The World Health Organization (WHO) chief said on Monday the world should be working harder to contain the spread of the deadly new coronavirus, and should be preparing for a “potential pandemic”.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that so far, the WHO does not consider the outbreak that has killed more than 2,600 people a pandemic, but said countries should be “doing everything we can to prepare for a potential pandemic.”
Meanwhile, fears of a coronavirus pandemic grew on Monday after sharp rises in new cases reported in Iran, Italy and South Korea, although China relaxed restrictions on movement in several places, including Beijing, as its rates of new infections eased.
The possibility of a coronavirus pandemic sent shock waves across global markets on Monday. Dow Jones Industrial Average lost over 800 points within minutes of its opening.
The S&P 500 traded lower by 84.89 points, or 2.54 per cent, at 3,252.86 while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 287.27 points, or 3 Aper cent, to 9,289.32 at the opening bell.
Sensex on Monday sank nearly 807 points, the second biggest single-day fall this year, to 40,363.23.