3月12日凌晨，日内瓦当地时间3月11日，世界卫生组织（WHO）在新闻发布会上正式宣布，将新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19，简称“新冠肺炎”）列为全球性大流行病（Pandemic），上一次同样被列为全球性大流行病的是2009年的甲型H1N1流感，这也是冠状病毒感染首次被评估为全球大流行病，2003年的非典也未达到此程度。

在世卫组织官网，已经登出了总干事谭德赛（Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus）在这场新闻发布会开始时的讲话内容，语句简短而急促，用词铿锵有力。谭德赛说，大流行病（Pandemic）这个词需要非常审慎的考量，世卫组织一直在不停地评估，对疫情扩散的严重程度以及一些地区不作为的惊人程度深感关切。

▲世卫组织（WHO）总干事谭德赛（Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus）

随着2019年12月，中国湖北省武汉市的首例新冠肺炎确诊病例敲响警钟以来，疫情在2月份开始蔓延至亚洲、中东、欧洲和美国等全球各个国家和地区。

今年2月，WHO将新冠肺炎的风险评估级别提升至最高警戒级别。WHO最初没有宣布新冠肺炎为全球性大流行病，部分原因在于大多数病例仍可追溯到已知的接触者或病例群，并且“目前还没有任何证据表明病毒正在社区内自由传播”。

“在过去两周里，中国以外的新冠肺炎病例数量增加了13倍，受影响国家的数量增加了两倍。”他表示，基于这一发展趋势，WHO预计在未来的几天或几周内，全球新冠肺炎的病例数量、死亡人数和受影响国家的数量将会急剧攀升。

据美国约翰霍普金斯大学（Johns Hopkins University）汇总的疫情相关数据，截至美国当地时间3月11日上午，全球累计确诊新冠肺炎超过121564例，累计死亡超过4373例。

▲世卫组织（WHO）官网的全球疫情地图

与此同时，据WHO官方最新数据，截至周二凌晨3点，除中国外，已有超过109个国家累计确诊32778例新冠肺炎，远远高于1月21日3个国家累计的4例确诊病例。目前看来，中国爆发的新冠肺炎疫情正在放缓，但世界其他国家和地区却在加速蔓延。

针对此次全球性大流行病的宣布，全球卫生专家表示，这将会带来重大的政治和经济影响，同时也会进一步动摇目前已经脆弱的全球市场，导致更严格的旅行和贸易限制。大流行病不是一个轻易或随便使用的词。这个词如果被滥用会引起不合理的恐惧，从而导致不必要的痛苦和死亡。

如果国家发现传染病例的国家及时检测、治疗、隔离、追踪并动员其人民参与应对，那么只有少数病例的国家完全可以防止这些病例成为群体感染，进而发展成为更严重的社区传播。即使是那些具有社区传播或大型群体感染的国家也可以扭转这种病毒的传播。

这不仅是一场公共卫生危机，而且将触及每个部门，因此每个部门和每个人都必须参与这场斗争。

讲话原文：

Good afternoon.

In the past two weeks, the number of cases of COVID-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 4,291 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 deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher.

WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction.

We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic.

Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death.

Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO’s assessment of the threat posed by this virus. It doesn’t change what WHO is doing, and it doesn’t change what countries should do.

We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus. This is the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus.

And we have never before seen a pandemic that can be controlled, at the same time.

WHO has been in full response mode since we were notified of the first cases.

And we have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action.

We have rung 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.

Of the 118,000 cases reported globally in 114 countries, more than 90 percent of cases are in just four countries, and two of those – China and the Republic of Korea - have significantly declining epidemics.

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

We cannot say this loudly enough, or clearly enough, or often enough: all countries can still change the course of this pandemic.

If countries detect, test, treat, isolate, trace, and mobilize their people in the response, those with a handful of cases can prevent those cases becoming clusters, and those clusters becoming community transmission.

Even those countries with community transmission or large clusters can turn the tide on this virus.

Several countries have demonstrated that this virus can be suppressed and controlled.

The challenge for many countries who are now dealing with large clusters or community transmission is not whether theycando the same – it’s whether theywill.

Some countries are struggling with a lack of capacity.

Some countries are struggling with a lack of resources.

Some countries are struggling with a lack of resolve.

We are grateful for the measures being taken in Iran, Italy and the Republic of Korea to slow the virus and control their epidemics.

We know that these measures are taking a heavy toll on societies and economies, just as they did in China.

All countries must strike a fine balance between protecting health, minimizing economic and social disruption, and respecting human rights.

WHO’s mandate is public health. But we’re working with many partners across all sectors to mitigate the social and economic consequences of this pandemic.

This is not just a public health crisis, it is a crisis that will touch every sector – so every sector and every individual must be involved in the fight.

I have said from the beginning that countries must take a whole-of-government, whole-of-society approach, built around a comprehensive strategy to prevent infections, save lives and minimize impact.

Let me summarize it in four key areas.

First, prepare and be ready.

Second, detect, protect and treat.

Third, reduce transmission.

Fourth, innovate and learn.

I remind all countries that we are calling on you to activate and scale up your emergency response mechanisms;

Communicate with your people about the risks and how they can protect themselves – this is everybody’s business;

Find, isolate, test and treat every case and trace every contact;

Ready your hospitals;

Protect and train your health workers.

And let’s all look out for each other, because we need each other.

===

There’s been so much attention on one word.

Let me give you some other words that matter much more, and that are much more actionable.

Prevention.

Preparedness.

Public health.

Political leadership.

And most of all, people.

We’re in this together, to do the right things with calm and protect the citizens of the world. It’s doable.

I thank you.

本文根据“智东西”自媒体、凤凰科技网及和讯资讯网等综合编辑而成，如有异议可随时联系我们。

本期编辑：hantavirus