World Health Organization Declares CoronaVirus COVID-19 a Pandemic on Wednesday March 11 2020.
WHO declares that they have “rung the alarm bell loud and clear” despite “alarming levels of inaction”. Who reminds the world that, “All countries can still change the course of this pandemic”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who heads the U.N. agency, said the World Health Organization (WHO) “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.”
WHO Press Briefing on Wednesday March 11 2020 Complete Remarks are Online
Growing Number of COVID-19 Cases
In the past two weeks, the number of cases of COVID-19 outside China has increased 13-fold, and the number of affected countries has tripled.
There are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries, and 4,291 people have lost their lives.
In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to see the number of cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher.
WHO COVID-19 Concerns
Concerned about the alarming levels of spread and severity
Concerned about the alarming levels of inaction.
COVID-19 Pandemic
This is the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus.
COVID-19 can be controlled at the same time.
Countries need to take urgent and aggressive action.
What Countries Need to Do in A Pandemic
All countries can still change the course of this pandemic.
Several countries have demonstrated that this virus can be suppressed and controlled.
Prepare and Be Ready
Protect Your Health Care Workers
Detect
Protect
Test
Treat
Isolate
Trace
Mobilize Response People
Innovate and Learn
Political Leadership
Countries Challenges During a Pandemic
Capacity
Resources
Resolve
Protecting Health and Reduce Transmission
Minimizing Economic Disruption
Minimizing Social Disruption
Respecting Human Rights
Political Leadership
WHO reminds us that “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.”
For more information in the United States, please visit Center for Disease Control (CDC)
