Occupational health responses to COVID-19: What lessons can we learn from SARS?

Journal of Occupational Health
David Koh, Hui Poh Goh

Abstract

On 31 December 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) received reports of pneumonia cases of unknown etiology in the city of Wuhan in Hubei Province, China. The agent responsible was subsequently identified as a coronavirus-SARS-CoV-2. The WHO declared this disease as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern at the end of January 2020. This event evoked a sense of déjà vu, as it has many similarities to the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) of 2002-2003. Both illnesses were caused by a zoonotic novel coronavirus, both originated during winter in China and both spread rapidly all over the world. However, the case-fatality rate of SARS (9.6%) is higher than that of COVID-19 (<4%). Another zoonotic novel coronavirus, MERS-CoV, was responsible for the Middle East respiratory syndrome, which had a case-fatality rate of 34%. Our experiences in coping with the previous coronavirus outbreaks have better equipped us to face the challenges posed by COVID-19, especially in the health care setting. Among the insights gained from the past outbreaks were: outbreaks caused by viruses are hazardous to healthcare workers; the impact of the disease extends beyond the infection; general principles of prevention and...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 19, 2020·Death Studies·Ignacio Mora-MagañaMary C Jobe
Jul 24, 2020·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Nicola MagnavitaReparata Rosa Di Prinzio
Jun 10, 2020·Journal of Occupational Health·Akihito ShimazuIsamu Yamamoto
Apr 4, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Mara Shirin HetzmannStefanie Mache
Jun 23, 2021·Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology·Mohamed Ghaith Al-KuwariSelvakumar Swamy

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