Risk Assessment Report – 19 june 2020
Risk Assessment Report – 19 june 2020
Rapid Risk Assessment
June 19, 2020
Risk Assessment Report – 19 june 2020
Time Period Covered June 19, 2020 - June 19, 2020
- Worldwide, there have been more than 8.4 million cases, and over 450,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19. Africa continues to experience an upward trend, and 8 countries account for at least 80% of the cases and deaths throughout the continent. The hot-spots include South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, and Cameroon. In addition, a cluster of cases in refugee camps in South Sudan is a matter of concern.
- World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes initial clinical trial results from the United Kingdom that show dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, can be lifesaving for patients who are critically ill with COVID-19. According to preliminary findings shared with WHO, for patients on ventilators, the treatment was shown to reduce mortality by about one third, and for patients who only require oxygen, mortality was cut by about one fifth. Also, according to WHO report, older people have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Leaders from around the world have expressed their concern and called for response that address the needs and rights of older people (WHO Report 149).
- The investigation of a cluster of COVID-19 cases in Beijing associated with a wholesale market continues. As of 18 June, 10AM CEST, Chinese authorities have reported a total of 172 cases since 11 June, including 158 in Beijing, 10 linked cases in Hebei Province, 2 in Liaoning Province, 1 in Sichuan Province and 1 in Zhejiang Province. Three genetic sequences related to Xinfadi cluster have been uploaded to the GISAID database. WHO is closely monitoring the situation and is in close contact with national authorities in China.
- Chinese scientists have successfully isolated the coronavirus strain that caused the latest COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing, a significant progress that will greatly aid the epidemic control and prevention. According to the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday (June 18), the strain was isolated on June 15 from samples collected from the respiratory tracts of infected cases in Xinfadi, a major wholesale market for agricultural products in Beijing.
- Indonesia’s Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) and the national COVID-19 task force on research and technological innovation (TFRIC-19) have launched a mobile swab testing laboratory in an effort to increase the country’s testing capacity. The mobile biosafety level 2 (BSL-2) laboratory, which was built inside a repurposed 20-foot container, was first used for swab testing in Ridwan Meuraksa hospital in East Jakarta on June 16 and is capable of testing 120 samples in 12 hours. Meanwhile, the Palembang administration officially lifted the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) in Palembang, South Sumatra since June 16. Palembang’s status has been lowered to orange zone from red zone. So, the task force decided to revoke the restriction, but we will still maintain the health protocols. The Health Ministry announced 1,331 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on June 18, bringing the total number of infections nationwide to 42,762, now the highest among ASEAN countries.
Risk Assessment Report – 19 june 2020