Coronavirus Officially a Global Pandemic, Says World Health Organization
%2Favatars%2FWeGRW50tmyzf.jpg&w=96&q=75)
%2Fimg%2Fiea%2Fk7GMAqdQGZ%2Fcoronavirus-officially-a-global-pandemic-says-world-health-organization.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
The World Health Organization officially declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic on Wednesday as the novel coronavirus — unknown to the world just three short months ago — has swept the world and spread to more than 121,000 people from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and now even large areas of the United States, reports CNBC.
RELATED: LATEST UPDATES ON WUHAN'S DEADLY CORONAVIRUS
Coronavirus: a global pandemic
A global pandemic is generally defined as an illness that spreads to every reach of the world, threatening human life and activity wherever it goes.
"In the past two weeks the number of cases outside China increased thirteenfold and the number of affected countries has tripled," said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference at the WHO's HQ in Geneva.
Tedros pointed to hope in the form of several countries that have successfully suppressed and controlled the deadly pandemic. But he scolded world leaders who failed to take drastic action quickly enough to curb the spread of the pandemic virus.
"We're deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction," said Tedros, moments before declaring the pandemic.
"We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear," he said.
COVID-19 cases in China and Korea decline
Cases of the deadly virus in China and Korea have fallen sharply, Tedros said, pointing to the 81 countries that have yet to confirm cases of the pandemic virus, in addition to 57 countries with 10 or fewer cases.
"We can not say this loudly enough or clearly enough or often enough, all countries can still change the course of this pandemic," Tedros said. "Some countries are struggling with a lack of capacity. Some countries are struggling with lack of resources. Some countries are struggling with a lack of resolve."
The WHO declaring a global pandemic is an action with serious political and economic ramifications for the entire world, global health experts said, according to CNBC. It can exacerbate already-fragile global markets, and set precedent for additional travel and trade restrictions. WHO officials were reluctant to categorize the deadly coronavirus as a global pandemic for these reasons.
This is breaking news, so be sure to return here for more updates, to follow.
SHOW COMMENT (1)
/2022/08/03/image/jpeg/BHx9tu46TroxO0BgMyF97lAw3bwIlE7fveirvMt7.jpg "Where are the aliens? A new study may finally solve the Fermi Paradox")
/2022/12/09/image/jpeg/9atg9W4SM4PuqehIWxfq8ae23Lk7C7yzOcHU6VPi.jpg "Propulsion technology: The rise of the commercialization of space")
/img/iea/yrwQlqpV6N/untitled-1-16.jpg "Up, close and personal with Mars: ReachBot and the future of space missions")
/2023/05/26/image/jpeg/smTFO3AG7ESAzCi8L0kVnrUEHbVmcjiZ2KhVW0QE.jpg "Potential cure for diabetes found in groundbreaking stem cell study")
/2023/05/15/image/jpeg/1tHKOQt2LsnpzrZQ5qeSLB8yII9RmTMhZhhcqMhS.jpg "Groundbreaking study reveals strong and changeable magnetic field surrounding repeating fast radio burst")
/2023/05/23/image/jpeg/WGiDzBgkMEB3MWU2C2FQaPjsdhaIUwtYZUSBvBiE.jpg "Triangles over circles? YouTuber builds funky cycle with special wheels")
/2023/05/17/image/jpeg/DkhVUYyTr3zCw7iMFNI06s7EfwX7rbb5FNLrNLqh.jpg "Rimac's electric hypercar Nevera breaks 23 records, does 0-62 mph in 1.81 seconds")
/2022/08/14/image/jpeg/ITYI0dk3gliRxi88A6y6NPlQ1AvPuZFkb2byyaZH.jpg "Stranger Earth: Six weird ways climate change is affecting our planet")
/2023/05/20/image/jpeg/qGLecng5T9rgIGZSsgiqXO1GgHfPT8WL781Q7uMq.jpg "World's most efficient aero-engine, the Rolls-Royce UltraFan, completes first test")
/img/iea/r1Or1zYEwn/timheader.png "Smart roads, wireless EV charging, and the future of American infrastructure")