The new coronavirus has been declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization, (WHO) as the outbreak continues to spread outside china.

WHO Chief, Tedros Adhanom says, the declaration was not a result of what is happening in China, but due to the virus’s impact in other countries.

He notes that the concern is that the coronavirus could spread to countries with weaker health systems.

The death toll now stands at 170 people in china.

The WHO declares a public health emergency of international concern, when there is an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk, to other states through the international spread of the disease.

The WHO has previously declared five global health emergencies: the swine flu in 2009, polio in 2014, zika in 2016 and ebola in 2014 and 2019.