In September 2012, my Department was notified via the European Early Warning and Response System (EWRS) of a novel coronavirus (nCoV) in a patient in a Qatar who was subsequently transferred to a hospital in the UK. The UK also informed the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC) and notified the WHO under the International Health Regulations. From September 2012 to date, the WHO has been informed of a global total of 34 laboratory confirmed cases of human infection with nCoV, including 18 deaths. There have been no cases in Ireland to date.
Here in Ireland, the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has issued guidance to hospitals, GP's and Directors of Public Health concerning the management of patients who present with severe respiratory symptoms and a history of travel to the Middle East. The HPSC recommends:
- Continued surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns.
- Testing for nCoV should be considered in patients with unexplained pneumonias, or in patients with unexplained severe, progressive illness or complicated respiratory illness not responding to treatment, particularly in persons travelling from or resident in areas of the world known to be affected.
- Specimens from patients' lower respiratory tracts should be obtained for diagnosis where possible.
- Clinicians are reminded that nCoV infection should be considered even with atypical signs and symptoms in patients who are significantly immunocompromised.
- Any clusters of SARI in healthcare workers should be thoroughly investigated.
- New cases and clusters of nCoV should be immediately reported to local Departments of Public Health.
The HPSC has issued guidance documentation on surveillance for nCoV, the investigation and management of suspected or confirmed cases, infection prevention and control and the submission on samples to the National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL) for investigation. The NVRL is co-ordinating any diagnostic investigations required. It should be noted that all primary cases of nCoV in Europe have been associated with travel in the Middle East. Person to person transmission has only occurred in a very small number of people who have had prolonged contact with infected people. At present there are no restrictions on travel to any areas in the Middle East and screening of travellers from those areas is not recommended.
Further information, including copies of the guidance documentation, can be found on the HPSC website - www.hpsc.ie/hpsc/A-Z/Respiratory/CoronavirusInfections. I can assure the Deputy that the situation continues to be monitored closely.
