WHO: Coronavirus not yet a global emergency

Despite mounting global concern and extraordinary measures taken in China to protect the public, the World Health Organization on Thursday (January 23) said it was too early to consider an international outbreak of a new virus to be a global emergency.

Speaking in Geneva, the W-H-O director said, "this is an emergency in China... but it has not yet become a global health emergency. It may yet become one." The W-H-O announcement comes as China imposed unprecedented measures to control the newly-identified coronavirus.

Most public transport in the city of Wuhan, population 11 million, was suspended on Thursday and people were told not to leave.

Video obtained by Reuters show empty market stalls, where people have been panic-buying and rushing to stock up on supplies.