Coronavirus: WHO now considers the Covid-19 epidemic a pandemic

WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has announced that the coronavirus epidemic is now considered a pandemic. Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, March 11, that the Covid-19 epidemic, which has infected more than 110,000 people worldwide since the end of December, could be considered a "pandemic".

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The Director-General of WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed this Wednesday, March 11, his deep concern at the " alarming levels of inaction " of the international community in the face of the "alarming levels of spread" of the epidemic of the new coronavirus.

“ We are extremely concerned both about the alarming level and the severity of the spread and the level of inaction. So we decided to consider that the Covid-19 can be described as a pandemic, ”he said at a press conference.

The number of new cases outside China has increased 13-fold in the past two weeks, he said.

Media briefing on # COVID19 with @DrTedros. #coronavirus https://t.co/aPFXT3ex5y

World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 11, 2020

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  • Coronavirus
  • WHO
  • Health and Medicine

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