Coronavirus could be 'devastating' for Pacific Islands, Kiwi microbiologist warns

Coronavirus could have a "devastating" impact if it spreads to Pacific Islands nations that might not have the resources to contain the disease, Dr Siouxsie Wiles - a microbiologist at the University of Auckland - warned today. 

Currently, the death toll for the virus sits at 304, with the number of infected cases above 14,000 people. Yesterday, the Government announced restricting entry for people travelling to New Zealand from China. 

Dr Wiles says last week's declaration of a global emergency by the World Health Organisation should signal for New Zealand officials to look at what they can do to help prevent an outbreak in surrounding smaller nations. Yesterday's announcement of a travel ban from China is an important step, she told Breakfast host John Campell. 

The recent measles outbreak in Samoa, which is said to have started in New Zealand before spreading across the Pacific, shows what happens with highly transmittable viruses that can be fatal when they enter into a country with inadequate resources, she says.

"It can be deadly if we don't have the resources. I think that's what we are doing, we are trying to protect our Pacific neighbours." 

She says if the virus was to enter in to Auckland, there is a likelihood it could spread further across the Pacific, which she says would have a "devastating" effect on other countries. 

"We have the facilities to deal with people. We can isolate people, we can do these contact tracing, we have ICU beds, we have the facilities with this. Whereas in Samoa...their health system is under resourced and understaffed." 

She says a lack of adequate health care could trigger a significant death toll on islands like Samoa. 

"When you've got that and spread over islands it becomes very difficult to deal with these things, and what we are seeing is that some people who get these symptoms, what they need is intensive care. If you don't have those facilities, those people will die because there is no vaccine and there are no treatments yet." 

According to Dr Wiles, the virus is exhibiting the same characteristics as the common flu, which is highly infectious but with a lower death toll that similar diseases like Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, or MERS. But she says it is too early to confirm.