Coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, World Health Organization declares

WHO hasn't declared a pandemic since the 2009 outbreak of H1N1

The World Health Organization declared the global coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on Wednesday.

WHO hasn't declared a pandemic since the 2009 outbreak of H1N1.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PANDEMIC AND EPIDEMIC?

The declaration means that countries could implement "higher-level, emergency-grade response plans at state and local levels," according to WHO.

The declaration comes as more than 118,000 cases of the virus have been reported around the world. That includes more than 1,000 cases in the U.S.

The global death count was 4,290 as of Wednesday.

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