WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DECLARES CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK A GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY
By Olayiwola Ibrahim // The World Health Organization WHO, has declared the outbreak of a new coronavirus in China a global health emergency.
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus made the announcement at a press conference in Geneva, following a recommendation by the organization’s emergency committee.
The committee, chaired by Didier Houssin, had met on Thursday afternoon and reached an almost unanimous decision to designate the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern PHEIC.
According to Tedros, the main reason for this declaration is not the situation in China, but rather the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems.
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, he said.
Tedros emphasized that this declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China, but rather a testament to WHO’s continued cooperation with the country.
The WHO has commended China for its efforts to contain the outbreak, including implementing public health measures, enhancing surveillance, and sharing data with the global community.
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