Wuhan Virus Alarming Death Toll Prompts Evacuations, WHO Reconsidering Declaring Global Emergency
For the last few weeks, people around the world have been panicking over the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, with number of cases increasing every day.
Countries around the world have started taking measures to keep their citizens safe and prevent the spread as the number of deaths has started to increase.
According to The Straits Times, 170 people have died from the virus in China as of Thursday (30 Jan).
This was confirmed after China’s National Health Commission said that the number of deaths due to the virus has risen by 38 cases.
Given the severity of the Wuhan virus outbreak, World Health Organisation (WHO) are now reconsidering the decision to declare a global emergency.
Over 7,500 confirmed Wuhan virus cases in China causes evacuation
In a statement, the commission said a total of 7,711 cases have been confirmed at the end of Wednesday (29 Jan), with 12,617 suspected ones.
These numbers have brought worry to many governments around the world, prompting them to get their citizens out of the affected areas. These countries include France, Britain, and Canada.
One country that has shown their efficiency is America, who has flown an estimate of 200 Americans out of Wuhan, the ground zero for the virus.
WHO to reconsider declaring virus outbreak a global emergency
According to BBC, WHO officials are meeting on Thursday (30 Jan) to discuss whether the situation counts as a global health emergency.
WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme head advised caution, saying,
The whole world needs to be on alert to fight the coronavirus.
There is currently no vaccine or cure for the Wuhan virus. Though, a number of people have reportedly recovered after treatment.
WHO said a team of experts have been called to head to China, so they can work with local experts there to find out how the disease is transmitted.
We are at an important juncture in this event. We believe these chains of transmission can still be interrupted.
Airlines around the world cutting flights to China
The Wuhan virus outbreak has badly impacted China’s economy too, as airline companies have started to cut flights to China.
This means that the number of tourists, as well as business travellers travelling into China, are also decreasing.
In Singapore, the government has banned Hubei passport holders from entering the city after the 7th confirmed case on Tuesday (28 Jan).
Hope the situation gets in control soon
Viruses like this can be very deadly and serious if not contained properly. Let us hope that WHO and governments around the world can work together to prevent the situation from escalating.
Meanwhile, remember to stay vigilant and practise good hygiene. You may also want to consider avoiding crowded places.
Featured image adapted from The New York Times.
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