Admin Posted January 9, 2020 Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 He Bailiang urges Mainland to publish Wuhan pneumonia virus gene map rapid development test Hong Kong time January 09 (Thu) 11:10 Update10:30 Established He Bailiang urged the Mainland to publish the genetic map of Wuhan pneumonia as soon as possible. 1/3 Chinese media released expert test results confirming that Wuhan pneumonia is a new type of coronavirus. He Bailiang, director of HKU Infection and Infectious Diseases Center, said on the 9th that live wild game was sold in Wuhan Wet Market, which belongs to the source, and he called on the Mainland to publish a virus gene map To allow Hong Kong to develop a rapid test virus, and also to point out what animals have been sold in the South China Seafood Market is the focus. They are worried that the supply chain will be sold elsewhere. You must track down as soon as possible to prevent the virus from spreading. He also pointed out that there are many types of coronaviruses. The natural host is bats. SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome are members of the coronavirus family. In addition to bats, other different animals can still carry different types of coronaviruses. If animals with coronaviruses are invaded by humans, such as live game sales, there may be genetic mutations when different types of animals are trapped together. The virus was originally only transmitted by animals, but can also be changed from person to person. He reminded the public to improve personal hygiene. The transmission of new coronavirus mainly depends on droplets. In the past, SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome have known that urine and feces can carry the coronavirus. Therefore, the public should crowd more people. Wear a mask and wash your hands frequently, and use disinfectant before cleaning. https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/news/20200109/bkn-20200109103026076-0109_00822_001_cn.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted January 9, 2020 Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 Yuan Guoyong urges Wuhan pneumonia to be passed on from person to person, not to let the first case pass Hong Kong time January 09 (Thu) 11:15 Yuan Guoyong was worried that the first case would enter the hospital and eventually cause a serious epidemic. The outbreak of unexplained viral pneumonia in Wuhan City, Hubei has attracted attention from all walks of life. The internal media today (9th) announced the results of expert tests, confirming that the pneumonia is a new type of coronavirus. Yuan Guoyong, Chair Professor of the Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, said that this discovery is close to the previous predictions of Hong Kong experts, because all the coronaviruses found in the past can be transmitted from person to person. The number of cases is not large, and it may not be possible to judge how efficient the virus is from person to person. However, Yuan believes that the new virus should be treated as a person-to-person transmission, and hospital infection control measures should be taken well. The public must also be alert to personal hygiene. Yuan pointed out that at present the most important thing is to maintain the level of epidemic prevention and prevent the introduction of the first case, saying that the overcrowding of medical wards in Hong Kong public hospitals is serious. If the first case enters the hospital without isolation, it will cause a serious epidemic, The virus will be genetically altered during human-to-human cross-infection, increasing the efficiency of transmission. In addition, he also pointed out that Wuhan South China Seafood City, which had the first case, will be closed for two weeks next weekend, which is beyond the virus incubation period. If there are no new cases, then the epidemic can be assumed to be over. https://hk.on.cc/hk/bkn/cnt/news/20200109/bkn-20200109111527739-0109_00822_001.html?eventsection=hk_news&eventid=402883476ed4097c016f5a39f2c63fde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 1 hr interview repeats at 2 AM ET Dr Henry Niman PhDA New Mystery Epidemic In China Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 4 minutes ago, niman said: 1 hr interview repeats at 2 AM ET Dr Henry Niman PhDA New Mystery Epidemic In China https://www.renseradio.com/listenlive.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 Chinese report says illnesses may be from new coronavirus By YANAN WANG and MIKE STOBBE39 minutes ago FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2020, file photo, a health surveillance officer monitors passengers arriving at the Hong Kong International airport in Hong Kong. A preliminary investigation into viral pneumonia illnesses sickening dozens of people in and around China has identified the possible cause as a new type of coronavirus, state media said Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020. In Hong Kong, 15 patients with symptoms of respiratory illness were being treated as of Sunday. (AP Photo/Andy Wong, File) BEIJING (AP) — A preliminary investigation into viral pneumonia illnesses sickening dozens of people in and around China has identified the possible cause as a new type of coronavirus, state media said Thursday. Chinese health authorities did not immediately confirm the report from state broadcaster CCTV. Coronaviruses are spread through coughing or sneezing or by touching an infected person. Some cause the common cold and others can lead to more severe respiratory diseases, such as SARS and MERS. Such viruses are common in people but more exotic versions from bats, camels and other animals have caused severe illness. The novel coronavirus is different from those that have previously been identified, CCTV said. Health authorities ruled out SARS and MERS as possible causes over the weekend. As of Sunday, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said 59 people in the central Chinese city were being treated for the respiratory illness. Seven were in critical condition, while the rest were stable. Eight patients were discharged Wednesday, Xinhua state news agency reported. They had not exhibited any pneumonia symptoms for several days. Laboratory experts as of Wednesday evening had found the novel coronavirus in 15 of the 59 cases, CCTV said, adding that more research must be done before a conclusion is reached. Possible cases of the same illness have been reported in Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan involving recent travelers to Wuhan. Since the end of 2019, Hong Kong public hospitals have reported 38 patients who presented with fever, respiratory infection or pneumonia symptoms after recent visits to Wuhan. Twenty-one of those patients have since been discharged, Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority said Wednesday. No serious cases have been found to be related to those in Wuhan, said Hong Kong health chief Sophia Chan. None of the Hong Kong patients had visited the seafood market in Wuhan where some of the mainland Chinese patients operated businesses. The South China Seafood City food market will be suspended and investigated, Wuhan’s health commission said. A Chinese woman who works for a South Korean company was diagnosed Tuesday with pneumonia, according to the Korea Centers of Disease Control and Prevention said. Meanwhile, Taiwan authorities said Wednesday that they were quarantining a patient who fell ill with flu symptoms on Jan. 6, more than two weeks after the individual returned from a trip to Wuhan. The new illnesses had raised fears of a recurrence of SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome. The disease first infected people in southern China in late 2002, and spread to more than two dozen countries. More than 8,000 people were sickened and nearly 800 died, but no cases have been reported since 2004. Another coronavirus caused MERS, or Middle East respiratory syndrome. That outbreak started in Jordan and Saudi Arabia in 2012 and spread into about two dozen other countries. About 2,500 lab-confirmed cases have been reported, including more than 800 deaths, with cases continuing to be seen in recent years. On Wednesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out a health alert advising physicians who treat patients with pneumonia-like illness to consider a possible link to the Chinese outbreak and to wear masks and take other precautions in treating patients who recently traveled to Wuhan. The CDC this week also advised U.S. travelers going to Wuhan to avoid animals and sick people and wash their hands often. ___ Stobbe reported from New York. https://apnews.com/1565541fb13b6a2f0c871e0eae02bd7d?utm_source=Twitter&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 Published Date: 2020-01-08 23:19:25 Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (HU) (07): official confirmation of novel coronavirus Archive Number: 20200108.6878869 UNDIAGNOSED PNEUMONIA - CHINA (HUBEI) (07): OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION OF NOVEL CORONAVIRUS ************************************************************************************** A ProMED-mail posthttp://www.promedmail.org ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseaseshttp://www.isid.org [1] Date: 9 Jan 2020 Source; CCTV / Xinhua [in Chinese, machine translation] Preliminary progress in pathogen identification of unexplained viral pneumonia in Wuhan Original title: Experts say that the new coronavirus is an unknown cause of viral pneumonia in Wuhan ---------------------------------- A few days ago, on the issue of the pathogenic identification of unexplained viral pneumonia epidemic in Wuhan, the reporter interviewed Xu Jianguo, the leader of the preliminary assessment of pathogenic test results and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He said that the expert group believed that the pathogen of this unexplained case of viral pneumonia was initially determined to be a new coronavirus. Question 1: At present, what progress has been made in the pathogenic identification of unexplained viral pneumonia in Wuhan? Xu Jianguo [response]: As of 21:00 on [7 Jan 2020], a new coronavirus was detected in the laboratory, and the entire genome sequence of the virus was obtained. A total of 15 positive results of the new coronavirus were detected by nucleic acid detection methods. From 1 positive patient. The virus was isolated from the samples and showed a typical coronavirus appearance under an electron microscope. [Does this refer to 15 samples from 1 single patient? Or initially from 1 patient?] The expert group believes that the pathogen of this unexplained case of viral pneumonia was initially identified as a new type of coronavirus. Question 2: How is the pathogen identification carried out? Xu Jianguo [response]: The tissue laboratory used genomic sequencing, nucleic acid detection, virus isolation and other methods to perform pathogenic tests on patients' alveolar lavage fluid, throat swabs, blood and other samples. Question 3: What procedures are needed to identify the pathogen? Xu Jianguo [response]: To confirm the cause of an epidemic disease, usually the following points must be met: (1) Suspicious pathogens must be found in patients, and pathogenic nucleic acids can be detected in clinical samples of patients; (2) From clinical samples of patients The pathogen can be successfully isolated; (3) The isolated pathogen can cause the same disease symptoms after infecting the host animal. The patient's serum antibody titer during the recovery period increased 4-fold, which can help identify the pathogen. Finding the nucleic acid, genomic and antibody evidence of the pathogen from the patient can be done in a short time. Scientific research, such as pathogen isolation and pathogenicity identification, can take weeks. The development of specific drugs and vaccines against a new pathogen may take years to complete. Question 4: What is the next step? Xu Jianguo [response]: The expert group believes that the pathogen of this unexplained case of viral pneumonia is initially determined as a new type of coronavirus. The next step is to conduct expert research and judgement in combination with etiology research, epidemiological investigation and clinical manifestations. Question 5: What is a coronavirus? Xu Jianguo [response]: Coronavirus is a type of pathogen that mainly causes respiratory and intestinal diseases. There are many regularly arranged protrusions on the surface of this type of virus particle, and the entire virus particle is like an emperor's crown, hence the name "coronavirus". In addition to humans, coronaviruses can infect many mammals such as pigs, cattle, cats, dogs, marten, camels, bats, mice, hedgehogs, and various birds. So far, there are 6 known human coronaviruses. Four of these coronaviruses are more common in the population and are less pathogenic, generally causing only minor respiratory symptoms similar to the common cold. The other 2 coronaviruses - Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, also known as SARS Coronavirus and MERS Coronavirus, can cause severe respiratory diseases. The new coronavirus that caused the epidemic is different from the human coronaviruses that have been discovered, and further understanding of the virus requires further scientific research. [Editor: Zhang Yuling Responsible editor: Wang Jingdong] [Byline: Qu Ting] -- Communicated by: ProMED-mail <[email protected]> ****** [2] Date: 8 Jan 2020 Source: NY Times [Edited]https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/08/health/china-pneumonia-outbreak-virus.html China Identifies New Virus Causing Pneumonia-Like Illness ----------------------- The new coronavirus doesn't appear to be readily spread by humans, but researchers caution that more study is needed. Researchers in China have identified a new virus that is behind a mysterious pneumonialike illness that has sickened 59 people in Wuhan and caused a panic in the central Chinese region. There's no evidence that the virus, a coronavirus, is readily spread by humans, and it has not been tied to any deaths. But health officials in China and internationally are watching it carefully, as it comes from the same region where the deadly SARS epidemic broke out in the early 2000s. Experts said the pathogen that caused these unexplained pneumonia cases had been "initially identified" as a new coronavirus, China's state broadcaster, China Central Television, said on Thursday [9 Jan 2020]. They detected this virus among 15 of the people. The new coronavirus "is different from previous human coronaviruses that were previously discovered, and more scientific research is needed for further understanding," CCTV said in its report. