WHO Euro-Update on Novel Corona virus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan China - Guidance and update

Following the news of an outbreak of a novel corona virus (2019-nCoV) in Wuhan, China, the WHO Regional Office would like to share with you some updated sources of information. There has been significant interest in ensuring European Region Member States are prepared should the Region be affected. Laboratory confirmed cases exported from China have now been reported to WHO in Thailand (n=4), Republic of Korea (n=1) and Japan (n=1). It remains important for all European Member States to ensure they are ready should cases occur in this Region.

Fact sheets, questions and answers, technical documents, and Disease Outbreak news publications can be found here.

All ECDC risk assessments, guidance and technical documents can be found here including ECDC latest Rapid Risk Assessment (22 January). 

Interim technical documents published to date for novel coronavirus include:

• Surveillance case definitions
• Laboratory testing and transport guidance
• Infection prevention control
• ECDC Risk Assessment Guidance on infectious disease transmitted on aircrafts (RAGIDA) for MERS-CoV and 2019-nCoV 
• Clinical management of severe disease
• Risk communication and community engagement
• A readiness checklist
• A disease commodity package 
• Guidance on reducing transmission from animals to humans in live animals markets.

Laboratory guidance:

• Full genome sequence data from the viruses have been shared officially with WHO and on the GISAID platform and can inform the development of specific diagnostic tests for this emergent coronavirus,
• WHO interim guidance on Laboratory testing for 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) in suspected human cases (17 January 2020)
• Protocol: Diagnostic detection of Wuhan coronavirus 2019 by real-time RT-PCR – Charité, Berlin Germany (13 January 2020)
• Protocol: Diagnostic detection of Wuhan coronavirus 2019 by real-time RT-PCR – Hong Kong University (16 January 2020)
• Positive control material is available from Charité, Berlin, via European Virus Archive Global (EVAg)    
• Q&A on coronavirus have also been developed

The Regional Office for Europe kindly reminds Member States of obligations under the International Health Regulations (2005) and asks that probable and confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV be reported to WHO within 24 hours.

WHO is preparing guidance on testing of suspect cases and referral of samples on suspect cases for confirmatory testing in liaison with ECDC. Case reporting forms will also be available. This will be published imminently and further information shared with the network.

Additional information can be found WHO Western Pacific Region webpage.