Cspan. Next, the World Health Organization holds a briefing on the coronavirus outbreak. We heard about social distancing, testing needs and how closing schools and canceling sporting events can slow the spread of the virus. This runs an hour 10 minutes. Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you very much for watching this press conference on covid19. Whether you watch it on our twitter, facebook, Youtube Channel or you have dialed in and are watching through zoom. Today we have dr. Tedros, our directorgeneral, dr. Maria and our chief for operations and support and logistics. We also have dr. Cryer on the phone who will be able to answer some questions. Before i give the floor to dr. Tedros, two small announcements. W. H. O. Has activated its continuity plan in order to deliver public guidance and deliver on its mandate. From today, staff is performing functions through teleworking arrangements. Only staff whose critical function can only be performed on site will have access to the campus. , therefore they will be no. sia presence on w. H. O campus as of today. The w. H. O. Media team will continue to provide normal services through skype, email and phone. Our regular briefings will be Virtual Press conferences and our Audiovisual Team will continue to provide necessary support. From now on, we will not have a journalist in the room and then we will inform you if that changes. The second information is that we already sent you the Media Advisory for tomorrow. W. H. O. European office will convene a meeting, online meeting, tomorrow, 17th march, about covid19. Representatives from the Health Ministries of the 53 Member States of the w. H. O. European region. After the meeting, w. H. O. Regional director for europe dr. Hans kluger and emergency experts will brief the press on the Current Situation in the region and answer journalist questions on covid19. That will be at 2 00 Central European time and in the Media Advisory, you have details how to access this press conference , again tomorrow at 2 00 w. H. O. Office for europe. Ill give the floor to dr. Tedros for his opening remarks. Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. In the past week, we have seen a rapid escalation of cases of covid19. Deaths have now been reported in the rest of the world than in china. We have also seen a rapid escalation in social distancing measures, like closing schools and canceling sporting events and other gatherings. But we have not seen an urgent enough escalation in testing, isolation and Contact Tracing , which is the backbone of the response. Social distancing measures can help to reduce transmission and enable Health Systems to cope. Handwashing and coughing into your elbow can reduce the risk for yourself and others. But on their own, theyre not enough to extinguish this epidemic. Its the combination that makes the difference. As i keep saying, all countries must take a comprehensive approach. But the most effective way to prevent infections and save lives is breaking the chains of transmission. And to do that, you must test and isolate. You cannot fight a fire blindfolded, and we cannot stop this pandemic if we dont know who is infected. We have a simple message for all countries. Test. Test. Test. Test every suspected case. If they test positive, isolate them and find out who they have been in close contact with two days before they developed symptoms, and test of those people, too. Every day, more tests are being produced to meet the global demand. W. H. O. Has shipped almost 1. 5 million tests to 120 countries. Were working with companies to increase the availability of tests for those most in need. W. H. O. Advises that all confirmed cases, even mild cases, should be isolated in Health Facilities to prevent transmission and provide adequate care. But we recognize that many countries have already exceeded their capacity to care for mild cases in dedicated Health Facilities. In that situation, countries should prioritize all their older patients and those with underlying conditions. Some countries have expanded their capacity by using stadiums and gyms to care for mild cases , with severe and critical cases cared for in hospitals. Another option is for patients with mild cases to be isolated and cared for at home. Caring for infected people at home may put others in the same household at risk, so it is critical that caregivers follow w. H. O. s guidance on how to provide care as safely as possible. For example, both the patient and caregivers should wear a medical mask when they are together in the same room. The patient should sleep in a separate bedroom to others and use a different bathroom. Assigned one person to care for the patient, ideally someone who is in good health and has no underlying conditions. The caregiver should wash their hands after any contact with their patient or their immediate environment. People infected with covid19 can still infect others after they stop feeling sick, so these measures should continue for at least two weeks after symptoms disappear. Visitors should not be allowed until the end of this period. There are more details in w. H. O. s guidance. Ise again our key messagee test, test, test. This is a serious disease. Although the evidence we have suggested that those over 60 are at highest risk, young people including children have died. W. H. O. Has issued new clinical guidance with specific details on how to care for children, older people and pregnant women. So far, we have seen epidemics in countries with advanced Health Systems, but even they have struggled to cope. As the virus moves to low Income Countries, we are deeply concerned about the impact it could have among populations with high h. I. V. Prevalence or among malnourished children. Thats why were calling on every country and every individual to do everything they can to stop transmission. Washing your hands will help reduce your risk of infection, but it is also an act of solidarity because it reduces the risk you will infect others in your community and around the world. Do it for yourself. Do it for others. We also ask people to express