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that infect animals and people. Some cause only the symptoms known as the common cold -although many other viruses also do that. The Wuhan government confirmed on [31 Dec 2020] that health authorities were treating dozens of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause. Symptoms of the new illness include high fever, difficulty breathing and lung lesions, the Wuhan health commission has said. No deaths have been reported, but 7 people have become critically ill. On Wednesday [8 Jan 2020], the local health commission said 8 people had been discharged. The revelations set off a panic in a country where the memory of the SARS outbreak remains fresh. SARS, a dangerous respiratory disease and also a coronavirus, spread from southern China in 2003 and infected more than 3000 people, killing 774. The new illness appeared just weeks before the Spring Festival, the country's biggest holiday, when hundreds of millions of people travel. The authorities have urged the public to be on alert for pneumonia-like symptoms like fevers, body aches and breathing difficulties. Until Thursday's [9 Jan 2020] announcement, it was not clear what was causing the illnesses in Wuhan. The World Health Organization said Wednesday [8 Jan 2020] that it had concluded that it was most likely a coronavirus. "More comprehensive information is required to confirm the pathogen," the W.H.O. said in a statement. Early reports on ProMED, a disease-alert service, said there was no evidence of human-to-human transmission. Last weekend, laboratory tests in China ruled out SARS; the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS; the flu; bird flu; adenoviruses; and other common pathogens that cause pneumonia. The initial cases of pneumonia were linked to workers at a market in Wuhan that sold live fish, animals and birds. Workers disinfected and shut down the market in Wuhan after the city health department said it traced many of the cases to it. Health authorities in Asia have stepped up screenings and isolated patients with flulike symptoms who have traveled to Wuhan. In Hong Kong, 8 people with fever and respiratory symptoms who had traveled recently to Wuhan were hospitalized as of Wednesday [8 Jan 2020]. In South Korea, the authorities said on Wednesday [8 Jan 2020] that they had put a Chinese woman under isolated treatment after she was found to have pneumonia after trips to China, including Wuhan. In Singapore, the authorities placed a Chinese girl with pneumonia in isolation because she had traveled to Wuhan, then said on Sunday [5 Jan 2020] that doctors had found that the child had a common childhood viral illness. Officials in Hong Kong have installed additional thermal imaging systems at its airport to monitor passengers coming from Wuhan, scanning for people with fevers. SARS is believed to have jumped to humans from live-animal markets. It was eventually traced to civet cats, raccoon dogs and some other species that were raised and slaughtered for the exotic food trade. The virus normally circulates in bats, and the animals may have gotten it from them, possibly from eating food contaminated by bat droppings. Most outbreaks of MERS, which appeared in 2012, have been traced to people who raise or sell camels, which are kept in the Middle East for meat, milk, racing, hauling cargo and as pets. Like SARS, it can jump from person to person, particularly in hospitals. Some patients infected many others after they were put on machines to help them breathe - the mechanisms helped spew viral particles into the air as they exhaled. Virologists want to know which patients tend to get the virus, what symptoms they show, what animals - if any - the virus has been found in and what behavior helped the virus jump from animals to humans. And they want to quickly figure out what countermeasures, such as antiviral drugs or breathing machines, help treat the illness. [Bylines: Sui-Lee Wee and Donald G. McNeil Jr.] -- Communicated by: ProMED-mail <[email protected]> [The above interview is further confirmation that the Wuhan Institute of Virology expert group identified a novel coronavirus [CoV]. The fact that this novel coronavirus was identified in 15 people is highly suggestive that at least 15 of the 59 suspected cases may have been infected by the same CoV. A question that comes to mind is whether Hong Kong could identify the novel coronavirus in those suspected cases with history of travel to Wuhan who presented with febrile respiratory illnesses but did not have etiologic agents identified (see Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (06): (HU) Hong Kong surveillance, USA CDC alert 20200108.6876648 and Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (04): (HU) Hong Kong surveillance 20200106.6874277 for details.). An updated line listing of suspected cases followed by Hong Kong can be found at: https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/enhanced_sur_pneumonia_wuhan_eng.pdf We await further information from knowledgeable sources on the detailed sequence(s) of the novel coronavirus and where on the phylogenetic tree this novel coronavirus sits, i.e., which other known coronaviruses are close relatives. There are many questions that remain, including whether this virus has been identified in any of the wildlife from this market. And more clinical and epidemiologic details on the suspected and presumably confirmed cases. And are other "undiagnosed pneumonia" cases in Wuhan being tested for this novel coronavirus? Making the sequence available as quickly as possible would allow diagnostic testing to be performed elsewhere and allow us to know whether this virus has appeared elsewhere in humans or other species. A map of China showing locations of major cities in China can be found at https://www.chinadiscovery.com/china-maps/city-maps.html. The HealthMap/ProMED map of China: http://healthmap.org/promed/p/155 - Mod.MPP] See Also Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (06): (HU) Hong Kong surveillance, USA CDC alert 20200108.6876648 Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (05): (HU) novel coronavirus identified 20200108.6877694 Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (04): (HU) Hong Kong surveillance 20200106.6874277 Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (03): (HU) updates, SARS, MERS ruled out, WHO, RFI 20200105.6872267 Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (02): (HU) updates, other country responses, RFI 20200103.6869668 Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (01): (HU) wildlife sales, market closed, RFI 20200102.6866757 2019 ---- Undiagnosed pneumonia - China: (HU) RFI 20191230.6864153 .................................................mpp/lm/mpp https://promedmail.org/promed-post/?id=6878869 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 Reports indicate that some of the patients were vendors at the Wuhan South China Seafood City (South China Seafood Wholesale Market) where, in addition to seafood, chickens, bats, marmots, and other wild animals are sold, suggesting a possible zoonotic origin to the outbreak. https://emergency.cdc.gov/han/han00424.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 China's pneumonia outbreak caused by mystery new respiratory virus, authorities confirm Commuters wear protection masks inside a subway train in Hong Kong, which is on alert after reports of a new virus in Wuhan, China CREDIT: ANDY WONG/AP Amystery new virus has been identified as the cause of a cluster of nearly 60 pneumonia cases in China which have put health authorities around the world on high alert. The infections, caused by a novel coronavirus, are reminiscent of the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic that spread from China in 2002, killing almost 800 people. But the Chinese authorities said yesterday that, although the virus was new, it did not appear to be spreading from human to human as SARS did. Xu Jianguo, the scientist who led the team that analysed the samples, said preliminary results showed that the newly detected virus - in the same family as both SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) - was different from other known human coronavirus species. Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham, said that new viruses always posed a risk. “There’s always been a threat from coronaviruses,” he told The Telegraph. “These are viruses that are very widespread in lots of different animals and have shown the ability in the past to jump from animals into humans.” “It seems like this [new] virus is jumping into humans but not spreading on. But the worry is that if you have a new virus that is exploring a human host it’s possible that they might mutate and spread more easily in humans.” Other experts have added that it is too early to tell how dangerous China’s novel coronavirus is. “The biggest thing to ascertain is how transmissible the virus is between humans,” said Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at the Jenner Institute at Oxford University. “This will affect how easily the virus can be contained.” Laboratory tests on samples from patients found 15 positive results of a new type of coronavirus, which was isolated from one patient's samples, said Dr Xu. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that infect both animals and people. Six human coronaviruses species have so far been identified. SARS and MERS have proved the most serious to date, both causing widespread outbreaks and deaths. SARS first emerged in China in 2002, although it was initially covered up by authorities, and spread to 37 countries, infecting 8,000 people and killing 774. MERS emerged in the Middle East in 2012 and has infected around 2,500 people and led to 850 deaths. As of January 5, a total of 59 cases of the unexplained pneumonia had been reported in Wuhan, a city with a population of roughly 11 million and the capital of Hubei province. According to Chinese state media eight people have now been discharged from hospital. The Wuhan health commission said the infection broke out between December 12 and 29, with some of the patients employed at a city seafood market since closed for disinfection. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the Chinese findings and said that the identification of a novel virus in a short period of time was a “notable achievement”. “According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people,” said Dr Gauden Galea, WHO representative to China. He added that the WHO does not recommend any travel or travel or trade restrictions on China based on currently available information. But Hong Kong and Singapore are among the neighbouring territories which have introduced disease surveillance measures for travellers arriving from Wuhan. The picture remains far from complete and Dr Xu said that further research will be conducted to better understand the new coronavirus. It may take years for researchers to develop medicines and vaccines. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/chinas-pneumonia-outbreak-caused-mystery-new-respiratory-virus/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amystery new virus has been identified as the cause of a cluster of nearly 60 pneumonia cases in China which have put health authorities around the world on high alert. The infections, caused by a novel coronavirus, are reminiscent of the deadly severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic that spread from China in 2002, killing almost 800 people. But the Chinese authorities said yesterday that, although the virus was new, it did not appear to be spreading from human to human as SARS did. Xu Jianguo, the scientist who led the team that analysed the samples, said preliminary results showed that the newly detected virus - in the same family as both SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) - was different from other known human coronavirus species. Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular virology at the University of Nottingham, said that new viruses always posed a risk. “There’s always been a threat from coronaviruses,” he told The Telegraph. “These are viruses that are very widespread in lots of different animals and have shown the ability in the past to jump from animals into humans.” “It seems like this [new] virus is jumping into humans but not spreading on. But the worry is that if you have a new virus that is exploring a human host it’s possible that they might mutate and spread more easily in humans.” Other experts have added that it is too early to tell how dangerous China’s novel coronavirus is. “The biggest thing to ascertain is how transmissible the virus is between humans,” said Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at the Jenner Institute at Oxford University. “This will affect how easily the virus can be contained.” Laboratory tests on samples from patients found 15 positive results of a new type of coronavirus, which was isolated from one patient's samples, said Dr Xu. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that infect both animals and people. Six human coronaviruses species have so far been identified. SARS and MERS have proved the most serious to date, both causing widespread outbreaks and deaths. SARS first emerged in China in 2002, although it was initially covered up by authorities, and spread to 37 countries, infecting 8,000 people and killing 774. MERS emerged in the Middle East in 2012 and has infected around 2,500 people and led to 850 deaths. As of January 5, a total of 59 cases of the unexplained pneumonia had been reported in Wuhan, a city with a population of roughly 11 million and the capital of Hubei province. According to Chinese state media eight people have now been discharged from hospital. The Wuhan health commission said the infection broke out between December 12 and 29, with some of the patients employed at a city seafood market since closed for disinfection. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the Chinese findings and said that the identification of a novel virus in a short period of time was a “notable achievement”. “According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people,” said Dr Gauden Galea, WHO representative to China. He added that the WHO does not recommend any travel or travel or trade restrictions on China based on currently available information. But Hong Kong and Singapore are among the neighbouring territories which have introduced disease surveillance measures for travellers arriving from Wuhan. The picture remains far from complete and Dr Xu said that further research will be conducted to better understand the new coronavirus. It may take years for researchers to develop medicines and vaccines. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/chinas-pneumonia-outbreak-caused-mystery-new-respiratory-virus/
