The World Health Organization (WHO) decided not to declare the outbreak of the new strain of coronavirus in China is not yet a public health emergency of international concern.
This was the announcement made by Professor Didier Houssin, the chair of the Emergency Committee, during the press conference broadcasted on WHO’s Twitter and Facebook account.
Houssin said it is too early yet to declare it a public health emergency of international concern since there are limited cases abroad.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accepted the decision of the committee saying that this is an emergency in China.
It has not yet become a global health emergency. It may become one,” he said.
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Tedros stressed they are aware of the reported cases in other parts of the world and even in countries that have suspected cases. He added that they are monitoring the situation.
The UN body underscored the need to fill the gaps in the knowledge of the source, the cause, and other clinical information about the 2019-nCOV virus.
WHO added that they will coordinate with China to get the necessary information as soon as possible.
The emergency committee will reconvene in the coming days if needed to reassess the situation.
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