New York: The head of the World Health Organization said there was no need for measures that “unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade” in trying to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus that has killed 361 people in China, as he lauded China’s efforts to contain it.
“We call on all countries to implement decisions that are evidence-based and consistent,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (pic) told the WHO executive board in Geneva, reiterating his message from last week.
Tedros said that China was using the right strategy of focusing its efforts on the hardest-hit places and slowing the spread, which he described as “small”.
China is “protecting the Chinese people and protecting the rest of the world,” he said.
“Because of this strategy and if it weren’t for China, the number of cases outside China would have been very much higher.
“It’s no reason to really panic now,” he said.
“The chances of getting this going to anywhere outside China is very low, and even in China, when you go to other provinces, it’s very low.”
Referring to the virus’ spread abroad, Tedros said it was “minimal and slow”, while warning that it could worsen.
China’s delegate took the floor at the WHO executive board and denounced measures by “some countries” that have denied entry to people holding passports issued in Hubei province – at the centre of the outbreak – and to deny visas and cancel flights.
“All these measures are seriously against recommendations by the WHO,” said Li Song, who is China’s ambassador for disarmament at the United Nations in Geneva.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying accused the US of catalysing public fear surrounding the coronavirus through its evacuations of US citizens from China and a ban on Chinese travellers to the country.
Tarik Jasarevic, a WHO spokesperson said that the organisation could lead a team of experts to China as early as this week to investigate the coronavirus outbreak.
“A multidisciplinary mission of international experts to China will take place, possibly this week,” he said. — China Daily/ANN
“We call on all countries to implement decisions that are evidence-based and consistent,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (pic) told the WHO executive board in Geneva, reiterating his message from last week.
Tedros said that China was using the right strategy of focusing its efforts on the hardest-hit places and slowing the spread, which he described as “small”.
China is “protecting the Chinese people and protecting the rest of the world,” he said.
“Because of this strategy and if it weren’t for China, the number of cases outside China would have been very much higher.
“It’s no reason to really panic now,” he said.
“The chances of getting this going to anywhere outside China is very low, and even in China, when you go to other provinces, it’s very low.”
Referring to the virus’ spread abroad, Tedros said it was “minimal and slow”, while warning that it could worsen.
China’s delegate took the floor at the WHO executive board and denounced measures by “some countries” that have denied entry to people holding passports issued in Hubei province – at the centre of the outbreak – and to deny visas and cancel flights.
“All these measures are seriously against recommendations by the WHO,” said Li Song, who is China’s ambassador for disarmament at the United Nations in Geneva.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying accused the US of catalysing public fear surrounding the coronavirus through its evacuations of US citizens from China and a ban on Chinese travellers to the country.
Tarik Jasarevic, a WHO spokesperson said that the organisation could lead a team of experts to China as early as this week to investigate the coronavirus outbreak.
“A multidisciplinary mission of international experts to China will take place, possibly this week,” he said. — China Daily/ANN
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