Measures afoot to stem contagion

By WANG XIAOYU in Beijing and GU MENGYAN in Hong Kong | China Daily | Updated: 2020-01-21 07:11

What we know about the Wuhan virus

How common are coronaviruses?

Coronaviruses are common throughout the world, infecting both humans and animals. Before the emergence of the latest strain in Wuhan, Hubei province, six strains of coronavirus were known to affect humans, with four of them causing mild respiratory symptoms akin to common colds. The other two strains, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS(Middle East respiratory syndrome), are potentially lethal, having together killed about 1,600 people worldwide.

*Is the new strain discovered in Wuhan linked to SARS or MERS?

They all come from the same large family of coronaviruses, but the new strain belongs to a different subgroup. It also demonstrates marked differences in genome sequence from the SARS and MERS-related viruses and appears to be less deadly. However, scientists are cautious of possible mutations of the new strain that could raise the level of risk.

*What are the symptoms of the new strain?

Most patients experience mild symptoms including fever, fatigue, a dry cough and difficulty breathing. They can fully recover with effective treatment. In some cases, patients suffer severe respiratory failure, extremely low blood pressure and other life-threatening conditions.

*How to protect yourself against the new coronavirus

Due to a lack of knowledge on the new strain, the World Health Organization has so far suggested general protective measures targeting other regular respiratory infections, including avoiding contact with people infected with respiratory illnesses, washing hands regularly and refraining from touching livestock or wild animals.

Medical institutions should also step up protection and control measures, particularly in their related emergency departments.

People wear masks in Xi'an, Shaanxi province. [File photo provided to China Daily]

Local authorities across China have stepped up monitoring and screening efforts to control the spread of a new strain of coronavirus that has sickened 218 people and killed three nationwide.

The contagious illness first emerged in late December in Wuhan, Hubei province, and on Monday, other regions outside of Wuhan began reporting confirmed and suspected infections, prompting wider implementation of prevention and control measures.

The Beijing Municipal Health Commission said on Monday that five cases have been confirmed in the Chinese capital, adding that medical institutions are required to increase screening to quickly single out suspected cases and strengthen their capability to detect infections to achieve "early diagnosis, early quarantine and early treatment".

Guangdong province confirmed 14 cases on Monday, including eight cases in Shenzhen. According to Shenzhen health authorities, the temperatures of passengers traveling through airports, piers, railways and bus stations will be taken on site in an attempt to step up screening efforts.

The authorities added that instances of new infections in the city are expected to rise as the ongoing Spring Festival travel rush significantly increases the risk of the disease's spread.

Shanghai, China's economic hub, detected two cases on Monday, one of them confirmed. The city has ramped up testing and screening of people displaying suspicious symptoms, and it has begun tracking people who have had close contact with suspected patients, said Shanghai Mayor Ying Yong.

"If new infections are confirmed in Shanghai, we will make timely reports to the public according to relevant laws and regulations," Ying said at a news conference on Monday.

Shenzhen's neighboring city of Hong Kong has made it compulsory for all passengers arriving on flights from Wuhan to fill in health declarations starting Tuesday, ahead of the upcoming travel peak during the Lunar New Year holiday and following the increase of confirmed cases in Wuhan over the weekend.

From Sunday noon to Monday noon, seven more suspected cases were reported in Hong Kong, bringing the total to 106 since Dec 31－none have been confirmed as being caused by the new coronavirus strain.