Updated February 20, 2020
Novel Coronavirus 2019: Global Implications and Responses
Overview
were South Korea (104), Japan (85), Singapore (84), Hong
On December 31, 2019, China’s government notified the
Kong (65), Thailand (35), Taiwan (24), Malaysia (22),
World Health Organization (WHO) of patients with
Vietnam (16), Germany (16), Australia (15), and the United
pneumonia of unknown cause in Wuhan, capital of the
States (15). WHO reported that over 600 cases, more than
central Chinese province of Hubei. On January 7, 2020,
half the total COVID-19 cases outside mainland China,
Chinese scientists isolated a previously unknown
were detected from the Diamond Princess cruise ship,
coronavirus in the patients, and on January 12, the scientists
docked alongside Yokohama, Japan. One passenger from
made its genetic sequence available to WHO and
the Westerdam cruise ship, docked alongside Sihanoukville,
international partners. WHO initially named the virus 2019-
Cambodia, has also tested positive for the virus.
nCoV and later renamed it severe acute respiratory
Within days of learning the genetic sequence of the virus,
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus can
scientists around the globe developed lab tests to diagnose
cause a disease in humans that WHO is calling coronavirus
COVID-19. Current diagnostic supplies are insufficient to
disease 2019 (COVID-19).
meet global demand, however. While trying to increase
The Virus
supply of these tests, developers are also trying to create
faster, cheaper, and more easily administered tests. No
Coronaviruses are a large family of zoonotic viruses
specific treatments or vaccines for COVID-19 exist,
(viruses transmissible between animals and humans) that
although WHO has developed a disease commodity
can cause illness ranging from the common cold to more
package that lists essential biomedical equipment,
severe diseases such as Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome
medicines, and supplies health workers need to care for
(MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
patients with the disease. The U.S. National Institutes of
The most common symptoms among confirmed COVID-19
Health (NIH) indicated in late January that a candidate
patients include fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath.
vaccine for COVID-19 could be ready for early-stage
As of February 20, 2020, WHO reported more than 75,000
human testing within three months, compared to the 20
confirmed COVID-19 cases globally, including more than
months it took to begin early-state development of an
2,100 deaths. Approximately 98% of the cases and all but
investigational SARS vaccine.
11 of the deaths were in mainland China. More than 80% of
all cases in mainland China were reported in Hubei
Developments in China
Province, the outbreak epicenter. Outside of mainland
In 2002-2003, China’s government was widely criticized
China, the jurisdictions with the highest reported caseloads
Figure 1. Locations with Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Globally, as of February 20, 2020

