WHO Declares Coronavirus Outbreak a Global Emergency

The World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus outbreak from China a "public health emergency of international concern."

The virus was first reported in late December. It is believed to have spread to humans from wild animals sold at a market in Wuhan, a city in central China.

Since then, it has spread across China and to more than 20 countries and territories around the world. Health officials reported Thursday that China now has more than 8,000 confirmed cases. More than 170 people have died.

More than 100 cases have been reported outside mainland¹ China, including 14 in Thailand, 11 in Japan, 10 in Hong Kong and Singapore each, and eight in Taiwan. Australia, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, India, the United States and several European countries have also confirmed returning travelers with the virus.

The United States and South Korea on Thursday reported their first cases of person-to-person spread of the virus. In the United States, the husband of a woman who got sick after returning from Wuhan now has the virus himself. The case in South Korea is a of man who had contact with an infected patient.

Human-to-human spread of the virus outside China has also happened in Germany, Japan, Canada and Vietnam.

Speaking from Geneva, Switzerland, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised China's efforts to control the outbreak so far. He said the emergency declaration² "is not a vote of non-confidence in China."

He said the main reason for the declaration was concern that the virus could "spread to countries with weaker health systems which are ill-prepared to deal with it."

A declaration of an international "public health emergency" usually brings more money and resources to affected³ countries. But it also restricts⁴ travel, trade and requires strict disease⁵ reporting.

Preventive measures

On Thursday, Russia announced it was closing its 4200-kilometer border with China. Mongolia and North Korea have already closed their border crossings with China. And Hong Kong stopped train service from mainland China to guard against the spread of the virus.

Also on Thursday, a second Japanese flight carrying evacuees⁷ landed in Tokyo. Reports said nine of those 210 evacuees showed signs of a breathing sickness. Three of Japan's confirmed cases were among those evacuees who had returned on another flight a day earlier.

The U.S. said it has plans for more evacuation flights early next week. It evacuated⁸ 195 Americans from Wuhan earlier this week. South Korea, Britain, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore and other European countries were also trying to get their citizens out.

Israel's El Al, Spain's Iberia, Scandinavian Airlines, Egypt Air and Korean Air joined the growing list of airlines suspending⁹ or reducing service to China.

Chinese officials have limited transportation in and out of Wuhan and 16 other cities, trapping more than 50 million people. The government has extended¹⁰ its Lunar New Year holiday to Sunday to try to keep people home.

China's online shopping and home delivery¹¹ businesses have helped people to get food and other goods.

The official Xinhua News Agency¹² reported that officials are "stepping up efforts to ensure continuous¹³ supply and stable prices." It noted¹⁴ government data showing that Wuhan has enough rice for more than 15 days, enough pork and eggs for more than 10 days and enough vegetables for about five days.

Words in This Story

confidence - n. a feeling or belief that someone has the ability to succeed

strict - adj. complete or thorough¹⁵

evacuee⁶ - n. a person who has been removed from a dangerous place

ensure - v. to make sure

stable - adj. in a good state or condition

1 mainland   

n.大陆，本土

参考例句：

• The new bridge will link the island to the mainland.新的桥梁将把该岛与大陆连接在一起。
• Hong Kong's prosperity relies heavily on mainland.香港的繁荣在很大程度上依赖于大陆。

2 declaration   

n.宣布，宣告，宣言，声明（书），申报

参考例句：

• We read the declaration posted on the bulletin board.我们读了贴在布告板上的声明。
• At the recent convention a declaration was adopted.在最近举行的大会上通过了一项宣言。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 restricts   

v.（以法规）限制( restrict的第三人称单数 )；约束；束缚

参考例句：

• Her diet restricts her to 1500 calories a day. 她的规定饮食限制她每天摄入1500大卡热量。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The removal of infected materials also restricts the spread of Armillaria in established orchards. 把所有受感染的东西消除掉，也是在已建立的种子园中限制密环菌传播的办法。 来自辞典例句

5 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

6 evacuee   

n.被疏散的人员，被撤走的人员

参考例句：

• A woman sits motionless at an evacuee center for leaked radiation from the damaged fukushima nuclear facilities friday march 25 2011 in soma fukushima prefecture japan.2011年3月25日星期五，日本福岛县相马市，为福岛核设施泄露而设立的避难中心里，一位妇女一动不动地坐在那里。
• Not quite true,said Tom,a 42-year-old evacuee.但汤姆，一位42岁的避难者，说事实不尽然如此。

7 evacuees   

n.被疏散者( evacuee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Moreover, for multi-exits, evacuees select a exit based on game theory. 在有多个出口时，疏散人员根据对策论选择出口。 来自互联网
• Evacuees wade through flooded area following heavy monsoon rains in Peshawar on Saturday, July 31, 2010. 撤离灾区涉水通过后在白沙瓦沉重的季风降雨在周六，2010年7月31日。 来自互联网

8 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

9 suspending   

v.悬( suspend的现在分词 )；延缓；暂停；使暂时停职（或停学等）

参考例句：

• This swelling is accomplished by suspending the exchanger in either strong acid or strong base. 要完成这种膨胀需要把交换剂悬浮在强酸或强碱中。 来自辞典例句
• In its simplest form, it consists of a ball suspending by a string. 最简单的形式是用细绳吊挂着一个球。 来自辞典例句

10 extended   

adj.延伸的；伸展的；延长的；扩大的v.延伸(extend的过去式和过去分词)；伸展；延长

参考例句：

• an extended lunch hour 延长了的午餐时间
• France has greatly extended its influence in world affairs. 在世界事务中，法国的影响已大大地扩大了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 delivery   

n.交付；投递；分娩；解救者；演讲的风格

参考例句：

• The strike caused a great delay in the delivery of the mail.这次罢工严重地延误了邮件的投递。
• He was employed at the local grocery store as a delivery boy.他受雇于当地杂货店当送货员。

12 agency   

n.经办；代理；代理处

参考例句：

• This disease is spread through the agency of insects.这种疾病是通过昆虫媒介传播的。
• He spoke in the person of Xinhua News Agency.他代表新华社讲话。

13 continuous   

adj.继续的，连续的，持续的，延伸的

参考例句：

• She finally got in after 10 years'continuous effort.坚持不懈地努力了十年后，她终于当选了。
• We must be continuous to study.我们必须不断学习。

14 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

15 thorough   

adj. 彻底的，完全的，精心的

参考例句：

• He made a very thorough analysis on the situation.他对形势的分析很透彻。
• The committee reported its findings after a thorough investigation.委员会在彻底调查以后报告了调查结果。