Coronavirus Live Updates: Iran Reports 2 Coronavirus Deaths

The restrictive measures adopted by China delayed the spread of the virus to other countries by two to three weeks, World Health Organization officials said on Tuesday.

Harsh internal measures — like canceling train, bus and airline travel; closing schools and factories; and pressuring citizens to stay home — slowed the virus’s spread from Wuhan to the rest of China by two to three days, they added.

“Right now, the strategic and tactical approach in China is the correct one,” said Dr. Michael Ryan, the agency’s chief of emergency response.

“You can argue whether in this case they are excessive or restrictive on people, but there is an awful lot at stake here in terms of public health — and not only public health within China.”

Some health experts have condemned China’s restrictions, saying they could lead to panic, economic hardship, stigmatization of Chinese people, difficulty moving supplies to affected areas and possibly a recession. On Jan. 30, as it declared China’s outbreak a public health emergency, the World Health Organization advised against restricting travel or trade.

In the past, agency officials — including the director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus — lavishly praised China’s sacrifices and leadership but declined to comment on its use of harsh measures. At the same time, agency officials reiterated that they opposed travel restrictions by other countries.

On Wednesday, a global ministerial summit on patient safety planned in Switzerland this month, was postponed. The Swiss authorities said in a statement that “numerous participants” had to remain in their own countries to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

Reporting and research were contributed by Motoko Rich, Alexandra Stevenson, Choe Sang-Hun, Russell Goldman, Gerry Mullany, Austin Ramzy, Steven Lee Myers, Anton Troianovski, Ivan Nechepurenko, Hannah Beech, Richard C. Paddock, Tiffany May, Elaine Yu, Elizabeth Paton, Rachel Nuwer and Donald G. McNeil Jr.