As Asian Pacific countries struggle with the resurgence of the coronavirus, one data point is driving government responses: the proportion of cases without a clear indication of how the infection occurred.
These patients cannot be linked to other confirmed infections or outbreaks by virus responders, indicating hidden transmission chains. An increasing proportion of such cases in the revival of a city are pushing governments, such as Australia and Hong Kong, to take comprehensive and forceful action, returning entire cities to blockade conditions.
"She can hardly contain the outbreak because she has no idea where they will come from next," said Yang Gonghuan, a former deputy director general of the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention. "When there are more cases where the origins are unknown, the difficulty for containment increases."
Conversely, a low proportion of cases of unknown origin means that authorities can remain relatively relaxed, as in South Korea and Japan, even if the daily total of new infections reaches hundreds. These countries can adopt a specific and agile approach, closing schools or workplaces where groups are found, but allowing the rest of the population to live normally.
From NDTV News
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