The World Health Organisation (WHO), on Tuesday, announced an official name for the novel coronavirus: COVID-19.
At a news conference in Vienna, WHO Director-general, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the organisation was careful to find a suitable name and eliminate stigma associated with previous diseases.
“Under agreed guidelines between WHO, the World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, we had to find a name that did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, an individual or group of people, and which is also pronounceable and related to the disease.
“Having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing. It also gives us a standard format to use for any future coronavirus outbreaks,” Tedros said.
According to the WHO DG, as of 6am Nigerian time this morning, there were 42,708 confirmed cases reported in China.
“Tragically, we have now surpassed 1000 deaths – 1017 people in China have lost their lives to this virus. Most of the cases and most of the deaths are in Hubei province, Wuhan,” he said.
Tedros noted that, outside China, there are 393 cases in 24 countries, and 1 death.
“With 99 percent of cases in China, this remains very much an emergency for that country, but one that holds a very grave threat for the rest of the world,” he added.
The health branch of the United Nations had earlier declared the novel coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern after an emergency meeting on January 30.
According to the organisation, this is a formal declaration of “an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease” and “to potentially require a coordinated international response”.
The novel coronavirus has been confirmed in Singapore, UK, Malaysia, Taiwan, Spain, Vietnam, Germany, UAE, France and Japan.
Other countries with similar cases are Thailand, Canada, Australia, Italy, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Cambodia, and the United States.
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