Chinese Health Authorities "Cannot Rule Out Human-to-Human Transmission of Wuhan Pneumonia"

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] Chinese health authorities have stated that the possibility of human-to-human transmission of Wuhan pneumonia cannot be ruled out. This concern arises as the Lunar New Year (Chunjeol) holiday begins next week, with hundreds of millions of Chinese expected to travel.

According to the website of the Wuhan Municipal Health Commission (WMHC) on the 15th, authorities indicated that the novel coronavirus, identified as the cause of Wuhan pneumonia, may be transmissible between people. In response to the question, "Have any cases of human-to-human transmission been discovered so far?" the health authorities stated, "Based on current investigations, no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission has been found. However, the possibility of limited human-to-human transmission cannot be excluded. Continuous research is ongoing."

The health authorities disclosed that among the 41 confirmed cases, there was a couple infected with the novel coronavirus. They explained, "The husband, who was infected first, worked at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, the origin of the cluster pneumonia, while the wife, who had no exposure to the seafood market, also developed the illness."

The health authorities added, "We are observing and investigating people who had close contact with the patients, setting the observation period at 14 days considering the incubation period. If abnormal symptoms such as fever or cough appear during this period, they are immediately sent to medical institutions for testing and treatment." They also stated, "Sanitation measures such as cleaning and disinfection have been carried out at the already closed Huanan Seafood Market," and urged, "To prevent infection with the novel coronavirus, thorough hand hygiene should be practiced, cover your mouth and nose when sneezing, and avoid close contact with wild animals or live livestock."

The announcement that the possibility of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus cannot be ruled out came ahead of Chunjeol, China’s largest annual holiday. During this period, hundreds of millions of Chinese travel extensively, which could potentially increase the risk of virus transmission.

The day before, the World Health Organization (WHO) also stated that, at present, there is no sustained human-to-human transmission of the Wuhan pneumonia virus, but based on investigations suggesting limited human-to-human transmission within families in China, they are preparing for the possibility of virus spread.