Thread by @WHO

Daily media briefing on #COVID19 with @DrTedros pscp.tv/w/cR_p1DI2MTAy…

@DrTedros "As of 6am GVA time this morning, #China has reported a total of 75,567 cases of #COVID19 to WHO, including 2,239 deaths.

In the past 24 hours, 🇨🇳 has reported 892 new confirmed cases and 118 deaths"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros "The significant 📉 in confirmed cases is partly due to another change in the way 🇨🇳 reports numbers.
Last week 🇨🇳 started reporting clinically-diagnosed cases, in addition to lab-confirmed cases. They have now switched back to reporting suspected & lab-confirmed cases"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "This may indicate because the health system in Wuhan, 🇨🇳 have regained the ability to test all suspected #COVID19 cases.

As a result, some cases that had been clinically confirmed have now been subtracted from the total because they have tested negative"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros "Although the number of #COVID19 cases in Hubei province continues declining, we are concerned about an increase in the number of cases in Shandong province, and we are seeking more information about that"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros "Outside #China, there are now 1152 #COVID19 cases in 26 countries & 8 deaths"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

"Although the total number of #COVID19 cases outside 🇨🇳 remains relatively small, we are concerned about the number of cases with no clear epidemiological link, such as travel history to 🇨🇳 or contact with a confirmed case"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros "Apart from the #DiamondPrincess cruise ship, the Republic of #Korea now has the most cases outside #China, and we’re working closely with the government to fully understand the transmission dynamics that led to this increase"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #coronavirus

@DrTedros "We are also concerned about the increase in #COVID19 cases in the Islamic Republic of #Iran, where there are now 18 cases and four deaths.

WHO has supplied testing kits, and will continue to provide further support"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros "Our concern continues to be the potential for #COVID19 to spread in countries with weaker health systems.

Tomorrow I will address an emergency meeting of African health ministers, held jointly by the African Union and the @AfricaCDC"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros @AfricaCDC "Meanwhile, the WHO-led joint mission in #China has been working in Beijing, Sichuan and Guangdong, and will travel to Wuhan tomorrow to continue its work at the epicenter of the outbreak"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #coronavirus

@DrTedros @AfricaCDC "We are working with all of partners under the GOARN network to safeguard the health of the members of the team, and to take appropriate measures when they return to their countries of origin"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #coronavirus

@DrTedros @AfricaCDC "I’m also pleased to announce that today we are appointing four special envoys on #COVID19, to provide strategic advice and high-level political advocacy and engagement in different parts of the world"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros @AfricaCDC "I’m pleased that the following eminent individuals have accepted my invitation to act in this role:
Prof Dr Maha El Rabbat, former Minister of Health of 🇪🇬

Dr @davidnabarro, special adviser to the @UN Secretary-General on the @GlobalGoalsUN & Climate Change

..."-@DrTedros

"...
Dr @JNkengasong, Director @AfricaCDC

Dr Mirta Roses, former Director @pahowho

Dr Shin Young-soo, former Director @WHOWPRO

Prof Samba O. Sow, Director-General Center for Vaccine Development in 🇲🇱"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #coronavirus

@JNkengasong @AfricaCDC @pahowho @WHOWPRO @DrTedros "As I said yesterday, WHO’s key role is coordinating the global response to the epidemic & our new special envoys will help us to do that.

This is another step we are taking to take advantage of the window of opportunity we have to contain the #COVID19 outbreak"-@DrTedros

@JNkengasong @AfricaCDC @pahowho @WHOWPRO @DrTedros "The measures #China & other countries have taken have given us a fighting chance of containing the spread of the #coronavirus.

We call on all countries to continue their containment measures, while preparing for community transmission if it occurs"-@DrTedros #COVID19

@JNkengasong @AfricaCDC @pahowho @WHOWPRO @DrTedros "We must not look back and regret that we failed to take advantage of the window of opportunity we have"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #coronavirus

@JNkengasong @AfricaCDC @pahowho @WHOWPRO @DrTedros The full briefing on #COVID19 by @DrTedros 👇

bit.ly/39U2F6C

@JNkengasong @AfricaCDC @pahowho @WHOWPRO @DrTedros Here are some photos from today's media briefing on #COVID19