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Application of a Risk Analysis Tool to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) Outbreak in Saudi Arabia.
Chen, Xin; Chughtai, Abrar A; MacIntyre, Chandini R.
  • Chen X; Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
  • Chughtai AA; School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
  • MacIntyre CR; Biosecurity Program, Kirby Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
Risk Anal ; 40(5): 915-925, 2020 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-8362
ABSTRACT
The Grunow-Finke assessment tool (GFT) is an accepted scoring system for determining likelihood of an outbreak being unnatural in origin. Considering its high specificity but low sensitivity, a modified Grunow-Finke tool (mGFT) has been developed with improved sensitivity. The mGFT has been validated against some past disease outbreaks, but it has not been applied to ongoing outbreaks. This study is aimed to score the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia using both the original GFT and mGFT. The publicly available data on human cases of MERS-CoV infections reported in Saudi Arabia (2012-2018) were sourced from the FluTrackers, World Health Organization, Saudi Ministry of Health, and published literature associated with MERS outbreaks investigations. The risk assessment of MERS-CoV in Saudi Arabia was analyzed using the original GFT and mGFT criteria, algorithms, and thresholds. The scoring points for each criterion were determined by three researchers to minimize the subjectivity. The results showed 40 points of total possible 54 points using the original GFT (likelihood 74%), and 40 points of a total possible 60 points (likelihood 67%) using the mGFT, both tools indicating a high likelihood that human MERS-CoV in Saudi Arabia is unnatural in origin. The findings simply flag unusual patterns in this outbreak, but do not prove unnatural etiology. Proof of bioattacks can only be obtained by law enforcement and intelligence agencies. This study demonstrated the value and flexibility of the mGFT in assessing and predicting the risk for an ongoing outbreak with simple criteria.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Disease Outbreaks / Coronavirus Infections / Risk Assessment / Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Type of study: Etiology study / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Adolescent / Adult / Aged / Child / Child, preschool / Female / Humans / Infant / Male / Middle aged Country/Region as subject: Asia Language: English Journal: Risk Anal Year: 2020 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Risa.13472

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Disease Outbreaks / Coronavirus Infections / Risk Assessment / Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Type of study: Etiology study / Observational study / Prognostic study Limits: Adolescent / Adult / Aged / Child / Child, preschool / Female / Humans / Infant / Male / Middle aged Country/Region as subject: Asia Language: English Journal: Risk Anal Year: 2020 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Risa.13472