"Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses with some causing less-severe disease, such as the common cold, and others more severe disease such as MERS and SARS. Some transmit easily from person to person, while others do not. According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people"
That seems very responsible reporting given that only 10 days after being made aware of it, WHO wouldn't have been able to gather any independent evidence. They said it could transmit easily from person to person, but it might not.
Certainly doesn't say anything along the lines of "there will be no human-human transmission", just calls (which were mostly unheeded in the west) for active monitoring and preparedness
Taiwan didn't get a first case until Jan 21st, which was someone who travelled from Wuhan. It wasn't until Jan 28th they had a domestic case which wasn't linked to Wuhan, so expecting the WHO to have independent evidence in mid January isn't realistic. They reported the evidence they had and pleaded with the world to take it seriously. Taiwan listened, Europe and America didn't.
https://web.archive.org/web/20200115194156/https://www.who.i...
"Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses with some causing less-severe disease, such as the common cold, and others more severe disease such as MERS and SARS. Some transmit easily from person to person, while others do not. According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people"
That seems very responsible reporting given that only 10 days after being made aware of it, WHO wouldn't have been able to gather any independent evidence. They said it could transmit easily from person to person, but it might not.
Statement on Jan 13th
https://web.archive.org/web/20200115230651/https://www.who.i...
Certainly doesn't say anything along the lines of "there will be no human-human transmission", just calls (which were mostly unheeded in the west) for active monitoring and preparedness
Taiwan didn't get a first case until Jan 21st, which was someone who travelled from Wuhan. It wasn't until Jan 28th they had a domestic case which wasn't linked to Wuhan, so expecting the WHO to have independent evidence in mid January isn't realistic. They reported the evidence they had and pleaded with the world to take it seriously. Taiwan listened, Europe and America didn't.