With cases of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) now rooted in 25 countries and afflicting more than 24,000 people, the international community is attempting to fight back with a $675 million Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP).
While many nations have responded swiftly to the novel coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concerns regarding the potential for 2019-nCoV to emerge in a nation with a weaker health system in place. Those less prepared to tackle the virus would be less effective in their outbreak response. That need for prevention forms the foundations of the new plan.
“My biggest worry is that there are countries today who do not have the systems in place to detect people who have contracted with the virus, even if it were to emerge,” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said. “Urgent support is needed to bolster weak health systems to detect, diagnose and care for people with the virus, to prevent further human to human transmission and protect health workers.”
The new plan will cover the months of February through April this year. Over that time, its adherents will move to rapidly create coordination between members of the international community and establish operational support throughout. They will work to scale up country readiness and response operations, as well as accelerate priority research and innovation. The plan also notes exactly the sort of activities and resources currently needed by international health organizations to deal with the outbreak and support priority public health measures.
Efforts to be focused on will include limitation of human-to-human transmission of 2019-nCoV, the identification, isolation and care of patients as early as possible, communication of critical risk and event information, reduction of viral spread from whatever its animal source might be, breaking down more of the many unknowns surrounding the virus and minimizing social and economic impact. Though with some nations, including the United States, officially closing borders with China and turning away foreign nationals, the latter impacts are already being felt.