Coronavirus: 'Lessons have not been learned', experts say

The editors of one of the world's most prestigious health journals have called on the world to be more like China in fighting off the threat of COVID-19.

The virus which causes the disease, SARS-CoV-2, began spreading in the Wuhan area in December. By the end of January there were more than 11,000 confirmed cases, and three weeks later there were 75,000.

But in the past two weeks, the rate of new infections has been severely curtailed. Only 4000 more cases have been reported since February 24, bringing mainland China's total number of confirmed infections to 80,699. 

At the same time as China began to successfully hold the virus at bay, it began to take hold in other countries. On February 24 there were only 2400 confirmed infections outside of China - now there are more than 29,000, that figure increasing between 15 and 20 percent every day with no sign of abating. 

"As the window for global containment closes, health ministers are scrambling to implement appropriate measures to delay spread of the virus," the editorial in the latest issue of The Lancet reads. "But their actions have been slow and insufficient. There is now a real danger that countries have done too little, too late to contain the epidemic."

In contrast, a World Health Organization report into China's efforts, conducted in mid- to late-February, called "perhaps the most ambitious, agile and aggressive disease containment effort in history".

"So far, evidence suggests that the colossal public health efforts of the Chinese Government have saved thousands of lives," The Lancet said, acknowledging this was largely possible due to "a strong administrative system that it can mobilise in times of threat, combined with the ready agreement of the Chinese people to obey stringent public health procedures".

"Although other nations lack China's command-and-control political economy, there are important lessons that Presidents and Prime Ministers can learn from China's experience. The signs are that those lessons have not been learned."

The editorial urges governments around the world to "abandon their fears of the negative short-term public and economic consequences that may follow from restricting public freedoms as part of more assertive infection control measures".

Two government workers talk at a spot for recovered COVID-19 patients just discharged from a hospital to be transferred to a quarantine facility in Wuhan.
Two government workers talk at a spot for recovered COVID-19 patients just discharged from a hospital to be transferred to a quarantine facility in Wuhan. Photo credit: Getty

Professor Michael Baker from the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington, told RNZ on Monday China had proven the virus can be contained, but the rest of the world had largely dropped the ball.

"Remember, this is not influenza, this is a different virus and I think now is the time for maximum containment effort in New Zealand," said Prof Baker.

"If we get widespread transmission, it will swamp health services everywhere - as we're seeing overseas - and that's why the containment process is so important."

He expects it won't be long until China is putting travel restrictions on other countries to stop the virus being brought back.

The New Zealand Government is expected to reveal its plans to protect the economy on Monday afternoon. The New Zealand economy, heavily dependent on imports and exports, is uniquely at risk from COVID-19, even if there isn't an outbreak on our shores.

The National Party has been criticising the Government's economic response to date. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told RNZ they're welcome to suggest any ideas they have on how to contain it.

"This is a global issue, and a New Zealand issue first and foremost, not a political one."