Thread by @WHO

Daily media briefing on #COVID19 with @DrTedros #coronavirus pscp.tv/w/cSfC1TI2MTAy…

@DrTedros "As of 6am GVA time this morning, 🇨🇳 has reported a total of 78,630 #COVID19 cases to WHO, incl. 2747 deaths.
But as you know, it’s what is happening in the rest of the 🌍 that is now our greatest concern. Outside 🇨🇳, there are 3474 cases in 44 countries & 54 deaths"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "We are at a decisive point.

For the past 2 days, the number of new #COVID19 cases reported in the rest of the 🌍 has exceeded the number of new cases in 🇨🇳.

And in the past 24h, 7 countries have reported cases for the first time: 🇧🇷, 🇬🇪, 🇬🇷, 🇲🇰, 🇳🇴, 🇵🇰 & 🇷🇴"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "My message to each of these countries is: this is your window of opportunity.

If you act aggressively now, you can contain this #coronavirus.

You can prevent people getting sick.

You can save lives"-@DrTedros #COVID19

@DrTedros "The #COVID19 epidemics in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Italy and the Republic of Korea demonstrate what this #coronavirus is capable of"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "But this #coronavirus is not influenza. With the right measures, it can be contained.

That is one of the key messages from #China. The evidence we have is that there does not appear to be widespread community transmission"-@DrTedros #COVID19

@DrTedros "In Guangdong, 🇨🇳, scientists tested more than 320,000 samples from the community and only 0.14% were positive for #COVID19.

That suggests that containment is possible.

Indeed, there are many countries that have done exactly that"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros "There are several countries that have not reported a #COVID19 case for more than 2 weeks: 🇧🇪, 🇰🇭, 🇮🇳, 🇳🇵, 🇵🇭, 🇷🇺, 🇱🇰 and 🇻🇳.
Each of these countries is different & each shows that aggressive, early measures can prevent transmission before #coronavirus gets a foothold"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "That doesn’t mean those countries won’t have more #COVID19 cases.
As of Tuesday, both 🇫🇮 & 🇸🇪 had reported no cases for >2 weeks, but unfortunately both had new cases yesterday"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros "Every country needs to be ready to:
-detect #COVID19 cases early
-isolate patients
-trace contacts
-provide quality clinical care
-prevent hospital outbreaks & community transmission"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros "But we are not hopeless. We are not defenseless. There are things every country and every person can do"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #coronavirus

@DrTedros "There are some vital questions that every country must be asking itself today.

Are we ready for the first #COVID19 case? What will we do when it arrives?

Do we have an isolation unit ready to go? Do we have enough medical oxygen, ventilators & other equipment?
..."-@DrTedros

"How will we know if there are #COVID19 cases in other areas of the country?

Is there a reporting system that health facilities are all using & a way to raise an 🚨 if there is a concern?

Do our #healthworkers have the training & equipment they need to stay safe?
..."-@DrTedros

"Do our #healthworkers know how to take samples correctly from patients?

Do we have the right measures at airports & border crossings to test people who are sick?

Do our labs have the right chemicals that allow them to test samples?
..."-@DrTedros #coronavirus #COVID19

"Are we ready to treat patients with severe or critical #COVID19?

Do our hospitals & clinics have the right procedures to prevent & control #coronavirus infections?

Do our people have the right information? Do they know what the disease looks like?"-@DrTedros

@DrTedros "It’s not usually a runny 👃. In 90% of #COVID19 cases it’s a 🤒 & in 70% of cases a dry cough.

Are we ready to fight rumours & misinformation with clear & simple messages that people can understand?"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros "These are the questions that every health minister must be ready to answer now.

These are the questions that will be the difference between 1 #COVID19 case and 100 cases in the coming days and weeks"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros "If the answer to any of these questions is no, your country has a gap that this #coronavirus will exploit.

Even developed countries could be surprised"-@DrTedros #COVID19

@DrTedros "Our message continues to be that this #coronavirus has pandemic potential and WHO is providing the tools to help every country to prepare accordingly"-@DrTedros #COVID19

@DrTedros "We’ve shipped testing kits to 57 countries and personal protective equipment to 85 countries who need it.

We have trained more than 80,000 #healthworkers through our online courses, in multiple languages"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #coronavirus

@DrTedros "We’ve issued operational guidelines, with concrete actions countries can take in eight key areas to prevent, detect and manage #COVID19 cases"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

"The guidelines also include key performance indicators, and the estimated resources needed to prepare for and respond to a cluster of up to 100 #COVID19 cases. This is not enough, so we will do more"-@DrTedros #coronavirus

@DrTedros "WHO stands ready to support every country to develop its national plan.

Once again, this is not a time for fear. This is a time for taking action now to prevent #coronavirus infections and save lives now"-@DrTedros #COVID19

@DrTedros "Fear and panic doesn’t help.

People can have concerns and rightly so.

People can be worried and rightly so.

The most important thing is to calm down and do the right things to fight this very dangerous #coronavirus"-@DrTedros #COVID19

@DrTedros The full briefing on #COVID19 by @DrTedros 👇
bit.ly/32uPR4a