WHO says “too early” to declare coronavirus outbreak in China a global emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that it was “too early” to declare the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in China a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

“I am not declaring a public health emergency of international concern today. As it was yesterday, the Emergency Committee was divided over whether the outbreak of novel coronavirus represents a PHEIC or not,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference after a closed-door meeting of the Emergency Committee.

“Make no mistake, though, this is an emergency in China. But it has not yet become a global health emergency. It may yet become one,” Tedros said, adding that WHO’s risk assessment is that the outbreak is a very high risk in China, and a high risk regionally and globally.

“I wish to reiterate that the fact I am not declaring a PHEIC today should not be taken as a sign that WHO does not think the situation is serious, or that we are not taking it seriously,” the WHO chief said.

The UN health agency extended its Emergency Committee discussions on whether to declare a PHEIC from Wednesday to Thursday.

The PHEIC is defined by the WHO as an extraordinary event that 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.