Infectious Disease Experts: "WHO Reluctantly Declared Pandemic... Stigmatizing Han"

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), declared a pandemic regarding the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) during a press briefing held at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on the 11th (local time). Source=Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] "South Korea, China, Italy, and Iran have been effectively stigmatized as (high-risk countries)."

Professor Kim Woo-joo, an infectious disease specialist at Korea University Guro Hospital, pointed this out on the 12th regarding the World Health Organization (WHO)'s declaration of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said at a press briefing held at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the previous day (local time), "An assessment has been made that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic." Professor Kim noted, "He used the expression 'can be characterized' rather than 'declare' a pandemic," and criticized, "It was a reluctant acknowledgment of the pandemic."

He especially raised his voice about WHO specifying that over 90% of confirmed cases worldwide occurred in 'just' four countries. Professor Kim said, "South Korea, China, Italy, and Iran have been stigmatized as (COVID-19 outbreak countries)." Currently, confirmed cases have been reported in 114 countries worldwide.

◆ "No significant meaning at this point" = Domestic experts, including Professor Kim, unanimously evaluated WHO's declaration on this day as "having no significant meaning at this point" and "being late." Professor Shin Hyun-young of Myongji Hospital's Department of Family Medicine said, "Everyone thought it was a pandemic, but the declaration came late," and assessed, "It serves as a moment to once again recognize the significant social impact of COVID-19." Professor Kim said, "Director-General Ghebreyesus's judgment seems relaxed," adding, "Since infection experts worldwide, including in the U.S., have long said it was an inevitable pandemic, the pandemic should have been declared at least by the end of January instead of a state of emergency."

Domestic quarantine authorities, having experienced a large-scale cluster infection in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions and effectively responding as if it were a pandemic, are expected to maintain the current direction. Professor Eom Jung-sik of Gachon University Gil Medical Center's Department of Infectious Diseases said, "Our country has already experienced explosive patient outbreaks in specific groups and is implementing all possible response measures," adding, "However, since it was declared that there is no safe place worldwide, I think controversies related to entry restrictions will decrease." Professor Jeon Byung-yul of CHA University Graduate School of Medicine's Department of Preventive Medicine (former Director of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) also said, "The crisis alert has already been raised to the 'serious' level, and all measures are being taken," adding, "The response plan will not change significantly."

◆ "Focus on the Seoul metropolitan area" = Experts agreed that more focus should be placed on cluster outbreaks in the Seoul metropolitan area rather than the pandemic declaration. Professor Kim said, "Although the epidemic in Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions has decreased, it is not yet a stage to be relieved, and the Seoul metropolitan area is in a critical situation with explosive patient outbreaks such as the call center cluster," adding, "With confirmed cases already in the 7,800 range, the pandemic declaration is not important." Professor Eom also said, "The reality is that facilities to accommodate large numbers of patients are still insufficient," and "Local governments need time to prepare."