Applying lessons from SARS to a newly identified coronavirus

摘要

Human infection with a newly identified novel coronavirus has rapidly focused global attention on risk assessment because its epidemic potential is not known. First detected in September, 2012, in a patient who had died of an acute respiratory illness in Saudi Arabia, it was soon confirmed in a Qatari patient with a similar illness in London, UK. These cases triggered collaborations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health (KSA-MoH), Qatar, and other global partners. The immediate need was to ensure the safety of the 3 million pilgrims attending the Hajj pilgrimage in October, 2012. Testing of pilgrims before and after Hajj 2012, and case based surveillance for the novel coronavirus during Hajj, suggested that the virus was not in circulation at the time.