At Official Event, 'Cough Cough'... WHO Secretary-General: "This Is Not a Novel Coronavirus"

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] "It's okay. I am not infected with the coronavirus."

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), has become an international topic after coughing during a speech at the WHO Executive Board meeting. Perhaps conscious of his recent visit to Beijing, China, Ghebreyesus clarified after coughing that he was not a confirmed case. However, he has faced international criticism for consistently stating at this Executive Board meeting that there is no need to ban travel and trade with China.

According to foreign media including the Associated Press on the 3rd (local time), Ghebreyesus said in his speech at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, "The virus in China is not evenly spread everywhere, and the risk is not the same," and added, "The international community should stand in solidarity without overinterpreting the current risk or deliberately causing panic," defending China.

What drew attention was that he suddenly coughed several times during his remarks. This raised suspicions that the WHO Director-General might have been infected with the novel coronavirus shortly after visiting China. Perhaps aware of this, he also stated that he was not infected with the novel coronavirus.

Earlier, on the 28th of last month, Ghebreyesus visited Beijing and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, expressing trust in the Chinese government's quarantine system and efforts, which drew worldwide criticism. Furthermore, when declaring the novel coronavirus a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on the 30th, he said, "WHO will continue to trust China's epidemic control capabilities," and "There is no reason for measures that unnecessarily disrupt international travel and trade," which was criticized as pandering to China.

Amid criticism of WHO's passive response, the novel coronavirus is spreading rapidly. According to the Chinese National Health Commission's announcement as of midnight on the 4th, the cumulative confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus have exceeded 20,000, reaching 20,438, and the cumulative death toll continues to rise to 425. The novel coronavirus, which has spread to more than 20 countries worldwide, is causing a surge in secondary infections, prompting countries to ban entry of Chinese nationals and block flights as part of quarantine measures.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.