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A pair of goggles made by a 3D printer in China. PA Images

Deadly coronavirus given official name 'Covid-19'

The WHO said the name was chosen so as not to refer to a place, animal or group of people.

THE WORLD HEALTH Organisation has said that “Covid-19″ would be the new official name for the deadly coronavirus that was first identified in China on 31 December.

“We now have a name for the disease and it’s Covid-19,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva, explaining that “co” stood for “corona”, “vi” for “virus” and “d” for “disease”.

Covid-19 is a new strain of coronavirus that is  the seventh known type of coronavirus that humans can contract.

It belongs to a broad family of viruses that range from the common cold to more serious illnesses such as SARS.

Dr Ghebreyesus told a press conference that a name was decided 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”.

“Having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatising. It also gives us a standard format to use for any future coronavirus outbreaks.”

The WHO had earlier given the virus the temporary name of “2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease” and China’s National Health Commission this week said it was temporarily calling it “novel coronavirus pneumonia” or NCP.

Speaking on the first day of an international scientific conference in Geneva that will look at possible vaccine options to combat the virus, Tedros also said he saw a “realistic chance” of stopping the outbreak.

“We are not defenceless,” he said.

We have to use the current window of opportunity to hit hard and stand in unison to fight this virus in every corner. If we don’t we could have far more cases and far higher costs on our hands.

The death toll from the deadly outbreak in mainland China has now passed 1,000 people, Chine health authorities said today.

- With reporting by © – AFP 2019

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35 Comments
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    Mute Aishling Keogh
    Favourite Aishling Keogh
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    Aug 21st 2012, 4:05 PM

    Niall have some empathy for this mans family, he suffered a horrific death, RIP, my thoughts are with his family at this sad time :(

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    Mute Joan Featherstone
    Favourite Joan Featherstone
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    Aug 21st 2012, 8:39 PM

    Sorry ‘bad’ taste!

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    Mute Michael Stamp
    Favourite Michael Stamp
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    Aug 21st 2012, 9:45 AM

    A surreal and terrible way to die.

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    Mute Lorraine Furlong
    Favourite Lorraine Furlong
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    Aug 21st 2012, 10:13 AM

    Pure Evil , Rip . . . :-(

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    Mute Sean Quigley
    Favourite Sean Quigley
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    Aug 21st 2012, 7:44 PM

    sorry man dont get it!! how can she be released and detained at the same time??

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    Mute Edward Carr
    Favourite Edward Carr
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    Aug 21st 2012, 7:50 PM

    Is that necessary Niall?rip walter

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    Mute pip white
    Favourite pip white
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    Aug 21st 2012, 7:45 PM

    It is awful. but his daughter told the newspapers all about it. Is that not worse!

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    Mute Joan Featherstone
    Favourite Joan Featherstone
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    Aug 21st 2012, 8:39 PM

    Niall, Love a laugh, but that remark was really really taste!

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    Mute Niall
    Favourite Niall
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    Aug 22nd 2012, 1:16 AM

    They removed my comment! :( now that’s censorship! All of you hop off your bloody morality pedestal and realise this mans death is no more or less significant than any other death that is regularly joked about!

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    Mute Emma louise coffey
    Favourite Emma louise coffey
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    Aug 22nd 2012, 2:10 AM

    Strangely enough most people don’t find the death of a person funny… you idiot Neil!

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    Mute Michael Stamp
    Favourite Michael Stamp
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    Aug 22nd 2012, 9:52 AM

    Have to agree with Niall. . .There must be respect for the family but it IS an unusual story and one which if it happened abroad would be joked about. The “pure evil” comment is really funny, though. Down with this sort of thing!

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