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
COVID-19: UN urges ramping up social protection programmes to safeguard those most vulnerable
The socio-economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic prompted UN agencies on Wednesday to call on countries to increase social protection programmes to protect those most at risk.
COVID-19 reinfection seems not to be a ‘regular event’, says UN health agency
There is likely only a slim possibility of people being reinfected with COVID-19, the UN health agency said on Tuesday, following reports in Hong Kong that a man had contracted new coronavirus for a second time after an interval of more than four months.
Devastated by pandemic, tourism sector must be rebuilt in a safe, equitable and climate friendly way – UN chief
Tourism is much more than visiting cultural landmarks or swimming in tropical beaches; it is “one of the world’s most important economic sectors”, the UN chief said on Tuesday.
First Person: Tourism in Hawaii grounded during pandemic
Tourism is Hawaii’s biggest industry, with some 10 million visitors to the lslands ever year. But that has all changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, and many businesses on the archipelago have been forced to shut down for good, according to a helicopter pilot who flies pleasure trips for tourists.
WHO presses for greater investment in global COVID-19 vaccine facility
Investing in a mechanism that will guarantee all countries have fair and timely access to a COVID-19 vaccine is the only way out of the global pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
Imprisoned rights defenders in Egypt at ‘grave risk’ of COVID-19, warn UN experts
A group of independent UN rights experts have raised alarm over “grave and unnecessary” risks faced by imprisoned human rights defenders in Egypt due to lengthy pre-trial detention.
First Person: Fighting anti-vaccination rumours in Pakistan
Polio, a deadly, debilitating, yet easily curable disease, is eradicated in most countries, but is still endemic in Pakistan, partly due to a reluctance to vaccinate amongst some parts of the population. Dennis Chimenya, a health worker with the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, is part of a team trying to counter misconceptions, and save lives.
Protecting people from conflict, cyclones and COVID-19 in Mozambique: a UN Resident Coordinator blog
The COVID-19 disease has added to longstanding challenges in Mozambique which have threatened the southern African country’s most vulnerable people. In this blog, the UN Resident Coordinator Myrta Kaulard, with IOM Chief of Mission, Laura Tomm-Bonde, and Samuel Chakwera, UNHCR Resident Representative, explain how the United Nations is supporting national efforts to protect the people of Mozambique from multiple threats
First Person: Pakistan health worker commits to polio fight, despite COVID fears
Despite suffering the after-effects of the COVID-19 virus, Husna Gul, a staff member with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Pakistan, is committed to ensuring that as many children as possible are vaccinated against the devastating consequences of polio, which can cause muscle-wasting, paralysis and death.
WHO stresses need for quick action amid reports of fresh COVID-19 outbreaks
With several countries experiencing fresh COVID-19 outbreaks after periods of little or no transmission, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday highlighted the need for authorities to be able to move quickly to prevent further spread of the disease.