WHO's messaging service will aim to provide the latest news and information on the Coronavirus pandemic, including details on symptoms and how people can protect themselves and others. It will also provide the latest situation reports and numbers in real-time to help government decision-makers protect the health of their populations.

The service will be making this information available to everyone including government leaders, health workers, family and friends. 

The service can be accessed through a link that opens a conversation on WhatsApp. Users can simply type "hi" to activate the conversation, prompting a menu of options that can help answer their questions about COVID-19.

The WHO Health Alert was developed in collaboration with Praekelt.Org, using Turn machine learning technology.

For more information, visit www.who.int. You can also follow the WHO on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram