June 30 coronavirus news

By Nectar Gan, Adam Renton, Melissa Macaya, Meg Wagner and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 12:02 a.m. ET, July 1, 2020
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1:04 a.m. ET, June 30, 2020

WHO is sending a team to China to research "how the virus started"

From CNN Health’s Amanda Watts

Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images
Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

The World Health Organization is sending a team to China to better understand how the novel coronavirus started, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a briefing on Monday.

“Knowing the source of the virus is very, very important,” Tedros said. “We can find the virus better when we know everything about the virus, including how it started.” 

“We will be sending a team next week to China to prepare for that,” he said.  

Tedros said he hopes the visit will lead to “understanding how the virus started and what we can do for the future to prepare.” 

Tedros said the team will head to China next week. 

1:07 a.m. ET, June 30, 2020

WHO director-general says the pandemic "is not even close to being over"

From CNN Health's Jacqueline Howard

World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a press conference at the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 25.
World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus attends a press conference at the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 25. Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP

The coronavirus pandemic is far from coming to an end any time soon, according to World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"This is not even close to being over," Tedros said during a media briefing in Geneva on Monday.

"Although many countries have made some progress globally, the pandemic is actually speeding up. We're all in this together and we're all in this for the long haul," Tedros said. "We have already lost so much but we cannot lose hope."

Tedros also said that Tuesday marks six months since WHO first received reports of cases of pneumonia in China from an unknown cause -- which would later be identified as caused by novel coronavirus infection.

"The six-month anniversary of the outbreak coincides with reaching 10 million cases and 500,000 deaths," Tedros said on Monday.
"This is a moment for all of us to reflect on the progress we have made and the lessons we have learned, and to recommit ourselves to doing everything we can to save lives," Tedros said. "Six months ago, none of us could have imagined how our world -- and our lives -- would be thrown into turmoil by this new virus."