their solidarity by refraining from hoarding essential items , including medicines. Hoarding can create shortages of medicines and other essential products, which can exacerbate suffering. Were grateful to everyone who has contributed to the covid19 solidarity response fund. Since we launched it on friday, more than 110,000 people have contributed almost 19 million u. S. Dollars. This fund will help to buy diagnostic tests, supplies for healthcare workers and support research and development. If you would like to contribute please go online to our website and click on the orange donate button on the top of the page. We are also grateful for the way different sectors of society are coming together. This started with a safe hands challenge, which started with celebrities, leaders and people everywhere demonstrating how to hands. Eir h. O. And theon, w. International chamber of commerce issued a joint communication to the business community. The i. C. C. Will send regular advice to its network of over 45 million businesses to protect their workers, customers and local communities, and to support the production and distribution of essential supplies. Thank paule to pullman, and john dankin for who is also working with Global Citizen to launch the solidarity sessions, a series of virtual concerts with leading musicians from around the world. This is the defining Global Health crisis of our time. The days, weeks and months ahead will be a test of our resolve, a test of our trust in science, and a test of solidarity. Crises like this tend to bring out the best and worst in humanity. Like me, im sure you have been touched by the videos of people applauding Health Workers from their balconies, or the stories of people offering to do Grocery Shopping for older people in their community. This amazing spirit of human solidarity must become even more infectious than the virus itself. Although we may have to be physically apart from each other for a while, we can come together in ways we never have before. Were all in this together. And we can only succeed together. So the rule of the game is together. Thank you. Thank you very much for these remarks. I will remind journalists dialing in my phone it is 9. For those watching through zuma, it is zoom, it is raise hand. Have onesible to question per journalist so we can get as many questions as possible from different people. We will start with a journalist from brazil. Can you hear us . Yes, thank you. My question is about brazil and about the fact that president bolsonaro yesterday on the weekend not only helped to call a mass protest in several cities of the country, but also to put took part himself in one of them. How do you see this as helping or not fighting the virus . And what is your suggestion on protests, street protests, in this case, specifically that we are. Thank you. Thank you for the question. What we know that will be helpful during this time of covid19, in terms of what the dg said is that everything we can do to reduce the possibility of transmission between people. One of the ways countries are doing this is to stop gatherings together. Some countries have taken different decisions based on the number of people, where they have restricted those gatherings. It is important people restrict themselves to go to gatherings where there are large numbers of people and in doing so, that will reduce the possibility that people who come in close contact with one another can potentially transmit the virus to one another. Taken together with testing and aggressive case and context contact findings, it is important that we limit our participation in mass gathering events. Thank you very much. Ryan, if atnd, dr. Any time you would like to add something, just unmute your phone and start talking. Next question. Gabriella . Hello . Yes, thank you. I am from mexico, a professor. My question is regarding mexico. There are 52 cases and 170 suspected cases. Looking at the fatality rate for people with diabetes for example, there 12 Million People over 60 years old and 8 million with diabetes. With this scenario, what measures should mexico take at the moment . Thank you very much. Dr. Van kerkhove i can start with this and perhaps others would like to supplement. The measures we would advise for mexico are the same we would advise for all countries. What we are aiming to do in our advice is reducing transmission for individuals, reducing transmission for young and alsohy people, but reducing the possibility we are potentially infecting vulnerable populations. We have adequate data from a number of countries which have shown that people of older age, people above the age of 60, of 70, of 80 years old, are at a higher risk of death. We have seen evidence from multiple countries that people with underlying conditions such as diabetes, such as cardiovascular disease, such as underlying chronic respiratory disease, are at a higher risk of death. By reducing the possibility of transmission of yourself, your you are reducing the possibility of transmission to reach vulnerable populations. The measures we recommend are the same. These are fundamental Public Health measures. It is testing. It is finding all cases. Testing cases. Making sure theyre isolated and cared for. In a medical facility and if that is not possible, to make sure that they are adequately cared for at home. And preventing transmission to loved ones in their household. It is making sure we have adequate numbers of laboratories that can test individuals. And have testing kits that are available in all countries. It is using the basics. Hand hygiene. Respiratory etiquette. Sneezing into your elbow or coughing into her elbow. Coughing into a tissue and putting that into a closed band and washing your hands. It is practicing social distancing. Making sure you are separated from individuals, especially if they are sick individuals. It is staying home if you are unwell. It is working from home if possible. It is mobilizing your populations. All of the same measures we have been saying every day, are the same measures we recommend for mexico and for every government across