Science | John Rafael Ambag, Pauline Lontok, Nyrene Paranga
Coronavirus is an umbrella term for viruses causing disease to humans and animals, specifically mammals and birds. It can cause various respiratory infections, with some developing into more serious cases such as the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The current novel-Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which was first detected in Wuhan, China, pertains to a new strain of the virus not previously seen in humans. WHO recently announced the official name of the 2019-nCOV as “2019 Novel Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Disease (2019-nCOV ARD).”
The 2019-nCoV's genome sequence is 96.2% similar to that of a bat virus strain and is also 79.5% similar to SARS-causing coronavirus according to scientists tracking the virus’ origins. This high similarity suggests that the virus most likely originated from bats and was transmitted to humans only recently. However, it is suspected that currently unidentified "intermediate host(s)" may be responsible as to how the virus was transmitted from bats to humans.
Status in PH
Last February 2, DOH confirmed the first death of a patient who tested positive for nCOV in the Philippines, which is the first reported death outside China worldwide.
The patient, a 44-year old man was the partner of the 38-year old woman, who was the first confirmed case of the virus in the country last Thursday, January 30. As of February 3, DOH has recorded 80 patients under investigation (PUIs) all over the Philippines.
Of the 80 cases, 67 patients are currently admitted in medical institutions whereas 10 of them have already been discharged. NCR continues to house the most number of PUI’s with 22 patients under surveillance. Other regions with patients under investigation include Ilocos, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Central, Eastern, and Western Visayas, MIMAROPA, Northern Mindanao, and Davao region.
DOH emphasizes that the substantial increase in the number of PUIs should not be attributed to increasing number of infected individuals but rather on the strengthened surveillance system and contract tracing being performed.
What is the government doing
The Philippine government has already issued a temporary travel ban for all travelers from Hubei Province of China. DOH Secretary Francisco Duque recommends the expansion of the travel ban coverage for more Chinese provinces given the observed rise of cases for most regions.
DOH is currently performing contact tracing of possible people in contact with the confirmed patient. The patient visited Wuhan, then flew to Cebu, Dumaguete, and Manila. Its website for the current outbreak is also up and running with the latest updates and situationers for the citizens’ perusal.
Aside from DOH, research agencies are also on high alert during the outbreak. The Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM) has received the test kit needed for 2019-nCOV detection on patient samples and will serve as the central hub for conducting most confirmatory tests. Meanwhile, UP Diliman’s Philippine Genome Center (PGC) also pledged assistance for RITM and DOH in verifying 2019-nCOV cases via whole genome sequencing.
Status Worldwide
As of January 30, WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee declared the nCoV 2019 outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). This is declared for events posing “public health threat” to nations beyond the affected state’s borders and one that may require a “coordinated international response.”
As of January 31, WHO listed 9826 cases worldwide with a staggering 9720 of those cases contained in China alone, whereas 106 cases were reported from other nations. However, a new modeling study estimates that the nCOV-2019 may have actually infected up to 75,800 individuals in Wuhan as published from The Lancet. This accounts for the virus’ two-week incubation period and the factor that not all infected people would readily seek medical attention.
Scientists at work
Aside from policymakers, scientists worldwide are also scrambling in an unannounced race for unveiling critical information to control the 2019-nCOV.
Last week, a team of Australian scientists have replicated the virus in their laboratory, providing the means to study its pathology and the methods needed to halt its spread. Scientists from France, Germany, and Hong Kong are also doing their own research on samples isolated from patients.
The virus’ genome, once isolated in early January, allowed scientists to develop quick diagnostic tests for confirming cases in different countries worldwide such as the one obtained by RITM. Scientists are also working on identifying the antibodies associated with the virus in order to gain information on people who may have contracted the virus but are asymptomatic.
What to do
Generally, those who have compromised immune systems are most vulnerable with acquiring the infection. The 2019-nCoV may be transmitted from close contact with infected individuals, similar to other respiratory pathogens as advised by the Beijing government.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms of the 2019-nCoV may be observed 2-14 days after exposure. These symptoms commonly include fever, cough, and shortness/difficulty of breathing. Severe cases can cause multiple complications such as pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death.
No known cure or vaccine exists for the 2019-nCoV.
References
Callaway, E. (2020). China coronavirus: Labs worldwide scramble to analyse live samples. Nature. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-00262-7
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020a, January 31). Symptoms of Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) | CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020b, February 3). About Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) | CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/index.html
Ebbs, W. (2020, February 1). Official Coronavirus Count Nears 12,000 but This Model Estimates 75,000 Infections. CCN.Com. https://www.ccn.com/official-coronavirus-count-nears-12000-but-this-model-estimates-75000-infections/
Gregorio, X. (n.d.-a). First novel coronavirus death outside China reported in Philippines. CNN Philippines. Retrieved February 2, 2020, from https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/2/2/novel-coronavirus-cases-death-Philippines.html
Gregorio, X. (n.d.-b). Philippines confirms first case of novel coronavirus. CNN Philippines. Retrieved February 2, 2020, from https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/1/30/Philippines-coronavirus-case.html?fbclid=IwAR1ZbINgyg6wLI3jrQPmSmZUD8MU0wnlvevZNicE8XDQ9EoUkEVbDfdWC_o
Marquez, C. (n.d.). BREAKING: DOH confirms first case of novel coronavirus in PH. Retrieved February 1, 2020, from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1221797/breaking-doh-confirms-first-case-of-coronavirus-in-ph
Paris, J. (n.d.). Philippines confirms 1st case of novel coronavirus. Rappler. Retrieved February 2, 2020, from http://www.rappler.com/nation/186633-philippines-confirms-case-novel-coronavirus
Regan, H., Yeung, J., George, S., & Fernando, A. (2020, January 31). January 31 coronavirus news. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/asia/live-news/coronavirus-outbreak-01-31-20-intl-hnk/index.html
Unilab. (2020, January 20). Coronavirus: Overview, Symptoms, Prevention. Unilab. https://www.unilab.com.ph/articles/coronavirus-overview-symptoms-prevention/
World Health Organization. (2020). Novel Coronavirus(2019-nCoV) Situation Report—13 (Situationer No. 13; Novel Coronavirus (2019-NCOV)). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200202-sitrep-13-ncov-v3.pdf?sfvrsn=195f4010_Wu, J. T., Leung, K., & Leung, G. M. (2020). Nowcasting and forecasting the potential domestic and international spread of the 2019-nCoV outbreak originating in Wuhan, China: A modelling study. The Lancet. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30260-9
