“The whole world needs to be on alert,” said Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Program, at a Wednesday briefing. “We still have an opportunity to stop this virus.”
“The fact that we have only seen 68 cases outside China is due to the extraordinary steps the government has taken,” said Tedros.
WHO is focusing its efforts on preparing nations with fragile public health systems to screen and treat coronavirus patients to forestall a wider outbreak.
There is no treatment or vaccine for the coronavirus, which appears to spread by close contact with patients afflicted with coughing, pneumonia, and shortness of breath. About 20% of cases appear severe and the fatality rate in China is 2%, however those estimates are expected to decline as more mild cases are detected. Washing hands, avoiding contact of unwashed fingers with your face, and medical isolation of sick patients are the best tools for avoiding infection, according to the CDC and WHO.
