WHO: Coronavirus epidemic has not reached its peak

"The epidemic of a new type of coronavirus has not yet reached its peak," WHO representative in China, Gauden Galea, said.

"The best sign is to see the numbers (the number of infected – ed.) reach a peak and then decline, even after the incubation period. We are not at this stage yet," Galea said.

According to him, at this stage, it is not yet possible to conclude that the containment of the virus in Chinese Wuhan and nearby cities "worked."

Moreover, Galea noted that last week there was a decline in the number of new infected and suspected cases in Hubei province and its capital, Wuhan, for several days. "All these figures allow us to 'breathe a sigh of relief,'" he added.

"We are glad to see that the numbers are going down, not up," the WHO representative added.