Thread by @WHO

Daily media briefing on #2019nCoV with @DrTedros pscp.tv/w/cRFppjI2MTAy…

@DrTedros "As of 6am Geneva time today, there were 40,235 confirmed #2019nCoV cases in #China, and 909 deaths.

Outside China, there are 319 cases in 24 countries, with 1 death"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "The overall pattern has not changed. 99% of reported #2019nCoV cases are in #China, and most cases are mild. About 2% of cases are fatal – which of course is still too many"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "A lot of people are asking, where is the #2019nCoV outbreak going? Is it getting better, is it getting worse?

We are doing several things to answer those questions"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "1⃣ the meeting on research and innovation starting tomorrow will identify some of those questions and chart a path forward"-@DrTedros #2019nCoV

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1225460939039870976?s=20

@DrTedros "2⃣ An advance team of WHO experts has just arrived in 🇨🇳, led by Dr Bruce Aylward, to lay the groundwork for the larger intl. team.

Bruce & colleagues will be working with their 🇨🇳 counterparts to make sure we have the right expertise to answer the right questions"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "In recent days we have seen some concerning instances of onward #2019nCoV transmission from people with no travel history to #China, like the cases reported in 🇫🇷 yesterday and the 🇬🇧 today"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "The detection of this small number of #2019nCoV cases could be the spark that becomes a bigger fire.
But for now, it’s only a spark.
Our objective remains containment.
We call on all countries to use the window of opportunity we have to prevent a bigger fire"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "WHO is working to equip laboratories with the capacity to rapidly diagnose #2019nCoV cases. Without vital diagnostic capacity, countries are in the dark as to how far & wide the virus has spread & who has new coronavirus or another disease with similar symptoms"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "We have now identified 168 labs around the 🌍 with the right technology to diagnose #2019nCoV.

We have sent kits to 🇨🇲, 🇨🇮, 🇨🇩, 🇪🇬, 🇪🇹, 🇬🇦, 🇬🇭, 🇮🇷, 🇰🇪, 🇲🇦, 🇳🇬, 🇹🇳, 🇺🇬 and 🇿🇲.

Many of those countries have already started using them"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "Another shipment of 150,000 #2019nCOV tests is being assembled in Berlin today & is destined for over 80 labs in all regions.
Last week the @AfricaCDC conducted training in 🇸🇳 with 12 countries, using tests sent by WHO. Further training will take place in 🇿🇦 next week"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @AfricaCDC "WHO will continue working with all countries to prevent and detect rapidly new cases of #2019nCoV, and to save lives"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros @AfricaCDC Here are some photos from today's media briefing on the #2019nCoV outbreak

@DrTedros @AfricaCDC @WHOWPRO @pahowho @WHOSEARO @WHO_Europe @WHOEMRO @WHOAFRO @UN_News_Centre The full briefing on #2019nCoV by @DrTedros 👉bit.ly/39lM1g2