GEORGE TOWN: With the recent surge in Covid-19 cases, Malaysians have been advised to stay vigilant and take all precautionary measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Penang health committee chairman Daniel Gooi said despite the uptrend in cases since the end of last year due to the holidays, the situation was still under control.
“People should wear face masks in crowded areas and wash their hands regularly. These are basic precautionary measures that we should adopt. We must also closely monitor the health of all our family members,” he added.
Gooi said there were no plans to implement extra measures during the long weekend despite the potential increase of domestic tourists arriving in Penang this week.
There were 47 new cases reported in Penang on June 28 with active cases at 312 as of June 29. Out of this, 305 people were placed under home quarantine with seven being hospitalised.
Penang Hospital infectious disease unit head Datuk Dr Chow Ting Soo shared four important steps to keep Covid-19 at bay.
“In view of the waning immunity post-vaccine, the elderly and high-risk group should continue to wear masks, regularly sanitise their hands and avoid closed-space gatherings as much as possible.
“Secondly, this group should get tested immediately if they show Covid-19 symptoms, and get the antiviral as soon as possible.
“Thirdly, family members of the patients should also take a test and self-isolate if unwell to prevent the spread of the disease.
“Lastly, home isolation is still necessary, as well as wearing face masks for one week. If you need to go out, wear a face mask in public if you have cough or flu symptoms. Consult a doctor if your condition worsens,” she said.Dr Chow said these four steps also applied to food handlers and workers at restaurants.
Meanwhile, hawkers at the Paya Terubong market food court said they have been wearing masks since the early days of the pandemic until now.
“I also regularly use sanitiser and always wear a face mask when preparing food for my customers,” said sar hor fun seller Janice Cheah, 52.
Roti canai seller Karim Bukhari, 45, said he wears a face mask once he starts preparing the food.
“I come in direct contact with the dough, so hygiene is important. I want my customers to feel comfortable eating at my stall,” he added.
The idea behind the US virus-hunting programme was to prevent a pandemic, but after Covid-19 emerged, the fear of it accidentally triggering one instead became too real to ignore. — Freepik
For more than a decade, the US government has been funding international programmes engaged in identifying exotic wildlife viruses that might someday infect humans.
But The BMJ revealed on Sept 7 (2023) that a flagship project for hunting viruses among wildlife in South-East Asia, Africa and Latin America to prevent human outbreaks and pandemics is being quietly dropped by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) after private and bipartisan criticism over the safety of such research.
The shuttering of the project marks an abrupt retreat by the US government from wildlife virus-hunting – an activity that has also been funded by the US Department of Defense and the US National Institutes of Health, reports investigative journalist David Willman.
Risk of a pandemic
The turnabout follows warnings raised by sceptics, including officials within the Biden White House, that the US$125mil (RM584.5mil) DEEP VZN programme could inadvertently ignite a pandemic.
The misgivings continue to resonate now, as the cause of the Covid-19 pandemic – the world’s most deadly such event in a century – remains unproven.
USAID – an arm of the US State Department – launched DEEP VZN (short for Discovery & Exploration of Emerging Pathogens – Viral Zoonoses) in October 2021, succeeding an earlier, decade-long USAID programme called PREDICT, explains Willman.
The agency promoted it as “a critical next step to understand and address the risks posed by zoonotic diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans”, and said it would help the world “be better prepared to detect, prevent and respond to future biological threats”.
But in July (2023), officials at USAID quietly informed aides to Democratic and Republican members of two US Senate committees with jurisdiction over DEEP VZN that it was being shut down.
This previously-unpublicised decision comes as concerns have heightened over the many risks of working with exotic viruses, including unresolved questions about whether a research mishap or a naturally-occurring spillover of virus from an animal species to humans caused the Covid-19 pandemic.
For instance, in December 2021, two senior White House officials specialising in biosecurity and biosafety – Jason Matheny, deputy assistant to US President Joe Biden for technology and national security, and Daniel Gastfriend, the US National Security Council’s director for biodefence and pandemic preparedness – first privately shared their views with USAID Administrator Samantha Power and advised her to shut down DEEP VZN.
Later, another White House official, Dr T. Gregory McKelvey Jr, a physician and the assistant director for biosecurity with the US Office of Science and Technology Policy, also privately raised concerns with USAID staff.
Power eventually told Matheny and Gastfriend that she would initiate a review of the programme to ensure DEEP VZN could be conducted in a way that adequately managed the risks.
