By Jim Burke

By February 2, 2020, a little over a month after several concerning cases of pneumonia were reported in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, what has since been identified as a new coronavirus had spread around the globe, afflicting over 14,500, with 304 deaths. 99% of cases and all but 1 virus related death are still from China.

Only a handful of cases have been confirmed in the U.S. and Canada so far, but the situation is fast-changing. More cases are likely to be identified in the days and weeks to come. While the virus initially was believed to be spread through animal contact, it is now clear that human-to-human transmission is occurring. Many nations – the U.S., Australia and Japan among them – have enacted travel restrictions in an effort to limit exposures.

Absurdities aside – there have been a flurry of memes and a spike in “Corona beer virus” searches as the outbreak has spread – this is no joking matter. The risk of a global pandemic has been a growing concern for human and economic costs. Even though the “2019-nCoV” may not reach such levels, it’s hard to forget that the 2003 outbreak of a virus in the same family, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), cost the world economy some $40 billion.

Right now, there’s considerable uncertainty over the potential fatality rate, although as of Jan. 31, deaths occurred in fewer than one in 40 confirmed cases, many among older men with underlying health issues. It’s also been noted that people in the U.S. really should be more worried about catching the flu.

Meanwhile, it’s healthcare professionals and systems who are most at risk, being on the front lines managing this threat to public health. They should be mindful of evaluation, reporting and testing guidelines as well as preparedness protocols. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provides comprehensive interim guidance on its website.

Specific practices that CDC recommends include:

It will take a combination of diligence, prevention and mitigation to keep the threat of 2019-nCoV in check – along with other viruses that may emerge in the future. Healthcare organizations already have the safety practices in place and its professionals trained to follow them. But a reminder never hurt anyone.

HUB International’s team of healthcare specialists is ready to help your organization assess and manage risks in today’s medical environment.