measures that can address travel, trade, quarantine, screening, treatment.
