Risk Assessment Report – 18 November 2020

• Worldwide, there have been over 55.8 million cases and more than 1.34 million deaths attributed to COVID-19.

• On 14 November 2020, 1900 cases of unknown respiratory illness were reported in Hongkong. According to media reports,

health authorities have announced the suspension of all face-to-face classes, school activities, and services in kindergarten

and childcare centres for two weeks, starting November 14. This intervention follows more than 170 outbreaks of upper

respiratory illnesses involving nearly 2,000 individuals, of which 60% include children and school staff. To date, there is limited

information about the underlying cause of these respiratory illnesses; however, official and media reports have indicated that

COVID-19 and seasonal influenza tests among an unspecified number of the affected individuals are negative. In a follow-up

on the unknown respiratory illness in Hong Kong affecting school children, an unspecified number of those outbreaks have

been identified as related to common cold viruses. Although the etiologies of all ongoing outbreaks (over 170) have not been

clarified, they may include rhinoviruses, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, and/or metapneumovirus.

Health authorities ordered kindergarten and nursery schools to shut down amid the pressures facing the health care system

due to a concurrent COVID-19 upsurge along with the typical influenza season. There are concerns among health authorities

that the overlap of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses could complicate diagnoses and present a double burden on the

health care system.

• Tokyo (Japan) is preparing to raise its coronavirus alert level as the number of positive cases in the Japan’s capital increases.

Tokyo had lowered the alert level to the second-highest rank on September 10 after the daily number of infections had come

down from a summer peak of 400-plus cases. Since the beginning of this month, however, daily infections have trended

upward, reaching a three-month high of 393 cases last week. The highest alert level indicates that "infections are spreading",

versus the less serious "infections appear to be spreading".

• According to South Korea’s officials on Tuesday (November 17), the country will impose stricter social distancing rules for the

greater Seoul area a month after easing them, warning of an even bigger crisis if anti-COVID-19 efforts fail to dampen a spike

in new cases. Starting on Thursday (November 19), tighter curbs will ban public gatherings of 100 people or more, limit religious

services and audiences at sporting events to 30% capacity, and require high-risk facilities including clubs and karaoke bars to

broaden distance among guests. The tougher restrictions came as the daily case tally hovered above 200 for a fourth

consecutive day, with a series of cluster outbreaks emerging from offices, medical facilities and small gatherings in Seoul and

surrounding regions.

• Myanmar State Counsellor has warned of more COVID-19 cases in the country, a week after millions of voters went to the

polls. Despite safety protocols that were put in place for the November 8 general election, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi said a rise in

infection rates would be inevitable. She added that authorities found that infections had spread in other areas including

Ayeyawady, and Bago in central Myanmar, as well as Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city. As of November 17,

Myanmar has reported 1,569 news cases, bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases to 71,730.