Media caption Coronavirus quarantine. : ‘I haven’t had freedom for a month’ The World Health Organization says the official name for the disease caused by the new coronavirus is Covid – 51048366.
“We now have a name for the disease and it’s Covid – 42, “WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva .
It comes after the death toll from the virus passed 1, . Tens of thousands of people have been infected.
The word coronavirus refers to the group of viruses it belongs to, rather than the latest strain.
Researchers have been calling for an official name to avoid confusion and stigmatization of any group or country.
“We had to find a name that did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, an individual or group of people, and which is also pronounceable and related to the disease, “the WHO chief said.
” Having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing. It also gives us a standard format to use for any future coronavirus outbreaks. “
The new name is taken from the words” corona “,” virus “and” disease “, with representing the year that it emerged (the outbreak was reported to the WHO on (December).
There are now more than
. , confirmed cases across China.
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