Yahoo UK Staff
Yahoo News UK March 2, 2020, 7:49 PM EST
“Never been seen before.”
That’s the stark warning from the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the deadly coronavirus continues to spike outside of mainland China and spreads globally.
Almost nine times as many cases were reported in a 24-hour period beyond China than inside, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has confirmed.
He added that the risk of coronavirus spreading was now very high at a “global level”.
He said outbreaks in South Korea, Italy, Iran and Japan were the greatest concern, but there is evidence surveillance methods are working in South Korea, the worst-affected country outside China, and the epidemic can be contained there.
“We are in uncharted territory – we have never seen before a respiratory pathogen that is capable of community transmission but at the same time which can also be contained with the right measures,” he told a news briefing in Geneva on Monday.
UK war room
The warning comes as Boris Johnson is expected to set out the UK Government’s plan for containing the outbreak on Tuesday, vowing officials are “ready to take necessary steps” to contain coronavirus and protect the vulnerable.
The plan is expected to include a “war room” to bring together communications experts and scientists from across Government and the NHS to roll out a public information campaign.
Other measures could see people discouraged from unnecessary travel, workers urged to stay at home, and retired doctors and nurses asked to return to work to help deal with patients.
It is understood potential plans could include getting volunteers into public services to help out with things like delivering food to hospital patients.
Other measures could include cancelling events, and giving Border Force officials powers to act if they spot people with the virus.
