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WHO, Event Information Site for IHR National Focal

Event Updates: 21 January 2020

Event Updated Country Hazard Disease Event Description IHR Assessment
2020-01-21 Republic of Korea (the) Infectious Coronavirus Infection (2019-nCoV) On 20 January 2020, National IHR Focal Point (NFP) for Republic of Korea reported the first case of novel coronavirus in the Republic of Korea. Public Health Risk
Details of the case/s:
The case is a 35-year-old female, Chinese national, residing in Wuhan, Hubei province in China. She had developed fever, chill, and muscle pain on 18 January 2020 while in Wuhan. She visited a local hospital in Wuhan and was initially diagnosed with a cold. On 19 January 2020, the case was detected with fever (38.3 °C) upon arrival at the Incheon International Airport. The patient was transferred to a national designated isolation hospital for testing and treatment. She was tested positive for pancoronavirus RT-PCR assay, and subsequently was confirmed positive for 2019-nCoV on 20 January 2020 by sequencing at the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Upon detection, the patient had chills, runny nose, and muscle pain.

The case did not report visiting any markets, including Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, nor did she have known contact with confirmed 2019-nCoV cases or wild animals in Wuhan city.

The patient is currently under isolation receiving treatment and is in stable condition.
Risk Assessment:
 

The Republic of Korea is the third country to report an imported 2019-nCoV case by a Chinese traveler from Wuhan, China. According to the latest information received and WHO analysis, there is evidence of limited human to human transmission of 2019-nCoV among the initial cases reported from Wuhan city.

 

 

 
WHO advice/recommendations:
WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travelers. In case of symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness either during or after travel, the travelers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share their travel history with their health care provider.
Interference with International travel or trade:
No
2020-01-21 United Arab Emirates (the) Infectious Coronavirus Infection On 9 and 13 January 2020, the National IHR Focal Point of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported an additional two (2) laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV to WHO. Public Health Risk
Details of the case/s:
The case reported on 9 January

Ø  The case is a 51-year-old male national.

Ø  A government employee and owner of a camel farm located in Al Ain City, Abu Dhabi region in UAE where he is living.

Ø   He developed fever, and fatigue on 26 December 2019. He presented at primary health care facility on 28 December and later at a private health care clinic on 31 December, where a chest X-ray confirmed the diagnosis of pneumonia. Afterwards, he was referred and admitted to ICU in private hospital.

Ø  As his condition did not improve, he was referred and admitted to ICU in government hospital on 2 January 2020, where airborne precautions were taken.

Ø  A nasopharyngeal aspirate was collected on 2 January and tested positive for MERS-CoV by RT-PCR (UpE and Orf1a genes) on 5 January by the Shiekh Khalifa Medical Center laboratory.

Ø   He has no comorbid conditions.

Ø  He has a history of close contact with dromedary camels at his farm in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms. 

Ø  Currently, the patient is in critical condition in intensive care unit isolation. So far, 27 household contacts have been identified.

 

The case reported on 13 January

Ø  The case is a 53-year-old male national.

Ø  Owner of a camel farm located in Al Ain City, Abu Dhabi region in UAE, where he is living.

Ø   He developed cough on 18 December 2019. He presented at several clinics before being admitted to a private hospital on 31 December. His family transferred him to another private hospital on 5 January 2020.

Ø  Bronchoalveolar lavage was collected on 6 January and tested positive for MERS-CoV by RT-PCR (UpE and Orf1a genes) on 6 January by the Shiekh Khalifa Medical Center laboratory.

Ø  He has hypertension and hypercholesteremia as comorbid conditions.

Ø  He has a history of close contact with dromedary camels at his farm in the 14 days prior to the onset of symptoms.

Ø  Currently, the patient is in critical condition in intensive care unit isolation. So far, 100 contacts (99 household contacts and 1 occupational contact) have been identified.
Risk Assessment:
The notification of additional cases does not change the overall risk assessment. WHO expects that additional cases of MERS-CoV infection will be reported from the Middle East, and that cases will continue to be exported to other countries by individuals who might acquire the infection after exposure to dromedary camels, animal products (for example, consumption of camel’s raw milk), or humans (for example, in a health care setting)

 At a global level, from 2012 until 15 January 2020, the total number of laboratory-confirmed MERS-CoV infection cases reported globally to WHO is 2506 with 862 associated deaths. 
Interference with International travel or trade:
No

*A public health risk is something that is (or is likely to be) hazardous to human health or could contribute to a disease or an infectious condition in humans.