The World Health Organization has long warned of the potential of disease outbreaks and pandemics to threaten the health of people all over the world, and for the need for countries to be prepared to respond. And from capturing on 31 December 2019 the initial reporting of a cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China, to now, WHO has been responding rapidly, working closely in solidarity with and in support of governments around the world, to help countries, communities and individuals fight what is today known as the COVID-19 pandemic.