China calls Coronavirus outbreak ‘largest public health crisis’ since its founding

Amid Coronavirus outbreak, China's President Xi Jinping reportedly said that the epidemic is communist China's 'largest public health emergency' since its founding in 1949. Meanwhile, the death toll in China has surpassed 2,500 and the National Health Commission reportedly confirmed 150 new cases.

Jinping further called the outbreak a 'crisis' and said that the epidemic has the 'fastest transmission' and the widest range of infection which has been the most difficult to prevent and control. 

While speaking to a Chinese local media outlet, the President further acknowledged that the epidemic will have a 'large impact on the economy and society', however, he also stressed that the effects will be 'short-term' and 'controllable'.

His comments come as the total number of confirmed cases within China hit nearly 77,000. While on the other hand, South Korea raised the alert level to 'highest' as the number of infected people in the nation soared. 

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First detected in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei Province of China, the virus outbreak has now spread across more than 25 countries since December 2019. More than 1,700 people have recovered from the disease, whereas, nearly 12,500 Coronavirus patients have by now been discharged from hospitals. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has dubbed the virus as COVID-19. 

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USD 675 million in support of vulnerable countries

Even though China announced a significant drop in new infected cases, reports have indicated that the number of cases has surged in South Korea, Iran, Italy and Lebanon. The World Health Organisation has reportedly welcomed the decline in new cases in China but continues to be concerned about the growing number of infections in other countries.

The real disturbing trend, as reported by WHO, is that the new cases have no links to China such as travel history or contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19, prompting the mystery around how these individuals were infected.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has also claimed that the biggest fear for the organisation is that the virus will continue to spread to other countries and especially those with weaker health systems. Furthermore, the organisation has also called on the world to pledge USD 675 million in support of the most vulnerable countries.

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