GENEVA, March 7 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that the spread of COVID-19 can be significantly slowed or even reversed through implementing robust containment and control activities as the number of cases worldwide has surpassed 100,000.

China and other countries are demonstrating that the spread of the virus can be slowed and impact reduced through the use of universally applicable actions, WHO said in a statement, referring to measures such as working across society to identify people who are sick, bringing them to care, following up on contacts, preparing hospitals and clinics to manage a surge in patients, and training health workers.

It underlined that containing and slowing the spread of the virus helps buy time for health systems and all of society to prepare and for researchers to identify effective treatments and develop vaccines.

"Allowing uncontrolled spread should not be a choice of any government, as it will harm not only the citizens of that country but affect other countries as well," it said.

The WHO said it will continue to work with all countries, partners and expert networks to coordinate the international response, develop guidance, distribute supplies, share knowledge and provide people with the information so as to protect themselves and others.

According to WHO's daily COVID-19 situation report, as of 10:00 am CET on Saturday, there has been 101,927 confirmed cases reported worldwide and 3,486 deaths.■