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OMS set up the IMST
WHO had set up the IMST (Incident Management Support Team) across the three levels of the organization: headquarters, regional headquarters and country level, putting the organization on an emergency footing for dealing with the outbreak. -
WHO reported on social media
WHO reported on social media that there was a cluster of pneumonia cases – with no deaths – in Wuhan, Hubei province. -
First disease outbreak news
WHO published our first Disease Outbreak News on the new virus. This is a flagship technical publication to the scientific and public health community as well as global media. It contained a risk assessment and advice, and reported on what China had told the organization about the status of patients and the public health response on the cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan. -
Technical guide to advise online
WHO issued a comprehensive package of technical guidance online with advice to all countries on how to detect, test and manage potential cases, based on what was known about the virus at the time. -
China share sequence of covid
China publicly shared the genetic sequence of COVID-19. -
Covid-19 in Thailand
Officials confirm a case of COVID-19 in Thailand, the first recorded case outside of China. -
WHO technical lead human transmition of coronavirus
WHO's technical lead for the response noted in a press briefing there may have been limited human-to-human transmission of the coronavirus (in the 41 confirmed cases), mainly through family members, and that there was a risk of a possible wider outbreak. -
Experts conduced brief field to visit Wuhan
WHO experts from its China and Western Pacific regional offices conducted a brief field visit to Wuhan. -
China issue statement
WHO mission to China issued a statement saying that there was evidence of human-to-human transmission in Wuhan but more investigation was needed to understand the full extent of transmission. -
Emergency committee
The WHO Director- General convened an Emergency Committee (EC) under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) to assess whether the outbreak constituted a public health emergency of international concern. -
Director General traveled to Beijing China
A senior WHO delegation led by the Director-General travelled to Beijing to meet China’s leadership, learn more about China’s response, and to offer any technical assistance. -
WHO releases the international community's Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan
WHO releases the international community's Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan to help protect states with weaker health systems. -
WHO convened a Research and Innovation Forum on COVID-19
WHO convened a Research and Innovation Forum on COVID-19, attended by more than 400 experts and funders from around the world, which included presentations by George Gao, Director General of China CDC, and Zunyou Wu, China CDC's chief epidemiologist. -
The WHO-China Joint the mission
The WHO-China Joint mission, which included experts from Canada, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, Russia, Singapore and the US (CDC, NIH) spent time in Beijing and also travelled to Wuhan and two other cities. -
Alarming levels of spread and severity
Deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction, WHO made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic. -
Covid-19 solidarity response
COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund launched to receive donations from private individuals, corporations and institutions. -
WHO and partners launch the Solidarity Trial
WHO and partners launch the Solidarity Trial, an international clinical trial that aims to generate robust data from around the world to find the most effective treatments for COVID-19. -
Belarus coronavirus death
Belarus reports its first coronavirus death. -
Spain supplants China as the country with the second-greatest
Spain supplants China as the country with the second-greatest number of recorded COVID-19 deaths. -
China advises foreign diplomats
China advises foreign diplomats to stay out of Beijing until May 15. -
6.6 million Americans file for unemployment claims in the past week
6.6 million Americans file for unemployment claims in the past week, bringing the total number of unemployment claims filed in the past three weeks to over 17 million. -
Japan declares a nation-wide state of emergency
Japan declares a nation-wide state of emergency. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approves a budget to include a ¥100,000 handout to all citizens regardless of income. -
Italy and Spain unveil plans to ease up on lockdown
Italy and Spain unveil plans to ease up on lockdown restrictions beginning on May 4. -
Trump administration considers phasing out coronavirus
Trump administration considers phasing out coronavirus task force. -
President Donald Trump announces
President Donald Trump announces he is taking hydroxychloroquine. -
WHO Director announces COVID-19 pandemic
WHO Director announces COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for 159,000 excess deaths in 24 European countries since early March. -
Italy reopens
Italy reopens its borders to tourists. -
Donald Trump announces he will ask Congress
Donald Trump announces he will ask Congress for extra economic stimulus. -
China publishes a white paper
China publishes a white paper, defending that it did not try to conceal the virus. -
Cases of pneumonia in China
Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, China, reported a cluster of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, Hubei Province. A novel coronavirus was eventually identified. -
WHO Director-General reconvened the Emergency Committee
The WHO Director-General reconvened the Emergency Committee (EC). This was earlier than the 10-day period and only two days after the first reports of limited human-to-human transmission were reported outside China.
