WHO Raises Global Risk from Coronavirus to ‘Very High’
The World Health Organization said there is still a chance to contain the virus, which causes the disease COVID-19.
A man wearing a face mask walks outside Yaba Mainland hospital where an Italian citizen, Nigeria's first case of the COVID-19 virus, is being treated, Feb. 28, 2020, in Lagos.(Sunday Alamba/AP)
The World Health Organization on Friday raised its global risk assessment from the coronavirus from "high" to "very high."
"The continued increase in the number of COVID-19 cases, and the number of affected countries over the last few days, are clearly of concern," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director general, said at a press conference on Friday.
The Week in Cartoons: Feb. 24-28
Health officials have reported over 83,000 cases of the virus and nearly 2,900 deaths.
Several countries have confirmed their first cases of the virus over the past day, and all have links to Italy, according to WHO.
Nigeria has reported the first coronavirus case in sub-Saharan Africa, an Italian man who traveled to Lagos after a trip to Milan on Feb. 25. The case raises concerns that limited resources and stressed health systems in the region might not be able to handle a large outbreak of the virus.
Italy has over 600 cases of the virus and 17 deaths.
Despite the global risk assessment being raised to the same level as China, Tedros said there is still a chance for containment.
"We don't see evidence yet that the virus is spreading freely in communities," he said.
WHO has held off on declaring the virus a pandemic.
Tedros said that drug treatment trials are underway and to expect results in a few weeks. He added that more than 20 vaccines are in development.