The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised its risk assessment of the coronavirus spread and impact, but says it is not a pandemic. The markets are still wary and events are still being canceled
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th February, 2020) The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised its risk assessment of the coronavirus spread and impact, but says it is not a pandemic. The markets are still wary and events are still being canceled.
In the past 24 hours, first cases of coronavirus have been reported in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Iceland, Lithuania, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Nigeria.
According to WHO, 53 countries have been affected so far. WHO's daily report suggests that there were 439 new cases in China and 746 elsewhere, as of Thursday. Italy had 78 new cases the most in Europe. Iran had 46 new cases, Kuwait had 31.
A UK passenger of the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined in Japan has died from the disease, Japan's NHK broadcaster reported citing the country' Health Ministry.
The World Health Organization (WHO) increased its assessment of the risk of spread and impact of the novel coronavirus to very high at a global level, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Friday. At the same time, the situation cannot be qualified as pandemic yet, according to Emergencies Program Executive Director Michael Ryan.
Over 20 vaccines for coronavirus are in development globally with the first results expected in a few weeks, Tedros said.
In addition, WHO expects to have a team in Iran by Monday to help tackle the outbreak there. Tehran said it was suspending flights to and from the country.
Energy markets continue to fall with Brent crude oil dipping below $49, over a 5 percent drop, price charts showed on Friday.
White House Economic Adviser Larry Kudlow said that the stock market may get worse amid uncertainty over the outbreak. Treatment and quarantine methods used to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease are having a significant impact on global supply chains and tourism flows, which could lead to economic challenges in the United Kingdom, outgoing Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said in an interview with the Sky News broadcaster.
In Russia, tour operators' losses are estimated at $410 million, according to a tourism industry lobby.
The 2020 Geneva International Motor Show joins the list of events that have been canceled or rescheduled due to the outbreak. The organizers said they would refund ticket prices. Earlier this week, Facebook said it was canceling its F8 developer conference scheduled for May.
