The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak of a new coronavirus in China a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), stressing the need for a global health emergency. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus made the announcement at a press conference in Geneva, following a recommendation from the organization’s emergency committee.

“The main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China, but because of what is happening in other countries,” Tedros said. “Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems and which are ill-prepared to deal with it.”

Tedros emphasized that the declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China, but rather a recognition of the need for international cooperation to control the outbreak. “Let me be clear, this declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China. On the contrary, WHO continues to have confidence in China’s capacity to control the outbreak,” he said.

The emergency committee has recommended several measures to control the outbreak, including accelerating the development of vaccines and drugs, and combating the spread of misinformation. This is the sixth time WHO has used the PHEIC label since it was introduced 15 years ago.

Didier Houssin, chair of the emergency committee, noted that the decision to declare the outbreak a PHEIC was “almost unanimous.” The WHO’s declaration is a call to action for the international community to work together to contain the spread of the virus and mitigate its impact.