The Corona Virus, COVID 19, is officially a  Pandemic.

   The World Health Organization (WHO) made the declaration on Wednesday, March 11 citing the 118,000 reported cases in 110 countries around the world with the sustained risk of global spread.

“In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to see the number of COVID-19 cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher.

  “WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity and by the alarming levels of inaction.

  “We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic,” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general said at a media briefing.

      An epidemic refers to the spread of disease within the community. The WHO defines a pandemic as a global spread of a new disease.

     This signals the continued spread is likely and that the country should prepare for the possibility of widespread community transmission.

This may affect travel plans and public events.