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Thursday, 28 March 2024

Coronavirus outbreak at 'decisive point,' WHO chief says

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Coronavirus outbreak at 'decisive point,' WHO chief says
Coronavirus outbreak at 'decisive point,' WHO chief says

The new coronavirus outbreak has reached a "decisive point," the head of the World Health Organization said on Thursday, urging countries to redouble efforts to contain its spread effectively.

For the first time this week, new infections reported around the world have surpassed those in mainland China, where the flu-like disease emerged two months ago from an illegal wildlife market but is on the decline after an aggressive containment campaign.

Though meeting the dictionary definition of a pandemic - widespread contagion across a large region - the WHO has so far held back from using that term.

"This virus has pandemic potential," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.

"This is not a time for fear.

This is a time for taking action to prevent infection and save lives now."

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