The World Health Organization held an emergency meeting on Wednesday to consider whether to declare the coronavirus outbreak a global health emergency. (Photo: via WHO twitter account)

China will keep close contact and timely report the latest pneumonia situation to relevant countries and regions of the World Health Organization (WHO), Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said Thursday.

The WHO held the first meeting of the emergency committee on the new coronavirus on Wednesday. 

Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus didn’t declare a global public emergency over the outbreak. He told reporters that the WHO will continue discussions on whether to make the announcement at the second meeting Thursday.

“As far as I know, all parties will continue to maintain close communication and collaboration on the research of the situation and adjustment of prevention and control measures,” Geng said.

China will continue to uphold an open and highly responsible attitude towards global health security, timely reporting the situation to the WHO, Geng added.

“We also believe that the WHO emergency committee can make scientific, impartial and reasonable analysis and judgment on the situation based on facts,” Geng stressed.