World Health Organization declares coronavirus pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday classified the outbreak of the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) as a pandemic. More than 118,000 people have been infected in 114 countries, according to WHO director general Tedros Adhanon on Wednesday. In Brazil, more than 25 cases have already been confirmed.

“I remind all countries that we are asking you to activate and expand your emergency response mechanisms, to communicate with your staff about risks and how they can protect themselves, find, isolate, test and treat all cases and track all contacts [that infected patients had], ”said Adhanon.

"Some countries are suffering from a lack of capacity and resources [to contain the outbreak]," said Adhanon. Among those, as quoted by WHO Executive Director for Health Emergencies, Michael Ryan, is Iran, where there is a shortage of oxygen tanks for medical use.

SARS-CoV-2 is the first coronavirus to be classified as a “pandemic”. According to the WHO, “a pandemic is the worldwide spread of a new disease”, such as swine flu (H1N1), declared a pandemic in 2010.

"There is a real chance" of reducing the number of confirmed cases, said Ryan. "We must turn to a comprehensive approach," he concluded.

Regarding the "comprehensive approach", Ryan defended the greater efficiency of tracking people who made contact with confirmed patients with the new coronavirus in place of containment strategies, such as closing borders.

Not only are specialized doctors able to track people who have come into contact with the sick, Ryan said. If trained, "civilian volunteers and community organizations can be an option".