WHO declares global health emergency on coronavirus

Agency calls for coordinated response but doesn't restrict travel

20200130N tedros jan 30

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus speaks during a news conference after a meeting of the Emergency Committee on the novel coronavirus in Geneva, Switzerland on Jan. 30. © Reuters

RINTARO HOSOKAWA and TSUKASA HADANO, Nikkei staff writers

GENEVA/BEIJING -- The World Health Organization has declared the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus a global health emergency.

At a WHO emergency committee meeting Thursday to discuss the novel coronavirus, the panel members reversed a decision from a week ago, and urged the U.N. agency to declare the spread of the virus a "public health emergency of international concern."

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.