- World Health Organization holds regular media briefing to update public on the COVID-19 outbreak. Streamed live at 17.00 CET on Monday 9 March.
- Global number of coronavirus infections has surpassed 100,000 but the spread can still be controlled.
- Countries with community transmission could consider closing schools, cancelling mass gatherings.
Today’s World Health Organization briefing updated journalists on the progress being made and the work still to be done to fight coronavirus. Here’s what was covered – and what you need to know.
Reasons for hope
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus opened today’s briefing with an update on the Ebola epidemic in DRC. It’s now three weeks since last case was reported and week since last survivor left treatment centre. “We’re now in the countdown to end the outbreak.”
Regarding the spread of COVID-19, “the threat of pandemic has become very real,” he said. “But this would be the first pandemic that could be controlled.
“We’re not at the mercy of the virus.”
No “pandemic” yet
The WHO has been reluctant to use the word “pandemic” and the briefing added additional clarification regarding why the term isn’t yet appropriate. A “pandemic,” said Dr Michael Ryan, WHO Executive Director, means the “disease has reached a point where it spreads uncontrolled from country to country.” Said Ryan, the WHO is now seeing real success in some countries at turning the disease around.
More Infor: Latest COVID-19 news from Monday’s WHO briefing | World Economic Forum (weforum.org)