News Almost 10,000 cases have been confirmed around the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) constitutes ‘an extraordinary event’ that is ‘a public health risk to other states through the international spread of the disease’. Such events potentially require ‘a coordinated international response’ and imply a situation that is ‘serious, unusual or unexpected’ and ‘may require immediate international action’. The number of confirmed cases has increased more than tenfold in the past week, from 941 on 24 January to at least 9800 at the time of publication. So far 213 people have died as a result of the virus, but no deaths have been recorded outside of China. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the outbreak as ‘unprecedented’, but said international public health partners are ‘working diligently’ to bring the outbreak under control as fast as possible. ‘The […]