–as region examines approach to the Coronavirus

SENIOR health officials, including Health Ministers from CARICOM countries will be meeting today to discuss the novel Coronavirus, which the World Health Organisation (WHO) has classified as a public health emergency of international concern.
**The outbreak, which originated in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, started in December 2019, and up to last week, saw about 8,000 cases being laboratory-confirmed globally, with 82 cases confirmed outside of China.

According to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, coughs, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.
Today’s meeting of the CARICOM Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD), which will also be attended by other senior Health and Security officials, will provide updates on regional plans.

CARPHA, the lead CARICOM Institution on public health matters, has activated its Incidence Management Team for Emergency Response, and has been working with its regional and international health partners to monitor developments, and support national response efforts. CARPHA has been urging CARICOM Member States to be vigilant, and to step up surveillance at their ports of entry.

In recognising the severity of the disease, which, according to the BBC, has already killed about 170 people in China, Guyana has taken steps to strengthen its port health authority, and is even working with officials to examine the possibility of bringing home Guyanese students who are in China.
The Guyana Chronicle had reported that authorities here continue to be on guard against the Coronavirus, and are even well-equipped to deal with the virus if it reaches here.
“We are prepared and equipped with what is needed to handle a situation, should one arise,” said Minister of Public Health Volda Lawrence during a joint press briefing between the Ministry of Public Health and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) last Tuesday.

According to Minister Lawrence, government’s first approach to keeping the virus at bay is to ensure that they “test, isolate and treat” any person who enters Guyana, and has a high index of suspicion. While every port is being monitored, the minister said emphasis is being placed on the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) and the Eugene F. Correia Airport.
“We have not moved to the second phase to check whether we do have cases, but what we are looking at is what it will take to expand services outside of Georgetown, especially if we have an overflow… We know GPHC has a high occupancy rate, so we need another facility to house persons,” said the minister, noting that the ministry is examining other available facilities, and looking at what needs to be purchased.

ADEQUATE MEDICATION
So far, the ministry has confirmed that it has an adequate supply of medication to treat the respiratory and other symptoms of the disease. The ministry is expected to make a presentation to Minister of Finance Winston Jordan, who was made aware of the situation when the minister and her team briefed Cabinet last Tuesday.

The team of medical professionals provided an insight into the rise of the novel Coronavirus, and advised Cabinet that the Caribbean and Guyana were at a relatively low risk, but that it was important to be prepared for any eventualities.
Cabinet was told that the GPHC and the Diamond Diagnostic Centre were identified as the two medical facilities where any arriving passenger suspected of having the novel Coronavirus will be quarantined. Both facilities were being prepared and retrofitted accordingly.

The team briefed Cabinet that Port Health Authorities had begun screening Chinese nationals arriving at the CJIA from Suriname and Asia. According to a press statement, President David Granger thanked the team for the briefing, and the work that they and other agencies were doing to ensure that Guyana is prepared to handle an occurrence. President Granger said Guyana’s preparedness to deal with transnational diseases is at an optimum.

Resident PAHO/WHO Representative Dr. William Adu-Krow, said during the joint press conference last Tuesday that Guyana, although not having to deal with some of the prevalent outbreaks in recent times, was experienced and prepared to deal with any disease. “As of now, though, we are very, very, very low in terms of getting a condition like that, but we are prepared,” Dr. Adu-Krow said.

In emphasising his confidence in Guyana, he said: “We went through Chikungunya, Ebola and so on, so I think we have gained enough experience. Even though we did not have the cases, we have enough experience to deal with it… PAHO/WHO is also prepared to stand by the ministry to support in the event of the virus reaching Guyana.”