CORONAVIRUS: WHO declares outbreak a global emergency as death toll in China rises to 213

The outbreak of the deadly MERS & SARS-like disease known as coronavirus in China has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The world body made the declaration on Thursday as the number of cases spiked more than tenfold in a week in China, while the death toll from the outbreak which has spread to other countries rose from 170 to 213.

Speaking to reporters in Geneva, the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted the worrisome spread of the virus between people outside China.

“The main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China but because of what is happening in other countries,” he said.

“Our greatest concern is the potential for this virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems which are ill-prepared to deal with it.”

“This declaration is not a vote of non-confidence in China,” he said. “On the contrary, WHO continues to have the confidence in China’s capacity to control the outbreak.”

This developed as China’s health commission reported on Friday that the confirmed cases of infection have reached 9,692.

READ ALSO: Mozambique suspends visa upon arrival to travelers from China

In a related development, the Democratic Republic of Congo has banned its citizens from traveling to China due to the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus.

Local authorities said on Thursday the prohibition placed on its citizens from traveling to China was an attempt to protect the country from exposure to the coronavirus which is now spreading worldwide.

Citizens have to “postpone their trip until further notice,” while those returning from China should report to the border health and quarantine service, deputy minister Albert Mpeti said.

According to reports, the People’s Republic of China is one of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s key economic partners with important investments in the copper and cobalt mining sectors.

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