The second meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General regarding the coronavirus outbreak China, with exportations to other countries.

In accordance with the global emergency declared by WHO, countries should take the necessary measures to prevent the outbreak from spreading beyond its borders. The decision taken at WHO is binding for all countries.

The virus was first detected in Wuhan city, Central China, in December 2019. It is believed to have originated from wild animals, passing to humans due to the wildlife trade and wet markets. The virus spread to other China provinces in early and mid-January 2020, helped by the Chinese new year migration.

Cases started to be detected in other countries, carried by international travelers, typically to major trade partners: Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the U.S., Singapore, Vietnam, France, Nepal, Malaysia, Australia, Canada, Germany, Sri Lanka. (ILKHA)