GENEVA — Of the around 80,000 reported cases of COVID-19 in China, more than 70 percent have recovered and been discharged, the chief of World Health Organization (WHO) said on March 9.

Among the countries with the most cases, China is bringing its epidemic under control, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a daily briefing.

Tedros stressed that the transmission of coronavirus can be slowed down and infections can be prevented through decisive and early actions.

"Countries that continue finding and testing cases and tracing their contacts not only protect their own people, they can also affect what happens in other countries and globally," said Tedros.

He called on all countries to take a comprehensive blended strategy for controlling their epidemics and pushing this virus back.