niman Posted January 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 Wuhan pneumonia outbreak: Mystery illness 'caused by coronavirus' 9 January 2020 Share Image copyrightGETTY IMAGES Scientists believe they may have found the cause of the mystery pneumonia that has infected almost 60 people in the Chinese city of Wuhan since December. Preliminary tests indicated the illness may be caused by a new coronavirus, lead scientist Xu Jianguo told the official Xinhua news agency. The World Health Organisation (WHO) had also said a coronavirus could be to blame for the outbreak. So far, 59 cases have been reported, seven of which are considered critical. Mr Xu, who is leading efforts to identify the cause, said they had found the "new type" of coronavirus by testing infected blood samples and throat swabs collected from 15 people. Mystery virus probed in Wuhan The people who risked their lives to stop the virus The coronavirus can cause anything from the common cold to much more severe diseases. Notably, it caused an epidemic of the potentially deadly, flu-like Sars virus back in 2002-3, which killed more than 700 people around the world after originating in China. However, Gauden Galea, the WHO representative to China, said "further investigations" were required to "determine the source, modes of transmission, extent of infection and countermeasures implemented". Singapore's airport says it will begin temperature screening travellers from Wuhan and Hong Kong health officials say they are also implementing checks on passengers. Authorities in Hong Kong have also stepped up the disinfection of trains and aeroplanes, AFP news agency reports. Fears the virus could be spread were further stoked by the fact it struck just before China's peak travel season, when hundreds of millions of people are set to travel for Chinese New Year later this month. But it is still unclear how the illness is transmitted, with health officials saying no cases of human-to-human transmission had been confirmed as yet. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51047576 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 https://www.ft.com/content/7ac8b004-3285-11ea-9703-eea0cae3f0de China says pneumonia outbreak linked to coronavirus State media says Sars-type virus likely cause as concern grows ahead of lunar new year holidays Health officials in Bangkok check passengers arriving from Wuhan, China © Lauren DeCicca/Getty Share on Twitter (opens new window) Share on Facebook (opens new window) Share on LinkedIn (opens new window) Save Tom Hancock in Shanghai 5 HOURS AGOPrint this page6 A pneumonia outbreak that has infected more than 50 people in the Chinese city of Wuhan was caused by a coronavirus, which is the same kind of pathogen involved in the deadly Sars outbreak in 2003, Chinese state media said on Thursday. The outbreak, which comes ahead of the lunar new year holidays in late January when millions of Chinese will be travelling to see their families, has caused alarm in the region. The virus has prompted widespread concern on Chinese social media and triggered memories of the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or Sars, that infected more than 8,000 people worldwide and killed more than 700, including almost 300 in Hong Kong. The World Health Organization said, in a statement issued on Thursday, the Chinese authorities believed the disease “does not transmit readily between people”, but noted that it could cause severe illness in some patients. Chinese health officials said on Sunday that they had identified 59 cases, with seven patients in critical condition. There has been no further statement on the possible spread of the disease in China, nor on the health of those who were severely affected. However, state television said on Thursday that eight of those who had been hospitalised had been treated in Wuhan, “cured and discharged”. Hong Kong, activated its “serious” response mechanism to the disease last week and like other parts of the region has ramped up screening at airports. Hong Kong legislators have called for more transparency from mainland Chinese health authorities about the outbreak. Officials in China covered up the Sars outbreak for weeks before the growing death toll forced them to reveal the epidemic. International criticism of Beijing’s handling of the outbreak led to wide-ranging reforms to disease control methods in the country. Sophia Chan, Hong Kong’s food and health secretary said on Wednesday that there had been 38 suspected cases in the territory. However, she said none had been confirmed as related to the Wuhan outbreak, adding that 21 patients had already been discharged from hospital. Recommended Anjana Ahuja Pneumonia outbreak stirs debate over costly virus hunting The virus broke out between December 12 and 29. Some of those infected were employed at a market selling seafood and live animals in Wuhan that has since been closed for disinfection, according to Chinese disease control officials. “The reported link to a wholesale fish and live animal market could indicate an exposure link to animals,” the WHO said earlier this week. Coronaviruses in humans usually cause relatively harmless respiratory infections. However, two are deadly — Sars and Middle East respiratory syndrome (Mers), which have each caused hundreds of deaths. Additional reporting by Nicolle Liu in Hong Kong https://www.ft.com/content/7ac8b004-3285-11ea-9703-eea0cae3f0de Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 WHO Statement Regarding Cluster of Pneumonia Cases in Wuhan, China 9 January 2020 Statement China 中文 Chinese authorities have made a preliminary determination of a novel (or new) coronavirus, identified in a hospitalized person with pneumonia in Wuhan. Chinese investigators conducted gene sequencing of the virus, using an isolate from one positive patient sample. Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China’s increased capacity to manage new outbreaks. Initial information about the cases of pneumonia in Wuhan provided by Chinese authorities last week – including the occupation, location and symptom profile of the people affected – pointed to a coronavirus (CoV) as a possible pathogen causing this cluster. Chinese authorities subsequently reported that laboratory tests ruled out SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus and other common respiratory pathogens. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses with some causing less-severe disease, such as the common cold, and others more severe disease such as MERS and SARS. Some transmit easily from person to person, while others do not. According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people. Globally, novel coronaviruses emerge periodically in different areas, including SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans. As surveillance improves more coronaviruses are likely to be identified. China has strong public health capacities and resources to respond and manage respiratory disease outbreaks. In addition to treating the patients in care and isolating new cases as they may be identified, public health officials remain focused on continued contact tracing, conducting environmental assessments at the seafood market, and investigations to identify the pathogen causing the outbreak. In the coming weeks, more comprehensive information is required to understand the current status and epidemiology of the outbreak, and the clinical picture. Further investigations are also required to determine the source, modes of transmission, extent of infection and countermeasures implemented. WHO continues to monitor the situation closely and, together with its partners, is ready to provide technical support to China to investigate and respond to this outbreak. The preliminary determination of a novel virus will assist authorities in other countries to conduct disease detection and response. Over the past week, people with symptoms of pneumonia and reported travel history to Wuhan have been identified at international airports. WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travellers. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information currently available. https://www.who.int/china/news/detail/09-01-2020-who-statement-regarding-cluster-of-pneumonia-cases-in-wuhan-china Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinese authorities have made a preliminary determination of a novel (or new) coronavirus, identified in a hospitalized person with pneumonia in Wuhan. Chinese investigators conducted gene sequencing of the virus, using an isolate from one positive patient sample. Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China’s increased capacity to manage new outbreaks. Initial information about the cases of pneumonia in Wuhan provided by Chinese authorities last week – including the occupation, location and symptom profile of the people affected – pointed to a coronavirus (CoV) as a possible pathogen causing this cluster. Chinese authorities subsequently reported that laboratory tests ruled out SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus and other common respiratory pathogens. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses with some causing less-severe disease, such as the common cold, and others more severe disease such as MERS and SARS. Some transmit easily from person to person, while others do not. According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people. Globally, novel coronaviruses emerge periodically in different areas, including SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans. As surveillance improves more coronaviruses are likely to be identified. China has strong public health capacities and resources to respond and manage respiratory disease outbreaks. In addition to treating the patients in care and isolating new cases as they may be identified, public health officials remain focused on continued contact tracing, conducting environmental assessments at the seafood market, and investigations to identify the pathogen causing the outbreak. In the coming weeks, more comprehensive information is required to understand the current status and epidemiology of the outbreak, and the clinical picture. Further investigations are also required to determine the source, modes of transmission, extent of infection and countermeasures implemented. WHO continues to monitor the situation closely and, together with its partners, is ready to provide technical support to China to investigate and respond to this outbreak. The preliminary determination of a novel virus will assist authorities in other countries to conduct disease detection and response. Over the past week, people with symptoms of pneumonia and reported travel history to Wuhan have been identified at international airports. WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travellers. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information currently available. https://www.who.int/china/news/detail/09-01-2020-who-statement-regarding-cluster-of-pneumonia-cases-in-wuhan-china
