Coronavirus: window of opportunity to act, WHO says

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus accused governments of not sharing virus data quickly enough

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  Egyptian Minister of Health Hala Zayed stands with a medical team at Borg El Arab airport, awaiting passengers that were evacuated from Wuhan, China, in Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters

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  Algerians, Libyans and Mauritanians on a transport bus following their evacuation from China amid the coronavirus epidemic at the Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers, Algeria. EPA

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  Medical team walk towards the aircraft to receive passengers that were evacuated from Wuhan, at Borg El Arab airport in Alexandria, Egypt. Reuters

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  Algerian medical staff in protective suits prepare to accompany Algerians, Libyans and Mauritanians on a transport bus following their evacuation from China amid the coronavirus epidemic at the Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers, Algeria. EPA

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  Afghan health workers wearing protective gear wait to check passengers who arrived from China as a preventive measure for Coronavirus, at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. AP Photo

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  Health officials in protective suits at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia waiting for arrivals that were evacuated from China's Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak. AP

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  A Malaysian national being directed onto a bus by health officials in protective suits as she arrived at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, after being evacuated from China's Wuhan. AP

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  A guard in protective gear stands outside the Accident and Emergency building at Princess Margaret Hospital in Hong Kong, China. EPA

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  A stewardess takes the temperature of passenger as a preventive measure for the coronavirus on an Air China flight from Melbourne to Beijing before it landed at Beijing Capital International Airport in China. AP Photo

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  Evacuated Malaysian nationals on a bus after arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, from the Chinese city of Wuhan, in Sepang, Malaysia. EPA

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  Workers set up beds at an exhibition centre that was converted into a hospital in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. AFP

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  Workers set up beds at an exhibition centre that was converted into a hospital in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province. AFP

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  Chinese police march wearing masks during a duty change in Beijing, China. Getty Images

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  The upper decks of the Diamond Princess cruise ship with over 3,000 people look empty as the ship sits anchored in quarantine off the port of Yokohama, a day after it arrived with passengers feeling ill. AFP

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  A dog wears a paper cup over its mouth on a street in Beijing. AFP

The director general of the World Health Organisation on Tuesday said there was a “window of opportunity” for the international community to battle the viral outbreak from China’s Hubei province.

While China was taking “strong measures” to stop the coronavirus spreading, the rest of the world should work on preventing further spread and controlling it, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

He accused governments in wealthy countries of being “well behind” in sharing data about cases of the virus, which the UN agency has declared a public health emergency.

"Without better data it's very hard for us to assess how the outbreak is evolving or what impact it could have, and to ensure we are providing the most appropriate recommendations," Mr Tedros said.

In Geneva, he briefed member states on the situation with the coronavirus, which has killed at least 427 people. More than 20,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), speaks on February 3, 2020. AP

“It’s important to underline that 99 per cent of the cases are in China, and 97 per cent of deaths are in Hubei province," Mr Tedros said. "This is still first and foremost an emergency for China.

"Of course, the risk of it becoming more widespread globally remains high. Now is the moment for all countries to be preparing themselves. We have a window of opportunity.

"More than 99 per cent of cases are in China. In the rest of the world we only have 176 cases.

"That doesn’t mean that it won’t get worse. But for sure we have a window of opportunity to act.”

He said 176 cases was too few for the public to panic or fear, but some people would have concerns.

Mr Tedros repeated his call for countries not to impose travel and trade restrictions because of the virus as such restrictions could increase stigma and fear, but had little effect on public health.

Earlier on Tuesday, the outbreak claimed its first life in Hong Kong, the second death outside of mainland China.

On Sunday, the Philippines reported that one of its citizens, a man aged 44 who travelled from the city of Wuhan, had died.

The coronavirus is thought to have originated in the central Chinese city.