WHO Situation Report for COVID-19
05 March 2020.pdf
[AUTHENTICITY CERTIFIED: Text
version below transcribed directly from audio]
Thank you, Tarik [Jasarevic]. And good afternoon, and thank you once again for
joining us in person and online.
Today I want to start by saying thank you to all our colleagues in the media. As
providers of information, you play a vital role in the response to COVID-19. The
fight against rumors and misinformation is [a] vital part of the battle against
this virus. We rely on you to make sure people have accurate information about
the threat they face, and how to protect themselves and others.
Now to the numbers.
There is now a total of 95,265 reported cases of COVID-19 globally, and 3,281
deaths. In the past 24 hours, China reported 143 cases. Most cases continue to
be reported from Hubei province, and 8 provinces have not reported any case[s] in
the last 14 days.
Outside China...2,055 cases were reported in 33 countries. Around 80 percent of those
cases continue to come from just three countries.
We see encouraging signs from
the Republic of Korea. The number of newly-reported cases appears to be
declining, and the cases that are being reported are being identified primarily
from known clusters.
Although a few countries are reporting large
numbers of cases, 115 countries have not reported any cases. Twenty-one
countries have reported only one case. And five countries that had reported cases
have not reported new cases in the past 14 days. The experience of these
countries and of China continues to demonstrate that this is not a one-way
street.
This epidemic can be pushed back, but only with a collective, coordinated, and
comprehensive approach that engages the entire machinery of government. We're
calling on every country to act with speed, scale, and clear-minded
determination.
Although we continue to see the majority of cases
in a handful of countries, we're deeply concerned about the increasing number
of countries reporting cases, especially those with weaker health systems.
However, this epidemic is a threat for every country, rich and poor. And as we have
said before, even the high-income countries should expect surprises.
CDC's Latest Information and Recommendations on
COVID-19
The solution is
aggressive preparedness.
We’re concerned that some countries have either not taken this seriously enough,
or have decided there’s nothing they can do.
We're concerned that in some countries the level of political commitment and
the actions that demonstrate that commitment do not match the level of the
threat we all face.
This is not a drill.
This is not the time to give up.
This is not a time of -- for excuses.
This is a time for pulling out all the stops.
Countries have been planning for scenarios like this for decades. Now is the
time to act on those plans.
These are plans that start with leadership from the top, coordinating every part
of government, not just the health ministry -- security, diplomacy, finance,
commerce, transport, trade, information, and more -- the whole government should
be involved. We need a whole-government approach.
So, activate your emergency plans through that whole-government approach.
Educate your public, so that people know what the symptoms are and know how to
protect themselves and others.
Increase your testing capacity.
Get your hospitals ready.
Ensure essential supplies are available.
Train your health workers to identify cases, provide careful and compassionate
treatment, and protect themselves from infection.
If countries act aggressively to find, isolate, and treat cases, and to trace
every contact, they can change the trajectory of this epidemic.
If we take the approach that there’s nothing we can do, that will quickly become
a self-fulfilling prophecy.
It’s in our hands.
W-H-O has published step-by-step guidelines for countries to develop their
national action plans according to eight key areas, which are supported by
detailed technical guidance.
We call on all countries to accelerate those plans, and we stand ready to work
with them to do that.
More funding is being made available to support countries that need it, and that
have plans in place.
As you know, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund have both made
funds available to stabilize health systems and mitigate the
consequences of the epidemic -- the economic consequences of the epidemic, with a special focus on enabling access to
critical supplies and equipment.
I had also a very fruitful discussion with the President of the African
Development Bank.
This is funding that's available now to countries who need it, in line with
W-H-O’s Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan.
These funds are essential for supporting the response now, but also for
long-term preparedness.
Although COVID-19 presents an acute threat now, it's absolutely essential that
countries do not lose this opportunity to strengthen their preparedness system.
We know people are afraid, and that’s normal and appropriate.
That fear can be managed and moderated with accurate information.
Today W-H-O has
launched a new social media campaign called "Be Ready for COVID-19," which urges
people to be safe, smart, and informed.
If you feel overwhelmed by fear, reach out to those around you. Find out what
your community’s emergency response plans are, how you fit in and how you can
help.
There is still a lot we don’t know, but every day we’re learning more, and we’re
working around the clock to fill in the gaps in our knowledge.
Ultimately, how deadly this virus [is] will be depends not only on the virus itself,
but on how we respond to it.
This is a serious disease. It's not deadly to most people, but it can still kill.
We’re all responsible for reducing our own risk of infection; and if we’re
infected, for reducing our risk of infecting others.
There is something all of us can do to protect vulnerable people in our
communities.
That’s why we keep talking about solidarity.
This is not just a threat for individual people, or individual countries.
We’re all in this together.
And we can only save lives together.
I thank you.
