20200424-Covid 19-Part 5 Week 10-23
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List of Annexes Annex 1 China ......................................................................................................................................... 3 Annex 2 Taiwan .................................................................................................................................... 40 Annex 3 Japan ....................................................................................................................................... 62 Annex 4 South Korea ............................................................................................................................ 65 Annex 5 Italy ......................................................................................................................................... 77 Annex 6 Portugal ................................................................................................................................... 84 Annex 6 Spain ....................................................................................................................................... 91 Annex 8 Belgiun .................................................................................................................................. 103 Annex 9 Germany ............................................................................................................................... 108 Annex 10 The Netherlands .................................................................................................................. 114 Annex 11 France ................................................................................................................................. 120 Annex 12 Finland ................................................................................................................................ 139 Annex 13 Norway ............................................................................................................................... 143 Annex 14 Denmark ............................................................................................................................. 147 Annex 15 Sweden ................................................................................................................................ 151 Annex 16 Belarus ................................................................................................................................ 155 Annex 17 Poland ................................................................................................................................. 158 Annex 18 UK....................................................................................................................................... 169 Annex 19 Hungary .............................................................................................................................. 189 Annex 20 Austria................................................................................................................................. 193 Annex 21 Romania .............................................................................................................................. 198 Annex 22 Turkey ................................................................................................................................. 209 Annex 23 Greece ................................................................................................................................ 213 Annex 24 Serbia .................................................................................................................................. 221 Annex 25 North Macedonia ................................................................................................................ 226 Annex 25 Albania ................................................................................................................................ 231 Annex 26 Russia .................................................................................................................................. 232 Annex 27 Ukraine ............................................................................................................................... 236 Annex 28 Mildova ............................................................................................................................... 240 Annex 29 USA .................................................................................................................................... 244 Annex 30 Canada ................................................................................................................................ 246 Annex 31 Brazil................................................................................................................................... 248 1 Annex 32 Australia .............................................................................................................................. 253 Annex 33 Africa .................................................................................................................................. 258 Annex 34 Last 100 Pandemics ............................................................................................................. 259 2 Annex 1 China 1. Background In December 2019 pneumonia cases of unknown origin recorded in Wuhan, China raised concern among health officials. On December 31, an alert was issued by the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, a rapid response team was sent to Wuhan by the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), and a notification was made to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Wuhan’s Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market was shut down and disinfected after an epidemiological investigation implicated it as a source of the disease1. Consequently, an active case finding was initiated and pursued (The Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia Emergency Response Epidemiology Team - China CDC 2020) The onset of infection exhibits in December 2019. In early January 2020, the causative pathogen of the pneumonia was identified as a novel coronavirus, and genomic characterisation and test method development was initiated (Ibid). The peak onset of symptoms occurred in February, since when the onset of the illness is declining. New cases are reportedly now imported2 by returning nationals in a situation of global pandemic. Since 16 Mar 2020, the WHO is presenting regional figures rather than national ones3. Some development in R&D related to COVID-19, still requiring further analysis, has illuminated sensitivity of the virus to ultraviolet rays and heat, lipid solvents can be killed by heating for 30 minutes at 56 °C; lipid solvents (National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China 2020). The incubation period is commonly set at 1–14 days and generally in the range of 3–7 days. The main source of infection is COVID-19 patients, but asymptomatic individuals infected with the virus may also infect others. The main modes of transmission are via droplets and direct contact. The possibility of aerosol transmission exists in relatively closed settings with exposure to high concentrations of aerosol for a long period of time. Other transmission routes need further investigation. Main elements of general response include hand washing, travel restrictions, and importantly - physical distancing4, self-imposed quarantine and officially imposed home quarantine, and legal implications (introduced during the crisis) which enforce restrictions. The World Health Organisation (WHO) leads efforts aimed at the containment and mitigation of COVID-19 issuing guidance and protocols (Appendix 1), and coordinating communication. 1 Bats have been potentially identified as the source of COVID-19 virus, but the intermediate host(s) has not yet been found (WHO-China Joint Commission on Coronavirus Disease 2020). 2 Data from World Meters (https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries) for 17 Mar 2020 supports this statement showing: 1 new case, Macao SAR [source]; 20 out of 21 new cases reported today are travelers from abroad [source]; 21 new cases, 13 new deaths (12 in Hubei), and 930 new discharges occurred in China on March 16, as reported by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China [source] 3 WHO Situation Report 57: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200317-sitrep- 57-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=a26922f2_4 4 The author considers the newly established convention of terming COVID-19 measures as “social distancing” incorrectly representing a situation in which people are socially closer than perhaps ever before uniting in solidarity and shared sympathy for all those fighting with the spread of the virus. This is evident in social media, regular media – TV and radio, and showcased by numerous initiatives, including charities and donations, around the globe. Therefore, the author would suggest instead, referring to physical distancing as this is more indicative of what COVID-19 measures aim at and achieve in practice, though with varying success. Note, physical distancing does not necessarily require or induce social distancing, but changes the means of establishing and maintaining contact. 3 COVID-19 has gradually spread internationally with Europe currently experiencing an increase in disease transmission. 2. Characteristics of COVID-19 a. Etiologic and Epidemiological Characteristics: Researching (continuous and systematic) the characteristics of the virus would enable addressing crucial unknowns regarding clinical severity, extent of transmission and