{"id":3022,"date":"2020-03-05T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-05T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world-heart-federation.org\/news\/preventing-covid-19-spread-in-poor-areas\/"},"modified":"2023-05-26T12:51:34","modified_gmt":"2023-05-26T10:51:34","slug":"preventing-covid-19-spread-in-poor-areas","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/world-heart-federation.org\/news\/preventing-covid-19-spread-in-poor-areas\/","title":{"rendered":"Preventing COVID-19 spread in poor areas"},"content":{"rendered":"

5 March 2020<\/strong>, Geneva\/Cape Town <\/strong><\/p>\n

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic started late December in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, and has since spread to 87 countries and territories in the world. Poor regions haven\u2019t been spared and the need for a context-specific response has become urgent. <\/strong>Large and densely populated areas with widespread poverty and high migration are more vulnerable to airborne pandemics. As a global organization representing the cardiovascular community, WHF is committed to offering the latest evidence of the COVID-19 outbreak. With over 200 Members worldwide, we want to ensure that everyone, especially those living in poorer areas, is aware of the necessary measures to protect themselves and others.<\/p>\n

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As of today, 5 March 2020, there are 22 cases in 7 African countries: Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, and Senegal. \u201cA significant part of the population in the continent is already extremely vulnerable\u201d, says Professor Karen Sliwa, WHF President. \u201cHundreds of millions of people there are affected by HIV\/AIDS, tuberculosis or malaria. The vastly spreading COVID-19<\/a> can thus lead to an even greater number of deaths and suffering. In addition, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and specifically chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart disease<\/a>, hypertension<\/a> and diabetes<\/a> are major risk factors for developing severe symptoms of COVID-19.\u201d<\/p>\n

We are concerned that previous studies on other coronavirus diseases such as SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV have demonstrated a relationship between CVD, diabetes and increased morbidity and mortality due to coronavirus disease. Considering the greater risk for populations in impoverished settings, WHF has developed the following guidelines on COVID-19 prevention and control in low-income countries.<\/p>\n

Recommendations on prevention for special populations and in poor regions <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Research suggests than individuals with pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, as well as those who live in poor and densely populated areas, are more vulnerable to the worst outcomes of the virus. For people with chronic respiratory disease (e.g. chronic obstructive airways disease), infectious diseases (e.g. HIV and tuberculosis), chronic cardiovascular disease (e.g. cardiomyopathy, previous myocardial infarction, rheumatic heart disease), cancer or autoimmune diseases, Prof. Karen Sliwa and experts from WHF, including Prof. Friedrich Thienemann, Prof. Junbo Ge, Prof. Rick Grobbee and Prof. Fausto Pinto, recommend:<\/p>\n