Coronavirus: Surge in UNTRACEABLE clusters as killer bug spreads across the world at uncontrollable pace, experts warn
A SURGE in untraceable clusters of coronavirus patients outside China has caused experts to warn that “containment methods” may not be working.
Hot spots are emerging around the world – including in South Korea, Singapore and Iran – while authorities are having issues locating the source of each outbreak.
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These new clusters are leading to the jump in cases outside the epicentre in China with the overall death toll now at 2,362.
Experts fear that the virus – which has infected 78,000 people – is spreading too quickly for tried-and-tested techniques to stop it.
This is despite the World Health Organisation (WHO) insisting the rest of the world had time to prepare for the deadly bug while it spread through Wuhan in China’s Hubei province.
Ian Mackay, virus expert at Australia’s University of Queensland, claims the number of hot spots emerging show the virus will turn into a “pandemic.”
He said: “A number of spot fires, occurring around the world is a sign that things are ticking along, and what we are going to have here is probably a pandemic.”
The WHO defines a “global pandemic” as a disease spreading on two continents.
Until recently, the vast majority of the deaths were all within China.
Coronavirus spreads as easily as a common cold and can be passed from person to person including by touching surfaces.
Dr. Amesh Adalja, of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said the bug is almost certainly spread by people who only have mild symptoms.
He said: “If that’s the case, all of these containment methods are not going to work.
“It’s likely mixed in the cold and flu season all over the place, in multiple countries and gone unnoticed until someone gets severely ill.”
Meanwhile, Mr Mackay said the milder symptoms means “not as many people (are) dying” adding “but it’s really bad news if you are trying to stop a pandemic.”
This comes as coronavirus has killed two people in Italy, putting 12 towns on lockdown.
Authorities in towns within Lombardy and Veneto have ordered schools, businesses and restaurants as more and more Italians contract the killer bug.
More than 40 people in Italy have now been put in isolation and are awaiting test results.
Lombardy has 32 confirmed cases and authorities in 10 of its towns have ordered all non-essential activities and services to stop.
In the Veneto region, seven cases have been reported including that of Mr Trevisan who died.
Before Friday, Italy had reported just three cases of the virus, which first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year.
Back in Britain, passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship returned home, with 32 British and other European passengers landing at a British military base in southwest England.
One Brit couple who became infected on board the ship now also have pneumonia.
David Abel and wife Sally, from Northamptonshire, were among 3,700 people quarantined on board the cruise ship in Japan after cases of the bug were found on board two weeks ago.
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They will be quarantined for 14 days at Arrowe Park hospital in northwest England.
Italy was the first euro zone country to suspend all direct flights to and from China.
It took the decision after two Chinese tourists from Wuhan tested positive in Rome in late January.
