Geneva: The World Health Organistion (WHO) on Thursday said that it was 'too early' to declare the outbreak of coronavirus in China as a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The WHO made this decision during the second meeting of the International Health Regulations (IHR) on Thursday. Twenty-five people have been killed after developing pneumonia-like symptoms and at least 830 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been reported in China by the end of Thursday. Out of 25 deaths, 24 deaths were reported in Hubei Province, while one took place in Hebei Province, Xinhua reported.

"I am not declaring a public health emergency of international concern today. As it was yesterday, the Emergency Committee was divided over whether the outbreak of novel coronavirus represents a PHEIC or not," Xinhua quoted WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a press conference after a closed-door meeting of the Emergency Committee, as saying.