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 during a press briefing in Geneva, following a meeting of the organisation’s emergency committee last Thursday.
The committee had unanimously recommended designating the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
Speaking at the briefing, Tedros emphasised that the declaration stemmed from concerns over the virus’s potential to spread to countries with weaker health systems.
“The main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China, but because of what is happening in other countries,” he explained.
“Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries that are ill-prepared to deal with it. Let me be clear, this declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China.
On the contrary, WHO continues to have confidence in China’s capacity to control the outbreak,” Tedros added.
The emergency committee has recommended several measures to contain the epidemic, including expediting the development of vaccines and treatments, and addressing the spread of misinformation.
This marks the sixth time WHO has invoked the PHEIC designation since its introduction 15 years ago.
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