niman Posted January 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 Pneumonia of Unknown Cause in China Warning - Level 3, Avoid Nonessential Travel Alert - Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions Watch - Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions Key Points There is a cluster of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, China. The cause is not yet known, nor is the mode of transmission. The cluster is centered at the Wuhan South China Seafood City (also called the South China Seafood Wholesale Market and the Hua Nan Seafood Market). The market has been closed since January 1, 2020, for cleaning and disinfection. Travelers to Wuhan, China, should avoid living or dead animals, animal markets, and contact with sick people. The situation is evolving. This notice will be updated as more information becomes available. What is the current situation? There is a cluster of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, China. As of January 5, 2020, local, provincial, and national health commissions in China have reported a total of 59 cases with no deaths. The cluster is centered at the Wuhan South China Seafood City (also called the South China Seafood Wholesale Market and the Hua Nan Seafood Market). In addition to seafood, the market sells chickens, bats, marmots, and other wild animals. The market has been closed since January 1, 2020, for cleaning and disinfection. Health authorities in China are monitoring more than 150 close contacts for illness. To date, there have been no reports of spread from person to person or to health care workers. Symptoms include fever and difficulty breathing. Though the cause of this cluster is unknown, there is concern that it is a virus. Local authorities have reported negative laboratory results for seasonal influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus, and two specific coronaviruses known to cause respiratory illness (severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS] and Middle East respiratory syndrome [MERS]). What can travelers do to protect themselves? Travelers to Wuhan should Avoid animals (alive or dead), animal markets, and products that come from animals (such as uncooked meat). Avoid contact with sick people. Wash hands often with soap and water. If you traveled to Wuhan and feel sick, you should Stay home. Except for seeking medical care, avoid contact with others. Don’t travel while sick. Seek medical care right away. Before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell the doctor about your recent travel and your symptoms. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing. Clinician Information As of this posting, case-patients in the cluster reportedly have had fever, difficulty breathing, and bilateral lung infiltrates on chest radiograph. For patients with similar respiratory symptoms who recently traveled to Wuhan, consider pneumonia related to the cluster and notify infection control personnel and your local health department immediately. Although the etiology and transmission dynamics have yet to be determined, CDC recommends a cautious approach to symptomatic patients with a history of travel to Wuhan. Ask such patients to don a surgical mask as soon as they are identified. Conduct their evaluation in a private room with the door closed. Personnel entering the room to evaluate the patient should use contact precautions and wear an N95 disposable facepiece respirator. For patients admitted for inpatient care, implement contact and airborne isolation precautions, in addition to standard precautions, until further information becomes available. For additional infection control guidance see: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/isolation/index.html. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/watch/pneumonia-china Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 9, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2020 Scientists urge China to quickly share data on virus linked to pneumonia outbreak By Dennis Normile, Jon Cohen, Kai KupferschmidtJan. 9, 2020 , 3:15 PM Chinese scientists have identified a novel coronavirus—a pathogen family responsible for two other new diseases since 2003—as the likely cause of the outbreak of an unusual viral pneumonia in the central city of Wuhan that has sickened dozens of people since mid-December 2019. The researchers have sequenced the virus and developed a test to identify it, according to a news report today by CCTV, China’s state-owned broadcaster. Although the link between the agent and the disease needs to be confirmed, many scientists praised the discovery, which they say is a testimony of China’s prowess in virology. But they are urging the country to quickly share much more information about the new agent, the disease it causes, and how it appears to spread. “The virologists in China are some of the best in the world, they work extremely quickly, extremely efficiently,” says Peter Daszak, president of the EcoHealth Alliance. “They have a lot more information than we know about right now. I hope that information comes out very soon.” The outbreak, Daszak says, is “a chance for China to show that they are doing 21st century public health as well as 21st century virology.” “I think they really should share the sequence data, so that we can all make sure we can test for this virus if we get travelers from this region,” adds virologist Marion Koopmans of the Erasmus Medical Center. At least 59 people in Wuhan have fallen ill with the mysterious agent since mid-December, according to the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission; no deaths have been reported, and so far, there have been no reported cases of human-to-human transmission. Many cases have been linked to a seafood market in the city that also sells other live animals. China first reported the unusual cases to the World Health Organization (WHO) on 31 December 2019. (News of the discovery of the coronavirus was first reported yesterday by The Wall Street Journal.) CCTV says a virus isolated from one patient showed the spiked surface typical of coronaviruses under electron microscopy. Scientists sequenced the virus, according to the report, and then used nucleic acid testing to identify the virus in 14 additional patients. Separately, Xinhua news today identified the leader of the investigation as Xu Jianguo. Although the agency did not give his affiliation, Xu is apparently at China’s National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, a part of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Xu told Xinhua that researchers are continuing their work to confirm that the coronavirus is the culprit. “Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China’s increased capacity to manage new outbreaks,” Gauden Galea, WHO’s representative to China, wrote in a press statement today. Scientists around the world share that sentiment, but they would like to know more. Chinese researchers “are to be congratulated on identifying the causative agent quickly,” says Malik Peiris, a virologist at the University of Hong Kong. “Now it is important that they share specific diagnostic RT-PCR [reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction] tests with WHO and the global public health community.” “What I really want to see is information on the epidemiology and pathology,” Daszak says, “so that we can all have confidence that, No. 1, this coronavirus is the cause of this outbreak, and No. 2, that it is contained and that they have been able to trace back all the potential cases, isolate them, test them. Every day that we don’t get all that information is a risk of further spread in my opinion.” Chinese researchers needn’t worry that sharing the information would preclude publication of the new virus in a prestigious journal, says Christian Drosten of Charité University Hospital: “No journal will reject a paper because this sequence has been made public.” The news reports have been careful to call the findings preliminary. During the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Chinese authorities and scientists were embarrassed when premature reports that chlamydia was the culprit turned out to be incorrect; it later turned out to be a new coronavirus. “I can understand why politicians and scientists have to be really cautious in claiming [this virus] is the causative agent,” says Wang Linfa, an emerging disease specialist at the Duke-NUS Medical School. A key step in nailing the link is to replicate the symptoms in laboratory animals, Wang says, but that can take weeks or months. Wang says the parallels between the Wuhan outbreak and SARS are interesting. Both emerged in winter, with initial cases tied to exposure to animals sold at live animal markets. (With SARS, the intermediary host proved to be civets sold at the markets.) But there are big differences as well. SARS proved to spread relatively easily among humans and eventually caused 774 deaths in 37 countries before it was contained. The pneumonia cases in Wuhan so are far milder than SARS and there appears to be no human-to-human transmission—although some researchers aren’t so sure. “I don’t understand how you can get so many cases without human-to-human transmission,” Daszak says. “This is something I have a red flag on.” Koopmans remains to be convinced as well. The other key difference between now and 2003 is that China’s scientific expertise has grown rapidly. “The lab capacity, the clinical capacity, the outbreak capacity is orders of magnitude better now,” Daszak says. Back then, China also denied it had a problem, and actively tried to cover up the outbreak. It is not doing so now, but it hasn’t exactly been generous with information either, Koopmans says. “The communication has been better than with SARS but not perfect.” “What they’re trying to do is wrestle with when you actually announce publicly without getting egg on your face,” Daszak says, “because it would have been embarrassing to announce that a week ago and then find out that it was an incidental finding.” I think they really should share the sequence data, so that we can all make sure we can test for this virus if we get travelers from this region. Scientists assume the Wuhan patients were infected by some animal sold at the market. Pinpointing the exact species is key, Peiris says. “There may be other markets where a similar virus may be circulating and it will be important to test such markets to preemptively contain similar outbreaks.” Wang suspects Chinese investigators have tried to collect samples from animals and have swabbed walls and cages: “The fact that we have not seen anything in the media suggests the issue is sensitive or the results [are] not conclusive.” The new illness again demonstrates that live animal markets should no longer be allowed, says Robert Webster, a leading influenza researcher at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. “There’s a host of coronaviruses out there,” he says. “You keep putting live animals in contact with humans and this is going to happen from time to time. So far we’ve got lucky that none have led to widespread human-to-human transmission.” But whatever animal spread the virus at the market likely picked it up from a natural reservoir elsewhere, scientists say. “If I were to bet, I’d bet it’s from bats,” says Wang, who led one of two teams that traced the SARS virus back to cave-dwelling horseshoe bats in Yunnan province. The coronavirus that causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which emerged in 2012, has been traced back to wild bats as well. “Bats carry so many coronaviruses and they mutate rapidly,” Wang says. In Hong Kong, 48 people who traveled to Wuhan in recent weeks have presented with symptoms of either fever and respiratory infection or pneumonia; Singapore and South Korea have isolated sick travelers from Wuhan as well. None of them has been found to be infected with the suspected virus so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 Chinese scientists obtain genetic sequence of mysterious virus, a key step in containment efforts By HELEN BRANSWELL @HelenBranswell JANUARY 9, 2020 Health officials monitor passengers arriving in Bangkok from Wuhan, China.LAUREN DECICCA/GETTY IMAGES Chinese scientists have recovered a previously unknown virus from an infected individual and generated a full genetic sequence of it, a key step in efforts to learn more about the cause of an outbreak of unusual pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, state-run media reported Thursday. Fragments of the same virus were picked up in testing of 15 patients among the 59 who have been identified as infected with the mysterious pneumonia. The speed of the findings is impressive; the first case in this outbreak became ill less than a month ago. ADVERTISEMENT “Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China’s increased capacity to manage new outbreaks,” the World Health Organization’s representative in China, Dr. Gauden Galea, said in a statement. But more work is needed to confirm whether the virus is the cause of the outbreak and, if it is, to identify what animal species transmitted the virus to people and whether there are other cases elsewhere, Galea said. The report on CCTV appears to be the first official confirmation from Chinese authorities that they believe a new virus is responsible for this outbreak — specifically a coronavirus, a type of virus in the family that includes SARS and MERS. When viewed under an electron microscope, it exhibits the crown-like halo that gives coronaviruses their name, said Xu Jianguo, identified by CCTV as the leader of the preliminary assessment of the test results and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The outbreak is occurring in Wuhan, about 700 miles south of Beijing. Wuhan is a leading center for virology research in China, and infectious diseases experts watching this outbreak have predicted scientists there would quickly find the cause. Still, they cautioned that this discovery does not mean the outbreak is over or the threat has passed. “Everybody’s assuming … that this coronavirus is the cause. We don’t know that. They’re assuming that market was the origin. We don’t know that. And we don’t know how many other cases are walking around right now,” said Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, a non-profit organization that works in this sphere. The first known case in the Wuhan outbreak became noticeably ill on Dec. 12, according to a statement released Sunday by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission. The discovery of an outbreak and identification of a new virus in a period of less than one month is exceptional, experts said. “I am stunned by the timeline and speed of this isolation and characterization, if it’s all true,” said Matthew Frieman, a coronavirus expert at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The community of scientists who research emerging infectious diseases has been speculating for days that the source of the outbreak was a new coronavirus, a class of viruses that has shown itself adept at making the leap from animals to people. Coronaviruses originate in bats but are able to infect a number of mammals. Confirmation that scientists have the genetic sequence of the virus will increase pressure on China to release at least part of that sequence, so that health facilities around the world know what to look for as they try to detect possible cases from this outbreak and prevent spread elsewhere. During the 2003 SARS outbreak, infected travelers spread the virus from China to Hong Kong and from there to Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Toronto, Canada. