The Chief Medical Officer for England confirmed on Wednesday a ninth person in the UK was being treated for coronavirus. An estimated 60,335 people have so far contracted the disease and at least 1,369 people have died.
The coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, is being treated as a Global Emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO).
As of Thursday, February 13, nearly 30 countries outside of mainland China have confirmed coronavirus infections.
Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of the research charity Wellcome, said it is still too early to predict how the epidemic will behave outside of China’s borders.
He said: “This is an unprecedented outbreak – of a virus never seen before, spreading in a way which makes it extremely challenging to control.
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“We cannot yet predict how grave the impact may be in any country beyond China, now seeing cases.
“We do know the impact this is having in China and should applaud their extraordinary efforts to contain it.
“We can, however, be sure no country can afford to wait and see. For every country, now is the time to act.”
The number of infections skyrocketed overnight by about 14,800 after Chinese authorities refined their diagnostic methods.
Doctors are now using CT scans to locate coronavirus infections in the lungs.
In China alone, the number of infections stands at around 59,817.
This is an unprecedented outbreak – of a virus never seen before
Dr Jeremy Farrar, Wellcome
In the UK, a woman who flew into London from China was taken in for coronavirus treatment at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in London.
Businessman Steve Walsh who was earlier linked to 11 coronavirus cases has also fully recovered from the disease.
Overall, authorities have reported more than 6,000 people have recovered from coronavirus infections.
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Dr Farrar said: “The only way to get ahead of this epidemic, to ensure the best public health preparation and response and to protect lives globally is to put science and research at the heart of the response.
“Over the past two days, the global effort to further enhance the research agenda has been phenomenal.
“Thanks to the World Health Organization, to researchers, country governments, industry, journal editors and funders from every country and continent we now have a clear plan of immediate and longer-term priorities to build a robust global response.
“Crucially there was also unambiguous commitment to solidarity and to equitable access to all advances made.”
On Tuesday, the director general of the WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it could still take 18 months before a coronavirus cure is synthesised.
The timeline was supported by Health Secretary Matt Hancock who called the fight against coronavirus a marathon and not a sprint.
Mr Hancock argued the situation will only get worse before it gets better but “we will be guided by science”.
Dr Farrar said: “We must continue to unite behind this international effort, making sure no country is left behind, and without forgetting the support needed for those continuing to tackle the many other health challenges faced by different communities globally, including Ebola.”
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