UPDATE AS OF FEBRUARY 17, 2020 2:00 PM EST
In its message to you posted on February 10 on this site and sent to all registered delegates on February 12, 2020, the organizers of the Micronutrient Forum 5th Global Conference and the Second Global Summit on Food Fortification committed to sharing updates with you every Monday with information about COVID-19, the novel coronavirus, and its potential impact on the Micronutrient Forum 5th Global Conference and the Global Summit on Food Fortification.
Previous Updates:
UPDATE AS OF FEBRUARY 10, 2020 10:00 AM PST
The Micronutrient Forum 5th Global Conference is being held as planned. We are monitoring the coronavirus situation closely, and we offer our sympathies to those affected. The WHO advises against the application of any restrictions of international traffic based on the information currently available. At present, we are following that guidance and will hold the 5th Global Conference as planned.
For more information, please see our detailed communication.
UPDATE AS OF JANUARY 30, 2020 3:30pm EST
Further to the Micronutrient Forum’s message from earlier today, the WHO has now declared the coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.
The statement from the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee acknowledges that, in general, evidence has shown that restricting the movement of people and goods during public health emergencies may be ineffective and may divert resources from other interventions.
We will continue to monitor the situation and update delegates on a regular basis.
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The Micronutrient Forum 5th Global Conference will take place in Bangkok, Thailand from March 23 to March 27, 2020 with more than 1,000 delegates from around the world.
As members of the global health community, we are concerned about the outbreak of the coronavirus, and we are tracking it carefully as it relates to our conference. Specifically, as various public health organizations update information; we are monitoring the situation carefully and are in communication with experts who work in organizations that have extensive experience responding to public health emergencies.
Presently the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this outbreak an emergency in China but not yet a global health emergency. Specifically the World Health Organisation is advising against the application of any restrictions of international traffic based on the information currently available. We will continue to check in with the WHO and various expert agencies as the situation unfolds, and the conference approaches.
At this time, we are not anticipating disruption to the Micronutrient Forum conference and are continuing our preparations. We look forward welcoming you to Bangkok at the Micronutrient Forum 5th Global Conference.