So far, only a dozen people in the United States have become infected with the novel coronavirus, but an outbreak could severely strain the nation’s hospitals. Public health experts are also closely watching reserves of vital medical supplies and medications, many of which are made in China. Some hospitals in the United States are already “critically low” on respirator masks, according to Premier Inc, which secures medical supplies and equipment on behalf of hospitals and health systems. Premier was told last week that a Taiwanese factory it had a contract with was halting shipments to the United States. The United States has already seen examples of how quickly a disruption in supply from China can lead to shortages.

Source: bd News24 February 08, 2020 05:48 UTC