Development Health Advice 

Outside China, Coronavirus transmission ‘iceberg’ may not be as big as feared

“We’re not seeing a dramatic increase in transmission outside China,” Dr. Michael Ryan, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Health Emergencies Programme chief, said, while urging against making hasty assessments. As of 4pm on Thursday in Geneva, there were 46,550 infections from COVID-19, the overwhelming majority in China, WHO reported. With 1,820 laboratory-confirmed cases and 1,369 deaths, all but two have… Read More
Development Health Advice 

DR Congo Ebola outbreak still an international public health concern

The World Health Organization (WHO) convened its Emergency Committee which reaffirmed that the risk remains high at the national and regional levels, but low globally.  “It was the unanimous view of the Committee that this event still constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC)”, the UN agency said in a statement.  “The Committee was concerned that withdrawing the… Read More
Development Health Advice 

UN health agency developing COVID-19 virus treatment master plan

Mr. Tedros was speaking at a press conference in Geneva, at the conclusion of a two-day research and innovation forum on COVID-19, during which leading health experts from around the world met to assess the current level of knowledge about the new disease, identify gaps and work together, so that critical research can begin immediately. These include decisions surrounding easy… Read More
Development Health Advice 

Meeting of top scientists underway to slow coronavirus spread

“As of 6am Geneva time this morning, there were 42,708 confirmed cases reported in China and tragically we now have surpassed 1,000 deaths”, said Fadela Chaib, WHO spokesperson. “To be precise, it’s 1, 017 people in China who have lost their lives to this outbreak. Outside China, we have 393 cases in 24 countries with one death; the one death… Read More
Development Health Advice 

Coronavirus containment is the key, as infections tick up: Tedros

After earlier describing cases of infection in people with no travel history to China as possibly the “tip of the iceberg”, the World Health Organization Director-General warned in Geneva that while the spread of the respiratory disease appeared to be slow, it could accelerate. “The detection of this small number of cases could be the spark that becomes a bigger… Read More
Development Health Advice 

Coronavirus: demand for face masks creates shortfall for those in real need 

At a news conference in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged against stockpiling to ensure that healthworkers and those infected with the virus could still obtain them.  Today in my media briefing on #2019nCoV I shared our concerns about severe disruption in the market for protective gear used by health workers and sick people. Demand is up to 100… Read More
Development Health Advice 

Slight fall in coronavirus infections ‘nothing to celebrate’, says UN health agency

Dr Michael Ryan, head of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergencies Programme, was speaking in Geneva after confirmation that there are now 28,060 confirmed cases of infection in China and 564 deaths – with 225 cases in 24 other countries, where one death has been recorded, in the Philippines. “Although we are pleased that the numbers from today are the… Read More
Development Health Advice 

Female Genital Mutilation costs $1.4 billion annually: UN health agency

New modelling by the UN agency to coincide with the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, marked on Thursday, reveals that the cost of treating the total health impacts of FGM would amount to $1.4 billion globally per year.  The figure sees individual countries devoting nearly 10 per cent of their yearly expenditure to treat FGM; for… Read More
Development Health Advice 

$675 million appeal to stop coronavirus in its tracks, as deaths rise

Speaking in Geneva, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that latest data indicated 24,363 confirmed infections in China and 490 deaths from the respiratory disease (2019-nCoV), which was declared on 31 December. “In the last 24 hours, we had the most cases in a single day since the outbreak started,” he said. Noting the concern generated by the virus, Tedros he added… Read More
Development Health Advice 

Coronavirus: UN health agency moves fast to tackle ‘infodemic’; Guterres warns against stigmatization

And in the face of concerns that people of Chinese descent are being discriminated against as fears grow over the spread of the disease, UN chief António Guterres called for international solidarity and an end to any ill-founded discrimination of the outbreak’s victims. ‘Cloud’ rumours false WHO Director of Global Infectious Hazard Preparedness, Sylvie Briand, told journalists in Geneva on… Read More
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