Source: World Health Organization and National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China.
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Novel Coronavirus 2019: Global Implications and Responses
for waiting three months to report the outbreak of SARS to
issued a PHEIC declaration, prompting countries to take
WHO and its own people. In the case of COVID-19,
specific actions, including heightening surveillance and
China’s reporting to WHO came earlier in the outbreak, but
reporting of the disease. In the case of the United States,
the government did not raise the alarm to its own people
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
until three weeks later, on January 20, 2020. Chinese
Secretary Alex Azar declared “a public health emergency
authorities appear to have sought to suppress certain
for the entire United States.” A PHEIC declaration can also
information about the outbreak in the interim, including by
prompt countries to provide additional resources for global
disciplining eight medical workers for “rumor mongering”
and domestic response and enable WHO to access certain
after they shared information about the pneumonia cases
emergency funding, such as from the United Nations
with their social circles. One of those medical workers,
Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the World
ophthalmologist Li Wenliang, 33, later died from COVID-
Bank Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF).
19. Observers have suggested that by withholding
WHO-Led Expert Mission. On January 28, four weeks
information, the government may have squandered an early
window of opportunity to stem the virus’
after China first informed WHO of the outbreak, Chinese
s spread.
leader Xi Jinping agreed to accept a WHO-led expert
After January 20, Chinese authorities began taking
mission to review data and conduct field visits, with the
aggressive actions to prevent the virus from spreading
goal of informing COVID-19 response in China and
further. By February 20, they had imposed cordon
globally. International mission members arrived in China
sanitaires, or restrictions on movement in and out of
on February 15 and 16. They include experts from CDC
defined areas, on as many as 760 million people and
and NIH and institutions in Germany, Japan, Nigeria,
confined as many as 150 million people to their homes,
Russia, Singapore, and South Korea. The mission is to visit
according to a New York Times analysis. Arguing that such
Beijing and two provinces, but not Hubei.
measures should be “strictly necessary to achieve a
legitimate objective,”
WHO Funds. On February 5, WHO announced a $675
U.S.-based Human Rights Watch
million COVID-19 preparedness plan for February through
suggested that China’s January 23 lockdown of Wuhan
“was arbitrary and potentially discriminatory.”
April. It aims to provide international coordination and
WHO
operational support, bolster country readiness and response
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has
capacity (particularly in low-resource countries), and
praised China, however, for the “extraordinary measures it
accelerate relevant research and innovation. As of February
has taken to contain the outbreak, despite the severe social
19, donors had pledged to provide $26.0 million in support
and economic impact those measures are having on the
Chinese people.”
of the plan and WHO had received $1.2 million.
(See also CRS In Focus IF11434, The
Coronavirus: U.S.-China Economic Considerations.)
U.S. Response
Funds for Global COVID-19 Control. On January 29,
With positive trends in recent official case data in China,
President Donald J. Trump announced the formation of the
China’s leaders have suggested that China may soon be
President’s Coronavirus Task Force, led by HHS and
able to declare victory over the virus and get the country
coordinated by the National Security Council. On February
back to work. Those data trends include declines in the
7, the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for
number of daily new cases outside Hubei Province since
International Development committed to use up to $100
February 4, and in Hubei Province outside Wuhan since
million of existing funds to assist China and other affected
February 13. On February 17, a top-level Communist Party
countries with COVID-19 responses. HHS has made
committee formed to manage the outbreak response
available up to $105 million from the Infectious Disease
concluded, “The possibility of a wider epidemic has been
Rapid Response Reserve Fund for domestic and
avoided.” Weighed against that optimism are widespread
international COVID-19 responses.
questions about the integrity of China’s data; a worrying
rise in infections in Beijing; reports of continued shortages
Travel Issues. The Department of Homeland Security has
of supplies at hospitals in Hubei; reports of shortages of test
issued instructions to quarantine travelers returning to the
kits elsewhere in China; and morale-sapping reports of the
United States after stays in China and to bar entry to most
deaths of more high-profile patients, including a Wuhan
foreigners with recent travel to China. The State
hospital director, Liu Zhiming, on February 18.
Department has issued a Level 4 (“Do Not Travel”)
advisory for China, and evacuated more than 800 U.S.
WHO Response
citizens and others from Wuhan. The Department ordered
PHEIC. Following the emergence of a disease that might
the mandatory departure of nonemergency U.S. personnel
be deemed a Public Health Emergency of International
and their families from the U.S. consulate in Wuhan. For
Concern (PHEIC), WHO convenes an advisory group,
other U.S. diplomatic posts in China, the Department
known as the IHR Emergency Committee, to review data
authorized the voluntary departure of nonemergency U.S.
and make recommendations to the WHO Director-General
personnel and their families. China has sharply criticized all
related to the disease. On January 22, at its initial meeting,
those measures, accusing the United States of having
WHO’s
“inappropriately overreacted
15-member IHR Emergency Committee for
.”
Pneumonia due to the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19
agreed on the “urgency of the situati
Tiaji Salaam-Blyther, Specialist in Global Health
on.” At a second
Susan V. Lawrence, Specialist in Asian Affairs
meeting on January 30, the committee, which includes Dr.
Martin Cetron of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Sara M. Tharakan, Analyst in Global Health and
Prevention (CDC), concluded the outbreak had become a
International Development
PHEIC. The same day, WHO Director-General Tedros
IF11421
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Novel Coronavirus 2019: Global Implications and Responses


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11421 · VERSION 7 · UPDATED

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