On Sept 6 (2023), USAID said in response to questions from The BMJ, that it had decided to “end the DEEP VZN” project.
The decision, said USAID, reflected “the relative risks and impact of our programming”.
Audit to be done
Matheny, who left the White House in mid-2022 told The BMJ: “It seems likely that the agency assessed that the risks exceeded the benefits of the programme.”
Willman also notes that in May (2023), three leaders of the Republican-controlled US House Energy and Commerce Committee asked the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) to open a scientific audit to “assess the benefits and risks of conducting predictive field research programmes for viruses”.
The US GAO’s acting chief scientist Dr Karen L. Howard estimated in an email to The BMJ that the audit would likely be completed during spring 2024, but declined to discuss any preliminary findings.
Meanwhile, USAID’s funding of the DEEP VZN programme has continued to draw scrutiny behind the scenes from members and staff with both the US Senate Foreign Relations and Senate Appropriations committees, interviews and documents show, writes Willman.
The exchanges between the US Senate and USAID culminated with a brief mention of the previously-unreported termination of DEEP VZN inside the State Department’s fiscal year 2024 appropriation, dated July 20 (2023): “The Committee notes the decision by USAID to cease funding for the exploration of unknown pathogens.”
Live: Press conference on the novel coronavirus outbreak国家卫健委通报疫情和防控工作最新进展
https://youtu.be/xQxOeUA0jRQ Coronavirus Latest Live Update from Shenzhen China.
https://youtu.be/ZgnjiEd4gVU
Chinese medics give up new year celebrations to head to coronavirus quarantine zone
https://youtu.be/VbA2PRYsakA
A 46-year-old man has become the first patient in east China's Zhejiang Province to recover from the coronavirus. The man, surnamed Yang, left the hospital on Friday after undergoing treatment for a week. The patient had been living in Wuhan for a long time. Yang will continue to visit the doctors for regular checkups.
19 Chinese provinces, municipalities launch highest-level emergency response
https://youtu.be/7Tc4HpDGwaE
Over 1,317 coronavirus cases have now been confirmed globally. So far, 42 infected people have died in China. A total of 19 provinces and municipalities in China, including Beijing, Shanghai and Jiangsu provinces have declared the highest level of public health emergency to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
Some traditional holiday celebrations, such as temple fairs and cultural performances and other public gatherings have been canceled. At least 16 cities in the worst-hit province of Hubei have suspended public transportation, including local buses, subways, ferries and long-distance coaches.
Around 450 military medical personnel have been deployed in the province, while nearby Sichuan Province has also sent 135 medical staff members. China's Finance Ministry has allocated a total of one billion yuan to support Hubei.
In addition, the provincial capital of Wuhan is building a special hospital on the outskirts of the city to treat patients with the virus. The 1,500-bed facility is expected to open by February 3.
Subscribe on YouTube: https://goo.gl/lP12gA
11 million people are under lockdown in Wuhan
https://youtu.be/RTbJ2wKILJM
Wuhan lockdown leads to empty streets, train stations
https://youtu.be/57GeEbPM8AQ
https://youtu.be/ltcV3Q-1ztw
China shuts down multiple cities in an effort to curb coronavirus outbreak
https://youtu.be/463-Ep139u4
The Science of Viral Outbreaks / Global Firms on Strategy amid Uncertainty
Avoid animals, animal markets, and products that come from animals.
Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based sanitizer if that’s not available.
Seek medical care right away if you have a fever, cough, or a hard time breathing. Tell your health care professional about your travel.
What are the symptoms, and how is the virus diagnosed?
China created a test for the virus and shared that information with other countries. The CDC has developed its own test.
Symptoms include a fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. They may appear 2 to 14 days after you’re exposed to the virus.
What is the source of the virus, and how is it spread?
Health officials are not sure of the source of the virus yet or how easily it can spread. Coronaviruses are found in many different animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. One research paper also suggested snakes as a possible source. The new virus may be linked to a seafood and live animal market in Wuhan that has since been closed
The virus can spread from person to person. Health officials are seeing this happen most often where people are close together and in health care settings. To date, 16 health care workers have been infected.
The CDC believes that severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), two other types of coronavirus, are spread through droplets when someone coughs or sneezes.
Is there a vaccine?
There is no vaccine, but the National Institutes of Health is working on one and hopes to begin testing in several months. That testing would be for safety. If it’s safe, there would be testing to see how well it works.
How is it treated?
There is no specific treatment for the virus. Patients are generally given supportive care for their symptoms, such a fluids and pain relievers. Hospitalized patients may need support with breathing.
