The impact of preparedness in defying COVID-19 pandemic expectations in the Lowe Mekong Region: A case study
Dire COVID-19 expectations in the Lower Mekong Region (LMR) can be understood as Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam have stared down a succession of emerging infectious disease (EID) threats from neighboring China. Predictions that the LMR would be overwhelmed by a coming COVID-19...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
2021
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| _version_ | 1797104717282672640 |
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| author | Corwin, A Plipat, T Phetsouvanh, R Mayxay, M Xangsayarath, P Quynh Mai, LT Oum, S Kuddus, MA |
| author_facet | Corwin, A Plipat, T Phetsouvanh, R Mayxay, M Xangsayarath, P Quynh Mai, LT Oum, S Kuddus, MA |
| author_sort | Corwin, A |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Dire COVID-19 expectations in the Lower Mekong Region (LMR) can be understood as Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam have stared down a succession of emerging infectious disease (EID) threats from neighboring China. Predictions that the LMR would be overwhelmed by a coming COVID-19 tsunami were felt well before the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic had been declared. And yet, the LMR, excepting Myanmar, has proved surprisingly resilient in keeping COVID-19 contained to mostly sporadic cases. Cumulative case rates (per one million population) for the LMR, including or excluding Myanmar, from January 1 to October 31 2020, are 1,184 and 237, respectively. More telling are the cumulative rates of COVID-19–attributable deaths for the same period of time, 28 per million with and six without Myanmar. Graphics demonstrate a flattening of pandemic curves in the LMR, minus Myanmar, after managing temporally and spatially isolated spikes in case counts, with negligible follow-on community spread. The comparable success of the LMR in averting pandemic disaster can likely be attributed to years of preparedness investments, triggered by avian influenza A (H5N1). Capacity building initiatives applied to COVID-19 containment included virological (influenza-driven) surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, field epidemiology training, and vaccine preparation. The notable achievement of the LMR in averting COVID-19 disaster through to October 31, 2020 can likely be credited to these preparedness measures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T06:37:31Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:f826d13c-a4f1-4076-9373-3ecc014acb54 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T06:37:31Z |
| publishDate | 2021 |
| publisher | American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:f826d13c-a4f1-4076-9373-3ecc014acb542022-03-27T12:48:16ZThe impact of preparedness in defying COVID-19 pandemic expectations in the Lowe Mekong Region: A case studyJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:f826d13c-a4f1-4076-9373-3ecc014acb54EnglishSymplectic ElementsAmerican Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene2021Corwin, APlipat, TPhetsouvanh, RMayxay, MXangsayarath, PQuynh Mai, LTOum, SKuddus, MADire COVID-19 expectations in the Lower Mekong Region (LMR) can be understood as Cambodia, the Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam have stared down a succession of emerging infectious disease (EID) threats from neighboring China. Predictions that the LMR would be overwhelmed by a coming COVID-19 tsunami were felt well before the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic had been declared. And yet, the LMR, excepting Myanmar, has proved surprisingly resilient in keeping COVID-19 contained to mostly sporadic cases. Cumulative case rates (per one million population) for the LMR, including or excluding Myanmar, from January 1 to October 31 2020, are 1,184 and 237, respectively. More telling are the cumulative rates of COVID-19–attributable deaths for the same period of time, 28 per million with and six without Myanmar. Graphics demonstrate a flattening of pandemic curves in the LMR, minus Myanmar, after managing temporally and spatially isolated spikes in case counts, with negligible follow-on community spread. The comparable success of the LMR in averting pandemic disaster can likely be attributed to years of preparedness investments, triggered by avian influenza A (H5N1). Capacity building initiatives applied to COVID-19 containment included virological (influenza-driven) surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, field epidemiology training, and vaccine preparation. The notable achievement of the LMR in averting COVID-19 disaster through to October 31, 2020 can likely be credited to these preparedness measures. |
| spellingShingle | Corwin, A Plipat, T Phetsouvanh, R Mayxay, M Xangsayarath, P Quynh Mai, LT Oum, S Kuddus, MA The impact of preparedness in defying COVID-19 pandemic expectations in the Lowe Mekong Region: A case study |
| title | The impact of preparedness in defying COVID-19 pandemic expectations in the Lowe Mekong Region: A case study |
| title_full | The impact of preparedness in defying COVID-19 pandemic expectations in the Lowe Mekong Region: A case study |
| title_fullStr | The impact of preparedness in defying COVID-19 pandemic expectations in the Lowe Mekong Region: A case study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of preparedness in defying COVID-19 pandemic expectations in the Lowe Mekong Region: A case study |
| title_short | The impact of preparedness in defying COVID-19 pandemic expectations in the Lowe Mekong Region: A case study |
| title_sort | impact of preparedness in defying covid 19 pandemic expectations in the lowe mekong region a case study |
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