WINDHOEK - The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday declared the outbreak of a novel Coronavirus a global health emergency.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the outbreak of 2019-nCoV constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

WHO directed China to continue to implement a comprehensive risk communication strategy to regularly inform the population on the evolution of the outbreak, the prevention and protection measures for the population, and the response measures taken for its containment.  

They are also encouraged to enhance public health measures for containment of the current outbreak while ensuring the resilience of the health system and protect the health workforce.

Another recommendation given is to enhance surveillance and active case finding across China and collaborate with WHO and partners to conduct investigations to understand the epidemiology and the evolution of this outbreak and measures to contain it.

China has been advised to share relevant data on human cases and continue to identify the zoonotic source of the outbreak, and particularly the potential for circulation with WHO as soon as it becomes 
available.