We know that these measures are taking a heavy toll on societies and economies, just as they did in China.Īll countries must strike a fine balance between protecting health, minimizing economic and social disruption, and respecting human rights. We are grateful for the measures being taken in Iran, Italy and the Republic of Korea to slow the virus and control their epidemics. Some countries are struggling with a lack of resolve. Some countries are struggling with a lack of resources. Some countries are struggling with a lack of capacity. The challenge for many countries who are now dealing with large clusters or community transmission is not whether they can do the same – it’s whether they will.
Several countries have demonstrated that this virus can be suppressed and controlled. If countries detect, test, treat, isolate, trace, and mobilize their people in the response, those with a handful of cases can prevent those cases becoming clusters, and those clusters becoming community transmission.Įven those countries with community transmission or large clusters can turn the tide on this virus.
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We cannot say this loudly enough, or clearly enough, or often enough: all countries can still change the course of this pandemic. Of the 118,000 cases reported globally in 114 countries, more than 90 percent of cases are in just four countries, and two of those – China and the Republic of Korea - have significantly declining epidemics.Ĩ1 countries have not reported any cases, and 57 countries have reported 10 cases or less.
#Times newsletters director announces full
We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear.Īs I said on Monday, just looking at the number of cases and the number of countries affected does not tell the full story. WHO has been in full response mode since we were notified of the first cases.Īnd we have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action. This is the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus.Īnd we have never before seen a pandemic that can be controlled, at the same time. We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus. It doesn’t change what WHO is doing, and it doesn’t change what countries should do. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death.ĭescribing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO’s assessment of the threat posed by this virus. Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic.
WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction. In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to see the number of cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher. Thousands more are fighting for their lives in hospitals. There are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries, and 4,291 people have lost their lives. In the past two weeks, the number of cases of COVID-19 outside China has increased 13-fold, and the number of affected countries has tripled.
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