Maria Cheng
Maria Cheng
cases gaps given human humans isolated points seeing serious situation surprised
We shouldn't be seeing human cases first, and this points to serious gaps in surveillance. But given the situation in Turkey, I don't think we'd be surprised to see isolated humans cases in surrounding areas.
cases information
We don't have any information about cases actually in the capital.
cases determine exposure mode rapidly seen situation source whether
We'd like to see all these cases investigated rapidly so that we can determine what the mode of transmission was, what the source of exposure was, and whether or not there were any characteristics of the situation that are different from what we've seen in Asia.
cases contain identify might rapidly spread
If we are able to identify cases rapidly enough so that we could put in these measures, they might effectively contain the spread of a pandemic,
alert cases couple elevate global last needs pandemic phase risk
Right now these new cases in Turkey, they don't elevate the global risk assessment, so we're still in the same pandemic alert phase that we've been in for the last couple of years. But it's something that needs to be monitored very closely.
announced cases turkish
These are all cases that have already been announced (by Turkish authorities).
boy cases confirmed include south suspect three
There is one confirmed case, the girl, and three suspect cases under investigation who have died. They include her uncle, the boy in the south and another case.
beijing cases exposure history human identified informed office province seems somebody
Our office in Beijing was informed of this today. It is in a province that hasn't identified human cases before but it is somebody who seems to have a history of exposure to poultry.
common draw either exposure human hypothesis information possible poultry sick
It is possible that they all had common exposure to sick poultry but it is also possible there may have been human to human transmission. We don't have enough information to draw a hypothesis either way.
close contacts detect failed further testing
testing and monitoring of more than 300 close contacts failed to detect any further cases.
changing health indication people virus workers
I think really, (illness in) people like health-care workers and first responders would be our first indication that something is changing in the virus to make it more transmissible.
details keen kinds obviously samples sent tests
We don't have a lot of details as to what kinds of tests were done, but we are obviously keen to have the samples sent abroad.
information
We don't have enough information to make any kind of hypothesis.
dangerous information suggest virus
We don't have any information to suggest that this virus is more pathogenic or dangerous than other viruses.