WHO has declared "Public Health Emergency of International Concern" (PHEIC) due to the coronavirus outbreak having been detected in dozens of countries.
Speaking to the reporters, the Director-General of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the virus is now detected in 19 countries, including China. Until-to-date excluding China, 98 cases have been identified. Even though originally the virus was spread from animal to humans, it has been spreading rapidly from human-to-human contact.
“It is confirmed the virus is spread from human-to-human contact in 4 countries that is, German, Japan, Vietnam and America”, said Tedros.
The 70 people that had died with virus infection are from China. Tedros said that the virus is spreading rapidly and if it is detected from poorer countries that have a "weaker" health system, then there is a risk that it will lead to a tragedy.
"We don't know what sort of damage this virus could do if it were spread in a country with a weaker health system," said Tedros.
Tedros has praised China for its transparency and protocols established in response to the outbreak. He said that stringent measures that the government of China has taken have contained the virus outbreak at the current level.
While the WHO has declared Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to the virus having been detected in several countries, a Maldivian who came from China is isolated to ensure, not infected with the coronavirus. This is the first case that has been isolated in the Maldives regarding the coronavirus.