WHO says coronavirus will be called Covid-19

New Delhi: The World Health Organisation on February 11, said, “Covid-19” would be the new official name for the deadly coronavirus that was first identified in China on December 31.

The head of the World Health Organisation warned the novel coronavirus was a “very grave threat” for the world as he spoke at a conference to combat the epidemic.

The death toll in China due to the novel coronavirus epidemic has crossed 1,000, while the confirmed cases have gone over 42,000, health officials announced.

In the meantime, an Indian has been diagnosed with the coronavirus in the UAE, bringing the total number of confirmed infection cases to eight, the health ministry said.