Novel Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Plan- fbg-2

Guidelines for National Emergency Medical Services (N.E.M.S) During 2019 Novel
Coronavirus Alert –January 2020
Background
On January 30 th , 2020 The World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the 2019 Novel
Coronavirus (COVID-19) as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The outbreak
causing respiratory disease/pneumonia is said to have originated in a Seafood and Wild Animal
Market in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December 2019. Coronaviruses (CoV) are zoonotic,
meaning that they are transmitted between animals and humans. Coronaviruses are a large family
of viruses that cause illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARs-
CoV). A novel coronavirus is a new strain that has not previously been identified in humans.
Common signs of COVID-19 infection include fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing
difficulties. It is important to note that fever may not be present in all patients such as those who
are immunocompromised, the very young, the elderly or those taking fever-lowering medications.
In more severe cases of COVID-19, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory
syndrome, kidney failure and death. According to available evidence, there is transmission from
person to person. COVID-19 is highly infectious and is spread via droplet, contact, and airborne
transmissions. The incubation period is up to 14 days and transmission of the virus may occur
during the incubation period prior to symptom onset. At present, there are no vaccines and
treatment of COVID-19 is mostly supportive with emphasis on avoidance of transmission. The
number of confirmed cases is in the thousands with hundreds of deaths. In The Bahamas, to date,
there are no suspected, reported or confirmed cases of COVID-19.
Emergency Medical Services (E.M.S.) personnel, however, must exercise a high degree of suspicion
for potential cases of COVID-19.The identification of a suspect or probable case must take into
account (1) clinical manifestations as noted above, (2) travel history to mainland China within
the last 14 days (two weeks) prior to the onset of symptoms and (3) possible exposure history.
As a precautionary measure, persons returning to the country after travel to affected areas will
remain in quarantine/isolation for a maximum of 20 days.
Case Definition for COVID-19
Fever or signs/symptoms of lower respiratory illness (e.g. cough or shortness of breath), AND any
person, including healthcare workers, who has had close contact 11 with a laboratory-confirmed
COVID-19 patient within 14 days of symptom onset
OR
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Having cared for, having lived with, or having had direct contact with respiratory secretions and bodily fluids of a
person with 2019-nCoV infection
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