As Coronavirus Pandemic Continues, U.S. Urges Governments To "Be Prepared" For Next Outbreak

As the global alert for the spread and impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak increased from 'high' to 'very high", a key official in the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday urged the every nation across the globe to step up and "be prepared" for the next outbreak.

"Governments should be thinking about the measures that they may need to use to control the spread of the outbreak, and they shouldn’t wait to prepare to respond to the outbreak. They should be preparing now." Dr. Sarah Bennett, head of CDC's International Task Force for COVID-19, said in a phone-in press briefing, TURAN's U.S. correspondent reports.

CDC she added, "remains committed to helping governments with that preparation."

Azerbaijan has not yet been hit the hardest by corona virus but fear is mounting. The country has recorded more than 100 confirmed cases, the number that's rising steeply.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Bennett also mentioned that cultural and social differences should be considered when responding to the outbreak of any infectious disease.

Travel restrictions alone are not adequate to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease. The governments, she said, should focus instead on what to do when the coronavirus hits inside a country.

There are a number of measures that are currently recommended by the World Health Organization and the CDC for countries to consider implementing to help prevent the importation of the virus into their country, but also, once imported, to control the spread in the community.

"And I think journalists have a really important role to play in getting information out to people about some of the things that they can do to help decrease the spread of COVID-19, such as reminding people about frequent hand-washing, about keeping their distance between themselves and others, covering their coughs and their sneezes with their elbow or shoulder, or using a tissue when washing – using a tissue, and then washing their hands, and then cleaning frequently touched surfaces," she added.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.