Did WHO discount human to human transmission of the novel coronavirus?
No they did not. Reading through the January 23 bulletin, it is outrageous to suggest they were doing that. Outrageous for any administration, other than the Lyin Kings.
International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on novel coronavirus in China
23 January, 2020
... WHO’s risk assessment is that the outbreak is very high risk in China, and high risk regionally and globally. 584 cases have now been reported to WHO, including 17 deaths. 575 of those cases and all of the deaths have been reported in China, with other cases reported in Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, The United States of America, and Vietnam. We’re aware of the media reports of suspected cases in other countries, but those cases are still being investigated.
Let me talk about what we know. We know that this virus causes severe disease, and that it can kill, although for most people it causes milder symptoms. We know that, among those infected, one quarter of patients have experienced severe disease. We know that most of those who have died had underlying health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease that weakened their immune systems.
We know that there is human-to-human transmission in China, but for now it appears limited to family groups and health workers caring for infected patients. At this time, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission outside China. But that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. There is still a lot we don’t know. We don’t know the source of this virus. We don’t understand how easily it spreads. And we don’t fully understand its clinical features or severity.
WHO is working with our partners night and day in China and the other affected countries at the regional level and here at the headquarters to fill the gaps in our knowledge as quickly as possible. It’s likely that we will see more cases in other parts of China and other countries. China has taken measures it believes appropriate to contain the spread of coronavirus in Wuhan and other cities. We hope that they will be both effective and short in their duration.
For the moment, WHO does not recommend any broader restrictions on travel or trade. We recommend exit screening at airports as part of a comprehensive set of containment measures. All countries should have in place measures to detect cases of coronavirus, including at health facilities. The committee has made several recommendations to prevent the further spread of the virus, which the Chair has described, and which I have accepted.
There are a few simple things we can all do to protect ourselves and each other. Like washing hands, covering your mouth and nose when you sneeze, and so on. WHO has a full package of information on its website. Once again, I would like to thank the government of the Republic of China for its cooperation and transparency. The government has been successfully isolating and sequencing the virus very quickly and has shared that genetic sequence with WHO and the international community.
https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/transcripts/ihr-emergency-committee-for-pneumonia-due-to-the-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-press-briefing-transcript-23012020.pdf
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