COVID-19: World must prepare for pandemic, urges WHO chief

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said the world should be preparing for a potential pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus.

In a statement read out at the WHO press conference in Geneva on Monday Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said "We must focus on containment whilst doing everything we can to prepare for a potential pandemic.”

The WHO does not consider it to be a pandemic yet as "We are not witnessing the uncontained global spread of the virus," said Dr Ghebreyesus.

"Does this virus have pandemic potential?, absolutely it has, are we there yet? from our assessment, not yet," he added.

READ MORE CGTN Europe's COVID-19 coverage

Click here for more.