Who Declares a New COVID Outbreak, With Potential to Spread To Countries?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a new coronavirus outbreak in China a global health emergency. The WHO also expressed concern that the virus could spread to countries with weak health systems. At a press conference in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the organization’s committee on epidemics almost unanimously decided to declare the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The decision had been “almost unanimous,” Didier Houssin, chair of the emergency committee, said at the press conference. The main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China, but because of what is happening in other countries,” Tedros said at the press conference.

For the past few days, China has faced a rising number of cases from the outbreak. However, no fatalities have been reported so far, even though hospitals and health workers in China are overwhelmed.