Texas manufacturer caught in coronavirus supply chain panic
Prestige Ameritech (Fort Worth, TX), a full-line domestic surgical mask manufacturer, was producing 600,000 masks each day but struggling to meet demand as the number of coronavirus cases in China skyrocketed in the past week. CEO Mike Bowen was receiving cold calls on his cell phone from people saying they represented foreign governments and wanted to make bulk purchases. Bowen said this was the exact scenario he predicted 15 years ago when he asked federal agencies and U.S. lawmakers to boost U.S. production of medical masks. Bowen wrote President Barack Obama in 2010 and President Donald Trump in 2017, warning of the shortage. Prestige Ameritech can make 1 million masks a day if it runs its machines around the clock. However, Bowen is hesitant to ramp up production at his Texas facility, scarred by the boom-bust cycle that occurred after the swine flu pandemic in 2009. Read more here.
U.S. hospitals prep for spread of coronavirus in the states
Hospitals are bracing for the potential spread of coronavirus in the U.S. The strict quarantine and screening measures enacted by the CDC have given hospitals time to review their pandemic plans and stockpile needed equipment. “We’re buying some time now that it hasn’t really spread so much in the United States,” Dr. Mark Jarrett, the chief quality officer for Northwell Health (New York, NY), told MedicineNet. “That’s giving us a chance to gear up factories and address supply chain issues.” The coronavirus epidemic has hampered supply chains out of China and is highlighting the problems with U.S. hospitals’ dependence on “just-in-time” supply orders. That, on top of a tough U.S. flu season, is straining the capacity of many hospitals. Read more here.
Outbreak helps U.S. lawmakers push case on drug shortage bills
With no end in sight for the coronavirus outbreak, it is prompting fears of drug shortages in the U.S. due to the pharmaceutical supply chain’s reliance on China. The epidemic is helping U.S. lawmakers who were already working on bills to address drug shortages prove their point. Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) chairs the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee and has been looking at this issue since last fall when her panel held a hearing on the drug supply chain. Read more about her thoughts here and what she told Roll Call, a newspaper and website in Washington, D.C., in a podcast.
First coronavirus cases reported in Iran
Two cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, have been confirmed in Iran, marking the first time it’s been seen in the country. Iranian news agency ISNA first reported the two cases, adding that other suspected cases are under review. One case was reported in Egypt this week as well and it’s the first on the African continent. Read more here.
SARS-like damage seen in dead coronavirus patient
A lung biopsy of a Chinese patient who died of the coronavirus COVID-19 found that he had lung damage reminiscent of two prior coronavirus-related outbreaks, SARS and MERS. The patient died on Jan. 27 after falling ill two weeks earlier. He was treated with various medications, including anti-infection treatment alfa-2b, HIV medications lopinavir and ritonavir and the antibiotic moxifloxacin to prevent secondary bacterial infection. His fever decreased as a result of the treatment, but his breathing worsened, and his blood-oxygen levels fell dramatically. According to a new report in The Lancet, “The pathological features of COVID-19 greatly resemble those seen in SARS and MERS coronavirus infection. In addition, the liver biopsy specimens of the patient with COVID-19 showed moderate microvascular steatosis and mild lobular and portal activity, indicating the injury could have been caused by either SARS-CoV-2 infection or drug-induced liver injury.” Read more here.
Japanese cruise ship sees 79 more passengers test positive for coronavirus
Japan has reported a further 79 people aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship have tested positive for coronavirus for a total of 621 on-board infections. Passengers and crew members on board the quarantined ship, who were not taking government repatriation flights, started the process of disembarking earlier in the day yesterday. Read more here.
More coronavirus resources from The Journal of Healthcare Contracting:
- Day-by-day Timeline of major events
- FAQ/Insights – Helpful and relevant links to help you keep track of the ongoing epidemic