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
Disabilities and COVID-19: Policy Brief
António Guterres (United Nations Secretary-General) at launch of Policy Brief on Persons with Disabilities and COVID-19
The COVID-19 crisis is affecting every aspect of our societies, revealing the extent of exclusion that the most marginalized members of society experience.
Today, I would like to highlight how the pandemic is affecting the world’s 1 billion people with disabilities.
Even under normal circumstances, persons with disabilities are less likely to access education, healthcare and income opportunities or participate in the community.
Average of 80,000 COVID-19 new cases a day since April: UN health agency
Since the start of April, an average of 80,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported each day to the World Health Organization (WHO), the agency’s chief told journalists listening in to his virtual press conference on Wednesday.
Amid COVID-19 pandemic, thousands stranded in Bay of Bengal ‘unable to come ashore'
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic,United Nations agencies called on Wednesday for South-East Asian governments to show compassion to boats full of vulnerable people adrift in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea.
UN General Assembly calls for swift global access to coronavirus vaccinations
The United Nations General Assembly is asking the Secretary-General to look into ways to ensure that all those in need - particularly in the developing world – get free, fair and swift access to vaccines, and other medicines, to combat the COVID-19 virus.
COVID-19 crisis putting human trafficking victims at risk of further exploitation, experts warn
Lockdowns, travel restrictions, resource cutbacks and other measures to curb the spread of the new coronavirus are putting victims of human trafficking at risk of further exploitation, while organized crime networks could further profit from the pandemic, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Coronavirus and human rights: New UN report calls for disability-inclusive recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic is intensifying inequalities experienced by the world’s one billion people with disabilities, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in launching a report issued on Wednesday that calls for a disability-inclusive recovery and response to the crisis.
COVID-19 makes universal digital access and cooperation essential: UN tech agency
As the COVID-19 pandemic reshapes the way in which we work, keep in touch, go to school and shop for essentials – across the world – it has never been more important to bridge the digital divide for the 3.6 billion people who remain off-line.
Soap for refugee shelters; a matter of life and death as pandemic continues
Handwashing with soap and water has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an extremely important way to reduce the spread of COVID-19 but, in many countries, even basic facilities are hard to come by. On Hand Hygiene Day, marked on Tuesday, we look in-depth at the work that one US-based NGO is doing, providing soap in shelters supported by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), in Mexico.
Food insecurity in West Africa could leave 43 million at risk as coronavirus hits
Well over 40 million people across West Africa face desperate food shortages in coming months, with COVID-19 restrictions a new factor adding to people’s vulnerability, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday.
UN rights expert urges States to step-up anti-slavery efforts to protect most vulnerable during COVID-19
A UN human rights expert urged governments on Tuesday to increase protection for those millions of workers, who due to the COVID-19 pandemic, risk being pushed into exploitative jobs that are tantamount to slavery.