Rapid Isolation Suggested of 2019-nCoV Patients

The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has issued new recommendations on how healthcare providers should manage suspected or confirmed infections with the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV.

The focus of this ECDC Technical Report published on February 3, 2020, is on the rapid isolation of patients and the protection for staff from this coronavirus.

It is important in the ECDC's “Technical Report” that the correct assessment at first contact is important: Doctors should inform themselves about the current epidemiological situation locally and internationally, know the known risk factors of the 2019 nCoV infection.

The ECDC assumes that 2019-nCoV, like other coronaviruses, will in most cases be transmitted from person to person through droplet infection.

According to the ECDC, aerobic transmission cannot be proven for coronaviruses - but it cannot be ruled out either.

Therefore, the ECDC recommends tailored FFP2 or FFP3 breathing masks, eye protection, long-sleeved waterproof protective clothing, and gloves.

Particular caution is required when taking measures that include tracheal intubation, bronchial suction, bronchoscopy, and sputum induction.

The ECDC advises that these measures should be carried out in a room with negative air pressure.

The ECDC says ‘the clinical presentation of a 2019 nCoV infection ranges from an asymptomatic person who may have been identified during a contact examination to a patient with very severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, and multi-organ failure.

Seriously ill patients can, however, excrete the virus over a long period of time. Isolation should only be terminated when the patient is symptom-free and the virus is no longer detectable using the available tests.

The duration of the infectivity of 2019 nCoV in patients is not known, according to the ECDC.

As of February 3, 2020, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is closely monitoring the 2019-nCoV outbreak. Human-to-human transmission of this coronavirus has been confirmed.

To notify international travelers, the CDC updated a Level 3 Travel Alert on February 2nd.

As of 07:50 Beijing Time on February 3rd, China's National Health Committees reported 17,339 confirmed cases of the 2019-nCoV virus, with 21,558 suspected cases, and 2,296 severe cases and 361 related fatalities.

Furthermore, the CDC says there are no approved medications or vaccines available for the 2019-nCoV today.

Coronavirus outbreak news is published by Coronavirus Today.