Scientists, researchers concerned about pandemic as coronavirus spreads
The coronavirus is spreading more like influenza, which is highly transmissible, than like its slow-moving viral cousins, SARS and MERS. Scientists and researchers do not know yet how lethal the novel coronavirus is, so there is uncertainty about how much a pandemic may cause. SARS killed about 10% of those who got it and MERS kills about one in three. The mortality rate for known cases of coronavirus has been running at about 2%, although that is likely to drop as more tests reveal more mild cases. An accurate estimate of the virus’ lethality will not be possible until certain kinds of studies can be done, including blood tests to see how many people have antibodies, household studies on family members infected, and genetic sequencing to determine if some strains are more dangerous than others. Read more about scientists’ and researchers’ concerns about coronavirus here.
FDA to convene today for better diagnostic roadmap during, after emergencies like coronavirus
The FDA convenes with industry representatives today in hopes of developing a better roadmap for how diagnostics are evaluated during and potentially after emergencies. The workshop was planned months before the Chinese outbreak to address the relatively few diagnostics that make the transition from emergency use authorization to full marketing status. Regulators and manufacturers have recent lessons to draw on as the HHS issued declarations authorizing emergency use of diagnostics for Ebola in 2014 and Zika in 2016. HHS issued a similar decree for the coronavirus last week, following the WHO officially labeling the outbreak a public health emergency. Read more about the FDA and diagnostic roadmaps during and after emergencies here.
Rapid coronavirus spread highlights challenges in U.S.-China supply chain
The rapid coronavirus spread in the past month has U.S. providers readying themselves for a possible disruption in a medical supply chain that has grown more dependent on China. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, an estimated 80% of the active ingredients used to make medications are imported from China. Products imported from China also account for a little less than 3% of the medical technology market, according the AdvaMed. Read more about the U.S.-China supply chain challenges here.
Thai doctors have success treating coronavirus with meds for flu, HIV
Thai doctors in Bangkok, Thailand have seen success in treating severe cases of the new coronavirus with a combination of medications for flu and HIV, with initial results showing vast improvement in 48 hours after initial treatment. The doctors at Rajavithi Hospital said patients under their care, including a 70-year-old Chinese woman from Wuhan who tested positive for coronavirus for 10 days, have seen improvement. The drug treatment includes a mixture of anti-HIV drugs lopinavir and ritonavir, in combination with flu drug oseltamivir in large doses. Chinese health officials have already been administering the HIV and flu drugs to fight coronavirus. Thailand has recorded 19 cases of coronavirus. “This is not the cure, but the patient’s condition has vastly improved,” said Dr. Kriangska Atipornwanich, a lung specialist at Rajavithi Hospital. “The outlook is good but we still have to do more study to determine that this can be a standard treatment.” Read more about the Thai doctors’ success here.
China completes work on emergency hospital in 10 days
China has completed work on an emergency 1,000-bed hospital setup specifically to combat the Wuhan coronavirus, according to China’s state news agency Xinhua. Construction began Jan. 24 on the Huoshenshan Hospital with a crew of 7,000 people working nonstop and was completed this past weekend. It is admitting patients this week and is staffed by 1,400 medical personnel from the Chinese military. A second hospital with 1,300 beds is also expected to be ready later this week. Read more about the hospital, its buildout and its operation 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