Brazil still faces a “big challenge” in fighting the new coronavirus, a top World Health Organisation (WHO) official said on Monday, urging federal and state authorities there to work together more closely, according to Reuters.

“There is no question. Brazil is still facing a big challenge,” Mike Ryan, head of the WHO emergencies programme, told a virtual briefing. He described the situation in the Americas generally as “difficult”.

Asked by a journalist to react to US President Donald Trump’s use of the term “kung flu” or other references to the virus as being Chinese, Ryan urged the use of an “international discourse that is based on mutual respect”.

“Many people around the world have used unfortunate language in this response,” he said. “We try to focus on the way ahead, try to focus on what we need to do.”