We don't normally do one, but this is a good time, especially for those of you who are just starting your day and week to get you caught up to date with something that is in the news every day.

It seems like over the last several weeks, and that is the Corona virus.

An infectious disease expert from EMU Health care is going to join us.

Right now.

It's Dr Hari Reagan atthe and he joins us by phone.

Doctor, Good morning.

How are you today, sir?

I am very good.

David, Let's catch up to date on this.

If you were talking to someone in an office in a clinical office and they said, I'm worried about this Corona virus, what would be some of the key things that you would tell them in regard to this virus that we keep hearing about over and over again?

That depends on what their concerns us is about.

If they had symptoms and they had a reason, travel to China, then immediately.

The next step I would do is offer them a mask and take them to a separate room and have airborne contact precautions and droplet precautions.

If that's not the case.

And if it's somebody is just who is living in misery and never had traveled, risks are.

If they have not had a contact that somebody who's bean ill or who has traveled to China, then I would reassure them, and I would test them for the fluid.

They had symptoms, if not reassure and educate them that they don't have to be worried about colonel lighters.

If they needed details than I would provide details about what's going on.

And what should they be concerned about?

How well can those in Mid Missouri test for this virus?

The testing is limited to the laboratory is with the CDC.

So right now, institutions don't have it.

Is FDA approved?

Only Toby done within.

The CDC premises are within the state health laboratory premises, so that's a necessary have a suspected case.

What we do is we notify our infection control and they will, through infection control.

We will get the amenities for proper testing and water.

Then Walls is having a swab, a nice offer, and Jill swab in patients who are suspected.

The first step is evaluation off their symptoms to see if they qualify for a person under investigation and then those amenities provided by the state health laboratory.

And if the person is truly suspected to have this disease, then we will go ahead and test them, has no less quarantine them are moved them to a safe place so that we can a wide spread of suspected.

So with this show up is something that you're unfamiliar with, and then you would take the steps that you just outlined.

I don't know how you can say I'm not you.

I don't know how anybody can say, Well, it's something we haven't seen before.

Maybe this is a new virus, but it is the Corona virus and making that leap to saying that it's that instead of something else Well, right now, the only clues are one of the main closes.

The epidemiologic link as a travel are to the sick person.

Without that, the symptoms are no different than many after respiratory viruses, and it has come in a season where flu is very rampant, so it's impossible to just differentiate based on the symptoms alone.

At this point, the disease is being learned as the number of cases increase the number of studies that have been published, its increase so far there there has not been much of a difference between how's the other respiratory virus is present as against the put on a lighter.

I read something today that I think is a good sign, and that is the World Health Organization is going to be invited into China.

I guess China has been pretty protective up to the last few hours or days, and this is an important step.

Could you help us understand why that it matters that W H O gets a chance to go in and study what's happening there exactly this?

Well, so far, I should say the steps that the Chinese government has taken the advances in disseminating the genetic sequence off this particular writers, the China those steps taken by China look phenomenal.

We can see that within a month they released it to the entire world, and the CDC prepared a PCR testing within a week.

The advancements as well as the steps taken, they're they're pretty phenomenal.

Now, the reason w ater stepping in is the number of deaths that have happened.

As a result, off the paternal itis has reached about.

It's still about 2.2 person, considering the total number of cases that have bean diagnosed.

But overall it has the potential to reach pandemic proportions when it has the potential to reach a pandemic proportions.

Then we have to work together.

So there's one of the reasons that W.

W.

Chur stepping in to see, because our CDC officials in China also working, uh, along with the lot off other other countries, healthcare professionals as well.

So I think, doing quickly disseminate information and to work on possible treatments, vaccine developments.

It's important that we collaborate, and that is why the WTO's stepping.

It's interesting because I I like the statistic that you gave a moment ago because it helps us put something in perspective.

And that is, you said light like, I think there's something like 2.2% of those who are known to have the Corona virus have died from that.

What?

What is the flu percentage?

Do you have that number?

Sure.

Um, the flu debts on the number of cases, the number of people tested the number of people who are released in a weekly basis, and the recounts are from starting from January 1st week, one week, two weeks before so as of now has a week for the total number of deaths against the tested positive cases, the percent is a 7.1% wow and if it if it goes higher than 7.2% then it's epidemic proportions.

But so far we have stayed below the epidemic cut off 7.2 Fortunately, but every week as, uh, somewhere I would say 200 to 3 50 patients is the is the number of cases that we see for state and then in the country.

You can imagine how many cases happened.

So the impact of flu is significant at this time off the season, which is when it the case is usually peak.

So right now it is.

It's unfortunate that the Corona virus outbreak happened coincidental with influenza season, so it's important for us to still think about and bring flew to the the number one suspicion because early treatment, Um and you know, getting attention early, especially those with cardiac disease under Langlands disease, or immuno compromised directly.

The highest manifestation.

Well, I think that that number of 7.1% of those who have been diagnosed with the case of influence of pass away at compared to 2% of those so far who have been confirmed and diagnosed with Corona virus it gives you an idea of what we hear.

Oftentimes, and that is the flu is something we should be at least this stage more concerned with than the Corona virus.

But let me ask you this before I let you go, doctor, And that is from a from a MME a spectrum of I don't care.

I'm not concerned about it.

I'm not painting attention to it, to be very concerned about it and changing your life because of this fear that sometimes the media ramps up about something like Corona virus.

Where do you think we should be on that spectrum?

Um, at this point, I think it's still important for us to evaluate ourselves as that did.

I have a possible link to somebody from travel, and that is all the question most important question that we should off.

And if we really don't think that has happened, then I think we our wish to delay our fear about the Corona lighters and rather think more about.

I should go get a very good we'll let it go at that.

We hope that it's not something that we need to revisit, but we'll watch and see.

One of the things I saw in an article today was that, at least for a moment, it seems like the the number of those who have been found with a Corona virus in China that started to taper off, or at least level off.

But that doesn't mean that they're out of the woods there yet because maybe it just means that there's a lull in the diagnosis of that.

But it's something that I think education is key.

And you've educated us this morning.

Thank you so much.

You, too.

Thank you.

Hey, is an infectious disease expert at EMU Health care Doctor Hurry.

Reagan after has been our guest.

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