The World Health Organization (WHO) director-general said on Wednesday that measures being taken in the Chinese city of Wuhan to close down transport to limit spread of the new coronavirus showed commitment to minimizing risks locally and abroad.

"What they are doing is a very, very strong measure and with full commitment. So based on the situation they are taking the action they deem is appropriate, is very important,” WHO Director-General Tedros Ahanom Ghebreyesus said.

"We stressed to them that by having a strong action not only they will control the outbreak in their country but they will also minimize the chances of this outbreak spreading internationally. So they recognize that," he said.

WHO officials said that they have not seen third- or fourth-generation transmission of the virus in China or secondary-level spread in countries where it has spread.

The WHO said it will decide Thursday whether to declare a global emergency over the outbreak of the flulike virus spreading in and beyond China.