GENEVA (Feb 24): The 2019 novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak can still be beaten, the World Health Organization said on Monday, insisting it is premature to declare it as a pandemic, even though it has the potential to reach that level.

"The key message that should give all countries hope, courage and confidence is that this virus can be contained, indeed there are many countries that have done exactly that," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference in Geneva.