LA CINA NON CI HA NASCOSTO UNA BEATA MAZZA!
Il 31 dicembre 2019, le autorità sanitarie
cinesi hanno notificato un focolaio di casi di polmonite ad eziologia non nota
nella città di Wuhan [Provincia dell’Hubei, Cina]. Molti dei casi iniziali
hanno riferito un’esposizione al Wuhan’s
South China Seafood City market [si sospettava un possibile meccanismo di
trasmissione da animali vivi].
Pneumonia of unknown
cause – China
Disease outbreak
news
5 January 2020
On 31 December 2019,
the WHO China Country Office was informed of cases of pneumonia of unknown
etiology [unknown cause] detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. As of
3 January 2020, a total of 44 patients with pneumonia of unknown etiology have
been reported to WHO by the national authorities in China. Of the 44 cases
reported, 11 are severely ill, while the remaining 33 patients are in stable
condition. According to media reports, the concerned market in Wuhan was closed
on 1 January 2020 for environmental sanitation and disinfection.
The causal agent has
not yet been identified or confirmed. On 1 January 2020, WHO requested further
information from national authorities to assess the risk.
National authorities
report that all patients are isolated and receiving treatment in Wuhan medical
institutions. The clinical signs and symptoms are mainly fever, with a few
patients having difficulty in breathing, and chest radiographs showing invasive
lesions of both lungs.
According to the
authorities, some patients were operating dealers or vendors in the Huanan
Seafood market. Based on the preliminary information from the Chinese
investigation team, no evidence of significant human-to-human transmission and
no health care worker infections have been reported.
Public Health
Response
National authorities
have reported the following response measures:
One hundred and
twenty-one close contacts have been identified and are under medical
observation;
The follow-up of
close contacts is ongoing;
Pathogen
identification and the tracing of the cause are underway;
Wuhan Municipal
Health Commission carried out active case finding, and retrospective
investigations have been completed;
Environmental
sanitation and further hygiene investigations are under way.
WHO is closely
monitoring the situation and is in close contact with national authorities in
China.
WHO risk assessment
There is limited
information to determine the overall risk of this reported cluster of pneumonia
of unknown etiology. The reported link to a wholesale fish and live animal
market could indicate an exposure link to animals. The symptoms reported among
the patients are common to several respiratory diseases, and pneumonia is
common in the winter season; however, the occurrence of 44 cases of pneumonia
requiring hospitalization clustered in space and time should be handled
prudently.
Wuhan city, with a
population of 19 million, is the capital city of Hubei province, with a
population of 58 million people. WHO has requested further information on the
laboratory tests performed and the differential diagnoses considered.
WHO advice
Based on information
provided by national authorities, WHO’s recommendations on public health
measures and surveillance of influenza and severe acute respiratory infections
still apply.
WHO does not
recommend any specific measures for travellers. In case of symptoms suggestive
of respiratory illness either during or after travel, travellers are encouraged
to seek medical attention and share travel history with their healthcare
provider.
WHO advises against
the application of any travel or trade restrictions on China based on the
current information available on this event.
For more
information:
Infection prevention
and control of epidemic-and pandemic prone acute respiratory infections in
health care, WHO guidelines
Wuhan Municipal
Health Commission briefing on the pneumonia epidemic situation, 31 December
2019 [in Mandarin]
Wuhan Municipal
Health Commission briefing on the pneumonia epidemic situation 3 January 2020 [in
Mandarin]
Il 9 gennaio 2020, il China CDC [il Centro per il
controllo e la prevenzione delle malattie della Cina] ha identificato
un nuovo coronavirus [provvisoriamente chiamato 2019-nCoV] come causa
eziologica di queste patologie. Le autorità sanitarie cinesi hanno inoltre
confermato la trasmissione inter-umana del virus.
L’11/12 febbraio, l’Organizzazione Mondiale della
Sanità [OMS] ha annunciato che la malattia respiratoria causata dal 2019-nCoV è stata chiamata COVID-19 [Corona Virus Disease].
