sharon sanders
Editor-in-Chief & President
hat tip Diane Morin
Assessment of Public Health Risk to Canada Associated with Human Coronavirus Erasmus Medical Centre (HCoV-EMC/2012)
16 May 2013
Information is reviewed on a regular basis and updated as required.
Risk Assessment
Genetic sequence data on HCoV-EMC/2012 indicate that this new virus is a beta-coronavirus similar to bat coronaviruses, but distinct from the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) which caused an international outbreak in 2003 in humans. In vitro studies suggest that HCoV-EMC/2012 has the potential to have a broad host range. This likely permits its zoonotic behaviour but means that a wide range of natural and domesticated animal reservoir species is possible. The source or natural reservoir, communicability, and incubation period of the HCoV-EMC/20 is currently unknown. Based on current evidence, there appears to be limited, but unsustained human-to-human transmission.
Recommendations for Canada
Surveillance
Health care professionals are encouraged to maintain vigilance for cases of HCoV-EMC/2012 infection, and notify the appropriate Public Health Departments of any persons under investigation. The national interim case definition for HCoV-EMC/2012 can be found through the following link: /eri-ire/coronavirus/case-definition-cas-eng.php.
Provinces and Territories are asked to report confirmed cases of HCoV-EMC/2012 infection to the Public Health Agency of Canada using the Emerging Respiratory Pathogens and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) Case Report Form.
Travel Advisory
A travel health advisory is posted on the Agency?s website. It does not recommend any restrictions on travel but encourages travellers to take routine precautions.
Infection Control
Recommendations for infection prevention and control measures for patients presenting with suspected or confirmed infection or co-infection with the novel coronavirus in acute care settings can be found online at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/eri-ire/coronavirus/healthcare-soinssante-eng.php. This guidance will be updated as new information becomes available.
Biosafety
HCoV-EMC/2012 is classified as a Risk Group 3 human pathogen given that this virus can cause serious illness in humans, while the public health risk is low since the risk of spread of the virus is low. Containment Level 3 is required for all proliferative work (in vitro or in vivo), and non-proliferative diagnostic activities can be conducted at Containment Level 2 with the use of additional operational practices as outlined in the Guidelines for handling HCoV-EMC/2012.
The WHO has published interim recommendations for laboratory testing for HCoV-EMC/2012 (19 February 2013).
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/eri-ire/coronavirus/risk_assessment-evaluation_risque-eng.php
Assessment of Public Health Risk to Canada Associated with Human Coronavirus Erasmus Medical Centre (HCoV-EMC/2012)
16 May 2013
Information is reviewed on a regular basis and updated as required.
Risk Assessment
- The public health risk posed by HCoV-EMC/2012 to Canada is considered low at this time. There have been a limited number of cases reported to date, and while there is evidence of limited capacity for human-to-human transmission, zoonotic transmission is still presumed to be the primary cause of infection.
- Updated risk assessments will be conducted as new evidence becomes available.
- Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) ? subsequently identified and named Human Coronavirus Erasmus Medical Centre (HCoV-EMC/2012) has been reported by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom since the Fall of 2012.
- As of April 12, 2013, 17 laboratory-confirmed human cases have been reported, of which 11 have resulted in death.
- The source, reservoir, communicability, and incubation period of the HCoV-EMC/2012 is currently unknown; although the current assumption is that this is a zoonotic virus.
- To date, HCoV-EMC/2012 has demonstrated only limited capacity to transmit from human-to-human.
- Surveillance for emerging respiratory pathogens and severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) is an ongoing activity in Canada.
Genetic sequence data on HCoV-EMC/2012 indicate that this new virus is a beta-coronavirus similar to bat coronaviruses, but distinct from the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) which caused an international outbreak in 2003 in humans. In vitro studies suggest that HCoV-EMC/2012 has the potential to have a broad host range. This likely permits its zoonotic behaviour but means that a wide range of natural and domesticated animal reservoir species is possible. The source or natural reservoir, communicability, and incubation period of the HCoV-EMC/20 is currently unknown. Based on current evidence, there appears to be limited, but unsustained human-to-human transmission.
Recommendations for Canada
Surveillance
Health care professionals are encouraged to maintain vigilance for cases of HCoV-EMC/2012 infection, and notify the appropriate Public Health Departments of any persons under investigation. The national interim case definition for HCoV-EMC/2012 can be found through the following link: /eri-ire/coronavirus/case-definition-cas-eng.php.
Provinces and Territories are asked to report confirmed cases of HCoV-EMC/2012 infection to the Public Health Agency of Canada using the Emerging Respiratory Pathogens and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) Case Report Form.
Travel Advisory
A travel health advisory is posted on the Agency?s website. It does not recommend any restrictions on travel but encourages travellers to take routine precautions.
Infection Control
Recommendations for infection prevention and control measures for patients presenting with suspected or confirmed infection or co-infection with the novel coronavirus in acute care settings can be found online at http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/eri-ire/coronavirus/healthcare-soinssante-eng.php. This guidance will be updated as new information becomes available.
Biosafety
HCoV-EMC/2012 is classified as a Risk Group 3 human pathogen given that this virus can cause serious illness in humans, while the public health risk is low since the risk of spread of the virus is low. Containment Level 3 is required for all proliferative work (in vitro or in vivo), and non-proliferative diagnostic activities can be conducted at Containment Level 2 with the use of additional operational practices as outlined in the Guidelines for handling HCoV-EMC/2012.
The WHO has published interim recommendations for laboratory testing for HCoV-EMC/2012 (19 February 2013).
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/eri-ire/coronavirus/risk_assessment-evaluation_risque-eng.php