STAT

Opinion: Hospitals, governments need more data to prepare for the new coronavirus outbreak

To better prepare for the #coronavirus outbreak, we need to understand health care worker infections, deaths related to it, and China's surveillance strategy for 2019-nCoV.
Workers set up beds at an exhibition center that was converted into a hospital in Wuhan, China.

In the six weeks since an outbreak of a novel coronavirus was first recognized in Wuhan, China, scientific discovery has unfolded at an unprecedented rate. Genomes of 73 samples of the virus, known for now as 2019-nCoV, from 12 countries have already been published, as have at least five academic papers describing clinical and epidemiological features of the disease.

Despite these efforts, there are critical information gaps that make planning for the outbreak more challenging and uncertain. In addition to a better understanding of severity and case fatality, as well as rigorous examination of the mechanisms by which the virus spreads (all of which have been ), we

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from STAT

STAT2 min readCrime & Violence
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About A Medicare Price-negotiation Ruling, Pharma’s Slipping Reputation, And More
A U.S. judge dealt a blow to two drugmakers challenging the authority for Medicare to negotiate the prices of prescription drugs.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Brain Biopsies On ‘Vulnerable’ Patients At Mount Sinai Set Off Alarm Bells At FDA, Documents Show
A STAT Investigation: Brain biopsies on "vulnerable" patients at Mount Sinai set off alarm bells at FDA, documents show.
STAT2 min read
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re Reading About MDMA For PTSD, A CRISPR Treatment For Blindness, And More
An FDA advisory panel will deliberate on June 4 whether to recommend approval for the first MDMA-assisted therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Related Books & Audiobooks