“We’ve Rung The Alarm Bell Loud,Coronavirus Is A Global Pandemic” WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday declared the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) as a global pandemic.

COVID-19, which was first reported in China has now been confirmed in 118 countries, 9 of which are African countries.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus labelled the new virus and its wildfire-like spread a ‘global pandemic’.

Initially, WHO officials were reluctant to declare the COVID-19 virus that has been sweeping across the globe a ‘pandemic’.

The WHO official had noted that terming the coronavirus as a pandemic had major economic and political negative consequences.

“There’s been so much attention to one word. Let me give you some other words that matter much more, and that is much more actionable:” Dr Tedros said.

“Prevention, Preparedness, Public Health, Political Leadership and most of all ‘people’,” Dr.Tedros proceeded to explain.

Dr Tedros noted that the WHO organization had been in full response mode since the first case of Coronavirus Outbreak was reported in Wuhan city in China.

“We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus. And we have never before seen a pandemic that can be controlled at the same time,” Dr Tedros noted in the press briefing done in Geneva.

“By terming the Corona Outbreak as a pandemic, WHO does not change its assessment of the threat the virus poses nor change what WHO is doing,” Dr Tedros said.

“The word should not change what it is doing to combat this (coronavirus outbreak) pandemic,” Doctor Tedros added.

“We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear,” Doctor Tedros said warning countries to ensure prompt action in protecting their citizens.

“Activate and scale up emergency response mechanisms and speak to your people about the risks and how to protect themselves, find, isolate, test and treat every COVID-19 case and ensure to follow up every contact,” Dr Tedros said.

“We are calling on countries to ready their hospitals, protect, train their health workers and let’s all look out for each other,” Dr Tedros concluded.

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