Unfiltered, at cspan. Org coronavirus. Earlier today, the World Health Organization held a News Conference in geneva on the coronavirus pandemic. The who director general stressed the need for countries to control the virus during the lockdown period, and also talked about president trumps Coronavirus Response efforts, saying the president showed political commitment and leadership. Shortly before the briefing, the United Nations announced the launch of a 200 million humanitarian Response Plan to combat coronavirus. Good morning, good evening, and good afternoon. Hello, and welcome, everybody, to the World Health Organization press briefing on covid19. We have with us as always the w. H. O. Director dr. Tedros, also dr. Ryan and dr. Maria van ker o hove. Dr. Tedros will begin with an update, and when dr. Tedros has finished opening remarks i will open the meeting to questions. If you have connected by zoom, use the raise your hand icon to o asknto the queue t questions. If you are connected by phone, indicate with hash nine. I apologize to all who miss out now. We have over 260 on the line already connecting and asking questions, so we have to briefing, so that those coordinating the response can get to the many other demand on their time. I will now hand over to dr. Tedros. Dr. Tedros thank you. Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening, wherever you are. The pandemic continues to take a massive toll, not just on health, but on so many parts of life. Yesterday, the government of japan and the International Olympic committee took a difficult but wise decision to postpone this years olympic and paralympic games. I thank Prime Minister abe and the members of the ioc for making this sacrifice to protect the health of athletes, spectators and officials. We look forward to next years olympics and paralympics, which we hope will be an even bigger celebration of our shared humanity, and look forward to join. We have overcome many pandemics and crises before. We will overcome this one, too. The question is, how large a price will we pay . Already, we have lost more than 16,000 lives. We nkow we we know we will lose more. How many more will be determined by the decisions we make and the actions we take now. Slow the spread of covid19, many countries have contributed or introduced unprecedented measures, significant at a significant social and economic cost. Closing schools and businesses, canceling sporting events, and asking people to stay home and stay safe. We understand that these countries are now trying to assess when and how they will be able to ease these measure. Measures. Answer depends on what these countries do while these measures are in place. Asking people to stayathome and shutting down Population Movement is buying time and reducing the pressure on Health Systems, but on their own, these measures will not extinguish epidemics. Actions is tohese enable the more precise and targeted measures that are needed to stop transition and save lives. We call on all countries who have introduced socalled lockdown measures to use this time to attack the virus. You have created a window of opportunity. The question is, how will you use it . That are six key actions we recommend. And deploynd, train publicalth care and health workforce. Econd, implement a system to find every suspected case at Community Level. Third, ramp up Production Capacity and availability of testing. Adapt, identify, Key Facilities you will use to and isolate patients. Fifth, develop a clear plan to identify and process contact quarantine contacts. Xsixth, focus government on controlling covid19. These measures are the best way to suppress and stop transmission, so that when restrictions are lifted, the virus doesnt resurge. The last thing any country needs is to open schools and businesses, only to be forced to close them again because of a resurgence. Aggressive measures to find, isolate, test, treat and trace are not only the best and fastest way out of extreme theyl and restrictions, are also the best way to prevent them. Countries and territories still have fewer than 100 cases. By taking the same aggressive actions now, these countries prevent chance to Community Transmission and avoid some of the more serious social and economic costs seen in other countries. For is especially relevant many Vulnerable Countries whose Health Systems may collapse under the weight of the numbers of patients we have seen in some countries with Community Transmission. Today, i join the United Nations secretarygeneral, the undersecretary general and uni cef executive director to launch humanitarian appeal to support the most fragile countries, who have already suffered acute humanitarian crisis. This is much more than a health crisis. We are committed to work as theu. N. To protect worlds most Vulnerable People from the virus and its consequences. We call for a global cease fire. We are facing a common threat, and the only way to defeat it is by coming together as one humanity, because we are one human race. We are grateful to the more than 200,000 individuals and organizations who have contributed to the covid19 response fund. It less thanched two weeks ago, the fund has r aised more than 95 million u. S. Dollars. I would like to offer my deep thanks to gsk for its generous contribution of 10 million u. S. Dollars today. Although were especially vulnerablebout countries, all countries have vulnerable populations, including older people. Older people carry the collective wisdom of our societies. They are valued and valuable members of our families and communities. But they are at higher risk of the more serious complications of covid19. Ople, listening to older pe and those who work with and for them, to try to find how to best support them. We need