>>> THIS MORNING ON YOUR HEALTH, THE LATEST ON CORONAVIRUS.
THE NUMBER OF INFECTED PEOPLE
AROUND THE WORLD RIGHT NOW
STANDS AT MORE THAN 77,000.
>> THAT’S RIGHT.
AND RIGHT HERE IN THE U.S. THERE
ARE 34 CONFIRMED CASES AND THE
CDC IS WARNING AMERICANS THAT
THIS CONTAGION REPRESENTS A
TREMENDOUS PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT.
NBC NEWS MEDICAL CONTRIBUTOR DR.
NATALIE AZAR HERE WITH MORE.
THANK YOU DR. NATALIE FOR BEING
HERE.
HERE. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS UP
TICK?
TICK? HOW CONCERNS SHOULD AMERICANS
FEEL?
FEEL? >> WE CERTAINLY ANTICIPATED
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE MORE CASES
IN THE U.S.
AND WHILE THE THREAT OF A GLOBAL
PANDEMIC IS DEFINITELY REAL AND
IT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH IMPORTANCE
IN THIS COUNTRY, OFFICIALS HERE
ARE STILL MAINTAINING THAT THE
RISK TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS IN
FACT STILL VERY LOW.
>> HOW PREPARED ARE HEALTH AND
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FOR THIS
CORONAVIRUS?
CORONAVIRUS? AND MEAN, THAT’S THE REAL
CONCERN, RIGHT?
CONCERN, RIGHT? ARE WE BEING SUFFICIENTLY
PROTECTED?
PROTECTED? >> SO, PETER, THE CDC IS
ACTIVELY REVIEWING ITS GLOBAL
PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS AND
COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH
HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS AND
HOSPITALS AND COMMUNITIES IN
THIS COUNTRY.
THIS COUNTRY. SO HOSPITAL PREPAREDNESS IS
INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT AND MAKING
SURE HOSPITALS ARE PREPARED FOR
AN INFLUX OF PATIENTS AND MAKING
SURE THAT HEALTH CARE WORKERS
HAVE ADEQUATE SUPPLIES.
ADDITIONALLY MORE ON THE FRONT
TEAR IF YOU WILL THERE ARE
AIRPORT SCREENINGS THAT ARE IN
PLACE.
PLACE. THERE IS VOLUNTARY
SELF-QUARANTINE FOR PEOPLE THAT
HAVE TRAVELED TO CHINA AND THERE
ARE ALSO 20 CDC QUARANTINE
STATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY
THAT ARE PREPARED TO HANDLE
CASES.
CASES. >> WELL, THIS IS NEW SPREAD.
THAT’S ONE OF THE CHALLENGES, A
NEW STRAIN I SHOULD SAY.
AND SO HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW
IT’S SPREAD.
IT’S SPREAD. WHAT DO YOU THEY KNOW ABOUT
THAT?
THAT? >> THERE WAS A REPORT IN THE NEW
ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
ABOUT THIS CONCEPT OF
ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
ASYMPTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. AND THEY DID FIND THE VIRUS WAS
DETECTABLE IN THE RESPIRATORY
SECRETIONS OF PEOPLE BEFORE THEY
WERE DISPLAYING SYMPTOMS.
REINFORCING THE IDEA THAT A
SYMPTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS NOT
USUALLY WHAT DRIVES EPIDEMICS.
WE DON’T KNOW EXACTLY HOW
CONTAGIOUS THAT IS IN AN
ASYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUAL.
ASYMPTOMATIC INDIVIDUAL. TRADITIONALLY THE MORE
SYMPTOMATIC AN INDIVIDUAL IS
THAT’S THE TIME WHEN BACTERIA OR
VIRUSES ARE MORE EVIDENT AND ARE
MORE LIKELY TO BE TRANSMITTED.
>> AND THERE’S NO GOOD TIME FOR
ANYTHING LIKE THIS, BUT IT’S
ALSO FLU SEASON.
SO ARE HOSPITALS PREPARED FOR
THE POTENTIAL OF A CORONAVIRUS
OUTBREAK ON TOP OF THE FLU?
>> AS I MENTIONED BEFORE PART OF
THAT HOSPITAL PREPAREDNESS IS TO
BE PREPARED FOR INFLUX.
SOME INSTITUTIONS ARE AUGMENTING
OR ENHANCING THEIR VIRTUAL
URGENT CARE SO THEY’RE TRIAGING
PATIENTS BEFORE THEY COME INTO
THE EMERGENCY ROOM TO INUNDATE
THE ER.
THE ER. THEY’RE MANAGING PATIENTS TO SAY
I THINK YOU NEED TO COME IN
VERSUS I THINK YOU NEED TO STAY
HOME.
HOME. >> I WE CAN’T REMIND PEOPLE
ENOUGH WASH YOUR HANDS, WASH
YOUR HANDS.
YOUR HANDS. >> HONESTLY, YES.
ABSENT AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OR
VACCINE WHICH IS NOT YET
AVAILABLE IT’S THE SIMPLE,
SIMPLE HYGIENE THINGS THAT CAN
REALLY GO A LONG WAY.