Jan28,2020: National Health Commission says shortage of medical supplies is compromising efforts to contain the outbreak
The virus can infect children and infants, but symptoms have been relatively mild, the commission says.
The death toll from a coronavirus outbreak
in China has soared to 106 and 1,771 new cases have been confirmed by Chinese authorities on Tuesday morning.
The total number of confirmed cases has climbed to almost 4,500 in China alone, with 26 new deaths reported in the country on Tuesday. Most of those who have died are from Hubei province, at the epicentre of the outbreak.
In addition to air transmission, the coronavirus can be spread through physical contact, China’s National Health Commission (NHC) said on Tuesday.
The incubation period of the new virus was on average three to seven days, with the longest being no more than 14 days, the NHC stated, adding that the coronavirus strain was 85 per cent similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).
It also said the virus could infect children and infants, but that their symptoms had been relatively mild.
Supplies shortage
Speaking at a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday, Jiao Yahui, head of the National Health Commission’s medical administration bureau, said shortage of medical supplies was a major constraint in China’s efforts to contain the outbreak and treat infected people.
Jiao said China was sending about 6,000 medical personnel to Hubei from around the country – with more than 4,000 already there and 1,800 more due to arrive by Tuesday evening – to work in Wuhan and seven other cities in the province. In Wuhan, more than 10,000 hospital beds had been available to accommodate the growing number of patients, she said.
But Jiao admitted that some of the extra personnel could not be deployed effectively, because of a lack of medical supplies such as protective clothing.
