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
UN Development Programme urges temporary basic income for women hit hard by COVID-19 fallout
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has called for temporary basic income for millions of the world’s poorest women, to help them cope with effects of coronavirus pandemic and alleviate the economic pressures they face every day.
COVID-19 vaccines touchdown in Sudan and Rwanda
Through the UN-led vaccine initiative COVAX, Sudan and Rwanda have become the latest beneficiaries to receive the lifesaving COVID-19 inoculation, UN agencies reported on Wednesday.
Over 168 million children miss nearly a year of schooling, UNICEF says
More than 168 million schoolchildren globally missed out on learning in class, as schools in some 14 countries remained largely shut for almost an entire year due to coronavirus-related lockdowns, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Wednesday.
Equitable vaccine delivery plan needs more support to succeed: COVAX partners
The equitable coronavirus vaccine delivery initiative COVAX that has delivered its first doses to West Africa and Latin America in the past few days, is a credit to international solidarity, but potential obstacles must be overcome if a fully global rollout is to be achieved, UN health agency chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday.
‘We sink or we swim together’: 5 things you need to know about COVAX
COVAX has been trending in stories about the COVID-19 pandemic in recent days, particularly in relation to the shipment of vaccines to Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, the first to arrive in Africa. Here’s a UN News recap of what COVAX is, and why it is so important.
COVID-19 cases rise for first time in seven weeks: WHO
After six consecutive weeks of decline, COVID-19 cases worldwide increased last week for the first time, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire begin history-making COVAX vaccination drives
As the first recipients of lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine doses through the UN-partnered COVAX initiative, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana began their vaccine rollouts on Monday, prioritizing frontline workers and vulnerable groups, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
UN chief returns to the Bronx for second coronavirus shot
UN Secretary-General António Guterres received his second COVID-19 vaccine shot at the Morris Academy for Collaborative Studies in the Bronx, New York, on Friday.
UN Security Council demands COVID-19 vaccine ceasefires; WHO pushes for more action to speed up inoculations
The UN Security Council on Friday unanimously passed a resolution calling on all Member States to support a “sustained humanitarian pause” to local conflicts, in order to allow for COVID-19 vaccinations. Briefing journalists afterwards, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus argued that more could be done.
Côte d'Ivoire takes delivery of latest COVAX vaccine shipment, in further boost for Africa
Côte d'Ivoire received 504,000 doses of lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine on Friday making it the second African nation in a week to benefit from the first shipments of shots from the UN-backed global COVAX initiative, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported.