Can Sri Lanka be protected  from coronavirus?

A tourist wearing a face mask on a train in Sri Lanka. It is time that we take the coronavirus threat seriously. Sri Lankans must acknowledge the nature of this threat – both the severity of physical impact as well as the social and economic impact which could be nationally devastating if effective containment is not ensured. However, it is not enough if the Government is only alert. The public also needs to be vigilant to prevent this disaster – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

By S. Thanigaseelan

The world is facing a massive challenge today and Sri Lanka too is not free from this challenge. It has affected the day-to-day operations of the economy and health sector of our nation. However, it is commendable that our Government has taken many steps to overcome these challenges and protect our people and tourists from other countries. 

It is time that we take the coronavirus threat seriously. Sri Lankans must acknowledge the nature of this threat – both the severity of physical impact as well as the social and economic impact which could be nationally devastating if effective containment is not ensured. However, it is not enough if the Government is only alert. 

The public also needs to be vigilant to prevent this disaster.

The healthcare system of Sri Lanka and its attendant cadres of professionals, is credited with the elimination of several diseases such as malaria and polio, and has the potential to rise up to any challenge. 

The coronavirus may yet be the biggest challenge it has faced in recent times. But with the right leadership, preventive measures and public cooperation, it is a battle that can be won.

The Chinese Government has been quick to publicly acknowledge the outbreak of the epidemic and to regularly update the world of its spread and impact. Enough news images have come out of the world’s biggest nation indicating not only the scale of the emergency response actions but also the meticulous intensity of the preventive and mitigatory measures being swiftly implemented.

In Sri Lanka, there seems to be a laid-back attitude l to this threatening epidemic despite the clear negative implications not just for our nation’s physical health but also for its economy and especially those economic sectors that directly depend on mass scale participation, like tourism.

Coronaviruses

Coronaviruses were first identified in the 1960s, but we don’t know where they come from. They get their name from their crown-like shape. 

Sometimes, but not often, a coronavirus can infect both animals and humans.

Generally, a coronavirus is a kind of common virus that causes an infection in your nose, sinuses, or upper throat. Most coronaviruses are not dangerous.

Some types of coronaviruses are serious, though. About 858 people have died from Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which first appeared in 2012 in Saudi Arabia and then in other countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Europe. In April 2014, the first American was hospitalised for MERS in Indiana and another case was reported in Florida. 

Both had just returned from Saudi Arabia. In May 2015, there was an outbreak of MERS in Korea, which was the largest outbreak outside of the Arabian Peninsula. In 2003, 774 people died from a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak. As of 2015, there were no further reports of cases of SARS. 

But In early 2020, following a December 2019 outbreak in China, the World Health Organization identified a new type, 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).

Often a coronavirus causes upper respiratory infection symptoms like a stuffy nose, cough, and sore throat. You can treat them with rest and over-the-counter medication. 

The coronavirus can also cause middle ear infections in children.

Updated impact of the viruses

The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) originating in Wuhan, China has spread to 22 more countries alarming health officials across the world. A total of 9,776 (9,658 cases in mainland China and 108 cases outside China) confirmed cases of novel coronavirus infection including 213 deaths have been reported across the world as of 30 January 2020. (https://www.pharmaceutical-technology.com/)

No deaths related to the illness have been reported outside of China. With health officials confirming that a Chinese woman who had arrived in Sri Lanka from Wuhan had tested positive for the Coronavirus, preventive measures must necessarily shift into high gear.

How is China trying to stop the virus

On 22 January, officials in Wuhan shut down all transportation in the city, which is home to over 11 million people. They closed buses and subways, and cancelled all flights and trains in and out of the city. The director general of the WHO applauded the decision, saying that it would help control the outbreak and slow the spread into other countries. Fifteen other cities, home to a total of 46 million people, are locked down as well, The New York Times reported.

However, other officials weren’t sure if these quarantines would be effective: “To my knowledge, trying to contain a city of 11 million people is new to science,” Gauden Galea, the World Health Organization’s representative in China, told the Associated Press. “It has not been tried before as a public health measure. We cannot at this stage say it will or it will not work.”

Economic impact

Gerard Burg, senior international economist at the Australian bank NAB, said there would be a “big flow-on effect outside China, especially in South-East Asia because of the growing importance of Chinese tourism”.

He said countries such as Thailand, which depend on China for around one quarter of its 10 million annual tourists, “really jumps out” because Thailand may be hesitant about people travelling there from China and the Chinese, with many cities  locked down, and would not be able to travel. 

The Chinese Government has been quick to publicly acknowledge the outbreak of the epidemic and to regularly update the world of its spread and impact. Enough news images have come out of the world’s biggest nation indicating not only the scale of the emergency response actions but also the meticulous intensity of the preventive and mitigatory measures being swiftly implemented. In Sri Lanka, there seems to be a laid-back attitude l to this threatening epidemic despite the clear negative implications not just for our nation’s physical health but also for its economy and especially those economic sectors that directly depend on mass scale participation, like tourism

Travel restrictions are also a problem for any business that needs to move goods or people around. Industrial supply chains will be affected. Some deliveries may be disrupted and some will become more expensive.

There will be lost economic activity as a result of people not being able or willing to travel to work.Consumer spending on entertainment and gifts will also be affected. For entertainment, many will be reluctant to take part in activities outside the home that could lead to exposure to the virus.

There has also been a surge in demand for surgical masks and gloves to protect oneself against becoming infected. Shares in Chinese companies that make these items – drugs and protective equipment – have seen some sharp price rises.

On this occasion there have been some negative consequences for stock markets. Shares in Asia Pacific continued to fall on Tuesday in the wake of heavy losses at the start of the week which has seen the death toll from the outbreak in China almost double in two days.

South Korea, where a fourth case was confirmed on Tuesday, saw its KOSPI index fall more than 3% and Australia’s ASX200 was off 1.35%. Shares in Europe and the US suffered similar heavy losses on Monday. The yuan, China’s currency, dropped to its lowest level for a month.

Challenge in Sri Lanka

• Safeguarding Sri Lankan students and labour and bringing them back to Sri Lanka from China is a big challenge.
• Chinese are contributing a lot into Sri Lanka’s economic growth through tourism and some other leading development programmes but they have been slow. 
• Coronavirus is new to our country and also doctors have insufficient experience to diagnose it while equipment is scarce.
• The demand for the masks has increased suddenly in the market and this has put people in crisis.
• Since this is a new disease, people are less aware of it.

Precautionary measures of Sri Lanka

• President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued instructions to appoint a National Action Committee to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus in Sri Lanka.
• The Government has also established two 24-hour hotlines for members of the public to call in if they have any questions regarding the coronavirus. The numbers are 071-0107107 and 011-3071073.
• Four thermal detection machines installed at BIA were being used to screen all passengers arriving in the country, with both doctors and PHIs placed on duty at the airport.
• On-arrival visa for Chinese nationals was suspended
• Applications made online will be scrutinised before visas are granted
• Those allowed entry will be monitored throughout their stay by health authorities
• Chinese nationals on work permits will also be subjected to checks by PHIs
• Lankan students returning from Wuhan Province to be kept under surveillance at Diyatalawa Army Camp for two weeks
• PHIs will carry out medical checks on ships before passengers disembark
• Regional hospitals geared to house patients suffering from virus
• The companies which are producing masks have been requested to produce more by the government.
• nSeparate wards have also been allocated in the North Colombo General Hospital (Ragama) as well as the main government hospitals in Gampaha, Negombo, Kandy, Karapitiya, Jaffna, Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, Badulla, Ratnapura and Batticaloa to keep suspected patients in isolation. 
• Face masks are only one of the possible preventive measures. The health authorities have announced several other safety guidelines: children, expectant mothers and elders should especially avoid crowded places, while others too should avoid them; avoid people suffering from colds and fever; cover mouth with a handkerchief when coughing or sneezing; discard used tissues in a proper manner; wash hands regularly with soap or hand sanitiser and, avoid touching the nose and face frequently. Those who have high fever, coughs, colds, and respiratory difficulties for more than a day are advised to visit the nearest Government health facility.
• Postal services too will take precautionary measures when handling parcels arriving from China.

The way forward to protect

• Travellers in China who feel sick should suspend further travel, see a doctor immediately and contact the Sri Lankan embassy.
• Anyone feeling sick within a month of returning from China should isolate themselves from others, get medical attention and follow good hand and respiratory hygiene. They should call the helpline number 071-0107107 and 011-3071073 and follow directions.
• Inbound travel and tourism needs a safety regime. On-arrival visas are not being issued to Chinese travellers as a temporary measure, but the Government has to assure the travellers from the rest of the world that Sri Lanka is taking all necessary steps to confront the Coronavirus challenge.
• The public need not wait for the authorities to enforce safety measures. Depending on how the scenario develops, the Government may be wise to enforce the wearing of face masks in crowded places. After all, no one complained when people had to go through metal detectors and undergo body searches during the war.
• If necessary, free face masks may have to be issued at entrances to public places like railway stations, cinemas, shopping malls, etc.
• The Medical Research Institute (MRI) rose to the challenge of developing a blood test locally. The Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH) in Mulleriyava, is one of the best such facilities in Asia. Moreover, Sri Lanka’s free healthcare system is open to foreigners enabling quick treatment. 
• The National Action Committee (NAC) on the Coronavirus issue, led by Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, must also hold discussions with leaders of various sectors such as private healthcare, tourism, retail, transport and education to evolve strategies for containment and prevention.
• In Sri Lanka, all national entry points must be geared to monitor incoming passengers not only from Asia but also from the rest of the world using thermal scanners and other equipment and trained personnel.
• For the public
• Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water;
• When coughing and sneezing cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue – throw tissue away immediately and wash hands;
• Avoid close contact with anyone who has fever and cough;
• If you have fever, cough and difficulty in breathing seek medical care early and share previous travel history with your health care provider;
• When visiting live markets in areas currently experiencing cases of novel coronavirus, avoid direct unprotected contact with live animals and surfaces in contact with animals;
• The consumption of raw or undercooked animal products should be avoided. Raw meat, milk or animal organs should be handled with care, to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked foods, as per good food safety practices.

Conclusion

Now our new Government has taken many good steps to get rid of the dangerous coronavirus. Likewise, the media is doing its greatest duty to educate the public. People are slowly waking up, so we have to make sure that the people keep us safe. Then we can restore our nation from this dangerous virus outbreak from China.

References:

• https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public
• https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/jan/28/significant-threat-to-chinese-economic-growth-amid-coronavirus-outbreak
• https://www.theverge.com
• http://www.dailynews.lk/2020/01/29/editorial/209798/confronting-coronavirus-challenge

Everything you need to know about the coronavirus from China

• https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/30/world/asia/coronavirus-china.html#link-6a63a9b7