Focus Taiwan
Date: 01/24/2020
By: Tang Pei-chun and Frances Huang

A medical worker treats a coronavirus-infected patient at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University on Jan. 22 (Photo courtesy of China News Service)

Brussels, Jan. 23 (CNA) Officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) were questioned Thursday about Taiwan's exclusion from the organization and its global disease prevention efforts amid escalating fears over the spread of a new coronavirus that originated in China.

At an international news conference after a two-day WHO emergency meeting in Geneva to discuss the deadly new coronavirus, a reporter asked whether the WHO would consider accepting Taiwan as a member and would exchange information about the virus, as diseases know no borders.

In response, Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO Health Emergencies Program, said only that his organization works "very closely with technical partners in China, Taiwan," referring to Taiwan.

He said that during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Taiwan in 2003, the WHO provided technical support to Taiwan.    [FULL  STORY]