The World Health Organization raised its threat assessment Friday saying the global risk of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is now "very high," the director-general told reporters, even as the White House continues to downplay the potential impact of the coronavirus in the U.S.
As of Friday morning, there were 4,351 cases in 56 countries with 67 deaths reported outside of China. More than 83,000 people have been infected around the globe. WHO director Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said there is evidence of "linked epidemics of COVID-19 in several countries, but most cases can still be traced to known contact or clusters of cases."
"We do not see evidence as yet that the virus is spreading freely in communities," Dr. Tedros said, giving him hope there is still a possibility to keep the virus contained. "The key to containing this virus is to break the chain of transmission."
In most areas of the world, the virus remains on the precipice of a full-blown epidemic — without government actions and precautions to quickly detect, isolate, and treat the virus, it may continue spreading. And fear is growing that a pandemic is inevitable, though the WHO remains steadfast in assurances that such an event remains avoidable.
“Pandemic is a unique situation,” Dr. Michael Ryan, the director of WHO's health emergency program, said, explaining that a pandemic implies a belief that everyone in the world will be exposed to the illness. With containment and quick public health responses, he said the virus may still be prevented from reaching that point. Ryan spoke with the desire to keep panic at bay, particularly for the two billion people he said are living with weaker public health systems.
The WHO today also released a new report, praising China's containment efforts. The report noted actions taken by China "averted or at least delayed hundreds of thousands" of new cases and its efforts "changed the course of a rapidly escalating and deadly epidemic."
But, "this is a reality check for every government on the planet," Ryan said "Wake up. Get ready. This virus may be on its way."
Missteps in detection and treatment may make that more difficult, especially in some nations with already fragile health systems. But even those nations with robust, organized infrastructure in place are struggling to adapt. U.S. health workers reportedly were not trained or properly protected with gear when working on quarantines in military bases, leaving them open to exposure to the virus, a government whistleblower said. Those workers not given proper protection or training may then have exposed their own communities afterward, according to the complaint.
Worldwide, nations are taking different steps for containment. Switzerland banned gatherings of more than 1,000 people, Japan declared a state of emergency, and the U.S. Navy ordered dozens of ships in the Pacific region to remain at sea for two weeks.
In the U.S., President Trump made the claim that the virus will disappear "like a miracle." His downplaying of the risks concerned other officials and seemingly did not calm the currently roiled markets. U.S. stocks are on track for the worst week since the 2008 financial crisis and health experts around the nation are warning of the potential uncontrolled spread of COVID-19.
"I think it’s very dangerous for the president to minimize the fact that coronavirus is likely going to be with us for a while," Rep. Ami Bera (D-Calif. 7th District), a physician himself, told Cheddar on Friday.
“Much of the future of this epidemic is not in the hands of the virus,” the WHO's Dr. Ryan added. Rather, the future of the epidemic, and its potential spread into pandemic territory, is "in the hands of ourselves."
