WHO Has Yet To Raise The Status Of The Wuhan Flu Virus To A Global Health Emergency

WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (Twitter @WHO)

JAKARTA - Although the public is worried about the corona virus from Wuhan, China (2019-nCoV / Wuhan Flu) the World Health Organization (WHO) has not declared a global health emergency. The WHO made the announcement after an emergency committee meeting of experts took place which lasted two days.

The Wuhan flu virus has infected more than 600 people worldwide, most of whom are in China. The latest information quoted from The Guardian, Friday, January 24, 2020, Chinese authorities reported that to date there have been 25 cases of death due to the virus.

The Emergency Committee on the new #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) considered that it is still too early to declare a public health emergency of international concern given its restrictive and binary nature

- World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) January 23, 2020

Apart from China, cases of Wuhan Flu have been reported in Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and the United States. Symptoms of people with Wuhan Flu are fever and difficulty breathing. But Ghebreyesus said the report was still being investigated further.

"Make no mistake, this is now an emergency in China, but it is not yet a global health emergency," said WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Dr Ghebreyesus also provided some additional details about the Wuhan Flu virus and the people infected with it.

"We know that this virus can cause serious, even fatal, disease, but also many people experience milder symptoms. We know that among those who are infected, a quarter of patients have a history of severe disease," added Dr Ghebreyesus.

Most of the people who die have a history of severe health such as hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These conditions weaken their immune system.

While regarding reports of human-to-human transmission that occurred in China, Ghebreyesus said that so far most cases of human-to-human transmission were limited to close family members and health care workers. So far there have been no cases of human-to-human transmission outside China, but Ghebreyesus has not ruled out this possibility.

WHO also said it would hold another emergency meeting in about 10 days or earlier to check for the virus. For now, WHO recommends simple steps to protect people from the Wuhan Flu virus and others, such as washing hands frequently and covering mouth and nose when sneezing.

Vaccine for Wuhan Flu

Meanwhile, Russia is working to develop a vaccine to fight the virus that causes the Wuhan flu. Rospotrebnadzor, Russia's consumer safety regulator, conveyed this on Wednesday, January 22, 2020.

"Yes, of course, vaccine development is ongoing. Every time we find a mutation (virus), we immediately develop a vaccine, "said Head of Rospotrebnadzor Anna Popova.

However, the vaccine may not be available in the near future. This is because it took a long time to research and develop the vaccine.

“Vaccine development is a long and complicated process; decisions are made based on risk and level of need as determined by the current situation, ”said Elena Yezhlova, Head of the Epidemiological Monitoring Department of Rospotrebnadzor.

"Currently, we will rely on WHO recommendations," he added.

Rospotrebnadzor also confirmed that it has strengthened sanitation and quarantine controls at all entry points to the country in anticipation of the Wuhan Flu virus carried by foreign tourists.