The global outbreak of the new coronavirus could now be considered a pandemic — a disease actively spreading globally.

THE new coronavirus out-break "is a controllable pandemic" if countries step up measures to tackle it, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Thursday (March 12).

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus acknowledged on Wednesday that the global outbreak of the new coronavirus could now be considered a pandemic — a disease actively spreading globally.

INFECTIONS drop dramatically in China but surge abroad, the US death toll rises to six and the World Health Organization (WHO) warns we are in "uncharted territory".

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis.

World spread

To date, more than 3,100 have died from the new virus, while more than 90,000 have been infected in 73 countries and territories around the world, according to AFP's latest toll based on official sources at 0600 GMT Tuesday.

International cooperation is vital for ensuring the sector can effectively contribute to the containment of COVID-19

AS the current outbreak of the Coronavirus Dis-ease (COVID-19) continues to develop, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) are committed to working together in guiding the travel and tourism sectors’ response to COVID-19.

"In light of the significant infection risks, we will ask that national sporting or cultural events that will attract large crowds be either cancelled, postponed or downsized for the next two weeks,":
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
CORONAVIRUS cases spread beyond the outbreak's European hotspot Italy Wednesday, as the world scrambled to contain the deadly epidemic that is fast growing outside China's borders.

Recently, the outbreak of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in China has drawn close attention from the public in Myanmar. I have just returned to Yangon from Beijing. During my trip to China, I personally witnessed how the Chinese society, from the top leaders to the general public, are united in a battle of prevention and control against the epidemic.

WHO is convening a global research and innovation forum to mobilize international action in response to the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
"Harnessing the power of science is critical for bringing this outbreak under control," said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “There are questions we need answers to, and tools we need developed as quickly as possible. WHO is playing an important coordinating role by bringing the scientific community together to identify research priorities and accelerate progress.”