The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially classified the recent coronavirus outbreak in China as a global health emergency.
This announcement was made by WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus during a press conference held in Geneva.
Following a meeting of the emergency committee, which took place last Thursday, a recommendation was made to label the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), a decision that was nearly unanimous, according to committee chair Didier Houssin.
Tedros emphasized that the primary concern during this declaration is not the situation in china itself, but rather the potential for the virus to spread to nations with less robost healthcare systems that may struggle to manage an outbreak .
He clarified that this declaration should not be interpreted as a lack of confidence in China's ability to handle the crisis.
Additionally, Tedros highlighted the committee's recommendations aimed at controlling the outbreak, which include expediting the development of vaccines and treatments, as well as addressing the spread of misinformation.
This marks the sixth occasion that the WHO has utilized the PHEIC designation since its inception 15 years ago.
This illness resembles the coronavirus, prompting experts to intensify their research on methods for prevention and specialized treatment. Their goal is to prevent its spread to under-resourced countries that lack adequate medical equipment for treatment and prevention.