Public Health Emergency at Points of Entry

Dear Colleagues,

The long awaited statement from WHO/IMO/ILO regarding this subject has just been published. It provides the temporary answer to this question that has been raised by many Member States. You will particularly wish to look at page 3 which outlines temporary options for inspectors including multiple extensions of SSCs in the absence of COVID-19 cases or absence of suspicions of them.

Dear Colleagues,

WHO has issued updated international travel advice as of 29 February 2020. It also includes links to newly updated documents for matters such as Operational Considerations for managing outbreaks o ships and Management of Ill travellers at Points of Entry.

With the usual warning that you should keep a check on which advice is the most up to date on the WHO website (given that so much is changing rapidly), the advice should be of interest to all working in the area of Points of Entry.

Dear Colleagues,

With substantial media attention focussed on the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), it is easy to forget that there is still a second PHEIC in place for Ebola Virus in the DRC. The IHR Emergency Committee of WHO met yesterday and reaffirmed that this PHEIC still remains in place. Key messages were: 

For countries at risk:

Dear Colleagues,

I know that there is a flood of information about the current PHEIC but I picked this draft document out from the WHO website. Although draft, it adds to useful guidance and for those working in Points of Entry I would refer you particularly to pages 10 (Travel and Trade) and 13 Points of Entry.

the document can be found at https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/srp-04022020.pdf 

In the fast moving situation involving the Novel Coronavirus 2019-n-CoV, WHO further updated it's travel advice on 27 January 2020.

It can be found at https://www.who.int/ith/2020-27-01-outbreak-of-Pneumonia-caused-by-new-coronavirus/en/ 

Appropriate enhanced surveillance leading to a greater chance of early detection is encouraged at Points of Entry (especially at airports) and further detail is given in the travel advice.

Kind REgards,

Martin Walker

Hello Colleagues,

Media coverage in the UK of this new Coronavirus seems to have stepped up considerably. Obviously, we await confirmation from the Emergency Committee of WHO as to whether it will be declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) or not and we may hear today about that.

Dear colleagues,

The authorities in Wuhan, central China, said 44 people had been admitted to hospital with an unidentified virus. Eleven of them were in a serious condition, while a further 121 people who had been in close contact with the infected patients had been placed under medical observation. No deaths have been reported.

Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said that the origin of the viral pneumonia outbreak remained unknown.

Good Day, 

Happy New Year 2020 to all PoE colleagues. 

A new outbreak is being reported in media.

Hope to hear more from WHO soon on that.

Kind Regards, 

Dr. S. Senthil Nathan, 

Port Health Officer, Chennai (earlier at Kandla Port)