UN officials urge greater global effort to contain virus

The World Health Organization continues to call on countries to take measures to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, as the number of cases approaches 100,000.

In an update on Friday, the WHO announced that there was a total of 98,023 cases globally and 3,380 deaths.

"As cases increase, we are continuing to recommend that all countries make containment their highest priority," the WHO's Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.

Tedros said slowing down the epidemic saves lives, and it buys time for preparedness and for research and development. "Every day we can slow down the epidemic is another day hospitals can prepare themselves for cases," he said.

"Every day we slow down the epidemic is another day governments can prepare their health workers to detect, test, treat and care for patients. Every day we slow down the epidemic is another day closer to having vaccines and therapeutics, which can in turn prevent infections and save lives,"

The WHO has received applications for review and approval of 40 diagnostic tests. It said that 20 vaccines are in development and many clinical trials of therapeutics are underway.

On Friday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet warned that it is essential that governments introducing measures to impede the spread of COVID-19 undertake a range of additional actions to reduce the potentially negative impact such measures may have on people's lives.

"As a medical doctor, I understand the need for a range of steps to combat COVID-19, and as a former head of government, I understand the often difficult balancing act when hard decisions need to be taken," said Bachelet, who served twice as Chilean president and is a physician by training.

"However our efforts to combat this virus won't work unless we approach it holistically, which means taking great care to protect the most vulnerable and neglected people in society, both medically and economically," she said in a statement.