Are you in danger of catching the coronavirus? 5 questions answered :
1. Am I at risk?
Not now, because currently every case of the novel coronavirus is linked to Wuhan.
There are lots of different coronaviruses that group into three types. The common cold can be caused by both alpha and betacoronaviruses.
Coronavirus was never really taken that seriously until 2003, when a coronavirus jumped species – likely from bats to humans via civets – and led to SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome. This species-jumping ability of coronaviruses is being observed again, now in Wuhan at the seafood market. This coronavirus is in the betacoronavirus group. China has now put travel restrictions in place to limit spread from Wuhan.
2. What’s the big concern with this virus?
For the novel coronavirus from Wuhan, there is no vaccine, and we’re lacking a specific therapy. So it is key to limit spread through quarantine of infected individuals and by tracing of contacts. 3. What is so unusual about this coronavirus?
This is a coronavirus that has never been seen in humans before. It likely came from bats, and it’s much more serious than the common cold coronavirus. This is only the third time that we’ve seen a coronavirus jump species from animals to humans. The concern is that this coronavirus is going to behave like SARS and MERS, or Middle East respiratory syndrome in 2012, both of which were serious.
4. Do the deaths appear to be among people of a certain age?
Many were in older men with pre-existing conditions.
5. How can I stay safe?
First of all, you need not be concerned about catching this right now. Practice the same precautions that you would to prevent catching a cold. Viruses that cause the common cold are on surfaces of handrails and doorknobs, so wash your hands, use sanitizers and stay home when you are sick.
Zhou Xianwang, the mayor of Wuhan, Central China's Hubei
Province, where the ongoing spread of coronavirus pneumonia began, said
at a press conference on Sunday night that more than 5 million people
have left the city because of the Spring Festival and the epidemic. The
news came as quite a shock.
More adjustments and improvements are needed in China's
governing system. In the Wuhan pneumonia case, is it possible to release
information more timely and comprehensively? It will prove to be a test
of China's system. But more and more Chinese people believe the system
will stand the test and improve itself amid the challenge.
Time is needed for basic research. But times waits for no
one. Any attempt to seek quick success and instant benefits must be
avoided. However, it is time for China to increase investment, focus on
talent training, team building and policy adjustments in this field.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is scheduled to
convene a special meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on Wednesday to discuss
whether the epidemic caused by a novel coronavirus detected in China
and now spreading across the world should be declared a global
emergency.
SEOUL: South Korea reported a 10th MERS death as the outbreak of the potentially deadly virus forced the central bank to cut its key interest rate to ward off greater economic damage amid a slump in business.
In what has become the largest outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outside Saudi Arabia, a 65-year-old man died yesterday after being infected with the virus while receiving treatment for lung cancer at a hospital.
Seoul also reported 14 new cases, including the first infection of a pregnant woman. The new diagnoses brought to 122 the total number of confirmed cases in South Korea, the health ministry said.
Businesses including shopping malls, restaurants and cinemas have reported a sharp drop in sales as people shun public venues with large crowds.
Bank of Korea governor Lee Ju-yeol said slowing exports and threats to business from MERS were central to the decision to cut its benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point, to a record low of 1.5%.
It was the first cut since March, when the central bank made a surprise cut of 25 basis points.
“The full impact of the outbreak still remains uncertain but we thought it was desirable to act pre-emptively to curb its negative impact on the economy,” Lee said.
More than 54,000 foreign travellers have cancelled planned trips to South Korea so far this month, according to the Korea Tourism Board.
Hong Kong has issued a “red” alert warning against non-essential travel to South Korea.
However, Seoul says World Health Organisation guidelines do not warrant such action.
Taiwan raised its travel advisory level for South Korea but stopped short of warning its people against going at all. Other governments in Asia are urging caution but none has gone as far as Hong Kong in warning against non-essential travel.
Residents of Hong Kong are particularly sensitive after an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) killed 299 people in the city in 2003 and sparked global panic.
The MERS virus is considered a deadlier but less infectious cousin of SARS.
On Wednesday, the area around a health clinic inside a metro station in Hong Kong was cordoned off and officials donned protective gear after a woman returning from South Korea showed flu-like symptoms.
Surgical masks reportedly sold out in shops around the station, but Hong Kong officials confirmed yesterday that the woman had tested negative for MERS.
Growing public alarm has forced South Korean President Park Geun-hye to cancel a planned June 14-18 trip to the United States.
Her administration has faced a storm of criticism for perceived slow and insufficient response to the crisis.
