BEIJING, 9 March 2020:
The head of China’s medical team of experts appointed to fight the novel coronavirus today said the epidemic would remain a global concern until at least June.
Zhong Nanshan said in a media statement in Guangzhou province that the focus on the disease’s prevention and control in China would transition into preventing infections which occur through people entering the country from abroad.
The acclaimed 83-year-old pulmonologist said China would provide assistance to countries where the coronavirus is spreading rapidly, including its experience in medical protection and treatment.
“It has been estimated that the development of the global epidemic will last at least until June,” said Zhong, recognised in China for his role in combating the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome epidemic the country suffered between 2002 and 2003.
The doctor said the province of Canton in southern China – one of the most affected by the epidemic after Hubei – has many international exchanges, so it is necessary to “strengthen inspection measures at the borders.”
“Special attention should be given to travellers from other countries severely affected by the coronavirus epidemic and quarantined, if necessary.”
China has for days registered a slowdown in infections after harsh quarantine measures have been taken with the help of technology and government regulations, although cases detected in travellers from countries such as Iran, Italy or South Korea are rising.
For two months now, many Chinese citizens have lived, worked and made their purchases online while authorities monitor their movements through data stored in QR codes, which indicate whether a person is at risk of contracting the virus or needs to be quarantined.
In the last 24 hours, 40 new cases were detected throughout the country, 36 of them in the city of Wuhan, the focus of the epidemic.
The remaining four new cases registered outside Wuhan were “imported,” the country’s health commission announced today, all of them in the northwestern Gansu province and all related to a flight inbound from Iran.
According to the latest official data, those killed in China ascend to 3,119, while the number of infected has so far reached 80,735.
– EFE