Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de santé de la Méditerranée orientale = al-Majallah al-ṣiḥḥīyah li-sharq al-mutawassiṭ
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Jan 2013
ReviewNovel coronavirus infection in the eastern mediterranean region: time to act.
The Eastern Mediterranean Region of World Health Organization has been an emerging focus for global health after the discovery of a novel coronavirus infection in some countries in the Region. The Region has already witnessed a number of emerging zoonoses with epidemic potential. ⋯ The situation will challenge and test the national health authorities' resilience and ability to respond in a timely manner. This review summarizes the evidence related to the emergence in the Region of new epidemic diseases of predominantly zoonotic origin and the challenges posed by the discovery of the novel coronavirus infection, and outlines recommendations for the countries for early detection, prevention threats from this novel coronavirus infection. and control of public health
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Jan 2013
ReviewHighlights and conclusions from the technical consultative meeting on novel coronavirus infection, Cairo, Egypt, 14-16 January 2013.
The emergence of a novel strain of coronavirus in the Arabian Peninsula raised a global health concern in 2012, partly because the majority of human infections were fatal and partly due to its presumed animal origin. An urgent meeting of scientific and public health experts was convened by WHO in January 2013 in view of the limited knowledge available on the epidemiological and natural history of infection with this novel virus. The meeting reviewed current evidence and identified critical knowledge gaps to improve better understanding of the public health risk associated with the virus so as to improve preparedness and to safeguard and protect global health.
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Jan 2013
ReviewEmerging respiratory and novel coronavirus 2012 infections and mass gatherings.
Mass gatherings are attended by an increasingly global audience and thus raise the concern of possible acute public health risks not normally encountered by the host population. The potential acute risks to individual and population health include communicable diseases. ⋯ Although, nCoV emerged prior to the 2012 Hajj pilgrimage season, Muslims completed their religious duty without acquiring infections by nCoV. Clearly, the global nature of mass gatherings and their potential risks to international health make it imperative that research on such events and guidelines produced for their management are relevant to diverse contexts and are a collaborative effort between global experts.
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Jan 2013
ReviewNovel coronavirus: the challenge of communicating about a virus which one knows little about.
Following the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) event in 2002/2003, the Worl Health Organization (WHO) developed outbreak communications guidelines. With the emergence in September 2012 of a novel coronavirus, WHO's public communications response was initiated and planned in light of these guidelines and 5 principles of trust, transparency, announcing early, listening and planning. This review describes WHO's communication response to the novel coronavirus event'and its efforts to provide early, accurate information via various media to keep the public appraised of the situation, and its commitment to continued communication on an ongoing basis.
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East. Mediterr. Health J. · Jan 2013
ReviewPublic health investigations required for protecting the population against novel coronaviruses.
ABSTRACT There have been many laboratory-based investigations since the emergence of the novel coronaviruses in the autumn of 2012, but most of the parameters required for establishing scientifically the control measures that will protect against them have yet to be determined. Equally, the global distribution of the viruses in their animal reservoir has yet to be established. The experience of investigating and controlling another novel coronavirus, SARS, in 2003 shows how national and local investigations can come together as an international coalition and successfully avert epidemics. A menu of studies that need to be undertaken, especially in the countries experiencing transmission, is presented here.