Thursday, January 23, 2020

On Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. local time (0200 UTC), Chinese officials shut off transportation networks of the city of Wuhan for outgoing residents, and advised Wuhan residents to limit their social interactions and remain in Wuhan except under urgent circumstances. The measures seek to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak that had killed 17 people as of that day.

The shutdown took place a week before the Lunar New Year with millions of Chinese people expected to travel for the holiday. Officials suspended outgoing flights, trains, ferries, buses, subways, and any long-distance public transportation networks to “effectively cut off the transmission of the virus, resolutely curb the spread of the epidemic, and ensure the health and safety of the people,” the Wuhan virus task force told state media. On Thursday, Ezhou city and Huanggang city were put under similar measures.

Zeng Guang, chief epidemiologist leading a team of experts at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention responding to the outbreak, said, “We hope people can avoid going to Wuhan if possible and that people in Wuhan can stay there. This is not a call from the officials but a suggestion from us in the expert team.”

Zhong Nanshan, pulmonologist leading a team of experts China’s National Health Commission, said, “There’s no specific drug to treat the infection at the moment.”

The coronavirus, named 2019-nCoV, is genetically similar to SARS and has flu-like symptoms. Chinese health officials confirmed a case of human-to-human transmission earlier. In 2002–03 the SARS outbreak claimed roughly 800 lives globally. As of Thursday, more than 600 cases of infection had been reported — 95 in critical condition, and recorded deaths in China rose overnight on Wednesday from nine to 17. All deaths were reported in Hubei, a province in Wuhan which lies at the epicenter of the outbreak.

Chinese authorities said they suspected the virus had mutated from illegal wild animals traded in the Huanan Seafood Market. The market was closed as of January 1 to contain and eradicate the virus, and live animal trading has been banned throughout the city.

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) held its second ongoing discussions at its Geneva headquarters to determine whether or not to raise emergency level to global — the highest level. It did not decide to raise the level.

Tedros Ghebreyesus, the director and general of the WHO, said, “The decision about whether or not to declare public health emergency of international concern is one I take extremely seriously and one I am only prepared to make with appropriate consideration of all the evidence.”

China has stepped up measures to prevent the situation from escalating: Health authorities increased screening of airport and train station passengers in Wuhan for possible signs of fever, and three major hospitals were expected to add 1,200 beds. Traffic police were to conduct more traffic checks in order to confiscate any birds and illegal wild animals. Beijing cancelled major public events.

Among advice experts have recommended to lower possibility of contracting the virus are:

• Maintaining proper hygiene, and avoiding touching nose and mouth with hands as these are entry point for viruses.
• Cooking meat and meals thoroughly.
• Avoiding places where someone has respiratory symptoms, for example sneezing and coughing.
• Cleaning the house regularly with effective cleaning products.

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