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday instructed doctors to ask patients with severe respiratory infections whether they have been to Wuhan. Hong Kong and other countries in Southeast Asia are isolating any such cases until they can be tested for influenza, rhinoviruses, and other viruses that cause colds and flu. This type of very broad net will draw in many people who were in or near Wuhan and who have a respiratory tract infection but who have nothing to do with this outbreak — especially in the middle of flu season. That will eat up resources and the time of doctors, laboratories, and sick people who don’t need to be isolated. “If the Chinese truly have sequenced the virus and they’ve demonstrated that it’s present in other patients, that’s means there’s a PCR diagnostic test available. And the Chinese need to make that available to the rest of the world immediately,” said Ralph Baric, a coronavirus expert at the University of North Carolina. “And the longer they wait, the more likely the scientific community will go from a positive response to a negative response, in terms of how China is handling this outbreak,” he said. The CCTV report did not provide details on the type of coronavirus that has been discovered — for instance if it is one of several SARS-like viruses that have been found in bats in China, and if so, how genetically different it is from SARS. A number of these SARS-like viruses are able to infect human tissue cells in the laboratory, suggesting they might be able to spill over into people if given the right circumstances. Xu said more research on the new virus is needed. There has been limited information about the nature of the illness in people who have been infected. Chinese authorities have said no one has died from this infection; seven, however, were in critical condition as of Sunday. In a statement that same day, the WHO said that the main symptom was fever; some patients had difficulty breathing. The CCTV report also did not indicate whether scientists investigating the outbreak had identified the source of the virus — which will be key to any effort to determine if the virus is spreading in other locations as well. Baris said coronaviruses could jump to people directly from bats, which are eaten in China. But this virus could have used what is known as an intermediate host — an animal species that becomes infected with a bat virus that then transmits it to people. Daszak said he believes efforts to look for the virus in animals have not started. “There are probably a dozen to two dozen target species that you would go after to do a wildlife investigation. I don’t know if they’re doing that,” he said, adding that EcoHealth Alliance hopes to partner with Chinese researchers on the work “once the politics have died down.” China was roundly criticized for its early bungling of the SARS outbreak and it is widely believed authorities there have no wish to be embarrassed like that again. The capacity of the country to respond to infectious diseases outbreaks increased markedly in the aftermath of SARS. During that outbreak, it was determined that palm civets, a wild animal eaten as a delicacy in southern China, were transmitting the virus. Chinese authorities ordered a widespread culling of civets to help stop the outbreak. The Wuhan outbreak has been linked to a large seafood market that also sells the meat of exotic animals for consumption. The market was closed and decontaminated on Jan. 1. But it is important to know if other markets are selling infected animals, said Malik Peiris, a microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong. “If it can jump once, then it will jump again,” Peiris said of the virus. He was one of the scientists who first identified the coronavirus that caused the 2003 SARS outbreak, which infected more than 8,000 people and killed nearly 800. The WHO said Wednesday that Chinese authorities believe the virus “does not transmit readily between people.” Earlier statements from the Wuhan Municipal Health Authority said there has been no person-to-person spread, but disease experts challenged that claim, saying it is impossible to rule out at this stage in the exploration of a new disease. “I don’t know how you know that at all,” Frieman said of China’s claim there is no person-to-person transmission. He noted the number of cases reported makes it seem unlikely that animal-to-human transmission is the only way this virus spreads. There have been at least one or two clusters of cases within families that have raised suspicions of limited person-to-person spread, a source familiar with the outbreak told STAT. News of the pneumonia cases first emerged on Dec. 30, when the local health authority told hospitals to be on the lookout for cases. The next day Chinese authorities informed the WHO that they were dealing with what looked like an outbreak caused by an unknown virus. About the Author Helen Branswell Senior Writer, Infectious Disease Helen Branswell covers issues broadly related to infectious diseases, including outbreaks, preparedness, research, and vaccine development. [email protected] @HelenBranswell https://www.statnews.com/2020/01/09/chinese-scientists-obtain-genetic-sequence-of-mysterious-virus-a-key-step-in-containment-efforts/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 (edited) Tonight at 10 PM ET Update on Wuhan novel coronavirus sequence Edited January 10, 2020 by niman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 Wuhan ‘pneumonia’: Hong Kong takes tougher precautions with more powers to investigate suspected cases Passengers arriving in city from mainland will be screened by health officials before they get off the train City leader says intervention is part of government’s rapid response to mystery outbreak Natalie Wong andElizabeth Cheung Published: 12:41pm, 7 Jan, 2020 189 Extra checks have been put in place for passengers arriving in Hong Kong by high-speed rail from Wuhan. Photo: May Tse Hong Kong is taking tougher precautions against a mysterious, pneumonia-like virus in central China, laying the legal groundwork to put patients under quarantine if necessary and making it mandatory for doctors to notify the authorities of any suspected cases in the city. Nine more travellers who returned from Wuhan with symptoms of either fever and respiratory infection or pneumonia were placed in hospital isolation wards on Tuesday, taking the total to 30 – 13 of whom have already been discharged after treatment – since December 31, 2019. Hong Kong’s leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, said that travellers entering the city from Wuhan had been put through extra temperature screenings since Monday night. This came soon after the Food and Health Bureau said it expected to list the unidentified virus as a notifiable disease by the end of the week, empowering the authorities to enforce quarantine measures. The Department of Health then announced on Tuesday afternoon that it would gazette a bill to amend the Prevention and Control of Disease Ordinance on Wednesday, including “severe respiratory disease associated with a novel infectious agent” as a statutory notifiable infectious disease with immediate effect. Mystery pneumonia infects at least 59 people in Wuhan, China “Recently some patients have been leaving hospitals before completing medical check-ups,” Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said. “The amendment of the law this time would be important for Hong Kong in preventing the spread of a new disease.” But Dr Henry Yeung Chiu-fat, president of the Hong Kong Doctors Union, warned of difficulties in meeting the notification requirement stipulated in the amended ordinance. “The definition is wide and vague. I don’t think we have the right to detain a patient at our clinic for too long just because they may have been to Wuhan and come down with a slight cold,” Yeung said. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3044957/wuhan-pneumonia-hong-kong-officials-board-trains Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Posted January 10, 2020 Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 Experts Cast Doubts on Chinese Official Claims Around 'New' Wuhan Coronavirus 2020-01-09 Print Share Comment Email Authorities impose quarantine measures to prevent the spread of a mystery virus believed to have originated in the Huanan Seafood Market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, Jan. 9, 2020. Reuters China says the mystery virus that has sickened dozens of people in the central city of Wuhan is a new coronavirus in the same family as SARS, as experts said they don't believe official claims of no human-to-human transmission. State news agency Xinhua quoted Xu Jianguo, the lead scientist on the team researching the virus, as saying that authorities had "preliminarily determined" that at least 15 patients in Wuhan had contracted the same virus. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the discovery. "Further investigations are also required to determine the source, modes of transmission, extent of infection and countermeasures implemented," the WHO's China representative Gauden Galea said in a statement. At least 59 people in Wuhan have been taken ill -- seven of them seriously -- with what was initially feared to be a resurgence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS. SARS killed 349 people in mainland China and 299 in Hong Kong over the winter of 2002-2003. Chinese health authorities had said the virus -- which first struck in Wuhan among employees of a now-shuttered seafood market -- wasn't SARS, and no human-to-human transmission has yet been reported. But health experts have cast doubt on the claims about human-to-human transmission. Ho Pak-leung, head of the University of Hong Kong's Centre for Infection, has warned that it is highly possible that the illness is spreading from human to human, given the sheer number of cases that have mushroomed in a short period of time. Hong Kong authorities appear to be taking the possibility seriously, with health screening of all passengers coming into the city from mainland China already in place. Infrared thermal screening Incoming passengers from Wuhan are being given infrared thermal screening for signs of a raised temperature, while enhanced cleaning and disinfection measures are in place on Hong Kong's railway network and at the airport, secretary for food and health Sophia Chan told lawmakers on Wednesday. Any inbound travelers with tell-tale symptoms who have been to Wuhan are being isolated and treated in government hospitals, Chan said. Ren Ruihong, former head of the medical assistance department at the Chinese Red Cross, said she too has her doubts about the reported "absence" of human-to-human transmission in Wuhan. "It's a new type of mutant coronavirus," Ren said. "They haven't made public the genetic sequence, because it is highly contagious. From what I can tell, the patients caught it from other people. I have thought that all along." She said the lack of fatalities didn't indicate that the virus was less deadly than SARS, just that antiviral medications have improved in the past 10 years or so. Ren said she also regarded the relatively high number of infections in Hong Kong with suspicion, given that there had been no reports of cases anywhere in between the two cities, in the southern province of Guangdong, for example. "Genetic engineering technology has gotten to such a point now, and Wuhan is home to a viral research center that is under the aegis of the China Academy of Sciences, which is the highest level of research facility in China," she said. Repeated calls to various numbers listed for the Wuhan Institute of Virology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences rang unanswered. However, an employee who identified herself as a senior engineer said she knew nothing about the virus. "Sorry, I ... I don't know about this," the employee said. Lunar New Year travel looms As of noon on Thursday local time, 10 patients -- five of whom are under seven years old -- had been admitted to hospital in Hong Kong with flu-like symptoms or pneumonia who had been to Wuhan during the past two weeks, Hong Kong's Hospital Authority said in a statement. "The patients concerned had not visited [fresh food] markets in Wuhan before the onset of symptoms," the statement said. WHO representative Galea said "people with symptoms of pneumonia and reported travel history to Wuhan have been identified at international airports," but no travel advisories have been issued for China as hundreds of millions get ready to travel across the country to spend Lunar New Year with their families on Jan. 25. People living in Wuhan have said there is scant information in the media about the outbreak, in a country where media outlets are strictly controlled by the ruling Chinese Communist Party. An employee who answered the phone at Wuhan's Jinyintan Hospital declined to comment when contacted by RFA on Thursday. "We don't give interviews here," the employee said. "The only official channel for this matter is the Wuhan municipal health commission, so ... you can contact them directly to find out more." However, calls to the Wuhan municipal health commission rang unanswered during office hours on Thursday. Residents in the neighborhood around the Huanan Seafood Market, where the outbreak was traced to, said they knew very little about it. "It's about 500 meters from here," one resident said. "We don't know anything about it, and I haven't been paying attention to it ... I don't think I went there recently." SARS -- described as atypical pneumonia caused by a coronavirus -- infected more than 8,000 people around the world, and is believed to have originated in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong. The WHO declared China free of the SARS virus in May 2004, although it criticized the Chinese government's initial attempt to cover up the crisis. Reported by Wong Siu-san and Sing Man for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/wuhan-outbreak-01092020133656.