the globe. Dr. Adhanom thank you. Maria had already said it. The only thing i would like to do a stress on some of the issues. One, for any country, one of the most important things is the political commitment at the highest level. Affects allc sectors of the government. A whole of government approach involving all sectors and led by the principal is very crucial. That whole government approach should also be able to mobilize whole society. And make sure that this response becomes everybodys business. Anyone in mexico. This is something that can only succeed if all mexicans are actually involved. This is not just for mexico. But the whole world. It is everybodys business. That is what we are suggesting to the whole world and it will be the same for mexico. We hope to see progress in the whole of government approach, all of society approach, and making sure this is everybodys business. That is how we can stop this virus. Thank you. Dr. Ryan . Would you like to add something . Dr. Ryan i think he said it right on the spot. Please jump in any time you want. I will go now to a question from norway we received by text. Henrietta hayes, the question is for maria. It says, would maria be able to comment on the new aerosol study and various surface studies, or possibly provide a general update on what do you know today . That is from henrietta from norway, the journal. Dr. Van kerkhove henrietta, thank you for the question. That highlights the evidencebased nature of our organization and what we are trying to do, in terms of making guidance for all countries. We try to pull together all Available Evidence on different topics. This one that you mentioned about the role of virus persistence on surfaces and the potential for the virus to remain in the air. We are aware of several studies that have been published, that are in the process of being published, and that are currently underway and labs. In labs in a number of countries that have looked at different environmental conditions in which the virus could persist, looking at different humidity or different temperature, uv lights. And to look at different surfaces, such as steel, hard surfaces. And looking at the new covid19 virus as a comparison to other coronaviruses, like sars or mers, or the common cold coronaviruses that are circulating. And there is a recent study that came out, that looked at the role of aerosol generating procedures. That could how would those viruses as you know, this is a virus that is transmitted through droplets. These are little pieces of liquid that come out of peoples noses and mouth as they coughed or they sneeze and they talk. What we know about droplet transmission is that when they come out of an infected person, an individual, they go a certain distance and then they settle. That is why we have the distance of one to two meters apart from individuals. But when you do an aerosol generating procedure, like in a medical care facility, you have the possibility to aerosolized these particles, which means they can stay in the air longer. In that situation, and healthcare facilities, it is a very important that healthcare workers take additional precautions and theyre working on patients and doing those procedures. But for the everyday person, it is the talking and sneezing and coughing, which is why we want the respiratory etiquette. I think im speaking too long, but these studies look at how long these viruses can persist in the air and the one study that came out looked at the aerosol generating procedure and said when you do those that these particles can stay in the air longer than they would if you were just normally talking to someone. So we use this information to make sure our guidance is appropriate. So far, from the of elbow the available studies we have seen, we are confident the guidance we have is appropriate. Which is so people who are in communities, they do not wear medical masks unless they themselves are sick. Because this prevents them from infecting someone else. But in Health Care Facilities we make sure that healthcare workers use standard droplet precautions, with the exception of if they are doing an aerosol generating procedure. Then we recommend airborne precautions. Thank you. I think this is important to provide to journalists information what we know. Lets go to the next question. Adrian from romania. Can you hear us . Hello . Im calling from romania. Authorities in china and south korea have decided to isolate the area affected by coronavirus and have reduced the number of infections. The European Union is keeping the border open. What is the best solution recommended by the World Health Organization . Dr. Van kerkhove we recommend that all cases and all contacts are followed. With the aggressive case of case finding and testing of cases, we will know where the virus is. It is important for countries to know where the virus is circular circulating within their countries, and who is infected, and who is not infected. By finding all cases and isolating them, providing adequate care and by following all of their contacts and testing those contacts to ensure we find any possibility of onward human to human transmission, by doing so you can effectively stop transmission between people. In addition to that, rapid testing. Immediate isolation of individuals so you are taking them away from other individuals they can infect. This is the most effective way we can limit human to human transmission. In addition, what the dd set is high levels of political support. Aching sure there is an all of government approach, not just the health sector. It is involving all different sectors of the government to repurpose themselves to fight this virus. It is ensuring every person in the country, in china, in korea, in every single country, knows what their role is. How can i protect myself . How can i protect my family . What role do i have to play and in actually preventing onward transmission . Some of this does involve self isolation. Some of this does involve making sacrifices that you do not participate in social engagements. We have said this before. This is going to be diffic