https://openwho.org/courses/introduction-to-ncov

Course information

Course contents

• Emerging respiratory viruses, including nCoV: Introduction:

  This brief introduction provides an overview of emerging respiratory viruses, including nCoV.

• Module A: Introduction to Emerging respiratory viruses, including nCoV:

  Overall learning objective: To be able to explain why an emerging respiratory virus, including nCoV are a global threat to human health

• Module B: Detecting Emerging respiratory viruses, including nCoV: Surveillance and Laboratory investigation:

  Overall learning objective: To describe how to detect and assess an emerging respiratory virus outbreak

• Module C: Risk Communication and Community Engagement:

  Overall learning objective: To describe what strategies should be used to communicate risk and engage communities to detect, prevent and respond to nCoV

https://www.weforum.org/projects/pandemic-supply-chain-network-pscn

Partners will build a pandemic-ready supply chain network, the Pandemic Supply Chain Network (PSCN), through global public-private collaboration that connects various organizations involved in an emergency supply chain operations to ensure timely delivery of critical health supplies to the people who need it most.

PSCN aims to:

• Contribute to public sector, industry, and civil society outreach and consultation, and as such, provide input into WHO’s development of the disease commodity packages.

• Operationalise a mechanism/multistakeholder platform to support coordination and visibility into production, availability, and strategic allocation of strategic commodities, services, and other critical resources essential to managing large outbreaks of international concern.

PANDEMIC SUPPLY CHAIN NETWORK

The new Pandemic Supply Chain Network, a collaboration between the World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum, has begun convening calls with 350 private sector organizations and 10 multilateral organizations to assess the market capacity and risk to global personal protection equipment production. The results of the assessment are expected Feb. 5.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/statement-press-secretary-regarding-presidents-coronavirus-task-force/

EPI UPDATES According to China’s National Health Commission there are 7,711 confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV in China, with 170 deaths, 170 discharges, 12,167 suspected cases, and 81,947 contacts currently under medical observation. China CDC is reporting cases in 31 of the 33 national provinces. Outside of China, there are 68 confirmed cases in 17 countries. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted that local human to human transmission of the virus has been reported in Vietnam, Japan, and Germany.

India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare confirmed the country’s first case, a student in Kerala who had recently returned from studying in Wuhan. The Philippines confirmed its first case, a 38-year-old woman who recently traveled to Wuhan.

https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200127-sitrep-7-2019–ncov.pdf?sfvrsn=98ef79f5_2

SITUATION IN NUMBERS

Globally  2798 confirmed

China

2741 confirmed

5794 suspected  

461 severe    

80 deaths         

Outside of China       37 confirmed      11 countries

WHO RISK ASSESSMENT
China Very High

Regional Level High

Global Level High

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and colleagues are in Beijing to meet with government and health experts supporting the response. The mission’s aim is to understand the latest developments and strengthen the partnership with China, in particular for the response. • Current estimates of the incubation period of the virus range from 2-10 days, and these estimates will be refined as more data become available. Understanding the time when infected patients may transmit the virus to others is critical for control efforts. Detailed epidemiological information from more people infected is needed to determine the infectious period of 2019nCoV, in particular whether transmission can occur from asymptomatic individuals or during the incubation period.  WHO requests countries to notify WHO of cases following the guidance included in: https://www.who.int/publications-detail/global-surveillance-forhuman-infection-with-novel-coronavirus-(2019-ncov) • WHO is continually monitoring developments and on standby to reconvene the Emergency Committee on very short notice as needed. Committee members are regularly informed of developments.

http://www.nhc.gov.cn/xcs/yqtb/202001/ec9fe7ea987d467d9462e7db509079e6.shtml

From the NYT

Here’s what you need to know:

• Death toll exceeds 100 as number of infections skyrockets.
• Hong Kong puts significant limits on travel from the mainland. 
• Shortage of test kits in hot zone prompts concern that cases have been underreported.
• Mystery virus strains China’s already broken health care system.
• World Health Organization buries updated global risk assessment in a footnote.
• C.D.C. urges travelers to avoid nonessential trips to China.
• Worries rise about the outbreak’s economic impact.

NYT: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/21/health/cdc-coronavirus.html?campaign_id=60&instance_id=0&segment_id=20511&user_id=3687e92f198095ba3d1794e4b91748ea&regi_id=23031643

“……He was hospitalized with pneumonia last week, and infection with the coronavirus was confirmed on Monday afternoon.

Local officials declined to identify the patient, who was said to be quite ill……”