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 (edited) 3 hours ago, niman said: Tonight at 10 PM ET Update on Wuhan novel coronavirus sequence https://www.renseradio.com/listenlive.php Edited January 10, 2020 by niman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 59 minutes ago, niman said: https://www.renseradio.com/listenlive.php Dr. Henry Niman, PhDMore On The Dangerous, New, Coronavirus In ChinaBats Were Sold at Wuhan Wet Market Where Vendors Were Infected By Novel CoronavirusThe Rich gene pool of bat SARS-related coronaviruses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 On 1/8/2020 at 11:03 PM, niman said: 1 hr interview Wednesday night on Wuhon Novel Coronavirus sequence in same class as SARS CoV http://mediaarchives.gsradio.net/rense/special/rense_010820_hr3.mp3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 5 hours ago, niman said: Dr. Henry Niman, PhDMore On The Dangerous, New, Coronavirus In ChinaBats Were Sold at Wuhan Wet Market Where Vendors Were Infected By Novel CoronavirusThe Rich gene pool of bat SARS-related coronaviruses http://mediaarchives.gsradio.net/rense/special/rense_010920_hr2.mp3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 Pneumonia cases possibly associated with a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China Risk assessment 9 Jan 2020 Cite: Citation Link TwitterFacebookLinked InMail On 31 December 2019, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission reported a cluster of 27 pneumonia cases, including seven severe cases, with a common reported link to Wuhan’s South China Seafood City market. Executive summary Between 31 December 2019 and 5 January 2020, 59 pneumonia cases possibly associated with a novel coronavirus have been reported in Wuhan, China with a common exposure link to Wuhan’s South China Seafood City market. The cases showed symptoms such as fever, dyspnoea, and radiological tests compatible with bilateral lung infiltrative lesions. Seven severe cases have been reported, but no deaths. No cases have been reported outside of Wuhan. According to Chinese authorities, no human to human transmission could be documented. Epidemiological investigations including contact tracing activities are ongoing and hygiene- and environmental sanitation activities in the affected market have been carried out in Wuhan. Three EU airports have direct flight connections to Wuhan and there are indirect flight connections to other EU hubs. Considering there is no indication of human-to-human transmission and no cases detected outside of China, the likelihood of introduction to the EU is considered to be low, but cannot be excluded. However, more epidemiological and laboratory information is needed in order to elaborate a comprehensive assessment of this event and the possible risk for the international spread. ECDC is monitoring this event through epidemic intelligence activities. For options for response and safety precautions, see ECDC’s threat assessment. ECDC risk assessment for the EU/EEA Chinese authorities have ruled out SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, seasonal influenza virus, avian influenza virus, adenovirus and other common respiratory pathogens. Reports indicate that a new coronavirus has been identified as the etiological agent for viral pneumonia in hospitalised cases belonging to the pneumonia cluster in Wuhan. Media reports cite Xu Jianguo, who confirms identification of a new coronavirus, however, no sequence data have been made publicly available yet. To date, no cases belonging to the cluster in Wuhan have been identified outside of Wuhan and no suspected or possible cases with unknown pneumonia and travel to Wuhan have been reported from EU/EEA countries or globally. To date, only local people living and working in Wuhan seem to be affected. The seafood market in Wuhan is mentioned as a suspected place of exposure, which could indicate an exposure link to animals. Although the seafood market has now been closed and disinfected, the source of infection has not been identified. Information on case characteristics, aetiology, epidemiological data, exposure and applied case definition to identify cases belonging to the cluster in Wuhan is limited. There are still many unknowns about this outbreak, introducing a high level of uncertainty to the assessment below. Risk for travellers, introduction and further spread in the EU: three EU airports have direct flight connections to Wuhan and there are indirect flight connections to other EU hubs. The upcoming Chinese New Year celebrations at the end of January will cause an increased volume of travel to/from China and within China, thus increasing the likelihood of possible cases arriving. However, given that there is no indication of human-to-human transmission, the risk to travellers is considered to be low. For the same reason, and since no cases have been detected outside of Wuhan, the likelihood of introduction to the EU is considered to be low, but cannot be excluded. Consequently, the risk of further spread within the EU should a case be identified is considered low to very low. Risk of nosocomial transmission, infection prevention and control: So far, no human-to-human transmission or spread to healthcare workers or medical personal has been reported in China. Therefore, the likelihood of nosocomial transmission is low. https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/Threat-assessment-Pneumonia-cases-possibly-associated-to-a-novel-coronavirus-in-Wuhan-China.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 Published Date: 2020-01-10 11:37:53 Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (HU) (08): novel coronavirus, WHO Archive Number: 20200110.6881082 UNDIAGNOSED PNEUMONIA - CHINA (HUBEI) (08): NOVEL CORONAVIRUS, WHO ****************************************************************** A ProMED-mail posthttp://www.promedmail.org ProMED-mail is a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseaseshttp://www.isid.org In this update: [1] WHO statement [2] Sina Tech News: Evolution of pathogen identification [3] Stat News: Overview ****** [1] WHO statement Date: Thu 9 Jan 2020 Source: WHO press release [edited]https://www.who.int/china/news/detail/09-01-2020-who-statement-regarding-cluster-of-pneumonia-cases-in-wuhan-china WHO statement regarding cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China [9 Jan 2020] statement -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chinese authorities have made a preliminary determination of a novel (or new) coronavirus, identified in a hospitalized person with pneumonia in Wuhan. Chinese investigators conducted gene sequencing of the virus, using an isolate from one positive patient sample. Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China's increased capacity to manage new outbreaks. Initial information about the cases of pneumonia in Wuhan provided by Chinese authorities last week [week of 1 Jan 2020] -- including the occupation, location, and symptom profile of the people affected -- pointed to a coronavirus (CoV) as a possible pathogen causing this cluster. Chinese authorities subsequently reported that laboratory tests ruled out SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus, and other common respiratory pathogens. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses with some causing less-severe disease, such as the common cold, and others more severe disease such as MERS and SARS. Some transmit easily from person to person, while others do not. According to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people. Globally, novel coronaviruses emerge periodically in different areas, including SARS in 2002 and MERS in 2012. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans. As surveillance improves more coronaviruses are likely to be identified. China has strong public health capacities and resources to respond and manage respiratory disease outbreaks. In addition to treating the patients in care and isolating new cases as they may be identified, public health officials remain focused on continued contact tracing, conducting environmental assessments at the seafood market, and investigations to identify the pathogen causing the outbreak. In the coming weeks, more comprehensive information is required to understand the current status and epidemiology of the outbreak, and the clinical picture. Further investigations are also required to determine the source, modes of transmission, extent of infection, and countermeasures implemented. WHO continues to monitor the situation closely and, together with its partners, is ready to provide technical support to China to investigate and respond to this outbreak. The preliminary determination of a novel virus will assist authorities in other countries to conduct disease detection and response. Over the past week, people with symptoms of pneumonia and reported travel history to Wuhan have been identified at international airports. WHO does not recommend any specific measures for travellers. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information currently available. Media Contacts Paige Snider External Relations and Communication World Health Organization <[email protected]> -- Communicated by: ProMED-mail Rapporteur Kunihiko Iizuka ****** [2] Sina Tech News: Evolution of pathogen identification Date: Thu 9 Jan 2020 19:37:00 CST Source: Sina Technology, Caijing Magazine report [in Chinese, trans., edited]http://tech.sina.com.cn/roll/2020-01-09/doc-iihnzahk3089851.shtml When a virus strikes, identifying the pathogen quickly and accurately is the key to success. This depends on the development of scientific research, the improvement of the disease surveillance system and the continuous openness and transparency of information. The "new coronavirus" has caused several cases of unexplained pneumonia in Wuhan [Hubei] to be initially "identified." According to Xinhua News Agency, on [9 Jan 2020], Xu Jianguo, the leader of the preliminary assessment of pathogenic test results and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said that the expert group believes that the pathogen of this unexplained viral pneumonia case was initially determined to be a new type of coronavirus. At 21:00 [9 PM] on [7 Jan 2020], the expert group detected a new coronavirus in the laboratory and obtained its entire genome sequence. A scholar close to the expert group told the reporter of Caijing that the wild animals sold in the South China Seafood Market are currently under inspection to track down the source of the virus. The Wuhan Municipal Health and Health Commission reported that as of [5 Jan 2020], there were 59 cases of viral pneumonia, of which 7 were critically ill patients, and the remaining patients had overall stable vital signs and no deaths. On [8 Jan 2020], 8 patients were cured and discharged. In previous reports, viruses such as SARS and avian influenza have been excluded. A person in charge of the pathogenic laboratory of a disease control center in a northwestern province told the Caijing reporter that after getting the specimens, the laboratory could screen for a known or common virus within a day. These include influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus, SARS, etc. However, it takes longer to detect and identify unknown viruses. The SARS epidemic that broke out in 2003 took scientists more than 5 months to finally determine the new coronavirus; the H7N9 avian influenza epidemic in 2013 took more than one month from the 1st case to the diagnosis of the virus. The Wuhan epidemic was first notified on [31 Dec 2019], and was initially identified as "new coronavirus" by research experts at an interval of 9 days. Relying on the progress of scientific research and the prevention and control system of infectious diseases, the detection time of pathogens has been greatly shortened. Coronavirus disorder -------------------- The virus that causes unexplained pneumonia in Wuhan, like SARS, is a coronavirus. Under the microscope, the virus had obvious stick-shaped particle protrusions on the outer mold, so it looked like the crown of medieval European emperors and was named "Coronavirus". The virus was first isolated from chickens more than 80 years ago. In 1965, scientists isolated the 1st human coronavirus. [A] virus is a simple microorganism composed of nucleic acid and protein shell, including DNA and RNA viruses. Coronaviruses are RNA viruses. Its variability is high because its recombination rate between RNA and RNA is very high. In other words, the genetic material that determines its viral characteristics is constantly changing. The current research progress is that the coronavirus family contains nearly 20 viruses of the genus [alpha, beta, gamma, delta] among which there are 6 types of coronavirus known to infect humans. Among them, the 4 coronaviruses are more common in the population, and they are less pathogenic, and generally cause only minor respiratory symptoms similar to the common cold. The other 2, SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, can