Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19): Q and A on Global Implications and Responses
Abstract
In December 2019, hospitals in the city of Wuhan in Chinas Hubei Province began seeing cases of pneumonia of unknown origin. Chinese health authorities ultimately connected the condition, later named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), to a previously unidentified strain of coronavirus. The disease has spread to almost every country in the world, including the United States. WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020; raised its global risk assessment to Very High on February 28; and labeled the outbreak a pandemic on March 11. In using the term pandemic, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesuscited COVID-19s alarming levels of spread and severity and governments alarming levels of inaction. As of May 14,2020, WHO had reported more than 4.2 million COVID-19 cases, including almost 300,000 deaths, of which more than 40%of all cases and 55% of all deaths were identified in Europe, and more than 30% of all cases and nearly 30% of all deaths were identified in the United States. Members of Congress have demonstrated strong interest in ending the pandemic domestically and globally. To date, Members have introduced dozens of pieces of legislation on international aspects of the pandemic (see the Appendix).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 14, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1170155
Entities
People
- Tiaji Salaam-blyther
Organizations
- Library of Congress