The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak in China a public health emergency of international concern Thursday as the first person-to-person transmission of the virus was reported in the U.S.
It is only the sixth time WHO has declared an international emergency of this kind.
It will mean a greater focus on a worldwide response and more screening at airports.
The WHO designation, pointing to an increase in the number of cases, indicates that international public-health authorities now consider the respiratory virus a significant threat beyond China, where it originated last month. The move could further heighten the global response to the outbreak.
The agency made the declaration after the second meeting of its emergency committee, which declined to do so twice last week. Since then, China, other governments and multinational businesses have taken emergency steps to limit the virus’s spread, including halting some travel to China.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the unprecedented outbreak had been met with an unprecedented response.
“Let me be clear, this declaration is not a vote of no-confidence in China,” he said.
“Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems.”
Airlines have started suspending flights to China in the wake of the outbreak, but the organisation does not recommend limiting trade and travel due to the virus outbreak.
The disease has at least killed 212 people in China, with nearly 8,000 cases confirmed by Chinese health authorities.
There have been nine confirmed cases of the virus in Australia.
The vast majority of the cases detected globally have been in China, where the virus originated in an illegal wildlife market in the city of Wuhan.
But nearly 100 cases have emerged in other countries, spurring cuts to travel, outbreaks of anti-China sentiment in some places and a surge in demand for protective face masks.