Opinion

Opinion: Coronavirus fears must be taken seriously

Although there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus on this island, news of the spread of the virus beyond China to mainland Europe, will be causing considerable unease.

Over recent weeks, the Chinese government has been battling to contain the illness, which has so far infected more than 77,000 people, leading to over 2,500 deaths.

Stringent containment measures were introduced, resulting in the lockdown of heavily populated areas and the building of new hospitals in Wuhan, the city where the deadly virus originated.

But even the most draconian approach has failed to prevent the virus travelling to other countries and the truth is in this globalised world, it is extremely difficult to stop something that is evidently highly contagious.

Quarantine is being used as a crucial line of defence but as we saw with the unfortunate passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan, this is a protective measure that has to be carefully managed.

While the rate of infection appears to be slowing in China, other countries have experienced outbreaks, with an upsurge in cases in Iran and South Korea causing alarm.

The unexpected spike in northern Italy, where over 200 people have tested positive for the virus and six have died, has caused deep concern particularly among neighbouring countries in Europe.

Around a dozen towns have been quarantined, with schools closed, Masses and sporting events cancelled and the Carnival celebrations in Venice have been called off.

The Italian authorities will be hoping these steps help to contain the spread of the virus but the real fear is that they don't.

The World Health Organisation has warned that the world must prepare for a potential coronavirus pandemic, however, it also said there was not a 'one-size-fits-all' approach.

The British government insists it is well prepared but the worry is that a huge number of cases could overwhelm the health service.

In Northern Ireland, the Public Health Agency is urging people to observe good hygiene practices in a bid to prevent the spread of any viruses, and that is common sense advice.

This is clearly a fast developing situation and we must hope that containment efforts keep coronavirus at bay while preparing for an increase in cases.