Terumo responds to the novel coronavirus outbreak in China
Terumo Corporation shared the latest information on its business operation and response in China, regarding the current outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
In China, Terumo currently has 19 business locations (including three factories), in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. As of February 4, were no reports of Terumo Associates affected by the outbreak. To prevent further widespread and to protect the safety of associates, the company has requested associates to take prolonged vacation or to work from home. The Hong Kong and Taiwan office has resumed business from the end of January, and the factory in Hangzhou (Zhejiang Province) has resumed production from February 3; due to the healthcare company’s social responsibility to provide resources needed to sustain basic medical care.
Terumo has provided emergency relief supplies of 2,500 thermometers and 1,250 sphygmomanometers. The products were delivered by Terumo China Holdings to the two newly built hospitals in Wuhan (Huoshenshan Hospital and Leishenshan Hospital). Terumo also intends on providing extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) systems used for the treatment of severe pneumonia. Read more here.
Coronavirus case confirmed in Wisconsin, marking the 12th case in U.S.
Public health officials in Wisconsin have confirmed a case of the new coronavirus in that state, bringing the U.S. total to 12. The patient had come in contact with an individual with the virus while traveling in China. The patient’s illness is reported to be mild, and the patient is in isolation at home and was never sick enough to require hospitalization. The patient had sought care at a hospital in Madison, WI, and the healthcare workers who cared for the patient are now being monitored for symptoms. Read more here.
Johns Hopkins physician says funding is needed now for U.S. hospitals to prep for coronavirus
Dr. Eric Toner, a senior associate at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is calling for funding for U.S. hospitals to prepare for the coronavirus now. He says hospitals need to undertake a myriad of activities now that will take considerable time and effort and require additional funding. He wants Congress to appropriate additional funding soon to HHS’ Hospital Preparedness Program, and it should be used for implementing hospitals’ existing pandemic influenza plans. Read Dr. Toner’s op-ed in The Hill here.
Newborn becomes youngest person diagnosed with coronavirus
A Chinese newborn baby has been diagnosed with coronavirus within 30 hours of birth. The baby was born Feb. 2 in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak. The baby’s mother tested positive before she gave birth. It is unclear how the disease was transmitted, whether in the womb or after birth. Only a handful of children have contracted the virus. The baby, weighing 7 pounds, 2 ounces at birth, is reportedly in stable condition and under observation. The median age of patients for the current outbreak is between 49 and 56 years old. Similarly, the MERS outbreak in 2016 was rare in children, though the reason for this low prevalence is not known. Read more here.
Hong Kong mandates quarantine for arrivals from mainland China
As the number of coronavirus cases in China jumped once again, to more than 28,000 reported, other countries where it has spread are stepping up efforts to limit the epidemic. In Hong Kong, authorities have said that beginning this weekend they would mandate that anyone entering the city from mainland China “self-quarantine” for the 14-day incubation period of the virus. The decision is part of an effort to calm public fears of coronavirus spreading into the semi-autonomous territory, which has seen at least 18 confirmed cases, according to WHO. Some medical staff in Hong Kong have gone on strike this week, calling for the city’s chief executive to completely cut off movement with mainland China to prevent further transmission of the virus. Read more here.
China demand for medical masks, other protective medical wear
Face masks are in widespread use both among China’s general population and medical staff. There is an estimated 500,000 medical staff in the Hubei province, where Wuhan is located. Medical advice in China is to change face masks regularly, as often as four times a day for medical teams, which would require 2 million masks each day. This is the procedure being followed in one of the main hospitals in Wuhan. Then, more than 1 million staff working on public transport in China have been told to use masks. There are also reports that some shops, businesses and other public premises have told people to use masks if they want to enter. And culturally, it is common for people in China to wear face masks, both as general protection and if they feel they are getting sick. Read more about China’s demand for face masks and other protective medical wear here.
Airline doctor answers questions on flying worldwide during coronavirus concern
The best way to avoid the coronavirus is frequent hand washing, according to David Powell, a physician and medical advisor to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which represents about 80% of global air traffic and about 290 airlines. The virus cannot survive long on seats or armrests, so physical contact with another person carries the greatest risk of infection on a flight. Carriers from United Airlines to Cathay Pacific Airways have cancelled thousands of flights to China as concern mounts about the scale of the outbreak. Read a Q&A with Powell about flying worldwide during the coronavirus concern 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