COVID-19 outbreak declared pandemic as it takes rising toll in Europe

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (L) speaks at a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on March 11, 2020.(Xinhua/Chen Junxia)

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday characterized the COVID-19 outbreak as a "pandemic."

The Geneva-based WHO's assessment came as the coronavirus has infected more than 20,000 people across Europe, forcing European countries to impose more travel restrictions, among others, to contain the spread of the virus.

UNPRECEDENTED PANDEMIC SPARKED BY CORONAVIRUS

"We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference on Wednesday.

"We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus. And we have never before seen a pandemic that can be controlled at the same time," Tedros added.

There are now more than 118,000 confirmed cases in 114 countries and regions, and 4,291 people have lost their lives, Tedros said.

He noted that the number of coronavirus cases, deaths, as well as affected countries, is expected to climb even higher in the days and weeks ahead.

Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change the WHO's assessment of the threat posed by the novel coronavirus, nor does it change what the WHO is doing and countries should do, Tedros said.

However, the WHO chief called on the international community to take urgent and aggressive action to contain the pandemic. "We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear," he said.

RISING DEATH TOLL ACROSS EUROPE

Four European countries -- Bulgaria, Albania, Ireland, and Belgium -- reported their first deaths from the COVID-19 on Wednesday, with the total number of infected cases in the four countries reaching seven, 12, 43, and 314 respectively, according to health authorities.

Denmark, the Netherlands and Finland saw their biggest daily jump of caseload on Wednesday. With 252, 121 and 21 new confirmed cases, respectively, in just one day, the total infections in the three countries rose to 514, 503 and 61.

In Italy, the hardest-hit country outside China, a total of 10,590 coronavirus infections were registered on Wednesday, up from 8,514 in the previous day, the Civil Protection Department stated.

In the day, 196 new fatalities were also recorded in Italy, bringing the death toll to 827 since the epidemic first appeared on Feb. 21. By far, Italy has reported a total of 12,462 accumulated COVID-19 cases.

France on Wednesday confirmed 2,281 coronavirus infection cases -- nearly 500 more than a day before, with 48 deaths and 105 patients hospitalized in intensive care.

In Spain, the total number of COVID-19 cases reached 2,181, of which 1,024 were in the Madrid region. The country has reported 49 coronavirus fatalities.

As to other parts of Europe, the total number of confirmed cases has risen to 1,567 in Germany, 500 in Stockholm, 456 in the UK, 246 in Austria, 99 in Greece, 59 in Portugal, 31 in Poland, 19 in Croatia, 18 in Serbia, 13 in Hungary, 10 in Latvia, 9 in North Macedonia, seven in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), six each in Cyprus and Malta, according to health authorities.