2019-nCOV situation: 6 Feb 2020
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Pandemic Threats and Health Emergencies
2019-nCOV situation: 6 Feb 2020
Welcome to this special issue of the newsletter where we highlight latest research and policy news and literature on 2019-nCVO situation
Please send your feedback, articles and reports, or questions you would like to share to Dr. Chadia Wannous via email cwannous@yahoo.com
Wishing you useful reading!
Chadia
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Situation updates:
WHO situation report no 16-Erratum
https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200205-sitrep-16-ncov.pdf
- WHO RISK ASSESSMENT
China Very High
Regional Level High
Global Level High
Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) situation as of 06 February 2020, 16:00 (CET)
http://who.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/c88e37cfc43b4ed3baf977d77e4a0667
WHO says too early to say coronavirus peaking in China
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-who/who-says-too-early-to-say-coronavirus-peaking-in-china
WHO press briefings
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/media-resources/press-briefings
China’s National Health Commission Feb 5: Daily briefing on novel coronavirus cases in China
On Feb 4, 31 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland as well as the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps reported 3,887 new cases of confirmed infections (including 3,156 in Hubei province), 3,971 new cases of suspected infections (including 1,957 in Hubei province), 431 new serious cases (including 377 in Hubei province), and 65 deaths (including 65 in Hubei province). 262 patients were released from hospitals after being cured, including 125 in Hubei province.
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/2020-02/05/c_76219.htm
Fourth coronavirus case in Queensland confirmed as 37-year-old man from Wuhan, China
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-05/queensland-confirms-fourth-coronavirus-case-man-from-wuhan-china/11934390
Philippines DOH CONFIRMS 3RD 2019-NCOV ARD CASE IN PH
https://www.doh.gov.ph/doh-press-release/doh-confirms-3rd-2019-nCoV-ARD-case-in-PH
Countries with confirmed cases
China: 28060 Cases
Singapore: 30 Cases
Japan: 25 Cases
Thailand: 25 Cases
Republic of Korea: 23 Cases
Australia: 15 Cases
Malaysia: 14 Cases
Germany: 13 Cases
United States of America: 12 Cases
Viet Nam: 12 Cases
France: 6 Cases
Canada: 5 Cases
United Arab Emirates: 5 Cases
India: 3 Cases
Philippines: 3 Cases
United Kingdom: 3 Cases
Italy: 2 Cases
Russian Federation: 2 Cases
Cambodia: 1 Cases
Finland: 1 Cases
Nepal: 1 Cases
Sri Lanka: 1 Cases
Spain: 1 Cases
Sweden: 1 Cases
Belgium: 1 Cases
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Consequences of the Outbreak on Economy
China to halve tariffs on some U.S. imports as virus risks grow
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china-tariffs/china-to-halve-tariffs-on-some-u-s-imports-as-virus-risks-grow-idUSKBN2000C0
China wages 'people's war' on coronavirus as cruises, companies hit
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health/china-wages-peoples-war-on-coronavirus-as-cruises-companies-hit
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Control Measures
UN food agencies offer support to China amid coronavirus outbreak
the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the World Food Program (WFP) today jointly announced solidarity with China and offered support for its outbreak response. The FAO said it is working closely with other global groups to help identify possible animal hosts, IFAS said it will leverage its work in China to help impacted rural communities, and the WFP said it is prepared to help as needed.
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1259800/icode/
Initial Public Health Response and Interim Clinical Guidance for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Outbreak — United States, December 31, 2019–February 4, 2020
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6905e1.htm
2019 Novel Coronavirus—Important Information for Clinicians
Intensive care often needed
The virus, which shares similarities with both MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) and the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) virus, causes acute respiratory distress syndrome in about one third of patients that requires intensive care, writes Carlos del Rio, MD, of the Emory University School of Medicine, and Preeti N. Malani, MD, MSJ, of the University of Michigan, in the JAMA article.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2760782
WHO advice for the public: Myth busters
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters
WHO advice for the public: When and how to use masks
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/when-and-how-to-use-masks
Drugmakers see long road ahead in coronavirus vaccine race
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-vaccines/drugmakers-see-long-road-ahead-in-coronavirus-vaccine-race
CEPI and GSK announce collaboration to strengthen the global effort to develop a vaccine for the 2019-nCoV virus
(CEPI) CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and GSK today announced a new collaboration aimed at helping the global effort to develop a vaccine for the 2019-nCoV virus. In this new move GSK will make its established pandemic vaccine adjuvant platform technology available to enhance the development of an effective vaccine against 2019-nCoV.