Un mese dopo la notifica delle autorità cinesi, il 30 gennaio 2020, dopo la seconda riunione del Comitato di Sicurezza, il direttore generale dell’OMS Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus aveva, già, dichiarato il focolaio internazionale da SARS-CoV-2 un’Emergenza di sanità pubblica di rilevanza internazionale [Public Health Emergency of International Concern - PHEIC], come sancito nel Regolamento sanitario internazionale [International Health Regulations, IHR, 2005].
WHO Director-General’s
statement on IHR Emergency Committee on Novel Coronavirus [2019-nCoV]
30 January 2020
Good evening to
everyone in the room, and to everyone online.
Over the past few
weeks, we have witnessed the emergence of a previously unknown pathogen, which
has escalated into an unprecedented outbreak, and which has been met by an
unprecedented response.
As I have said
repeatedly since my return from Beijing, the Chinese government is to be
congratulated for the extraordinary measures it has taken to contain the
outbreak, despite the severe social and economic impact those measures are
having on the Chinese people.
We would have seen
many more cases outside China by now – and probably deaths – if it were not for
the government’s efforts, and the progress they have made to protect their own
people and the people of the world.
The speed with which
China detected the outbreak, isolated the virus, sequenced the genome and
shared it with WHO and the world are very impressive, and beyond words. So is
China’s commitment to transparency and to supporting other countries.
In many ways, China
is actually setting a new standard for outbreak response. It’s not an
exaggeration.
I also offer my
profound respect and thanks to the thousands of brave health professionals and
all frontline responders, who in the midst of the Spring Festival, are working
24/7 to treat the sick, save lives and bring this outbreak under control.
Thanks to their
efforts, the number of cases in the rest of the world so far has remained
relatively small.
There are now 98
cases in 18 countries outside China, including 8 cases of human-to-human
transmission in four countries: Germany, Japan, Viet Nam and the United States
of America.
So far we have not
seen any deaths outside China, for which we must all be grateful. Although
these numbers are still relatively small compared to the number of cases in
China, we must all act together now to limit further spread.
The vast majority of
cases outside China have a travel history to Wuhan, or contact with someone
with a travel history to Wuhan.
We don’t know what
sort of damage this virus could do if it were to spread in a country with a
weaker health system.
We must act now to
help countries prepare for that possibility.
For all of these
reasons, I am declaring a public health emergency of international concern over
the global outbreak of novel coronavirus.
The main reason for
this declaration is not because of what is happening in China, but because of
what is happening in other countries.
Our greatest concern
is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health
systems, and which are ill-prepared to deal with it.
Let me be clear:
this declaration is not a vote of no confidence in China. On the contrary, WHO
continues to have confidence in China’s capacity to control the outbreak.
As you know, I was
in China just a few days ago, where I met with President Xi Jinping. I left in
absolutely no doubt about China’s commitment to transparency, and to protecting
the world’s people.
To the people of
China and to all of those around the world who have been affected by this
outbreak, we want you to know that the world stands with you. We are working
diligently with national and international public health partners to bring this
outbreak under control as fast as possible.
In total, there are
now 7834 confirmed cases, including 7736 in China, representing almost 99% of
all reported cases worldwide. 170 people have lost their lives to this
outbreak, all of them in China.
We must remember that
these are people, not numbers.
More important than
the declaration of a public health emergency are the committee’s
recommendations for preventing the spread of the virus and ensuring a measured
and evidence-based response.
I would like to
summarize those recommendations in seven key areas.
First, there is no
reason for measures that unnecessarily interfere with international travel and
trade. WHO doesn’t recommend limiting trade and movement.
We call on all
countries to implement decisions that are evidence-based and consistent. WHO
stands ready to provide advice to any country that is considering which
measures to take.
Second, we must
support countries with weaker health systems.
Third, accelerate
the development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.
Fourth, combat the
spread of rumours and misinformation.
