The World Health Organization Renames Coronavirus As Death Toll Rises
The World Health Organization has officially named the deadly Coronavirus that broke out from Wuhan in China COVID-19. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the global body, announced the new name at a conference in Geneva on Tuesday afternoon. Recall that Nigeria has already been named as one of thirteen high-risk African countries should the disease reach the continent.
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Meanwhile Dr. Tedros said concerning the renaming of the virus during the conference that:
”C-o stands for corona, v-i stands for virus, d for disease – so, COVID.
Under agreed guidelines between WHO, the World Organization for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations we had to find a name that did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, an individual or group of people, and which is also pronounceable and related to the disease.
‘Having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatising.
‘It also gives us a standard format to use for any future coronavirus outbreaks.”
Already more than 1,000 people have been killed by the virus and the situation remains dire in China where the disease first originated. The facts on ground are alarming.