Outbreak 'is increasing' and could affect all countries in the world, says WHO

After confirming the first case of the new coronavirus in Sub-Saharan Africa, in Nigeria, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday, 28, that the Covid-19 outbreak "is increasing", reiterating the warning that the viruses can reach most, if not all, countries.

WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said at a press conference in Geneva that the organization is analyzing reports of some people being reinfected. The surveys include a review of how the tests were performed. "But in general, a person who has had coronavirus infection would be immune at least for a while," he said.

A WHO mission in Iran - which has now registered 388 cases and 34 deaths - is due to start early next week and is still being set up, he said.

The case registered in Nigeria is that of an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and traveled from Milan to Lagos on 25 February. The patient is clinically stable, without serious symptoms, at the Hospital for Contagious Diseases in Yaba, Lagos.

On Thursday 27, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it would be a "fatal mistake" for any country to assume that it will not be hit by the coronavirus. He also said that wealthy countries that may have thought they were safer should expect surprises.

The head of the WHO emergency program said that Iran, which has so far recorded the highest number of deaths outside China, may be dealing with an outbreak that is worse than is known so far. He also said that discussions are being held with organizers about the Olympic Games, scheduled for July in Japan.

"No country should assume that there will be no cases, that would be a fatal mistake, literally," he said. “And I even say that if you look at Italy, a G7 member, it was really a surprise. So, even in many other developed countries, you also see some surprises, you should expect some surprises. ”