Fifth, review
preparedness plans, identify gaps and evaluate the resources needed to
identify, isolate and care for cases, and prevent transmission.
Sixth, share data,
knowledge and experience with WHO and the world.
And seventh, the
only way we will defeat this outbreak is for all countries to work together in
a spirit of solidarity and cooperation. We are all in this together, and we can
only stop it together.
This is the time for
facts, not fear.
This is the time for
science, not rumours.
This is the time for
solidarity, not stigma.
Thank you.
[https://www.who.int/dg/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-statement-on-ihr-emergency-committee-on-novel-coronavirus-[2019-ncov]]
TANTO PER RIMETTERE TUTTI I TASSELLI DEL
PUZZLE AL LORO POSTO.
BUONA SERATA!
Daniela Zini
Il TEMPO.IT
Coronavirus, il presidente Xi sapeva tutto dal 7
gennaio.
Cosa ci ha nascosto la Cina
16 febbraio 2020
Un discorso del 3 febbraio del presidente cinese, Xi
Jinping, pubblicato dai media di Stato, indica che Xi era a conoscenza della
situazione legata al coronavirus due settimane prima di quanto si pensasse
sinora. La diffusione del discorso è un apparente tentativo di dimostrare che
la leadership del Partito comunista ha agito in modo deciso sin dall’inizio, ma
apre anche alle critiche sul perché l’allarme non sia stato dato prima.
Nel discorso, infatti, il presidente disse di aver
dato istruzioni sulla lotta al virus il 7 gennaio, mentre in precedenza i media
di Stato datavano il suo primo diretto coinvolgimento a una dichiarazione del
20 gennaio sui trasporti di Wuhan, città al centro dell’epidemia, dopo il 23
gennaio è iniziato il lockdown. «Il 22 gennaio, alla luce della rapida
diffusione dell’epidemia e delle sfide di prevenzione e controllo, ho fatto la
chiara richiesta che la provincia di Hubei applicasse controlli globali e
stringenti sul flusso di persone», ha detto Xi a un incontro con la leadership
del partito.
Il discorso mostra che i vertici cinesi erano a
conoscenza della potenziale gravità dell’epidemia settimane prima che questo
rischio fosse noto al pubblico. Solo a fine gennaio, le autorità hanno
dichiarato che il virus avrebbe potuto trasmettersi tra esseri umani e l’allarme
ha iniziato a salire. Zhang Lifan, analista a Pechino, afferma che non sia
chiaro il motivo per cui il discorso di Xi sia stato pubblicato ora: ipotizza
che l’intenzione fosse far passare il messaggio che le autorità locali debbano
prendersi la responsabilità di non aver agito adeguatamente dopo le istruzioni
di Xi a inizio gennaio; oppure che Xi, come massimo leader, voglia assumersi la
responsabilità perché era a conoscenza della situazione. La fiducia nella
gestione delle epidemie da parte del governo cinese è poca, dopo che l’epidemia
della Sars tra 2002 e 2003 fu insabbiata per mesi.
Intanto, i cittadini hanno espresso rabbia contro le
autorità di Hubei e Wuhan, per l’iniziale gestione dell’epidemia: Wuhan fu la
prima città a imporre il blocco dei trasporti verso l’esterno, misura poi
allargata ad altre città coinvolgendo in tutto oltre 60 milioni di persone. La
rabbia si è poi accesa ulteriormente alla morte di Li Wenliang, giovane medico
ripreso dalla polizia locale per aver tentato di diffondere l’allarme sul
virus. L’uomo è morto dopo essere stato contagiato dallo stesso virus. In un’apparente
risposta, la scorsa settimana vertici del partito di Hubei e Wuhan sono stati
licenziati e sostituiti. Anche se le autorità cinesi hanno promesso
trasparenza, il giornalismo partecipato ha messo in discussione con dei video
la narrazione ufficiale dell’epidemia a Wuhan, e vari autori di questi filmati
sono scomparsi e si ritiene siano in carcere.
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