Important Updates on Covid-19

1. According to the latest data this morning from the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, between 00:00 and 24:00, February 11, 2,015 new confirmed cases (including 1,638 in Hubei province), 3,342 new cases of suspected infections (including 1,685 in Hubei province), 744 cured and discharged cases, 871 new serious cases and 97 deaths (94 in Hubei province) were newly reported in China’s mainland.

As of 24:00 February 11, a total of 44,653 confirmed cases, 4740 cured and discharged cases, 1113 deaths have been reported in China’s mainland. 77 confirmed infections had been reported in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions and Taiwan province: 49 in Hong Kong (1 death), 10 in Macao (1 had been cured and discharged from hospital) and 18 in Taiwan (1 had been cured and discharged from hospital).

2. China’s new confirmed cases of novel coronavirus pneumonia outside Hubei Province, where the epicenter city of Wuhan is located, has been dropping for seven consecutive days, according to the National Health Commission (NHC). A total of 381 new confirmed cases were reported on 10^th February, outside Hubei, the data showed. The numbers of new confirmed cases in these provinces from 3^rd to 9^th February were 890, 731, 707, 696, 558, 509 and 444. Addressing a press conference Tuesday, He Qinghua, an NHC official, said the outbreak situation in provincial-level regions except Hubei has shown an overall downward trend since 3^rd February.

3. Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, aims to finish testing all suspected cases of novel coronavirus infection in the city by 11^th February, Ma Guoqiang, Wuhan’s Party secretary said at a press conference 10^th February Wuhan will improve detection efficiency, add more hospital beds and speed up admission of patients. Severely ill patients suspected of infection are expected to be arranged to non-designated hospitals for treatment and quarantine.

4. About 66 percent of the novel coronavirus pneumonia patients currently in a clinical trial on Remdesivir will have a chance to take the antiviral drug, according to a respiratory and critical care specialist. The randomized, double-blind clinical trial, which recruited a total of 761 patients, started on 6^th February in Wuhan, the center of the epidemic in central China’s Hubei Province. The rest of the patients who do not take the drug in the trial will receive other standard treatments

Remdesivir is developed by Gilead Sciences, an American pharmaceutical company, and has shown good antiviral activity against SARS and MERS coronavirus in previous cell and animal experiments, according to Cao Bin, head of the drug’s clinical trial program from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital.

5. Beijing-based Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital carried out 5G teleconsultation services Sunday with Huoshenshan Hospital, a recently built makeshift hospital in Wuhan, to battle the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak. Supported by the 5G network, the system enables doctors in Beijing to establish real-time communications with those in Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus outbreak in central China’s Hubei Province. Experts of the Chinese PLA General Hospital will be kept on standby to offer high-quality medical services to patients in Wuhan, the hospital said.

6. In a circular released on 8^th February, the State Council, or China’s cabinet, urged efforts to protect workers from getting infected and meanwhile resume production as soon as possible. Companies providing epidemic control supplies and services such as medical material and daily necessities are among the first groups to resume work and have already begun racing back to full capacity to fight the novel coronavirus outbreak.

7. China is capable of minimizing impact of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus on its economy, a spokesperson said on 11 February We believe our economic fundamentals that support China’s long-term growth will remain unchanged, and we are capable of minimizing the impact of the epidemic on the economy. International institutions including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank noted that China has enough policy space to deal with the epidemic and China’s efforts have effectively reduced the risks the world economy may be exposed to.

8. China attaches great importance to the health and safety of all foreign nationals in Wuhan, Hubei province. We have taken effective measures to timely respond to their reasonable concerns and requests. WHO DG Tedros also stressed many times that flying out in a rush is not recommended, the best way being stay put and enhancing self-protection. We hope that WHO’s professional recommendations will be respected. Indeed, for those countries that wish to take home their nationals, China will make relevant arrangements and offer necessary assistance consistent with international practices and our domestic epidemic control measures.

9. On 10^th February, the chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) said that an advance squad of the WHO-led team of international experts had already arrived in China to lay the groundwork for the rest of team members who will cooperate with their Chinese counterparts against the novel coronavirus outbreak.

The advance squad was led by Bruce Aylward, a Canadian epidemiologist and a “veteran of past public health emergencies,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that Aylward will be working with his Chinese counterparts to make sure “we have the right expertise on the team to answer the right questions.”

Meanwhile, the WHO is to convene a global research and innovation forum on Tuesday and Wednesday to mobilize international action in response to the novel coronavirus.

10. More state and government leaders and heads of global institutions have expressed their sympathy to China over the novel coronavirus outbreak and voiced support to the country’s fight against the epidemic.

l  Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India highly appreciates China’s effective measures to fight the epidemic, and is willing to provide support and assistance to China in the battle.

l  British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain fully supports the prevention and control efforts of the Chinese government, and is willing to work side by side with China and continue to provide assistance.

l  Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa extended sympathy to China and wished it an early victory in the battle against the epidemic.

l  Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos extended deep condolences to the Chinese people and expressed the hope that China’s resolute measures and unremitting efforts will contain the epidemic in a rapid manner.

l  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that under the strong leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping, China will eventually contain and eliminate the epidemic.

l  Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune said that tremendous efforts made by the Chinese government to combat the epidemic have positively contributed to the global and regional public health security.

l  Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde expressed her appreciation of and firm support for China’s commitment and efforts to prevent and control the epidemic.

l  Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, praising and supporting China’s anti-epidemic measures, said that his country stands ready to provide China with any assistance within its capacity.

l  United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that China has made great efforts against the outbreak. The UN firmly supports the measures taken by the Chinese government and people to tackle the epidemic, and hopes that all countries work together to deal with the outbreak in a spirit of solidarity and cooperation.