Vaccine for new coronavirus could be ready in 18 months: WHO

"So we have to do everything today using available weapons," said Tedros.

The disease caused by virus was officially named "COVID-19" at a conference in Geneva held by the World Health Organization, where the body's chief said countries had a chance of stopping its global spread.

As of Wednesday morning, the global nCoV death toll had climbed to 1,115 and confirmed infections topped 45,000, of whom over 4,500 have recovered.