WHO Declares New COVID Outbreak in China a Global Health Emergency, Calls for Rapid Drug and Vaccine Development

January 6, 2025 - 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared a new coronavirus outbreak in China as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). 

The announcement was made by WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus during a press conference in Geneva.

The decision followed a meeting of the WHO’s emergency committee on Thursday, which reached a near-unanimous agreement to recommend the declaration. Didier Houssin, Chair of the emergency committee, confirmed the consensus during the briefing.

The primary reason for this declaration is not what is happening in China, but the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems that are ill-prepared to respond,” said Tedros. 

He emphasized that the declaration is not a reflection of distrust in China’s ability to manage the outbreak, stating, “WHO continues to have confidence in China’s capacity to control the outbreak.”

Tedros also highlighted key recommendations from the emergency committee, including the urgent need to accelerate the development of vaccines and treatments, as well as efforts to counter misinformation surrounding the virus.

This marks the sixth time WHO has invoked the PHEIC designation since its introduction 15 years ago, underscoring the global concern over the potential impact of the outbreak.

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