WHO declares Coronavirus outbreak global pandemic

The World Health Organisation on Wednesday declared the rapidly spreading Coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, saying, in a short time, the virus will likely spread to all countries on the globe.

Citing “alarming inaction” by some countries with growing coronavirus cases, World Health Organisation director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned the situation was very serious, with patients filling intensive care wards, and shortages of ventilators, protective equipment, and medical staff.

“We expect to see the number of cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher’’, the WHO boss said.

Tedros said several countries have demonstrated the ability to suppress and control the outbreak, but he scolded other world leaders for failing to act quickly enough or drastically enough to contain the spread.

“We are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of the spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction exhibited by some countries’’, he said, just before declaring the pandemic.

“We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear.

“This is not just a public health crisis, it is a crisis that will touch every sector — so every sector and every individual must be involved in the fight’’, he said.

While disclosing that cases in China and South Korea have significantly declined, he added that about 81 countries have not confirmed any case of the virus.

“We cannot say this loudly enough or clearly enough or often enough: All countries can still change the course of this pandemic.

“Some countries are struggling with a lack of capacity. Some countries are struggling with a lack of resources. Some countries are struggling with a lack of resolve’’, he added.

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Declaring a pandemic is charged with major political and economic ramifications, global health experts say.

It can further rattle already fragile world markets and lead to more stringent travel and trade restrictions. WHO officials had been reluctant to declare a global pandemic, which is generally defined as an illness that spreads far and wide throughout the world.

As of Wednesday, 114 countries have reported that 118,000 have contracted Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus, known as SARS-CoV2.

In the United States, where for weeks state and local laboratories could not test for the virus, about 1,000 cases have been diagnosed and 29 people have died.

The virus causes mild respiratory infections in about 80% of those infected, though about half will have pneumonia. Another 15% develop severe illness and 5% need critical care.