WHO calls the new coronary pneumonia pandemic "an emergency in China", but has not yet become an international concern.

"Make no mistake, this is an emergency in China, but it has not yet become a global medical emergency," said World Health Organization (WHO) director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus yesterday. that this decision "is not an indication that the WHO does not consider the situation serious".

Acute pneumonia caused by a new strain of the corona family (nCoV) originated in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China since the end of December 2019, causing 25 deaths and about 800 cases globally. morning 24/1. The outbreak has appeared in Thailand, Japan, Korea, USA, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Health officials fear the speed of the spread could increase as hundreds of millions of Chinese are moving domestically and abroad on the occasion of Chinese New Year holidays, which last from January 24 to 30.

However, WHO said it was "too early" to consider it an "international public health emergency". Once this is announced, countries will have to increase their international response to respond to the epidemic.

The city of Wuhan, where 11 million people live, suspended most of its transportation yesterday. Huanggang City and Wuzhou in Hubei Province also had to blockade due to pneumonia.

"Public health history has never had a blockade of 11 million people," said Gauden Galea, WHO representative in Beijing. However, the organization has not expanded its recommendation to restrict moves or transactions.

The source of the new strain of the virus is thought to be from wildlife in the Huanan seafood market. Scientists initially discovered that the nCoV's DNA could be caused by a mutation in the bat's virus before it reaches humans. But a more detailed analysis of the nCoV sequence suggests that the virus could come from snakes. Symptoms include fever, shortness of breath, and cough. There is currently no vaccine for the virus that can be spread from person to person.

Countries with patients infected with Wuhan pneumonia virus as of January 23. Click on the image to see it in full.