Stay Safe! Coronavirus is Declared as a Pandemic by the WHO
Now, affecting 125 countries and territories around the world
Coronavirus has been declared as a pandemic by the WHO, and it’s a cause of concern for every human on the planet. As recently as this Monday, the Director-General of WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had cautioned against calling coronavirus as a pandemic. Things are deteriorating fast as on Wednesday, WHO changed its mind.
It is the second time a disease has been termed as a pandemic in the 21st century. The reasons for this change are many. First, there is no sure-shot coronavirus cure as of now. Second, the situation is worsening day by day, and third, many countries have failed to respond to this deadly threat strongly.
During a press briefing, Tedros said “WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterised as a pandemic.”
As of today, March 12, there have been over 128,884 documented cases of coronavirus and more than 4,729 deaths across 125 countries and territories. Around 80,000 cases are in China 9,000 cases have been reported in Iran and Italy. It is why it’s the best time for everyone to prepare for coronavirus. And by that, we don’t mean stocking up on only toilet paper. You should just be smart enough to buy some extra supplies (food, medicines, etc.) that will last a few weeks in case you have to stay at home.
Thankfully, coronavirus is not as deadly as other historic pandemics like Black Death. But it can still be more dangerous than the 2009 flu pandemic that scared people a lot and had the potential to kill over a quarter million people worldwide.
The announcement by the WHO regarding coronavirus has made one thing clear; the situation will get worse before it gets better. Even Tedros confirmed it when he stated “In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to see the number of COVID-19 cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher.
People who have heard the term pandemic for the first time should know the definition. According to the WHO it is “an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people.”
So, you better start protecting your family and loved ones from coronavirus without panicking about the situation. Keep it simple but stay cautious at all times! Little things like washing your hands and avoiding unwanted contact with crowds can go a long way to protect you. Stay alert, stay safe!
