Source: HangzhouTube, Xinhua news, China Daily
Good morning
Two overseas returnees who traveled from Italy to Huzhou in late February were confirmed to be infected with the novel coronavirus, a notice from the local authorities said on Thursday morning.
The two infected patients headed from the northwestern Italian city of Turin to Paris, France, on flight AF1503 on Feb 28 where they transferred to another flight, CZ348, to Guangzhou. They arrived in Guangzhou on the morning of Feb 29 and then took a flight, CZ3803, to Hangzhou on the same day.
They were picked up by a family member and drove back to their hometown, Deqing in Huzhou that afternoon, and were asked to be isolated at home for medical observation upon arrival. On Wednesday, they were confirmed with the infection via nucleic acid tests. They are now being treated at a designated hospital in Huzhou.
As of March 5, the two new cases have taken the total number of infected patients from abroad in Zhejiang to 10, all from Italy.
Hospital confirms nervous system infections by novel coronavirus
Doctors from Beijing Ditan Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University announced Thursday that they have cured a male patient whose cerebrospinal fluid had the virus.
The patient, 56, was diagnosed with the COVID-19 on Jan. 24 at the hospital. He had severe symptoms and failed to respond to regular treatment, according to a hospital statement.
In the intensive care unit (ICU), the patient developed symptoms associated with decreased consciousness, though there were no abnormal signs on his head CT images. The medical staff then conducted gene sequencing on samples of his cerebrospinal fluid and confirmed the presence of the novel coronavirus, diagnosing the COVID-19 patient with encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain.
After the treatment of viral encephalitis, the patient's neurological symptoms gradually disappeared. He was discharged from the hospital on Feb. 25.
ICU director of the hospital said that once a COVID-19 patient is found to have disorders of consciousness, medical staff should consider the possibility of nervous system infections and carry out cerebrospinal fluid tests in time, to avoid delayed diagnosis and further reduce the mortality rate of critically ill patients.
China encourages export of protective clothing
The COVID-19 outbreak has worsened in some countries and regions, which are also faced with a shortage of protective supplies. As a major producer of protective clothing, China is encouraging domestic factories to increase exports amid the global fight against the epidemic, Cao Xuejun, a senior official with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, told a press conference on March 4.
As numerous domestic apparel factories refit their production lines to produce protective suits, China's output of protective clothing surged over the past month. Currently, China is capable of providing 250,000 protective suits to Hubei, the hardest-hit province, every day, exceeding the provincial demand, Cao said.
First dog coronavirus suspect confirmed in Hong Kong
A virologist has suggested that dogs might get a different strain of coronavirus than human beings, after the world's first case of a pet dog testing positive was reported in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region authorities on Wednesday said that the dog, which had small numbers of coronavirus detected in its oral and nasal cavity samples at the end of February, tested positive again in the latest checkup.
The dog has not shown any symptoms and is now under quarantine and observation at an animal holding facility near the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge port. Authorities said they will return the dog to its owner until the following tests show consecutive negative results.
State Council's traveling tips during epidemic
As the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to spread, governments around the world are pooling wisdom to cope with the epidemic.
While staying at home seems to be the optimum choice during the outbreak, some trips are just inevitable. How do you avoid getting infected while traveling by air, bus or other public transportation? Here are some tips offered by the Chinese government.
Q: What are some prevention measures when traveling by air?
-- Do not arrive excessively early. Getting to the airport five hours ahead of your flight will only increase your chances of contracting the virus. Wear a face mask during the entire journey. Avoid unnecessary conversations with strangers, and sit away from others when possible.
Q: Can thermometers be brought onto the plane?
-- Yes and no. A mercury thermometer is not allowed in your carry-on luggage, but you can bring a digital thermometer with you as long as the rated energy of the lithium battery does not exceed 100Wh or the lithium content does not exceed 2 grams. Still, as travelers are now normally required to have their temperatures taken before getting onto the plane, it is not necessary to bring a thermometer.
Q: What are things I should keep in mind during a taxi ride?
-- Both the driver and you should wear masks. Leave the door open for a few minutes before getting inside for ventilation. Open the window during the ride -- fresh air is better than air conditioning for ventilation purposes.
Q: Is it riskier to take the subway or a cab?
-- As long as you are in public space, there are risks of contracting the virus. So rather than worrying about the type of transportation you take, it is more important that you wear a mask at all times and wash hands as soon as you get home.
Q: What are some tips for driving?
-- Again ventilation is the key thing to keep in mind. Also, have some masks, hand disinfectants or disinfectant paper towels in your car. If you happened to give someone with symptoms a ride, make sure you disinfect door handles, seats and the steering wheel afterwards.
Q: What about a long-haul bus?
-- Sit away from others when you can. Ask the driver to stop at a service area every two hours so you can get fresh air.
Q: What measures are taken to ensure the safety of inbound and outbound travelers?
-- All entry and exit personnel must make health declarations. Customs will check whether they have symptoms and whether they have been to countries and regions where the epidemic occurred within 14 days. In China, the declaration card has been translated into more than 10 languages, and a mini-program for mobile devices has been developed to allow online declaration.
Entry-exit information for foreigners
For Expats in Zhejiang
\n
No comments:
Post a Comment