The World Health Organization (WHO) on February 4, 2020 announced that the Corona Virus disease has not yet become pandemic. The disease has so far killed 425 people and has infected more than 20,000. Hong Kong recently reported death due to the virus. It is the first country outside China to report death.

According to the doctors people who have been affected with virus should apply a mask but it cannot provide 100 percent protection. It is more important to keep washing hands frequently and to pay attention to other types of cleanliness.

Though the disease spreads through sneezes, coughs and direct contact, the disease has not yet become pandemic.

Apart from China, cases of corona virus infection have been confirmed in 23 other countries so far.

Three other countries of Asia – Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand have also confirmed the cases on Tuesday, in which the infected person did not travel to China, as per BBC news.

An Epidemic disease spread over a large region is pandemic. Currently, the WHO list of pandemic include HIV, 2009 flu, Spanish Flu and H1N1. Previously small pox and tuberculosis were also included under Pandemics. The most devastating pandemics in the world were Black Death that killed more than 100 million people in the world.

According to WHO, the antibiotic resistant micro-organisms called the superbugs may re-emerge as possible pandemics.

WHO reports that more than 50 million people are infected with Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis.  All of these cases are resistant to more than two to three antibiotics.  

  Disease, World Health Organisation (WHO)