World Health Organization says COVID-19 means ‘coronavirus disease 2019’ – not 'China outbreak virus'

The claim was made on Twitter here on February 12, 2020. "#COVID19 stands for China Outbreak Virus in December 19," the tweet reads. 

Below is a screenshot of the misleading post: 

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Similar claims were also shared on Twitter here, here and here; on Instagram here, here and here; on Reddit here; on Facebook here; and on Weibo here. 

The claim is false; the WHO announced that COVID-19, which has now killed at least 1,300 and infected nearly 60,000 in China, stands for “coronavirus disease 2019.” 

"We now have a name for the disease and it is COVID-19. And I will spell it, C-O-V-I-D-hyphen-one-nine," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference on February 12, 2020. “‘CO’, C-O, stands for corona, ‘VI’ stands for virus, ‘D’ for disease, so ‘COVID’.” 

Daily media briefing on #2019nCoV with @DrTedros https://t.co/rIOrFuLckE

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) February 11, 2020

Tedros added that the WHO chose a name "that did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, an individual or a group of people, and which is also pronunciable and related to the disease." 

“Having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatising. It also gives us a standard format to use for any future coronavirus outbreak," he said. 

The WHO also tweeted the new name for the disease in this February 12 post: “We now have a name for the #2019nCoV disease: COVID-19. I’ll spell it: C-O-V-I-D hyphen one nine – COVID-19" - @DrTedros #COVID19”.

? BREAKING ?

"We now have a name for the #2019nCoV disease:

COVID-19.

I’ll spell it: C-O-V-I-D hyphen one nine – COVID-19"

-@DrTedros #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/Kh0wx2qfzk

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) February 11, 2020

According to WHO guidelines on “Best Practices for the Naming of New Human Infectious Disease,” geographical locations, people's names, species/class of animal or food, cultural, population, industry or occupational references and terms that incite fear should be avoided.  

Below is a screenshot of the guidelines: 

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