The World Health Organization, WHO, has declared the outbreak of a new coronavirus in China, a global health emergency.

The WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus made the announcement at a press conference in Geneva.

WHO’s emergency committee on the epidemic had reportedly met last Thursday and recommended designating the outbreak of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern, PHEIC.

The decision had been “almost unanimous,” Didier Houssin, chair of the emergency committee, said at the press conference.

“The main reason for this declaration is not because of what is happening in China, but because of what is happening in other countries,” Tedros said at the press conference.

“Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems and which are ill-prepared to deal with it. Let me be clear, this declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China. On the contrary, WHO continues to have confidence in China’s capacity to control the outbreak.”

Tedros also outlined recommendations made by the emergency committee to control the outbreak, including accelerating the development of vaccines and drugs and combatting the spread of misinformation.

This is the sixth time WHO has used that label, Public Health Emergency of International Concern, PHEIC. since the designation was introduced 15 years ago.

New Babies born in 2025 will be the first of a new generation – Generation Beta.

Members of Gen Beta will be born between the years 2025 and 2039, according to Australian social researcher Mark McCrindle. They’ll be the children of younger Millennials and older members of Gen Z.

Gen Beta will experience artificial intelligence and automation in every aspect of life, more so than previous generations, McCrindle says.

By 2035, Gen Beta is expected to make up 16% of the global population, and many members of the new generation are expected to live into the 22nd century.

Gen Beta follows Gen Alpha, those born from 2010 to 2024.

The National Hospital Abuja has appealed to the public for assistance in identifying an unconscious patient.

The middle-aged man was brought unconscious to the hospital’s Trauma ICU on December 21, 2024 by a good Samaritan and has been receiving medical treatment.

The hospital’s spokesperson, Dr. Tayo Haastrup, in a statement on Sunday, December 29, said the patient was reportedly involved in a road traffic accident along Jabi Express Road.

“The management of the hospital is hereby appealing to any member of the public whose relation has not been seen since the aforementioned date to please come to the Trauma ICU of the National Hospital Abuja for identification and further necessary action,” the statement added.