Coronavirus has 'peaked and plateaued' in China: WHO

The World Health Organization said Monday the outbreak of the deadly new coronavirus has "peaked" in China, where new cases have been declining since early February.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that a mission of international experts determined that in China "the epidemic peaked and plateaued between the 23rd of January and the 2nd of February and has been declining steadily since then".

'Iran, Italy, S.Korea virus cases 'deeply concerning''

The jump in new coronavirus cases in Iran, Italy and South Korea in recent days is "deeply concerning", the head of the World Health Organization said on Monday.

"The sudden increase of cases in Italy, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of Korea are deeply concerning," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.

'World must prepare for 'potential pandemic''

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that so far, the WHO does not consider the outbreak that has killed more than 2,600 people a pandemic, but said countries should be "doing everything we can to prepare for a potential pandemic."