Anyone with flu symptoms should get tested for coronavirus, said Professor Herman Goossens of the University of Antwerp (UAntwerp), interviewed by VTM. According to him, an expanded screening is necessary, not only in Belgium, in order to contain the epidemic.
According to the professor, who coordinates the PREPARE Outbreak Mode committee funded by the European Commission, too strict criteria are currently used to test people for coronavirus. “Which means that we won’t detect a series of infected people,” he said. “I am more inclined, as in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Italy for example, to also screen people with respiratory symptoms who get tested for the flu virus.”
Prof. Goossens pointed out that the second case of contamination in Belgium, announced on Sunday, was detected thanks to broader tests. “In the event of strict application, the patient did not meet the criteria in force for screening for coronavirus. I decided this week to no longer apply these criteria and to screen according to broader standards. that, the patient could be correctly diagnosed. “
According to him, a broader screening is feasible. He made reference to Italy, where he said nearly 100,000 tests were carried out. However, it is not possible to work with only a few reference laboratories. It is necessary to be able to carry them out in new laboratories and by strengthening the capacities of laboratories, for example in hospitals.
WHO calls for respiratory equipment
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday urged countries around the world to source medical respiratory equipment to deal with the epidemic of new coronavirus.
“All countries should equip themselves with a pulse oximeter and respiratory assistance devices,” warned WHO, saying it was an “important tool for the treatment of patients with severe form. from Covid-19 “.
Nearly 3,000 people have died and more than 88,000 have been infected with the disease in nearly 60 countries, since the new virus was first detected in late 2019 in the Chinese city of Wuhan (center).
WHO highlights the fact that the virus particularly strikes people over 60, and those already weakened by other diseases.
Among the 45,000 people who tested positive for the new coronavirus in China until February 24, only 2.1% were under 20 years old, the WHO specifies.
In addition, the United Nations agency recalls that the symptoms are mild for most patients, serious (pneumonia) for 14% of them, and that 5% of those affected are in critical condition.
The mortality rate seems to be 2 to 5%.
WHO reports that the mortality rate among critically ill patients is over 50%, and highlights that “rapid interventions, such as lung protection via ventilatory strategies, should be optimized” .
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