to Work Together to protect older people from the virus and make sure their needs are met for food, fuel, Prescription Medication and human interaction. Physical distance doesnt mean social distance. We all need to check in regularly on our parents, neighbors, friends or relatives waysive alone, in whatever possible, so they know how much theyre loved and valued. All these things are important at any time, but they are even more important during a crisis. Finally, the covid19 pandemic has highlighted the need for compelling and Creative Communications about Public Health. First announced our health festival. Volume, quality and diversity of entries far exceeded our citations. We received entries from 110 countries and today are announcing a short list of 45 excellent short films on health topics. Were also announcing a panel who will judge the shortlist with winners announced in may. We will be showing the films in the coming weeks on our website and social media channels. In these difficult times, film and other media are a way not only of communicating Important Health messages, but of administering one of the most powerful medicines, hope. I thank you. Thank you, dr. Tedros. We will now open the floor to questions. As i mentioned before, a little housekeeping. If youre connected by zoom, use the raise your hand icon to get in the queue. If you have connected by phone, please hit hashnine on your keypad. Please restrict questions to one question. Please try to keep them as short as possible, because there are so many people who need to ask a question. In fact, we had so many questions left over from monday, im now going to read a question from simon, who has been waiting i think three times to ask. I cannot see you in the queue, so i will read it out. I hope you can hear the question. This is from simon, from today n ews africa. Then asks dr. Tedros, coronavirus pandemic is fast spreading across africa and is threatening to overcome our weak health care systems. The center for Global Development in washington, d. C. s warning that if developed countries do not support africa today, this pandemic will not be defeated. What concrete assistance can w. H. O. Drive to assist africa now, before it is too late . Dr. Ryan i can begin and dr. Tedros can supplement. W. H. O. Has country officers in every country in africa, and those teams have been supporting those countries for many, many years. In addition to that, our regional director has surged many staff from Regional Offices to support teams. Weve supported National Action planning, sent ppe, sent and dispatched lab tests. We have worked to train Lab Technicians from all over africa, and we are currently working on increasing all of the capacities, in surveillance, in clinical management, and trying to work to provide more support in terms of supply chains. Situation forging all countries in africa, and the International Community i think, and all countries, lower and middle income countries, need support. The north must, while dealing with a massive crisis in its own regard, must move to protect the south, because no one is safe until we are all safe. Thank you so much. The number of cases in Subsaharan Africa is around 1,600 as we speak. Number of take the anes, this is actually opportunity for the six recommendations i just made. To be able to cut it, from the bud, they can test, isolate, quarantine, while still the number of cases is low. They shouldhing, believe that this is in their hands, that they can do something to stop it as well as possible. Have globalrse, we responsibility, as humanity, and especially those countries like the g20. We have the g20 summit tomorrow. Support countries all over the world, not only from Subsaharan Africa, but all over the world, low and middle income countries. Only through solidarity that we can support those countries. From the w. H. O. Side, we has started as early as possible to support countries, by providing test kits. We have provided already test kits to 120 countries, and a good number of them are from the african continent. And, ppe to 68 countries, most of these countries are from africa. We will continue to support countries who need our support, and we are negotiating with many stakeholders to build up our special logistics capacity to continue supporting the countries, as we have been doing. Thank you, dr. Tedros brazil, question, from from somebody else who has also been waiting to ask his question for about a week. Please go ahead. Thank you. Is on president bolsonaro, and i apologize for insisting on this. But his remarks last night and over the last days, are they actually putting the lives of brazilians at risk . What you ask him to change his position, and take responsibility . Thank you so much. Dr. Ryan i think we have spoken on this issue, and issues like this before. We trust that all governments will take the appropriate actions to, manage the Public Health risks which are are, but we also understand the terrible dilemmas countries face in protecting economies and social systems. But we must focus first on trying to stop this disease and saving lives. Justedros it may be our advice to all countries, and of course many countries are already taking communitywide actions, closing schools, restricting sking citizens to stay at home. Possibilities to have physical distancing. Atts very important, but the same time, we have proposed and that will also apply to any country. 