The Covid-19 is on its way to becoming a pandemic after seven new countries reported cases for the first time over the last 24 hours, Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General, World Health Organisation, has warned while calling on nations to act swiftly.
Ghebreyesus, while addressing a press conference on Thursday in Geneva, stated that the Coronavirus which is now in 44 countries has killed more than 2,700 people, and recorded more than 80,000 cases and continues to rise.
“Every country must be ready for its first case,” Ghebreyesus stated while warning that member countries need to prepare for their first COVID-19 cases.
“No country should assume it won’t get cases. That could be a fatal mistake.
This virus does not respect borders,” he warned.
Ghebreyesus said that the WHO is greatly concerned right now about developments in the rest of the world, not in China, where cases have slowed in recent days.
Brazil, Georgia, Greece, North Macedonia, Norway, Pakistan and Romania reported coronavirus cases over the last day, Tedros said.
The rapid spread of the novel coronavirus raised the specter of a global pandemic as governments ramped up their emergency responses and financial markets slumped again Thursday, despite signs that the outbreak may be easing in China.
The United States markets fell sharply on Thursday, after authorities confirmed the first coronavirus case which they could not link to foreign travel – eventhough President Trump insists his country is ready to combat the spread of the deadly disease.
Japan has shut down schools beginning next Monday till April as Australia’s Prime Minister warned of an inevitable pandemic.
Elsewhere, officials canceled or postponed events including religious pilgrimages in Saudi Arabia, as doubts grow over Tokyo’s plans to host the 2020 Olympics.
There were earlier reports that the Spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank scheduled for April may be postponed or held virtually amid growing concerns of the coronavirus outbreak.
The WHO DG had in a press conference earlier on Wednesday disclosed that the cases reported outside China exceeded the number of new cases in China for the first time.
Ghebreyesus also described the sudden increase of cases in Italy, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Korea as deeply concerning.
He noted that the increase in cases outside China on Tuesday, has prompted some media and politicians to push for a pandemic to be declared.
“We should not be too eager to declare a pandemic without a careful and clear-minded analysis of the facts. WHO has already declared a public health emergency of international concern, our highest level of alarm.
“But this is no time for complacency. This is a time for continued vigilance,” he said.
“Using the word pandemic carelessly has no tangible benefit, but it does have significant risk in terms of amplifying unnecessary and unjustified fear and stigma, and paralyzing systems. It may also signal that we can no longer contain the virus, which is not true. We are in a fight that can be won if we do the right things,” Ghebreyesus said while noting that the outbreak will be declared a pandemic if situation arises.
He explained that China has fewer than 80,000 cases in a population of 1.4 billion people and across the world, 2,790 cases, in a population of 6.3 billion.
“Do not mistake me: I am not downplaying the seriousness of the situation, or the potential for this to become a pandemic, because it has that potential,” he said.
The DG further gave a report on the findings of the WHO-China joint mission after its visit to several different provinces, including Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.
According to him, the report found that the epidemic peaked and plateaued between the 23rd of January and the 2nd of February, and has been declining steadily since then.
The team also found that there has been no significant change in the genetic makeup of the virus.
“The report contains a wealth of other information, highlights questions for which we still don’t have answers, and includes 22 recommendations.
“But the key message that should give all countries hope, courage and confidence is that this virus can be contained.”
Godsgift Onyedinefu, Abuja
