Thank you, Tarek.

Good afternoon, everybody.

In the past two weeks, the member of cases off Corbett 19 outside China has increased 13 fold and the number of affected countries has tripled.

There are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries and 4291 people have lost their lives.

Thousands more are fighting for their lives in hospitals.

In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to see the number of cases, the number of days and the number of affected countries climb even higher.

W h O has been assessing this outbreak around the clock, and we're deeply concerned both by the alarming levels, off spread and severity and by the alarming levels off in action.

We have therefore met the assessment that Cove ID 19 can be characterized as a pandemic.

Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly.

It's a word that, if misused, can coz unreasonable fear or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over leading toe unnecessary suffering and death.

Describing the situation as a pandemic doesn't know change.

W jizz assessment off the threat posed by the virus.

It doesn't change what w Joe is doing and it doesn't change what countries should do.

We have never been before seeing a pandemic spark it by a Corona virus.

This is the first panda me coast by Corona virus, and we have never before seen a pandemic that can be controlled.

At the same time, W.

H O has been in full response.

More scenes.

We were notified off the first cases and we have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action.

We have rang the alarm bell loud and clear.

As I said on Monday, just looking at the number of cases and the number of countries affected does not tell the full story off.

The 118 cases reported globally in 114 countries, more than 90% of cases our injures four countries and two off those China and the republic off Korea have significantly declining epidemics.

81 countries have not reported any cases and 57 countries have reported 10 cases or less.

We can not this we cannot say this loudly enough or clearly enough or often enough.

All countries can still change the course off this pandemic if countries detect test street, isolate, trace and mobilize their people in the response.

Those with a handful of cases can prevent those cases becoming clusters and those blasters becoming community transmission.