https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/who-declares-coronavirus-outbreak-a-global-health-emergency/

The World Health Organization on Thursday declared the outbreak of a novel coronavirus a global health emergency, an acknowledgement of the risk the virus poses to countries beyond its origin in China and of the need for a more coordinated international response to the outbreak.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made the announcement following a meeting of the WHO’s emergency committee. Last week, the committee had recommended that a public health emergency of international concern, or PHEIC, not be declared yet because of limited spread of the virus outside of China.