Coronavirus cases outside China could be 'spark' of 'bigger fire,' health officials say - New York Post

Cases of coronavirus spreading outside of China could be the “spark” that ignites an out-of-control pandemic, health officials said Monday.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the turning point for the crisis depends on whether there’s an uptick of infected people who haven’t been to China, where the virus originated.

“It could be the spark that becomes a bigger fire,” Tedros told reporters. “But for now it is only a spark.”

There have been a number of recent cases in France and the UK among people who have not traveled to China, he said. Two American patients have also spread the virus to their spouses after returning from the epicenter of the virus.

Tedros, however, said it’s “concerning” that there’s been “onward spread” of the virus overseas.

“The detection of a small number of cases may indicate more widespread transmission in other countries; in short, we may only be seeing the tip of the iceberg,” Tedros said.

Much remains undetermined about the virus, which has been linked to a Chinese market selling animals in Wuhan.

The respiratory disease has killed at least 910 people, mostly in mainland China, and sickened more than 40,000 others.

“Our objective remains containment,” Tedros said. “We call on all countries to use the window of opportunity we have to prevent a bigger fire.”

With Post wires

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicWh0dHBzOi8vbnlwb3N0LmNvbS8yMDIwLzAyLzEwL2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLWNhc2VzLW91dHNpZGUtY2hpbmEtY291bGQtYmUtc3Bhcmstb2YtYmlnZ2VyLWZpcmUtaGVhbHRoLW9mZmljaWFscy1zYXkv0gF1aHR0cHM6Ly9ueXBvc3QuY29tLzIwMjAvMDIvMTAvY29yb25hdmlydXMtY2FzZXMtb3V0c2lkZS1jaGluYS1jb3VsZC1iZS1zcGFyay1vZi1iaWdnZXItZmlyZS1oZWFsdGgtb2ZmaWNpYWxzLXNheS9hbXAv?oc=5

2020-02-10 19:31:00Z
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