Coronavirus Outbreak Death Toll Hits 1,115 With 45,171 Confirmed Cases Worldwide

Coronavirus Map: Distribution of 2019-nCoV case as of February 12, 2020. Credit: WHO

Note: There is now a newer Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation Report 24.

WHO Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Situation Report 23

• No new countries reported cases of 2019-nCoV in the past 24 hours.
• WHO has published key considerations for repatriation and quarantine of travelers in relation to COVID-19.
• The UN activated a Crisis Management Team (CMT) on the COVID-19 outbreak, to be led by WHO. The WHO Director-General nominated Dr. Mike Ryan, Executive Director of WHO Health Emergencies Programme as the Crisis Manager. The CMT brings together WHO, OCHA, IMO (International Maritime Organization), UNICEF, ICAO, WFP, FAO, the World Bank and several departments of the UN Secretariat. It held its first meeting yesterday via teleconference. This mechanism will help WHO focus on the health response while the other agencies will bring their expertise to bear on the wider social, economic and developmental implications of the outbreak. Additional members will be included depending on the evolution of the outbreak and its impact globally.
• WHO has prepared a list of Q&A on infection prevention and control for health care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed 2019-nCoV

Risk Assessment

China: Very High

Regional Level: High

Global Level: High

Coronavirus Situation in Numbers

Globally

• • 45171 confirmed (2068 new)

China

• • 44730 confirmed (2022 new)
  • 8204 severe (871 new)
  • 1114 deaths (97 new)

Outside of China

• • 441 confirmed (46 new)
  • 24 countries (0 new)
  • 1 death (0 new)

TECHNICAL FOCUS: Internationally exported COVID-19 cases

Excluding China, there are 24 countries reporting cases of COVID-19. Among these 24 countries, 23 report cases with an exposure in China. In addition, 11 of these 23 countries report cases attributed to local transmission inside the reporting country. Four of the 24 countries report cases where likely exposure occurred outside the reporting country and outside of China. Among these four reporting countries the most likely countries where exposure occurred were France, Germany, Japan, and Singapore (see map below). All transmissions occurred within known defined clusters.

Countries, territories or areas with reported confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV, February 12, 2020

Recommendations and Advice for the Public

During previous outbreaks due to other coronaviruses (Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), human-to-human transmission occurred through droplets, contact, and fomites, suggesting that the transmission mode of the 2019-nCoV can be similar. The basic principles to reduce the general risk of transmission of acute respiratory infections include the following:

• Avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections.
• Frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment.
• Avoiding unprotected contact with farm or wild animals.
• People with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands).
• Within healthcare facilities, enhance standard infection prevention and control practices in hospitals, especially in emergency departments.

WHO does not recommend any specific health measures for travelers. In case of symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness either during or after travel, travelers are encouraged to seek medical attention and share their travel history with their healthcare provider.