In a statement on January 5, the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission (China) confirmed that there have been a total of 59 cases of pneumonia of unknown cause in the city so far, of which 7 are in critical condition. In addition, 163 people who have been in contact with the patients are also being monitored. The Chinese Ministry of Health has closed and disinfected the Huanan Seafood Market in Wuhan, where many cases of infection have been recorded.
China's Ministry of Health has closed and disinfected the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, where many cases of infection have been recorded.
Initial test results show that the causative agent is not a common respiratory virus such as seasonal flu, influenza A, and is not related to Middle East respiratory syndrome MERS, avian flu or severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS as initially suspected. However, so far, Wuhan has not been able to verify the cause of the outbreak.
The WHO said it was in close contact with Chinese national health authorities to monitor the situation. Authorities in Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan and Thailand have stepped up airport screening.
As of January 5, the Hong Kong Food and Health Department had recorded 15 suspected cases of the mysterious pneumonia, all of whom had recently traveled to Wuhan. The increase of 7 patients overnight (January 4) prompted the Hong Kong government to activate the "severe response" level.
Hong Kong is strengthening overall prevention and control measures for passengers by installing more infrared cameras at the airport and trains from Wuhan to Hong Kong, as well as deploying staff to monitor and check passengers.
Hong Kong strengthens epidemic prevention with remote body temperature measuring machines...
...and observed through infrared camera
Bangkok Post also reported on January 5 that Thailand has deployed thermal scanners for all passengers arriving from Wuhan, China, at Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Phuket and Chiang Mai airports. Passengers suspected of being infected will be quarantined and tested. In addition, any tourists showing signs of suspected infection will be taken to hospital by ambulance.
Thailand has deployed thermal scanners on all passengers arriving from Wuhan, China.
On January 6, the National Focal Point for the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) (under the Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health of Vietnam) also said that in order to proactively prevent the disease from entering Vietnam, the Ministry of Health has directed the Department of Health of provinces and cities to strengthen the close monitoring of the epidemic situation at border gates, paying attention to close monitoring by remote body temperature measuring machines and observing the health status of all passengers entering the country with a history of returning from Wuhan city, Hubei province, China.