cause severe respiratory diseases. The former (SARS) has obvious interpersonal transmission, causing the disease to spread rapidly. Classical coronavirus infection, which mainly occurs in winter and spring, is an important cause of acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis in adults. Due to the high variability of the coronavirus, the original vaccine will fail and immunity will fail. Li Gang, director of the Wuhan Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a media interview that the clinical manifestations of patients in Wuhan were viral pneumonia. More stringent preventive public health measures such as patient isolation and close contact tracing are needed. According to the Wuhan Health Commission, the clinical manifestations of unexplained pneumonia in Wuhan were mainly fever, a few patients had difficulty breathing, and chest radiographs showed invasive lesions of both lungs. The main difference from SARS symptoms is that no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission has been found. "No clear evidence of human-to-human transmission or medical staff infection was found." In 3 circulars issued by the Wuhan Health Commission, this sentence repeated. An influenza control expert told a Caijing reporter that whether human-to-human transmission occurs after infection with the virus depends on the characteristics of the virus, especially its binding to the receptor. This characteristic is also related to whether the virus is likely to infect humans. In 2003, H5N1 human bird flu cases continued to appear, causing a high lethality. The flu control experts explained that the tissue structure of the avian influenza virus receptors is different compared to human influenza viruses. The human upper respiratory tract does not have avian influenza virus receptors, so it is difficult to infect humans. But people in the lower respiratory tract have receptors for avian influenza virus in the lungs. Once avian influenza virus affects human lungs, it can cause human infection and the symptoms are severe. Despite a long history of confrontation with viruses, to this day, humans still cannot fully understand such a small, simple structure of acellular microorganisms. 9 days from initial notification -------------------------------- In the face of virus invasion, rapid and accurate identification of the pathogen is the key to success. "The pathogen of unexplained viral pneumonia cases was initially identified as a new type of coronavirus", which is the latest news of unexplained pneumonia in Wuhan. 9 days from the 1st notification. At 1 pm on [31 Dec 2019], a staff member of the Wuhan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told a reporter from Caijing that the Wuhan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had tested the specimens, and the Hubei Province Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was organizing experts to review the case specimens. Only by knowing the pathogen can we target medicine. In this race against time, "every second counts" is not an exaggeration. This depends on the development of scientific research, the improvement of the disease surveillance system and the continuous openness and transparency of information. In April 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced in Geneva that the pathogen of SARS is a new coronavirus known as SARS coronavirus. This time, more than 5 months away from the 1st case notification. On the afternoon of [29 Mar 2013], the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention isolated 3 strains of H7N9 avian influenza virus from the specimens submitted for examination and confirmed the diagnosis. At this time, the 1st case had been onset for more than a month. During the "unknown pneumonia" incident in Wuhan, the pathogen identification time was significantly reduced. The latest bulletin on [9 Jan 2020] showed that the laboratory used methods such as genome sequencing, nucleic acid detection, and virus isolation to etiologically detect samples from patients with alveolar lavage fluid, throat swabs, and blood. To confirm the cause of an epidemic disease, 3 points need to be met: 1st, the suspected pathogen must be found in the patient, and the pathogenic nucleic acid can be detected in the patient's clinical sample. 2nd, pathogens can be successfully isolated from clinical samples of patients. In addition, isolated pathogens can cause the same disease symptoms when infecting a host animal. The patient's serum antibody titer during the recovery period increased 4-fold, which can help identify the pathogen. Scientific research, such as pathogen isolation and pathogenicity identification, typically takes weeks. A director of the Respiratory Department of Beijing Top Three Hospital analyzed the reporter of Caijing that whether the cultured virus can grow depends on the amount and viability of the virus in clinical specimens. Immunological methods are able to detect viral antigens from respiratory secretions, but the final results also depend on a relatively high viral load. The person in charge of one of the aforementioned pathogen laboratories added that the virus lives in the cell and must find the specific cell it grows in, and mutation may occur during isolation. Even if the virus is isolated, animal experiments need to be performed to verify compliance with the clinical manifestations of existing patients and determine the virus in question. After that, the virus must be cultivated, which is also a time-consuming task, sometimes it takes at least 20 days. The emergence of molecular biology technology has enabled experimenters to find the pathogen's nucleic acid, genome and other evidence in a short period of time, and identify whether it is a known virus or a type of virus. One of the achievements of the "National Major Project for Infectious Diseases" released by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2017 is to establish a detection technology system that identifies 300 known pathogens within 72 hours. The genetic information of the virus is stored in the nucleic acid, which at the same time indicates the characteristics of the virus and also acts as an "identity card", which can help researchers distinguish the specific virus type. The main principle is to design another nucleic acid sequence that can match the virus identity information. In the vast ocean of nucleic acids, like a probe, paired with a specific "identity" virus. The director of the Beijing Respiratory Department told the Caijing reporter that using the above principles, the existing technology can detect 12-15 viruses at the same time, which has become the standard method for respiratory virus detection. 1st, such technologies will be used to screen for known or common pneumonia viruses. The person in charge of the above-mentioned pathogen laboratory said, "In less than a day, it is possible to determine whether there are a dozen known pneumonia viruses." These include influenza, avian influenza, adenovirus, SARS, etc. If the specific virus type has not been identified, the laboratory director will commission a testing company to compare the specimen with the genetic information in the pathogen database to determine the virus type. The above method requires predicting the pathogen sequence, and is powerless against unknown pathogens and pathogens with large sequence variation. "If these methods are still uncertain, we will consider whether it is a new pathogen. The virus needs to be isolated and cultured, and then identified by various methods." The person in charge of the said pathogen laboratory said. In the end, the expert group believed that the pathogen of unexplained viral pneumonia cases in Wuhan was initially determined as a new type of coronavirus. Track down the root cause of the virus -------------------------------------- Only by knowing where the virus came from can we control its outbreak from the source. At present, the etiology of unexplained pneumonia in Wuhan is still ongoing. A scholar close to the expert group told Caijing that at present, wild animals appearing in the South China seafood market are being inspected to track down the source of the virus. Taking the SARS coronavirus as an example, the traceability of the virus from civet to bat is not easy. It took more than 2 years. In 2003, researchers isolated 3 SARS-like viruses from 6 civet specimens, confirming that civet sold on the market is the direct cause of SARS infection. But it was not until 2 years later that the original host of SARS was discovered. An article published by Shi Zhengli's team at the Wuhan Institute of Virology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the journal Science revealed that bats are "natural hosts of SARS-like coronavirus." Although many domestic markets for wildlife trading have been restricted or facing closures since the outbreak of SARS and bird flu, the phenomenon of buying, selling, and eating wildlife is still very common. In the South China Seafood Market in Wuhan, "wild meat" was never completely banned at the outbreak of viral pneumonia of unknown cause. According to previous reports by Red Star News, there are a lot of abandoned rabbit heads and animal offal in the corner of Sixth Street in the western part of the market. The owner of the stall said that there are several shops selling wild game in the market, including pheasant and snake. The multiple unexplained pneumonia cases in Wuhan this time reminded the danger of wildlife trading again. Yuan Guoyong, a microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong who is involved in the SARS virus research, mentioned in an article in the famous scientific journal "Nature" that wildlife habitats should not be disturbed, and wildlife should not be brought into the market for circulation and trading. In Yuan Guoyong's view, learning to respect nature and respect it is "very important to prevent the occurrence of new infectious diseases." This article is the exclusive cooperation content between Caijing and Tencent News. [Byline: Wen, Zhu He, and editor Wang Xiao] -- Communicated by: ProMED-mail Rapporteur Kunihiko Iizuka [A very good review of the process involved in the identification of viral etiologies for respiratory diseases. The ending conclusion on the need to respect the wildlife and the danger in wildlife trading leads one to remember that in the past 25 or more years, 75 percent of new human diseases involved species jumps from "domestic" animals (which include livestock and camels); and 70 percent of new disease in domestic animals involved species jumps from wildlife to domestic animals. With respect to the SARS-CoV, the jump was from bats, to civets, to humans via the wet markets and then human-to-human, and with the MERS-CoV, while the full transmission isn't completely defined yet, there was the jump from bats, to camels, to humans, and in selected settings, human-to-human transmission. - Mod.MPP] ****** [3] Stat News: Overview Date: Thu 9 Jan 2020 Source: Stat News [edited]https://www.statnews.com/2020/01/09/chinese-scientists-obtain-genetic-sequence-of-mysterious-virus-a-key-step-in-containment-efforts/ Chinese scientists have recovered a previously unknown virus from an infected individual and generated a full genetic sequence of it, a key step in efforts to learn more about the cause of an outbreak of unusual pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, state-run media reported [Thu 9 Jan 2020]. Fragments of the same virus were picked up in testing of 15 patients among the 59 who have been identified as infected with the mysterious pneumonia. The speed of the findings is impressive; the 1st case in this outbreak became ill less than a month ago. "Preliminary identification of a novel virus in a short period of time is a notable achievement and demonstrates China's increased capacity to manage new outbreaks," the World Health Organization's representative in China, Dr Gauden Galea, said in a statement. But more work is needed to confirm whether the virus is the cause of the outbreak and, if it is, to identify what animal species transmitted the virus to people and whether there are other cases elsewhere, Galea said. The report on CCTV appears to be the 1st official confirmation from Chinese authorities that they believe a new virus is responsible for this outbreak -- specifically a coronavirus, a type of virus in the family that includes SARS and MERS. When viewed under an electron microscope, it exhibits the crown-like halo that gives coronaviruses their name, said Xu Jianguo, identified by CCTV as the leader of the preliminary assessment of the test results and a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The outbreak is occurring in Wuhan, about 700 miles [about 1127 km] south of Beijing. Wuhan is a leading center for virology research in China, and infectious diseases experts watching this outbreak have predicted scientists there would quickly find the cause. Still, they cautioned that this discovery does not mean the outbreak is over or the threat has passed. "Everybody's assuming ... that this coronavirus is the cause. We don't know that. They're assuming that market was the origin. We don't know that. And we don't know how many other cases are walking around right now," said Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, a non-profit organization that works in this sphere. The 1st known case in the Wuhan outbreak became noticeably ill on [12 Dec 2019], according to a statement released [Sun 5 Jan 2020] by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission. The discovery of an outbreak and identification of a new virus in a period of less than one month is exceptional, experts said. "I am stunned by the timeline and speed of this isolation and characterization, if it's all true," said Matthew Frieman, a coronavirus expert at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. The community of scientists who research emerging infectious diseases has been speculating for days that the source of the outbreak was a new coronavirus, a class of viruses that has shown itself adept at making the leap from animals to people. Coronaviruses originate in bats but are able to infect a number of mammals. Confirmation that scientists have the genetic sequence of the virus will increase pressure on China to release at least part of that sequence, so that health facilities around the world know what to look for as they try to detect possible cases from this outbreak and prevent spread elsewhere. During the 2003 SARS outbreak, infected travelers spread the virus from China to Hong Kong and from there to Viet Nam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Toronto, Canada. