Behind her desk, strolling a few steps in one direction and then back again, the diminutive Chinese director general of the World Health Organisation in Geneva read the report she had just been given with growing concern.
Her adviser, Dr Joseph Musa, a Nigerian, sat patiently across the DG’s desk. He knew she wouldn’t take long to get to the core of the problem. They had known each other for several years and the rapport was good. Musa treated her with the utmost respect. To him the DG
was not Dr Chu or Mary but ma’am.
“A new coronavirus?” Chu said at last. It was a question posed as if she already knew the answer, and Musa shrugged. “If not, then what is it?” she added without expecting a reply. She strolled a few more paces. “We don’t know because we aren’t getting any virology. Is that it?”
“Exactly.”
“Because the cases are scattered and in rural areas where doctors are in short supply, where there is no proper health service and no laboratory.”
“Except Thailand, of course, where a few cases have been reported by the authorities.”
“And the clinical symptoms?”
“Influenza leading to probable viral pneumonia,” Musa confirmed.
“Similar to SARS and MERS, but it’s only because the American doctor working in Nigeria and the Frenchman working in Kenya know each other that the African cases came to light. The American, Larry Brown, also had links with Thailand and had heard about the few cases there and thought it worth mentioning. His estimate is over one hundred cases in Northern Nigeria.
“We’re in touch with Larry Brown in Nigeria, but the single Kenya case could well be irrelevant. The Thai lab is working on it, but cremations took place before sampling.”
“So why didn’t the Thai authorities report earlier? Their Health Ministry is usually efficient. When I was in Bangkok in February, nothing was said. It was all about pigs, and chickens.”
Musa shrugged. “Politics, ma’am? Keen to stamp on rumours of any health risks that might affect the tourism industry?”
“Mmm,” the DG said thoughtfully. “Politics. It affects us all. Can you ask the regional director for Southeast Asia to phone me? He’s attending the Conference on Virology and Infectious Diseases in Bangkok.”