Coronavirus gets a name: COVID-19

• The World Health Organization has named the coronavirus “COVID-19,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Tuesday. The “CO” stands for corona; “VI” for virus; and “D” for disease, Ghebreyesus said, speaking at a press conference.
• This name avoided referring to any locations, animals or population groups to prevent the spread of “inaccurate or stigmatizing” information, Ghebreyesus noted.
• He also defended China’s response to the virus. He cited the fact that while more than 40,000 cases of the virus have been reported in China, fewer than 400 cases have been reported in the rest of the world — and only one death.
• This relatively small number of cases outside China is due to the “serious measures that China is taking” that are “slowing the virus to the rest of the world,” he said.

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