The U.N. secretary general has told The Associated Press that the virus outbreak that began in China poses “a very dangerous situation” for the world but “is not out of control.”

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Antonio Guterres said in an interview Tuesday that “the risks are enormous and we need to be prepared worldwide for that.” The outbreak has infected more than 73,000 people globally.

The World Health Organization has named the illness COVID-19, referring to its origin late last year and the coronavirus that causes it. Egypt recently reported its first case of the virus, raising fears of its spread to the African continent.