This page brings together information and guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations regarding the current outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that was first reported in Wuhan, China, on 31 December 2019. Please visit this page for daily updates. WHO is working closely with global experts, governments and partners to rapidly expand scientific knowledge on this new virus, to track the spread and virulence of the virus, and to provide advice to countries and individuals on measures to protect health and prevent the spread of this outbreak.
Coronavirus global health emergency: Coverage from UN News
Vulnerable Indians need urgent help to cope with COVID-19 pandemic: a UN Resident Coordinator blog
Millions of people in India have a hand-to-mouth existence, and fast response measures put in place to curb the COVID-19 pandemic, are making life even more difficult for them. For this latest in our occasional series by UN country team leaders, Renata Dessallien, the UN Resident Coordinator in India, assesses the current situation. Her text is based on an interview with UN News.
UN General Assembly: The world’s ‘town hall’ remains open during COVID-19 crisis
Although it seems the whole world is on lockdown as countries follow health guidelines to curb the spread of COVID-19, the global “town hall” at UN Headquarters in New York remains open for business, albeit with a technical twist.
Mali: UN mission fulfills mandate, aids battle against coronavirus
As the COVID-19 pandemic plagues the world, the head of the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali told the Security Council on Tuesday that the mission continues to fulfill its mandate while doing whatever it can to prevent the coronavirus outbreak from overrunning the country.
Children vulnerable to abuse and violence during coronavirus lockdowns, UN experts warn
Independent UN human rights experts have called on States to boost child protection measures to help safeguard the welfare of millions of children who may be more exposed to violence, sale, trafficking, sexual abuse and exploitation during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Course of coronavirus pandemic across Libya, depends on silencing the guns
Fighting must stop immediately in Libya if it is to have any chance of staving off the COVID-19 outbreak, the top United Nations official in the North African country said on Tuesday as he condemned an attack on a major Tripoli hospital.
COVID-19 highlights nurses’ vulnerability as backbone to health services worldwide
Nurses are on the frontline fighting COVID-19 but “an alarming failure” in the global supply of protective clothing and new coronavirus tests – together with “unprecedented” overwork linked to global staff shortages - have highlighted how vulnerable they are, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. The development coincides with an impassioned personal message from UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the world’s medical professionals for World Health Day, marked on Tuesday 7 April.
First Person: ‘Fate’ of Italian nurse, and countless other health workers, depends on protective clothing
A 24-year-old nurse in Italy who is treating patients with the deadly COVID-19 virus has been describing how her “fate” on any given day is dependent on how well she dresses in her protective clothing.