WHO to Reconsider Declaration of International Public Health Emergency

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The World Health Organization (WHO) has decided to hold an emergency meeting again to discuss whether the novel coronavirus constitutes an international public health emergency.

On the 29th (local time), WHO stated in a press release, "On the 30th, the Emergency Committee will convene to advise on whether the novel coronavirus infection qualifies as an international public health emergency and what recommendations should be made."

The WHO Emergency Committee held two meetings last week but did not declare an international health emergency due to the novel coronavirus. While WHO maintained that more information was needed to declare an emergency and hinted at further discussions, it faced criticism for an overly passive response.

After the previous emergency meeting, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), who visited China and returned, mentioned in a tweet that "the occurrence of human-to-human transmission cases of the novel coronavirus outside China suggests the possibility of the virus spreading worldwide," indicating the potential for an emergency declaration.

He also said he had an honest conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who expressed that he "feels a responsibility that could be a milestone in the national response."