WHO warns overseas coronavirus spread may be 'tip of the iceberg'

he of World Health Organization said on Monday re have been "concerning instances" of coronavirus among people with travel history to China, warning that it could be "tip of iceberg", as he urged all countries to prepare for possible arrival of vel virus that has killed over 900 people.

Tedros ham Ghebreyesus lauded doctors, nurses and health workers for doing "ir utmost" at personal risk to contain epidemic, terming m "true heroes" of outbreak that first surfaced in December in Wuhan city in China's central Hubei province where millions of people are under lockdown in a bid to stop it from spreing.

"re've been some concerning instances of onward 2019nCoV spre from people with travel history to China. detection of a small number of cases may indicate more widespre transmission in or countries; in short, we may only be seeing tip of iceberg," tweeted Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO.

"In an evolving public health emergency, all countries must step up efforts to prepare for #2019nCoV's possible arrival and do ir utmost to contain it should it arrive. This means lab capacity for rapid diagsis, contact tracing and or tools in public health arsenal," he said.

death toll in China from vel coronavirus epidemic jumped to 908 and number of confirmed cases has risen over 40,000, Chinese health officials said on Monday.

Ghebreyesus said spre of coronavirus outside China appeared to be slowing, but could accelerate, warning that any breach in solidarity is a victory for virus.

"Containment remains our objective, but all countries must use window of opportunity created by containment strategy to prepare for virus's possible arrival," he said.

"In spirit of financial solidarity, dors have been stepping up, but we have t reached our goal of US$675 million for @WHO and vulnerable countries," Ghebreyesus said.

"Containment remains our objective, but all countries must use window of opportunity created by containment strategy to prepare for virus's possible arrival," he said.

A total of 908 people have died of coronavirus and 40,171 confirmed cases of infection were reported in 31 provincial-level regions so far, China's National Health Commission said on Monday.

By end of Sunday, 36 confirmed cases, including one death, h been reported in Hong Kong, 10 confirmed cases in Macao and 18 in Taiwan. Overseas, over 300 cases of coronavirus have been reported, including three from Kerala.

Outside China, re have been more than 350 infections reported in almost 30 places with two deaths, one in Philippines and or in Hong Kong.

Several countries have banned arrivals from China while major airlines have suspended flights to country.

China and countries around world are scrambling to contain spre of coronavirus which is wreaking havoc in China and abro. Apart from Germany, Britain and Italy, or European nations with cases of virus include France, Russia, Belgium, Sweden, Finland and Spain. PTI MRJ MRJ