Guest edited by Jiming Liu, Yue-Long Shu, and Xiao-Nong Zhou
A thematic series in Infectious Diseases of Poverty.
The novel coronavirus, named “SARS-CoV-2”, was identified on 7 January 2020 by Chinese scientists. As of 28 January, near 6000 cases have been confirmed in China, as well as Thailand, Australia, the United States, Singapore, and other nine countries. Infection with this virus can cause illness, ranging from common cold to more severely, respiratory diseases, like SARS and MERS. The human-to-human transmission has been confirmed.
The situation is driving China’s urgent public health actions, as well as international engagement. China has enhanced public health responses for the containment and mitigation of the epidemic, both in cities and rural areas. But much remains to be done. Based on the recommendations by World Health Organization, there is an urgent need for understanding the epidemiology and the evolution of this outbreak, and its full potential for human-to-human transmission, as well as where transmission is taking place, and the control strategies to stop the transmission. In this regard, mathematical and data-driven modelling studies may help provide evidence and insights into the transmission, severity, and particularity of the disease, which could readily inform decision-making in combating the disease.
The themes covered in this series include but are not limited to epidemiological survey and data management, transmission mechanism and modeling, virus biology and sequencing analysis, disease treatment and control measures, etc.
