COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic, the World Health Organisation announced yesterday (March 11) but the organisation was quick to point out that the pandemic could be controlled.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted that describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO’s assessment of the threat posed by this virus, nor does it change what should be done by countries and the organisation.

“We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus. This is the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus. And we have never before seen a pandemic that can be controlled, at the same time,” he emphasised.

“We are not at the mercy of this virus.”