Coronavirus disease

(COVID-19)
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak

• COVID 19
• On 31 December 2019, WHO was informed of cases of pneumonia of
unknown cause in Wuhan City, China.
• A novel coronavirus was identified as the cause by Chinese authorities
on 7 January 2020 and was temporarily named “2019-nCoV”.
• Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness
ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases.
• COVID 19 is a new strain that has not been previously identified in
humans.
• Countries around the globe have heightened their surveillance
to quickly diagnose potential new cases of COVID 19
• More people infected with this virus have since been
identified in China, as well as cases imported into other
countries, including in the European Region.
Control of outbeak
• Preventive measures:
• 1) Identify all suspect and probable cases using the WHO case definitions.
• Persons who arrive at health care facilities and require SARS assessment
must be rapidly diverted by triage nurses to a separate area to minimize
transmission to other patients and from probable SARS patients, and be
given a face mask, preferably one that provides filtration of expired air.
• Health workers involved in the triage process should wear a face mask (
with eye protection, and wash hands before and after contact with any
patient, after activities likely to cause contamination and after removing
gloves.
• Soiled gloves, stethoscopes and other equipment must be treated with care
as they have potential to spread infection. widely available at appropriate
concentrations.
• Handwashing is crucial and access to clean water
essential with handwashing before and after contact
with any patient, after activities likely to cause
contamination, and after removing gloves.
• Alcohol-based skin disinfectants can be used if there
is no obvious organic material contamination.