WHO: Wuhan New Coronavirus is now a global emergency

The Wuhan New Coronavirus is officially a global health emergency, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced at a press conference on Thursday.

It’s only the sixth time a global health emergency has been sounded. You can rewatch the entire press conference below.

I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern over the global outbreak of #2019nCoV, not because of what is happening in #China, but because of what is happening in other countries.https://t.co/HNrxyGeoBA

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) January 30, 2020

Cases of the New Coronavirus has been documented in 18 countries affecting around 8000 people at the time of writing, killing around 170.

WHO however believes there is no cause for mass panic.

“This is the time for facts, not fear. This is the time for science, not rumours,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director-general.

We must act now to help countries prepare for that possibility.

This is the time for facts, not fear.

This is the time for science, not rumours.

This is the time for solidarity, not stigma.#2019nCoV https://t.co/nda2uf2ExC

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) January 30, 2020

Tedros made a point of commending China’s containment efforts, and called on all nations to stem the spread of the virus. The coronavirus is believed to be transmitted through “droplets, contact and fomites” — objects that have residual contaminants.

Follow these accounts on Twitter

As information is key during the outbreak, we’ve compiled a list of Twitter accounts by journalists, experts and officials that you definitely should follow.

Peruse it here.

Feature image: Andy Walker/Memeburn