Of the 14 new cases, eight were infected at Samsung Medical Centre in Seoul, a major hospital where 55 people have contracted the virus. That is the largest cluster in the outbreak.
A 39-year-old woman in her final trimester of pregnancy was among those confirmed yesterday to have acquired the virus at the hospital.
Another victim contracted the virus at a hospital in Hwaseong City, 40km south of Seoul, and five others are under investigation to discover how they were infected.
More than 3,800 people who came into close contact with those infected are under quarantine, either at their homes or at healthcare facilities.
The first infected patient was diagnosed on May 20 after a trip to Saudi Arabia.
The 68-year-old man visited four medical facilities, infecting other patients and medics, before he was finally diagnosed, sparking criticism that authorities had bungled the initial response. — AFP
A family of tourists wearing face masks stand on a street in the popular Myeongdong shopping area in Seoul, on June 4, 2015 (AFP Photo/Ed Jones)
Seoul (AFP) - South Korea
reported on Friday a fourth death from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome
(MERS), as an infected doctor fuelled fears of a fresh surge in cases
and prompted Seoul's mayor to declare "war" on the virus.
Five new cases
overnight took the number of infected people to 41 in what has become
the largest MERS outbreak outside Saudi Arabia, with close to 2,000
people in quarantine or under observation.
The latest fatality was a 76-year-old male patient who died Thursday after testing positive for the virus on May 21.
Criticised
for its lack of transparency in addressing the health scare, the Health
Ministry finally confirmed the name of the hospital where the first
patient to be diagnosed with MERS was treated.
The
ministry said anyone who had visited the hospital in Pyeongtaek, about
65 kilometres (40 miles) south of Seoul, between May 15-29 should report
to a clinic for screening.
The government had initially declined
to name any hospitals treating cases of MERS, for which there is no
vaccine or cure, arguing it could cause them unfair commercial losses.
- Infected doctor fuels fears -
View gallery
Seoul's Mayor, Park Won-Soon, pictured in May 2014 (AFP Photo/Ed Jones) >>
Of particular concern was the positive test of a doctor
at a major Seoul hospital who was understood to have taken part in
public meetings attended by up to 1,500 people while infectious.
Seoul
Mayor Park Won-Soon criticised the government for not sharing
information about the doctor's movements, and said his administration
would take the lead in ensuring public safety.
"From now on, Seoul
city is embarking on a war against MERS. We will take swift and stern
measures... to protect the lives and safety of our citizens," Park told
reporters Friday.
Health
Minister Moon Hyong-Pyo apologised for the public anxiety caused by the
outbreak, but rejected Park's criticisms, saying the mayor was
encouraging "mistrust and misunderstanding".
The government had been handling the doctor's case carefully to avoid public panic, Moon added.
More
than 1,000 schools, from kindergartens to colleges, have temporarily
shut down across the country, while the government's MERS hotline has
been taking thousands of calls a day.
View gallery
Tourists wearing face masks look at a map in the popular Myeongdong shopping area in Seoul, on June …>>
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) MERS has now
infected 1,179 people globally, with 442 deaths. More than 20 countries
have been affected, with most cases in Saudi Arabia.
The virus is
considered a deadlier but less infectious cousin of Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), which killed hundreds of people when it
appeared in Asia in 2003.
- Possible mutation? -
The
WHO has said it expects more infections in South Korea, while stressing
there was currently "no evidence of sustained transmission in the
community".
A health ministry statement said a WHO team would
visit next week, citing concerns that the virus has been showing a
"slightly different" pattern from the one detected in Middle East.
"We
have yet to determine whether there has been any mutation," said Choi
Bo-Yul, the head of a civilian task force set up to help with the
outbreak.
Among the recent infections was an Korean Air Force
chief master sergeant, who represented the first MERS case among members
of the military.
The airman is serving at the air base in Osan, south of Seoul, which also hosts the US 51st Fighter Wing.
In
a message to base personnel, the fighter unit's chief medical officer,
Colonel Krystal Murphy, said around 100 people who had been in contact
with the infected man had been asked to remain at home.
"We recommend everyone exercise caution and use good hygiene practices to prevent any further spread," Myers said.
A
large number of public events have been cancelled and organisers of the
World Student Games in the southwestern city of Gwangju next month
admitted they were "very anxious."
"No
country has cancelled so far, but obviously we're keeping a close eye
on what is a worrying situation and hope it will come under control
soon," an official with the Universiade's organising committee told AFP.
