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 chief appeals to business leaders to help quell ‘a tsunami of suffering’ caused by COVID
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought “a tsunami of suffering”, taken over 3.4 million lives and 500 million jobs, while wiping trillions of dollars from global balance sheets, Secretary-General António Guterres told business leaders on Thursday, appealing for equitable vaccine distribution worldwide.
Use Africa’s rich heritage as ‘catalyst’ for transformation, urges Guterres
A call to use Africa’s rich cultural and natural heritage as a catalyst for growth and transformation is “the right appeal at the right time”, the UN chief told a three-day forum on the continent’s future held online on Wednesday.
Africa essential for sustainable development, poverty reduction and peace
Africa’s rich, diverse cultural and natural heritage, is important for sustainable development, poverty reduction, and “building and maintaining peace”, the UN chief said on Tuesday, marking the international day celebrating the continent.
“This year’s Africa Day highlights arts, culture and heritage as levers for building the Africa we want”, Secretary-General António Guterres said in his commemorative message.
COVID-19: UN chief calls for G20 vaccine task force, in 'war' against the virus
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday urged the world’s richest economies to take a central role in ending the COVID-19 pandemic by stepping up support for vaccines for all people, everywhere.
UN development system responds with ‘solid score’ in face of COVID-19 test
As the world continues to tackle the multiple impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, from pushing some 131 million people into extreme poverty to reversing years of development progress, the UN chief said on Tuesday that a more coordinated approach is key to moving forward.
Vaccine inequity triggers ‘huge disconnect’ between countries
Although COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to decline globally for a second consecutive week, the UN health agency chief said on Monday that “a huge disconnect” is mounting between some highly vaccinated countries, which see the pandemic as largely resolved, while huge waves of infection continue to grip others where shots are scarce.
Share excess COVID-19 vaccines now, UNICEF chief says ahead of G7 summit
The deadly increase in COVID-19 cases in India could potentially occur elsewhere if vulnerable countries do not have access to vaccines, the head of the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, warned on Monday in a bid to get richer nations to share their excess doses.
COVID-19: Wealthy nations urged to delay youth vaccines, donate to solidarity scheme
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday appealed for wealthier countries to delay vaccinating younger people against COVID-19 and instead donate doses to the COVAX global vaccine solidarity initiative.
UN Catch-Up Dateline Geneva – Back to Mogadishu: one Somali doctor’s good news story
In this week’s UN Catch-Up: would you return to your war-shattered country to help rebuild it? That’s exactly what one Somali doctor did - she tells us her inspiring story. We’ll have news on the serious escalation in Middle East and the Myanmar crisis – it’s passed the 100-day mark – a call for International Criminal Court proceedings for genocide against Iraq’s Yazidis, and former Liberia President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s appeal for bold WHO reforms, to prevent another devastating pandemic from happening again. With comment from regular guest Solange Behoteguy Cortes from UN Geneva.
Islamic social financing initiative aims to help economic recovery, pandemic response
As the world continues to grapple with the health and economic crisis sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN and Islamic Development Bank teamed up on Tuesday to help the most vulnerable.