The WHO typically only declares a public health emergency of international concern — one rung below pandemic in its alert system — after consulting with an expert committee. In this case, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the call himself, citing the “extraordinary” situation and how little was known for sure about the true spread of the virus.
“The event requires international coordination and cooperation to understand the extent of the outbreak, to coordinate surveillance, prevention and response efforts, to scale up and strengthen operations and ensure ability to implement control measures,” a statement from the WHO said.
The alert comes on the eve of the WHO’s annual decision-making assembly in Geneva, where countries were due to finalize a treaty to protect the world from pandemic threats. Instead, negotiators will ask for more time after failing to resolve their differences on the sharing of pathogen samples and data, as well as drugs and vaccines.