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on [Wed 8 Jan 2020] instructed doctors to ask patients with severe respiratory infections whether they have been to Wuhan. Hong Kong and other countries in Southeast Asia are isolating any such cases until they can be tested for influenza, rhinoviruses, and other viruses that cause colds and flu. This type of very broad net will draw in many people who were in or near Wuhan and who have a respiratory tract infection but who have nothing to do with this outbreak -- especially in the middle of flu season. That will eat up resources and the time of doctors, laboratories, and sick people who don't need to be isolated. "If the Chinese truly have sequenced the virus and they've demonstrated that it's present in other patients, that's means there's a PCR diagnostic test available. And the Chinese need to make that available to the rest of the world immediately," said Ralph Baric, a coronavirus expert at the University of North Carolina. "And the longer they wait, the more likely the scientific community will go from a positive response to a negative response, in terms of how China is handling this outbreak," he said. The CCTV report did not provide details on the type of coronavirus that has been discovered -- for instance if it is one of several SARS-like viruses that have been found in bats in China, and if so, how genetically different it is from SARS. A number of these SARS-like viruses are able to infect human tissue cells in the laboratory, suggesting they might be able to spill over into people if given the right circumstances. Xu said more research on the new virus is needed. There has been limited information about the nature of the illness in people who have been infected. Chinese authorities have said no one has died from this infection; 7, however, were in critical condition as of [Sun 5 Jan 2020]. In a statement that same day, the WHO said that the main symptom was fever; some patients had difficulty breathing. The CCTV report also did not indicate whether scientists investigating the outbreak had identified the source of the virus -- which will be key to any effort to determine if the virus is spreading in other locations as well. [Baric] said coronaviruses could jump to people directly from bats, which are eaten in China. But this virus could have used what is known as an intermediate host -- an animal species that becomes infected with a bat virus that then transmits it to people. Daszak said he believes efforts to look for the virus in animals have not started. "There are probably a dozen to 2 dozen target species that you would go after to do a wildlife investigation. I don't know if they're doing that," he said, adding that EcoHealth Alliance hopes to partner with Chinese researchers on the work "once the politics have died down." China was roundly criticized for its early bungling of the SARS outbreak and it is widely believed authorities there have no wish to be embarrassed like that again. The capacity of the country to respond to infectious diseases outbreaks increased markedly in the aftermath of SARS. During that outbreak, it was determined that palm civets, a wild animal eaten as a delicacy in southern China, were transmitting the virus. Chinese authorities ordered a widespread culling of civets to help stop the outbreak. The Wuhan outbreak has been linked to a large seafood market that also sells the meat of exotic animals for consumption. The market was closed and decontaminated on [1 Jan 2020]. But it is important to know if other markets are selling infected animals, said Malik Peiris, a microbiologist at the University of Hong Kong. "If it can jump once, then it will jump again," Peiris said of the virus. He was one of the scientists who first identified the coronavirus that caused the 2003 SARS outbreak, which infected more than 8000 people and killed nearly 800. The WHO said [Wed 8 Jan 2020] that Chinese authorities believe the virus "does not transmit readily between people." Earlier statements from the Wuhan Municipal Health Authority said there has been no person-to-person spread, but disease experts challenged that claim, saying it is impossible to rule out at this stage in the exploration of a new disease. "I don't know how you know that at all," Frieman said of China's claim there is no person-to-person transmission. He noted the number of cases reported makes it seem unlikely that animal-to-human transmission is the only way this virus spreads. There have been at least 1 or 2 clusters of cases within families that have raised suspicions of limited person-to-person spread, a source familiar with the outbreak told STAT. News of the pneumonia cases first emerged on [30 Dec 2019], when the local health authority told hospitals to be on the lookout for cases. The next day Chinese authorities informed the WHO that they were dealing with what looked like an outbreak caused by an unknown virus. [Byline: Helen Branswell] -- Communicated by: ProMED-mail <[email protected]> [A very good overview of the status of the investigation and the many questions that remain to be answered. One piece of new information in the report above is the mention that "there have been at least 1 or 2 clusters of cases within families that have raised suspicions of limited person-to-person spread...". Now that the virus has been identified, further work is needed on the epidemiology of the transmission, including how much community wide transmission may have occurred. It is important to mention that more and more countries are announcing "suspected cases, with media reports on respiratory illnesses in individuals who had been in Wuhan. Countries include South Korea, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Taiwan. In addition, neighboring Hong Kong has now identified 48 individuals who have a febrile respiratory illness with a history of travel to Wuhan. The Hong Kong Center for Health Protection maintains a line listing that is updated daily and includes the viral etiologies from specimens of these suspected cases. Etiologies include influenza viruses, human metapneumovirus, adenovirus, and coronavirus HKU1, to name a few (see https://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/enhanced_sur_pneumonia_wuhan_eng.pdf). There are patients who have not had any known viral pathogens isolated among these 48 cases, so it will be interesting to know results if and when testing for the novel coronavirus becomes available outside of Wuhan. A map showing locations of major cities in China can be found at https://www.chinadiscovery.com/china-maps/city-maps.html. HealthMap/ProMED-mail map of China: http://healthmap.org/promed/p/5294. - Mod.MPP] See Also Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (HU) (07): official confirmation of novel coronavirus 20200108.6878869 Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (06): (HU) Hong Kong surveillance, USA CDC alert 20200108.6876648 Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (05): (HU) novel coronavirus identified 20200108.6877694 Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (04): (HU) Hong Kong surveillance 20200106.6874277 Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (03): (HU) updates, SARS, MERS ruled out, WHO, RFI 20200105.6872267 Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (02): (HU) updates, other country responses, RFI 20200103.6869668 Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (01): (HU) wildlife sales, market closed, RFI 20200102.6866757 2019 ---- Undiagnosed pneumonia - China: (HU) RFI 20191230.6864153 .................................................mpp/ml/mj/ml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 Disease information Vaccines Other travel health risks General precautions Mode of travel considerations WHO advice for international travel and trade in relation to the outbreak of pneumonia caused by a new coronavirus in China 10 January 2020 On 31 December 2019, a cluster of pneumonia of unknown etiology was reported in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. On 9 January Chinese authorities reported in the media that the cause of this viral pneumonia was initially identified as a new type of coronavirus, which is different from any other human coronaviruses discovered so far . Coronaviruses are a large family of respiratory viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to the Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The clinical signs and symptoms of the patients reported in this cluster are mainly fever, with a few patients having difficulty in breathing, and chest radiographs showing bilateral lung infiltrates. Some cases were operating dealers or vendors in Huanan Seafood Market. From the currently available information, preliminary investigation suggests that there is no significant human-to-human transmission, and no infections among health care workers have occurred. More information is required to better understand the mode of transmission and clinical manifestation of this new virus. The source of this new virus is not yet known. International travellers: practice usual precautions While the cause of the pneumonia seems to be a novel coronavirus, transmission potential and modes of transmission remain unclear. Therefore, it would be prudent to reduce the general risk of acute respiratory infections while travelling in or from affected areas (currently Wuhan City) by: avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections; frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment; avoiding close contact with live or dead farm or wild animals; travellers with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands). Health practitioners and public health authorities should provide to travellers information to reduce the general risk of acute respiratory infections, via travel health clinics, travel agencies, conveyance operators and at points of entry. If a traveller on board of an aircraft/a ship has signs and symptoms indicative of acute respiratory infections, the model of Maritime declaration of health (Annex 8 of IHR) or the health part of the aircraft general declaration (Annex 9 of IHR) can be used to register the health information onboard and submit to POE health authorities when required by a State Party. A passenger locator form can be used in the event of a sick traveller detected on board a plane. This form is useful for collecting contact information for passengers and can be used for follow-up if necessary. Travellers should also be encouraged to self-report if they feel ill. The cabin crew should follow the operational procedures recommended by International Air Transport Association (IATA) with regard to managing suspected communicable disease on board an aircraft. International traffic: no restrictions recommended Wuhan city is a major domestic and international transport hub. Currently, there are no reports of cases outside of Wuhan City. Given the heavy population movements, expected to significantly increase during the Chinese New Year in the last week of January, the risk of cases being reported form elsewhere is increased. WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travellers. It is generally considered that entry screening offers little benefit, while requiring considerable resources. In case of symptoms suggestive to respiratory illness before, during or after travel, the travellers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share travel history with their health care provider. WHO advises against the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the information currently available on this event. As provided by the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), countries should ensure that: routine measures, trained staff, appropriate space and stockpile of adequate equipment in place at points of entry for assessing and managing ill travellers detected before travel, on board conveyances (such as planes and ships) and on arrival at points of entry; procedures and means are in place for communicating information on ill travellers between conveyances and points of entry as well as between points of entry and national health authorities; safe transportation of symptomatic travellers to hospitals or designated facilities for clinical assessment and treatment is organized; a functional public health emergency contingency plan at points of entry in place to respond to public health events. https://www.who.int/ith/2020-0901_outbreak_of_Pneumonia_caused_by_a_new_coronavirus_in_C/en/?fbclid=IwAR0um9rSJ8DWBHv446phYalVIPR3M2zfdwJycoyoy5IdEWLx-hFIaoErvNE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niman Posted January 10, 2020 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2020 There have been at least 1 or 2 clusters of cases within families that have raised suspicions of limited person-to-person spread, a source familiar with the outbreak told STAT. https://www.statnews.com/2020/01/09/chinese-scientists-obtain-genetic-sequence-of-mysterious-virus-a-key-step-in-containment-efforts/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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