Coronavirus outbreak: WHO declares COVID-19 a global pandemic

Summary

In the past two weeks, the global spread of COVID-19 has escalated dramatically, with cases rising 13-fold and affected countries tripling. Over 118,000 cases have been reported across 114 countries, with over 4,200 deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a pandemic due to the severity and spread of the virus. However, it stresses that this term should not induce fear or complacency. The WHO urges all nations to take urgent action, as controlling the pandemic remains possible through swift, coordinated responses such as testing, isolation, and mobilizing communities.

Takeaways

• 😀 The number of COVID-19 cases outside China has increased 13-fold in the past two weeks, with over 118,000 cases reported in 114 countries.
• 😀 The global death toll from COVID-19 has reached 4,291, with thousands more fighting for their lives in hospitals.
• 😀 The situation is expected to worsen in the coming weeks, with both the number of cases and deaths predicted to rise significantly.
• 😀 The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified COVID-19 as a pandemic, but warns that the term should not be used lightly to avoid causing panic or complacency.
• 😀 Although the term 'pandemic' may sound alarming, it does not change the threat assessment by WHO or the actions countries should take to address the outbreak.
• 😀 This is the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus, and it is one that can still be controlled if countries take urgent and aggressive actions.
• 😀 WHO has been in full response mode since the first cases were reported, calling for countries to act quickly and decisively to prevent further spread.
• 😀 The majority of COVID-19 cases are concentrated in just four countries, with China and South Korea showing significant declines in cases.
• 😀 Over 90% of cases are found in just four countries, while 81 countries have not reported any cases, and 57 countries have reported fewer than 10 cases.
• 😀 WHO emphasizes that countries with fewer cases can still prevent clusters from forming and stop community transmission through early detection, testing, isolation, and contact tracing.

Q & A

What significant change has been observed in the number of COVID-19 cases outside China in the past two weeks?

The number of COVID-19 cases outside China has increased 13-fold, and the number of affected countries has tripled.

How many COVID-19 cases and deaths have been reported globally at the time of this address?

There have been more than 118,000 cases and 4,291 deaths reported globally across 114 countries.

What does the World Health Organization (WHO) expect in the coming weeks regarding the COVID-19 situation?

The WHO expects the number of cases, deaths, and affected countries to rise even higher in the coming days and weeks.

Why did the WHO declare COVID-19 a pandemic?

The WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic due to the alarming levels of spread, severity, and inaction from countries.

What is the significance of the word 'pandemic' according to the WHO?

The word 'pandemic' should not be used lightly, as it can cause unnecessary fear or lead to unjustified acceptance that the fight is over.

What was the WHO's stance on COVID-19 as a pandemic in relation to their ongoing response?

The declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic does not change the WHO's assessment of the virus's threat or its ongoing response efforts.

What makes COVID-19's current pandemic unique, according to the WHO?

COVID-19 is the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus, and it is also the first pandemic that can be controlled at the same time.

What actions has the WHO been calling for since the initial outbreak of COVID-19?

The WHO has been urging countries to take urgent and aggressive action, including detecting, testing, treating, isolating, tracing, and mobilizing people.

What does the WHO emphasize about the current global distribution of COVID-19 cases?

Over 90% of global COVID-19 cases are concentrated in just four countries, and many countries have either no cases or very few cases.

What can countries with a small number of COVID-19 cases do to prevent further spread?

Countries with a small number of cases can prevent these cases from becoming clusters and can stop those clusters from evolving into community transmission by taking proactive measures.