LONDON -- As cases of the coronavirus surge in Italy, Iran, South Korea, the U.S. and elsewhere, many scientists say it is plain that the world is in the grips of a pandemic -- a serious global outbreak.
The World Health Organization has so far declined to use the word, saying it might spook the world further and lead some countries to lose hope of containing the virus.
Experts acknowledge that declaring a pandemic is politically fraught but say doing so will help countries prepare for the virus's eventual arrival.