‘Coronavirus a pandemic’ concedes World Health Organisation

As the confirmed number of global coronavirus cases are set to top the 120 000 mark, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday finally conceded that the virus is now a pandemic.

The Geneva-based UN body has been hesitant to label coronavirus or covid-19 a pandemic until now, in fear of causing unnecessary global panic.

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Speaking during a media briefing, which was also broadcast online and on social media globally, WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the organisation has been assessing the outbreak around the clock and was now “deeply concerned” both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the distressing levels of inaction.

“We have therefore made the assessment that covid-19 can be characterised as a pandemic,” he added.

“Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death,” he stressed.

Watch: World Health Organisation director-general, says covid-19 is a pandemic 

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Ghebreyesus noted that as of Wednesday, March 11, there were more than 118 000 confirmed covid-19 cases in 114 countries globally, with 4 291 people having lost their lives.

“In the past two weeks, the number of cases of covid-19 outside China has increased 13-fold, and the number of affected countries has tripled … In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to see the number of cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher,” he warned.

“Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO’s assessment of the threat posed by this virus. It doesn’t change what WHO is doing, and it doesn’t change what countries should do,” he added.

South Africa reported its first confirmed case last week Thursday (March 5). Within a week the number has risen to 13, with Health Minister Zweli Mkhize confirming yesterday (March 11) new coronavirus cases in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, in addition to the first case in the Western Cape.

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According to the WHO director-general, the organisation has been “in full response mode” since it was notified of the first coronavirus cases in the city of Wuhan in China.

“We have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action. We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear,” said Ghebreyesus.

“As I said on Monday [March 9], just looking at the number of cases and the number of countries affected does not tell the full story … Of the 118 000 cases reported globally in 114 countries, more than 90% of cases are in just four countries, and two of those – China and the Republic of Korea – have significantly declining epidemics,” he noted.

“Eighty-one countries have not reported any cases, and 57 countries have reported 10 cases or less. We cannot say this loudly enough, or clearly enough, or often enough: all countries can still change the course of this pandemic,” he added.