WHO officially declares COVID-19 a pandemic amidst warnings of inaction

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic, making it the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus.

Though WHO had already determined the novel coronavirus a matter of the highest risk globally, the new declaration ended weeks of questioning and debate over whether the epidemic had risen to the state of the new declaration. At the same time, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus continued to preach messages of hope, stating that he believes the virus could still be curtailed. To do so, however, would require immediate action.

“WHO has been in full response mode since we were notified of the first cases,” Tedros said. “And we have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action. We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear.”

While the disease has reached 114 countries and infected more than 180,000 people worldwide, WHO also warned of deep concerns over the world’s handling of it.

“WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction,” Tedros said.

To get ahead of the virus, Tedros and WHO has continued to argue for whole-of-government, whole-of-society approaches to containment and prevention, including comprehensive strategies meant to save lives and minimize the societal impact.

Multiple countries now host more than 1,000 cases of COVID-19, WHO reported, and Johns Hopkins University research data puts the United States in that category. It has also led to the deaths of more than 4,000 people.