Chan: `My Greatest Concern Right Now Is The Novel Coronavirus’

D-G Margaret Chan – WHO

 

# 7325

 

 

If there were any doubts as to how seriously the World Health Organization views the threat posed by the MERS-CoV (novel coronavirus), they were dispelled yesterday by Director-General Margaret Chan during her closing remarks to the Sixty-sixth World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

 

Dr. Chan devoted nearly a 1/3rd of her speech to her concerns over this emerging virus.  I’ve excerpted those portions below, but follow this link to read her speech in its entirety.

 

 

WHO Director-General praises the World Health Assembly for its work

Dr Margaret Chan
Director-General of the World Health Organization

Closing remarks at the Sixty-sixth World Health Assembly
Geneva, Switzerland
27 May 2013

(EXCERPT)

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

“Transparency” and “solidarity”. These are words I heard repeatedly during the session, and especially during discussion of the item on the International Health Regulations.

 

Looking at the overall world health situation, my greatest concern right now is the novel coronavirus.

 

We understand too little about this virus when viewed against the magnitude of its potential threat.

 

Any new disease that is emerging faster than our understanding is never under control.

 

We do not know where the virus hides in nature. We do not know how people are getting infected. Until we answer these question, we are empty-handed when it comes to prevention.

 

These are alarm bells. And we must respond.

 

The novel coronavirus is not a problem that any single affected country can keep to itself or manage all by itself. The novel coronavirus is a threat to the entire world. As the Chair of committee A succinctly stated: this virus is something that can kill us.

 

Through WHO and the International Health Regulations, we need to bring together the assets of the entire world in order to adequately address this threat. We need more information, and we need it quickly, urgently.

 

As I have announced, joint WHO missions with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Tunisia will take place just as soon as possible. The purpose is to gather all the facts needed to conduct a proper risk assessment. I thank these countries for their cooperation and collaboration.

 

I thank Member States for supporting my views on the seriousness of this situation.

 

(Continue . . . )

 

WHA66: Global Overview Of MERS-CoV

All graphics credit World Health Organization

 

# 7315

 

The 66th annual World Health Assembly is in session this week in Geneva, and delegations from all WHO Member States are meeting to discuss and decide upon ongoing WHO policies, the focus of future work, and budgetary issues.

 

This year the world faces potential threats from two new emerging viruses; MERS-CoV in the Middle East, and H7N9 in Asia.

 

Rapid and effective global response to these types of emerging threats can sometimes be complicated by concerns over sovereignty, jurisdiction, national pride, local customs or beliefs, negative economic impacts along with the problems of limited surveillance assets and squabbles over intellectual property rights (see CIDRAP NEWS  Limits on use of samples said to delay MERS-CoV efforts).

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Cumbersome Issues that are sure to be on the agenda at this week’s WHA Meeting.

 

From yesterday’s Daily Notes on the WHA66, we find a presentation on the threat posed by the emerging coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the Middle East and a presentation by the Saudi Delegation on their response to the outbreak.

 

Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005)

Item 15.1 - documents A66/16 and A66/16 Add.1

Before the item was undertaken, delegates requested an update from the WHO Secretariat and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the recent emergence of MERS-CoV (previously known as Novel Coronavirus). The Secretariat and the Saudi Ministry of Health provided background information and a history of the emergence and response to the virus to date. The WHO presentation is attached. The discussion of the item will restart tomorrow.

Global overview of an emerging novel coronavirus
pdf, 741kb

Saudi Arabia's response to novel coronavirus
pdf, 993kb

 

You’ll want to download both PDFs, but a few excerpts from the WHO presentation follow.

 

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We should hear more later today on the progress of these meetings.