150e are countries, countries with less than 100 be verynd they have to serious at this stage, when they have less number of cases. The first thing they should do, their, train and deploy Health Workers and Public Health workforce, and they should implement a systemwide approach to find suspected cases at Community Level. For all countries, even countries with no cases. We have some countries do have not who have not reported cases. We even suggested countries should ramp up production, capacity and availability to do more testing. The recommendation, identify, adapt and equip facilities. We have to prepare the facilities, for any eventuality. In some countries, the number of cases have really jumped and have overwhelmed the system, and they were not prepared. Getits very difficult to services to patients coming to the hospital to get service. So, preparing the system is very important for the country any country, including countries oro have reported cases, countries who have less than 100 cases, or 1000 cases. Cases should also be isolated, and this is the same recommendation for every country. A very important recommendation we have made, we need to have a whole of government approach. Because this pandemic cannot be sectord by just one alone. We need all the sectors working together to suppress and control this pandemic. Not only the whole of government approach. There also saying we need community, and communities should be mobilized to do their share, because this is everybodys business, and every citizen has the responsibility to take part. So these are our recommendations, which we believe apply to all countries. Is very dangerous, and we have already counted more than 16,000. If you remember, we have been saying for more than two months, this virus is public enemy number one. Its a dangerous virus, and we have been saying to the world that the window of opportunity is narrowing, and the time to act was actually more than a month ago, two months ago. Thats what we have been saying. But we still believe there is opportunity. Squandered the first window of opportunity, but we are saying today, my message, i made it clear this is a Second Opportunity which we should not squander. Everything to suppress and control this virus. And this is a responsibility for all of us, especially the Political Leadership is key. To it has to be able communities also to take ownership and do the right things to suppress and control this pandemic. Much, dr. Ou very tedros. Now we will move to italy. R. A. I. , italian public tv, are you there . You hear us . Please go ahead. There is feedback. And say your question again . If not, i will read it out, because i do have some text of your question. It sounds like we cannot hear. I will read your question. What w. H. O. Thinks about testing and active surveillance in italy at this stage. What should italy be doing, in terms of testing and active surveillance . Dr. Tedros i think dr. Ryan i think, we actually spoke with our italian colleagues today. We have a Senior Member of our staff embedded currently in ur regional director is in Constant Contact with the ministry of health. Italy has looked at each and every one of its provinces and in terms of where they are. Many speak about this in the u. S. We need to start looking at the data, need to start breaking the problem down, not look at a country as one entity. You break the problem down. You look at local geographies, and see what the situation is at each administrative level and decide what the tactics are. There are some parts of italy where transmission is very intense and its very difficult to get a handle on cases, Contact Tracing, and theres only attempt to save life at this point. The lockdown measures are there in order to try to suppress infection. But there are parts of italy where transmission is not that intense and theres real possibility of avoiding the worst happening in many of the parts of northern italy. So i believe out italian colleagues are trying to scale up, train the workforce, train Public Health workers, get out and do community detection, detect, isolate suspect cases entries and trace contacts. But we understand it right in the epicenters, it is difficult to deal with that when youre dealing with a heavy wave and a Health System under huge pressure. I really do admire them in i taly. They are heroes. They are putting up a courageous fight against this virus, on behalf of their people and on behalf of the world. We like and support the way they are breaking the problem down, working their way through the problem, and we will do everything in our power as the World Health Organization to support them in their efforts. Thanks. If i couldkhove supplement what mike said, dion italy there are many countries looking at the transmission situation they are in and the transmission seems completely overwhelming. Saying how important that is as part of this comprehensive package, it is a fundamental aspect that needs to be enhanced. And we hear you. We are on the phone with our colleagues every day, who say to us, this is not something we can do, what should we do . We have been very clear, it is critical that you test to find where this virus is so you know where you are fighting it. Cases, all your suspect test those suspect cases, find those contacts, test those contacts that develop symptoms. By doing that, you are able to break down chains of transmission. But when the situation is such that you have communitywide transmission and their areas with such outbreaks, you may need to prioritize actions to break down the problem, find the boundaries of where the big outbreak is, so you can bring it more under control. In making those tough decisions temporarily, it will help bring you back to being able to actually find all those suspect cases. As the director general has said, these are socalled lockdown measures many countries have implemented, and more and more we hear about countries implementing these socalled lockdown measures, this is buying you a little bit of time. And that time needs to be used appropriately. That time must be used to build