Risk Assessment Report – 24 February 2020
Risk Assessment Report – 24 February 2020
Rapid Risk Assessment
February 24, 2020
Risk Assessment Report – 24 February 2020
Time Period Covered February 24, 2020 - February 24, 2020
- According to WHO, the understanding of transmission patterns, severity, clinical features and risk factors for COVID-19 is currently limited among the general population, among health care workers, in households and in other “closed” settings. On 18 February, a new master protocol entitled “Surface sampling of coronavirus disease (COVID-19): A practical how-to protocol for health care and public health professionals” was published. The role of environmental contamination in the transmission of COVID-19 is not yet clear. This protocol was designed to determine viable virus presence and persistence on fomites in various locations where a COVID-19 patient is receiving care or isolated, and to understand how fomites may play a role in the transmission of the virus in these settings. It is important that surface sampling is done as part of a comprehensive outbreak investigation, and that information obtained by environmental studies is combined with findings from epidemiological and laboratory investigations.
- WHO continues to collaborate with experts, Member States and other partners to identify gaps and research priorities for the control of COVID19, and provide advice to countries and individuals on prevention measures. National food safety authorities have been following this event with the International Food Safety Authorities Network (INFOSAN) Secretariat to seek more information on the potential for persistence of the virus on foods traded internationally and the potential role of food in the transmission of the virus.
- New country with COVID-19 case: ISRAEL and LEBANON o Health authorities confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in Israel on February 21. The report indicated that the individual is 1 out of the 11 travellers returning from the quarantined cruise ship in Yokohama. The infected individual arrived at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on February 20. All 11 travellers returning from the cruise ship in Yokohama were taken to the Sheba Medical Center, near Tel Aviv, for isolation and further investigation. o Health authorities confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in Lebanon on February 21. The report indicates that the individual is a 45-yearold woman who returned on February 20 from the city of Qom, Iran. She has since been isolated at a hospital in Beirut. Next to Canada, this represents the second country reporting COVID-19 in a returning traveller from Iran with no recent travel history to Mainland China. These travel-associated cases in Canada and Lebanon suggest that wider transmission may be occurring in the country.
- Increasing Cluster Cases in South Korea
- o Shincheonji Religious Group in Daegu
- ▪ 309 confirmed cases are epidemiologically linked to this cluster
- o Cheongdo Daenam Hospital, south of Daegu
- ▪ 92 confirmed cases are epidemiologically linked to this cluster
- o Military Cluster
- ▪ Another cluster identified is among a military base were 4 South Korean soldiers have been confirmed with COVID-19
- To prevent further spread of the disease, South Korean officials have designated the cities of Daegu and Cheogondo as special care zones, with public facilities closed and mass gathering events suspended. In Seoul, several large public venues have been closed and gatherings at rallies have been banned. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that they have placed more than 9,000 Shincheonji members in self-quarantine and thousands of worshippers have been screened for the virus.
- Cluster Cases in Italy o On 22 February, the Italian authorities reported clusters of cases in Lombardy. Initial case identification was based on local laboratory confirmations in the affected Region. Further confirmatory testing is being undertaken by the Italian national reference laboratory and extensive contact tracing is being performed. o From the total cases, 90 are in the Lombardy region (including 1 death), 26 in Veneto region (including 1 death), 9 in Emilia Romagna region, 6 in Piemonte region and the 3 cases in Rome are related to travel in China.
Risk Assessment Report – 24 February 2020