The coronavirus situation can be now characterized as a pandemic, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th March, 2020) The coronavirus situation can be now characterized as a pandemic, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a press conference, Tedros noted that the number of COVID-19 cases outside of China had increased thirteenfold over the past two weeks, with the number of the affected countries tripling.
"WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic," the WHO chief added.
He urged all countries to activate and scale up their emergency response mechanisms.
"This is not just a public health crisis, it is a crisis that will touch every sector - so every sector and every individual must be involved in the fight," he stressed.