https://cepi.net/news_cepi/cepi-and-gsk-announce-collaboration-to-strengthen-the-global-effort-to-develop-a-vaccine-for-the-2019-ncov-virus/
An Integrative Review of the Limited Evidence on Travel Bans as an Emerging Infectious Disease Disaster Control Measure
In our increasingly interconnected world, the potential for emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) to spread globally is of paramount concern. Travel bans—herein defined as the complete restriction of travel from at least one geographic region to at least one other international geographic region—are a potential policy solution to control the global spread of disease.
https://www.wmpllc.org/ojs/index.php/jem/article/view/2688
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China:
Huoshenshan Hospital now treating novel coronavirus patients
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/2020-02/05/c_76268.htm
China's Wuhan carries out disinfection operations to curb epidemic
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/2020-02/04/c_76270.htm
Antiviral drug Remdesivir to be applied in clinical trials on Feb 6
The registration for clinical trials on the antiviral drug Remdesivir has been approved, and the first batch of pneumonia patients infected by the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) are expected to start taking the drug on Feb 6, according to an official conference on Feb 5.
The drug has shown good antiviral activity against SARS and MERS coronavirus in previous cell and animal experiments. Its clinical trials against Ebola infections have been conducted abroad. In related domestic research, it has also shown fairly good antiviral activity against the 2019-nCoV at the cellular level, said Cao.
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/2020-02/06/c_76287.htm
Who owns the coronavirus cure? China’s move to patent Gilead’s experimental drug for the novel virus could lead to legal wrangle
https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3049227/who-owns-magic-cure-chinas-move-patent-gileads-experimental-drug-could
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Other Countries
CDC sends out nCoV test kits as Wisconsin confirms case
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2020/02/cdc-sends-out-ncov-test-kits-wisconsin-confirms-case
Equatorial Guinea Agrees on $2M Solidarity Contribution to Support China’s Fight Against Coronavirus
https://energychamber.org/2020/02/05/equatorial-guinea-agrees-on-2m-solidarity-contribution-to-support-chinas-fight-against-coronavirus/
Philippines DOH, Allied Agencies Set Up Quarantine Mechanisms For Repatriates
https://www.doh.gov.ph/doh-press-release/doh-allied-agencies-set-up-quarantine-mechanisms-for-repatriates
India Starts Checking Passengers From Singapore and Thailand for Virus
https://www.caixinglobal.com/2020-02-06/india-starts-checking-passengers-from-singapore-and-thailand-for-virus-101512292.html
Brunei donates masks to fight virus
A batch of 50,000 face masks, part of at least 150,000 masks being donated by Brunei, arrived on Wednesday in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to help it prevent and control the spread of the coronavirus.
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/2020-02/06/c_76289.htm
As virus boosts demand, French face mask factory ramps up output
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-france-masks/as-virus-boosts-demand-french-face-mask-factory-ramps-up-output
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Scientific publications and reports and news
Vertical transmission- Moms may pass virus to fetuses, expert suggests
Hubei province has confirmed two newborn infants are infected, both of which had mothers also infected with 2019-nCoV. One of the infants, delivered via Cesarean section, was tested shortly after delivery and found to be positive. The other tested positive in the third week of life. Both babies have symptoms. Medical experts from China are emphasizing that attention should be paid to the potential for infection in newborn infants.
http://en.nhc.gov.cn/2020-02/06/c_76290.htm
Wild animal link to coronavirus outbreak should revolutionise public health strategies
- Why do some people prefer to eat meat from freshly slaughtered animals? How can people be convinced to change their behaviour?
- A ‘one health’ approach, involving not just scientists but experts from disciplines such as economics and anthropology, could help
How fast can biotech come up with a vaccine for the latest outbreak?
https://www.statnews.com/2020/01/24/how-fast-biotech-vaccine-coronavirus/
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WHO Technical guidance
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance
- Surveillance and case definitions
- Laboratory guidance
- Clinical management for suspected novel coronavirus
- Home care for patients with suspected novel coronavirus
- Infection prevention and control
- Risk communications
- Readiness checklist
- Disease commodity package
- Reducing transmission from animals to humans
- Early investigations
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NEW Training course:
WHO Critical Care Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Training
This course is intended for clinicians who are working in intensive care units (ICUs) in low and middle-income countries and managing adult and pediatric patients with severe forms of acute respiratory infection (SARI), including severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock. It is a hands-on practical guide to be used by health care professionals involved in critical care management during outbreaks of influenza virus (seasonal) human infection due avian influenza virus (H5N1, H7N9), MERS-CoV, nCoV or other emerging respiratory viral epidemics.
https://openwho.org/courses/severe-acute-respiratory-infection
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Knowledge Sharing
Thank you for reading. If you have thoughts, feedback, story ideas, or questions you would like to share or interested in partnering with us on a special event coverage, please send a note to Chadia Wannous via email cwannous@yahoo.com