Coronavirus screening at ports will detect fewer than half of infected travellers, a new study suggests. Researchers said this would be true “even under best-case assumptions” because many people do not realise they have been exposed to the virus and their symptoms have not developed at the time of testing.
The research, published in eLife, came as the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned that humanity must prepare for coronavirus to become a pandemic – and one of the body’s advisers said the outbreak was “rapidly becoming the first true pandemic challenge that fits the disease X category”. The “disease X” moniker is a WHO placeholder designation for any any new pathogen which may infect humans in the future but is not yet known to scientists.
Meanwhile, two more people have died in Iran, bringing the official death toll to 14. Hong Kong has extended the closure of its schools until 20 April and investment banks Citigroup, Credit Suisse and Nomura Holdings have reportedly curbed employees’ trips to Italy for fear the disease will spread. Seven people have died of the illness in Italy.
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