What a difference a month makes! On December 31, 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) was informed of a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown cause detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. A novel coronavirus was identified as the cause and was named Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The World Health Organization publishs a daily situation report at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situation-reports/. This report is very concise and provides a global map of the countries, territories or areas with reported confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV and a surveillance table of the numbers within each location.
Other useful information is included each day, for example on 29th January in Situation Report no. 9 details were provided of the WHO's published travel advice for international traffic, found at https://www.who.int/ith/2019-nCoV_advice_for_international_traffic/en/For Situation Report no. 10 published 30th January, it was recommended that the interim name of the disease causing the current outbreak should be “2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease” (where ‘n’ is for novel and ‘CoV’ is for coronavirus).
Of course by the time you read this, the situation will have changed dramatically, such is the speed of the rapidly changing picture of this outbreak. On 30th January the WHO convened the second International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee on novel coronavirus in China. Full details can be viewed at https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/30-01-2020-statement-on-the-second-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-(2005)-emergency-committee-regarding-the-outbreak-of-novel-coronavirus-(2019-ncov) Press briefings are also provided in audio format along with transcripts which make for interesting listening at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/media-resources#
A key and very helpful page of resources from the WHO can be found at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 This provides advice on protecting yourself, travel advice, myth-busters, situation reports and technical guidance. It is suggested users visit it daily. The mythbusters provide infographics providing answers which the images below portray. The graphics are downloadable and can be shared from https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public/myth-busters.
Similarly advice for the general public in the form of graphic posters are available at https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public These eye catching and simply presented messages would serve a travelling public well in any travel clinic waiting area.
Many countries around the world will have had a significant increase in workload to keep abreast of all the changes happening as the situation unfolds. Sometimes the information can feel overwhelming for busy healthcare practitioners who are trying to keep up to speed alongside their busy day jobs. For UK practitioners I have written a blog which outlines the current situation and is intended to direct them to the best resources they can access to keep up to date. See https://janechiodini.blogspot.com/2020/01/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov.html.
For example, we have a flowchart produced to help in the management of a suspected case of 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease patient and help guide the practitioner whether they are caring in the primary of secondary care sectors. See https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-initial-investigation-of-possible-cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have a clearly laid out, comprehensive and easy to use selection of materials at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html The range is vast with the section of healthcare professionals including interim guidance, infection control, preparedness checklist, details on clinical care, home care and a list of recent journal articles and publications on the disease. See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/hcp/index.html.
Other sections include information of laboratories, public health professionals and much more, numerous hours could be spent reading the many pages providing comprehensive advice.
In the quarantine and isolation section there are many resources within the airline guidance section including Interim Recommendations for Airline Crew: Novel Coronavirus in China at https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/air/managing-sick-travelers/ncov-airlines.html.
This poster below within communication resources for travelers is also produced in Chinese found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/communication-resources.html.
The Australian government have a collection of resources for the general public, health professionals and industry about novel coronavirus. Some are in both English and simplified Chinese. https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-resources#information-materials.
Similarly the Canadian government have produced materials but also translated into French and Chinese on the one resource. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/2019-novel-coronavirus-information-sheet.html.
Some of my favourite resources to provide captivating education to our travellers can be found on YouTube. The WHO posted a well presented video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOV1aBVYKGAThe.
The BBC have published a visual guide to the outbreak. This summary of the situation at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-51235105 presents data in graphic format, answers frequently asked questions, an interactive tool displaying the building of the new hospital in Wuhan, a video explaining efforts being undertaken to develop vaccine and many helpful advice infographics.
Resources are plentiful and important for an increasingly changing picture. Compared to the SARS outbreak of 2002 it feels the world has learned a great deal about the importance of collaboration and this can only be a very positive move in combating the threat of the novel coronavirus at the present time.