
LONDON -- The infectious disease expert who led the global response to the 2003 SARS outbreak said the end of February will be a key milestone to understand the true scale of the coronavirus outbreak, and called on countries to ensure their preparedness plans are up to date and they have mitigation measures in place.
David Heymann, Chair of the World Health Organization's Scientific and Technical Advisory Group for Infectious Hazards, also said businesses need to watch the situation closely and carry out their own risk assessments based on WHO guidance and their own environment, rules, regulations, and insurance. He is also a professor of infectious disease epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.