Geneva, March 11: The World Health Organisation on Wednesday said that Coronavirus that has infected more than 1,21,000 people worldwide has officially become a pandemic. Till now, the WHO had characterized COVID-19 as a series of epidemics. An outbreak is deemed to become pandemic which it spreads from humans-to-humans on several countries or continents. Is Coronavirus an Epidemic or a Pandemic? Know The Meaning and Difference Between These Terms.

"WHO’s mandate is public health. But we’re working with many partners across all sectors to mitigate the social and economic consequences of this COVID-19 pandemic. We have made the assessment that Coronavirus can be characterized as a pandemic," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference in Geneva.

"We're deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity and by the alarming levels of inaction," Ghebreyesus said. Coronavirus Outbreak in India: Visas To India Stand Suspended Till April 15, Move to be Effective From March 13, Informs Health Ministry.

What is Pandemic?

A pandemic is the "worldwide spread of a new disease." The term is used to describe an illness that affects a whole nation or the entire world. It means the disease has spread over many countries or continents, affecting a large number of people.

WHO chief informed that 81 countries have not reported any cases of the deadly virus, while 51 countries have reported 10 cases or less. "We cannot say this loudly enough, or clearly enough, or often enough: all countries can still change the course of this pandemic," he said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 11, 2020 10:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).