GENEVA — The World Health Organization has warned that the world should prepare for a potential coronavirus pandemic.<br /><br />Outbreaks of COVID-19 have emerged in South Korea, Italy, and Iran, causing concern and prompting the WHO to say countries should be in 'a phase of preparedness' for a possible pandemic.<br /><br />The BBC reports that a pandemic occurs when an infectious disease easily spreads from person to person across many parts of the world.<br /><br />Thus far, the outbreak has been centered in China, where the virus originated. Over 77,000 people have been infected, and 2,600 have died.<br /><br />South Korea currently has 830 confirmed cases – the largest number outside China. Eight have died, and 7,700 troops are now quarantined after at least 13 in the military were found to be infected.<br /><br />Most of the country's cases are in Daegu, where clusters have been linked to a hospital and a secretive religious group.<br /><br />The largest number of cases in Europe – at least 229 – are in Italy. To contain the outbreak, authorities have locked down several towns in the Lombardy and Veneto regions.<br /><br />Iran also has 61 confirmed cases, the majority of which is in the holy city of Qom.<br />According to the BBC, cases have also been reported in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain, all of which involve people who came from Iran.
