看新聞學英語：回顧新冠肺炎全球大流行 I-ALL+互动英语

COVID-19 grows from Wuhan outbreaks the global pandemic. When the coronavirus shut down the Chinese city of Wuhan in January,the world looked on from what many considered a safe distance.

On Mach 12th,as some world leaders still try to downplay COVID-19,the World Health Organization declared the pandemic. Fears the COVID-19 might take hundreds and thousands of lives and push economies into recession ,finally began to take hold.

Importantly,officials took measure to ensure an ample supply equipment such as masks and forehead thermometers. In February,the disease spread outside East Asia forming new epicenter in Italy,Iran and Spain.

By the end of February,it was testing tens of thousands weekly. Taiwan is just about 130 kilometres from the mainland coast and with its SARS experience 17 years earlier was quick to act. By late January,the government had stablished a command centre and began planning.

As COVID-19 spread around China,emptying streets and shutting down the Chinese economy,South Korea found itself battling the largest outbreak outside of China. The country was quick to institute mass testing to help contain the spread.

Too few realised that the disease would quickly grow into one of the worst pandemics in recent history. Many nearby governments saw the danger and took immediate precautions.