altHIGHLIGHTS

WHO has published updated recommendations for international traffic in relation to COVID-19 outbreak. They can be found here.

SITUATION IN NUMBERS

total and new cases in last 24 hours

Globally

87 137 confirmed (1739 new)

China

79 968 confirmed (579 new)

2873 deaths (35 new)

Outside of China

7169 confirmed (1160 new)

58 countries (5 new)

104 deaths (18 new)

WHO RISK ASSESSMENT

China

Very High

Regional Level

Very High

Global Level

Very High

SUBJECT IN FOCUS: CLINICAL MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH COVID-19

WHO is working closely with clinicians caring for patients with COVID-19, in China and across the globe and international experts on infectious disease to better understand, in real time, the clinical presentation, natural history and treatment interventions for COVID-19.

A majority of patients with COVID-19 are adults. Among 44 672 patients in China with confirmed infection, 2.1% were below the age of 201. The most commonly reported symptoms included fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath, and most patients (80%) experienced mild illness. Approximately 14% experienced severe disease and 5% were critically ill. Early reports suggest that illness severity is associated with age (>60 years old) and co-morbid disease.

Clinical care of patients with COVID-19 focuses on early recognition, immediate isolation and implementation of appropriate infection prevention and control (IPC) measures; provision of symptomatic care for those with mild illness; and optimized supportive care for those with severe disease. WHO has published patient management guidance, including interim clinical care guidance for hospitalized patients and home care guidance for those with mild disease that may be treated at home in isolation when the health system is strained.

Oxygen therapy is the major treatment intervention for patients with severe COVID-19. All countries should work to optimize the availability of pulse oximeters and medical oxygen systems. Mortality in those with critical illness has been reported as over 50%, thus implementation of proven critical care interventions such as lung protective ventilation should be optimized. COVID-19 critical care clinical training materials are available on https://openwho.org/courses/severe-acute-respiratory-infection. The first regional COVID-19 Clinical Case Management training was conducted in Brazzaville from 25-28 February 2020 with representatives from 18 countries of the WHO African region. WHO will continue to conduct such trainings to increase global knowledge on the management and care of patients with COVID-19.

WHO launched the Global COVID-19 Clinical Data Platform to aggregate and report on clinical severity to inform the public health response. Member States are encouraged to contribute by contacting Cette adresse email est protégée contre les robots des spammeurs, vous devez activer Javascript pour la voir. for log-in information.

As there is currently no known effective antiviral therapy for COVID-19, the WHO R&D Blueprint has prioritized investigational therapeutics and developed a master randomized clinical trial protocol that can be used and adapted at the national level. There are many ongoing ethics-approved clinical trials evaluating a number of different therapeutic interventions globally including priority agents such as ritonavir/lopinavir and remdesivir.

1. Wu, Z. et al. Characteristics of and Important Lessons From the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China; Summary of a Report of 72,314 Cases From the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. JAMA. Feb 24, 2020.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

WHO’s strategic objectives for this response are to:

*This can be achieved through a combination of public health measures, such as rapid identification, diagnosis and management of the cases, identification and follow up of the contacts, infection prevention and control in health care settings, implementation of health measures for travelers, awareness-raising in the population and risk communication.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

WHO’s strategic objectives for this response are to:

  • Interrupt human-to-human transmission including reducing secondary infections among close contacts and health care workers, preventing transmission amplification events, and preventing further international spread*;
  • Identify, isolate and care for patients early, including providing optimized care for infected patients;
  • Identify and reduce transmission from the animal source;
  • Address crucial unknowns regarding clinical severity, extent of transmission and infection, treatment options, and accelerate the development of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines;
  • Communicate critical risk and event information to all communities and counter misinformation;
  • Minimize social and economic impact through multisectoral partnerships.

*This can be achieved through a combination of public health measures, such as rapid identification, diagnosis and management of the cases, identification and follow up of the contacts, infection prevention and control in health care settings, implementation of health measures for travelers, awareness-raising in the population and risk communication.

PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

RECOMMENDATIONS AND ADVICE FOR THE PUBLIC

If you are not in an area where COVID-19 is spreading, or have not travelled from an area where COVID-19 is spreading, or have not been in contact with an infected patient, your risk of infection is low. It is understandable that you may feel anxious about the outbreak. It’s a good idea to get the facts from reliable sources to help you accurately determine your risks so that you can take reasonable precautions (See Frequently Asked Questions). Seek guidance from WHO, your healthcare provider, your national public health authority or your employer for accurate information on COVID-19 and whether COVID-19 is circulating where you live. It is important to be informed of the situation and take appropriate measures to protect yourself and your family (see Protection measures for everyone).

If you are in an area where there are cases of COVID-19 you need to take the risk of infection seriously. Follow the advice of WHO and guidance issued by national and local health authorities. For most people, COVID-19 infection will cause mild illness however, it can make some people very ill and, in some people, it can be fatal. Older people, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease or diabetes) are at risk for severe disease (See Protection measures for persons who are in or have recently visited (past 14 days) areas where COVID-19 is spreading).