WHO chief praises containment efforts

After visit, Tedros Adhanom says China 'committed to transparency'

GENEVA－The director-general of the World Health Organization, or WHO, said on Wednesday that China deserves the international community's gratitude and respect for having taken very serious measures to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak and prevent exporting cases overseas.

Addressing journalists at a news conference in Geneva, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus thanked the Chinese government for the extraordinary steps it has taken to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

Tedros reiterated that almost 99 percent of cases and all deaths have been within China, with only 68 confirmed cases as of Wednesday and no deaths in 15 countries and regions outside China. "For that, China deserves our gratitude and respect … China is implementing very serious measures and we cannot ask for more," he said.