Coronavirus: disease officially named Covid-19

The World Health Organisation said the decision had been taken to name the strain to avoid 'stigmatization' of any location or group of people

Medical staff members collect samples from Chinese paramilitary police officers as he returns from holidays in Shenzhen in China's southern Guangdong province. AFP

Coronavirus patients and medical staff dance to a lively Chinese song about red flowers at a makeshift hospital in Wuhan. China News Service via Reuters

A child wears a protective facemask in a subway in Shanghai. AFP

Subway passengers wear protective facemasks in Shanghai. AFP

Passengers are seen on their balconies of the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked at Daikoku Pier in Yokohama, Japan. Getty Images

Journalists wear protective suits inside an elevator as they prepare for a media visit to Indonesian Health Ministry's Laboratorium for Research on Infectious-Diseases, following the outbreak of the new coronavirus in China, in Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters

Tteacher Wang Guanxin of the ITutorGroup instructing other teachers how to teach online in Shanghai. Fear of the deadly COVID-19 coronavirus has sent hundreds of millions of Chinese flocking to online working options, with schools, businesses, medical facilties and museums wrapping themselves in the cloud for protection. AFP

An Indonesian health official checks body temperature of a foreign tourist arriving from Bali island heading to tourist area Gili Trawangan. AFP

A woman with a face mask walks a dog past a banner on a wall in Beijing, China. Reuters

A subway passenger wears a facemask among other protective items in Shanghai. AFP

Health workers wearing protective gear take part in an exercise in handling a suspected patient at Sanglah hopital in Denpasar, Indonesia's resort island of Bali. AFP

Coronavirus patients and medical staff dance to a lively Chinese song about red flowers at a makeshift hospital in Wuhan. Reuters

The World Health Organisation confirmed the official name for the disease caused by the coronavirus is Covid-19.

Officials made the announcement in an effort to avoid stigmatizing any geographical location or group of people.

The word coronavirus refers to the group of viruses it belongs to, rather than the latest strain, which was discovered in 2019.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus revealed the name of the disease at a press conference held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday.

"Having a name matters, to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing," the WHO chief said.

"It also gives us a standard format to use for any future coronavirus outbreaks."

He said the name had been agreed upon by WHO, the World Organization for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

The virus has killed more than 1,100 people and infected more than 45,000 across the globe.

On Wednesday, the Chinese Grand Prix was postponed as a result of the outbreak.

The FIA, Formula 1's governing body, accepted a request from organisers to delay the hosting of the Shanghai race, which was due to take place on 19 April.