Key questions on WHO's 'emergency' declaration

The World Health Organization on Thursday declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, or PHEIC, after an emergency committee reconvened in Geneva, Switzerland, citing human-to-human infections have been confirmed in other countries.

Here are answers to some key questions:

What is a PHEIC?

International Health Regulations (2005) define a PHEIC as an extraordinary event which constitutes a public health risk to other states through the international spread of disease and potentially requires a coordinated international response.

This definition implies a situation that is serious, unusual or unexpected; carries implications for public health beyond the affected state's national border; and may require immediate international action.

The responsibility for determining whether an event falls within this category lies with the WHO director-general and requires the convening of a panel of experts known as the IHR Emergency Committee. The committee can make a recommendation on whether to declare a PHEIC, but ultimately that decision rests solely on the director-general's shoulders.

What does a PHEIC entail?

With the PHEIC now in place, the WHO will send a series of recommendations to member states aimed at controlling the spread of the disease and providing support to affected areas.

These will include recommended containment measures for health authorities and possible future transport advisories designed to mitigate the cross-border spread of the disease while at the same time limiting disruption to travel and trade.

The WHO can recommend border measures such as visa or import bans, border closures, flight cancellations and even passenger screenings.

While a PHEIC is in effect, the WHO director-general shall issue temporary recommendations to member states, including: placing suspected cases under public health observation; refusing to allow people suspected of carrying the virus from entering or leaving; implementing exit screening or restrictions on people from affected areas; or implementing treatment of baggage, cargo, containers, conveyances, goods, postal parcels to remove infection or contamination.

Has a PHEIC ever been declared before?

Yes. This is the sixth time that the WHO has declared a PHEIC since the designation was adopted in 2005. Declarations were announced previously for the H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009, outbreaks of polio and Ebola in 2014, the Zika virus epidemic in 2016 and an ongoing Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

How long do the PHEIC and temporary recommendations last?

Under the IHR(2005), temporary recommendations automatically expire three months after their issuance. Emergency committees are therefore reconvened at least once every three months to review the current epidemiological situation and to review whether the event continues to be a PHEIC and whether changes need to be made to the temporary recommendations.