WHO officially declares Coronavirus outbreak a pandemic


WHO said the decision was occasioned by how fast the virus is spreading with more than 118,000 cases of the coronavirus ailment being reported in more than 110 countries globally and a risk it will spread further globally.

Related Stories

“This is not just a public health crisis, it is a crisis that will touch every sector. So every sector and every individual must be involved in the fights,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, during a media briefing.

The WHO describes a pandemic as a spread of a new disease globally, even as it remains unclear the definite parameters used by the global body to determine a disease a pandemic.

The declaration of a disease as a pandemic mostly refers to the spread of the particular illness as opposed to how severe the ailment it causes is.

In January, the WHO called the Coronavirus a public health emergency of international concern, which refers to something that “constitutes a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease.”

“Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death,” said Dr. Tedros on Wednesday.

“Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO’s assessment of the threat posed by this coronavirus. It doesn’t change what WHO is doing, and it doesn’t change what countries should do.”

The declaration by the global body sends a strong message to all countries that it is highly likely that the virus will continue to be transmitted across the world hence they should prepare accordingly.

“We’re in this together, to do the right things with calm and protect the citizens of the world. It’s doable,” Dr. Tedros added.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BORANA PEOPLE: THE LARGEST OROMO PASTORALIST AND KIND PEOPLE OF EAST AFRICA

Image
“We are pastoralists today, and tomorrow we are pastoralists.  Farming is an invasion,”~ Murku,Borana Tribal Elder, describing how pastoralism is their life and the manner Ethiopian govt is supporting commercial international farmers to encroach on their land.               Borana mother and child .  Borana are one of the major semi-nomadic pastoralist Oromo Cushitic-speaking people living in Eastern and North Eastern Africa. Cushitic speakers have occupied parts of north-eastern and eastern Africa for as long as recorded history. There are almost 4 million Borana people, most living in Ethiopia. Borana people are found mainly in Ethiopia (99%), but are spread from as far as: • Northern Ethiopia  in Oromia region (southern Tigray Region), mostly in Liban and Dire. • Kenya (mainly northern).  About 44% of the Kenya Borana live in Marsabit District, into Tana River District and Garissa District. About 80% of the Borana in Marsabit District live in Sololo, Saku, Waso and Moyal
Read more

The Kenyatta Family Wealth Structure.

Image
The Kenyatta Family windfall came from the first President of the Republic of Kenya,  Jomo Kenyatta. Much has been written about how the initial wealth was  “acquired” , but of greater importance is how the wealth has been maintained, distributed and expanded. Notable of the first family are the branch from Mama Ngina Kenyatta. However, from piecing together data available online, the family has three distinct pillars, namely; Jomo Kenyatta James Muigai Senior Chief Gabriel Gathecha Muhoho The diagram below shows the family tree from Jomo Kenyatta. Cooperative Games How did the wealth grow? – Game Theory. In  Game Theory  (a study of conflict and cooperation) , there is a class of strategies known as cooperative games that model negotiations and bargaining between two parties to achieve equilibrium. In cooperative game theory, we abstract from individual players’ strategies and instead focus on the coalition players may form. Senior Chief Gathecha Muhoho was the father to Mama Ngina Ke
Read more

The Eye Opener For Isiolo Legal Notice No. 150.

Via Adan Kabelo Reading the arguments over LN 150 by professionals from the county is quite depressing. I wonder if these professionals truly understand the gravity of the matter or for them it's all about countering others opinion. May be some are too young to understand that this notice is the second attempt to open up isiolo county for grabs. The first scramble for isiolo was in the 90s when the leaders then gazetted a notice that made isiolo be openly balloted space for plots by any Tom Dick   and Harry from all over the world. This was unprecedented act that was unfair to the locals. Remember the late Jafar Tupi firmly protected the issuance of plots during his tenure because it will disadvantage the locals who by then we're considering isiolo as foreign to them. He had to be removed from the helm of the council to open up the town for the rest. Where else on earth have you heard land being balloted like gambling? This notice is the second avenue for further gambling beyon
Read more