National Health Advisory - 23 January 2020

National Health Advisory
Novel Coronavirus

FOR THE ATTENTION OF:
1) Medical Officers of Health
2) Chief Medical Officer
3) Director of Nursing
4) Relevant clinical and non-clinical staff in your DHB
5) GP Liaison Officers
6) Communications Managers
7) Any other deemed necessary by your organisation

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ACTIONS:
1. Acknowledgment of this email is NOT required
2. Forward internally within your organisation as per the 'attention of section' above
3. PHU Managers to please forward to Medical Officers of Health who may not be on the distribution list above.
4. Please forward to your primary care contacts including: general practitioners, pharmacists and primary health organisations in your region.

ADVISORY:

This is to provide you with a quick update from the Ministry of Health ahead of the release of the findings of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) held on Wednesday, 22 January 2020, Geneva time. We will provide you with a more detailed National Health Advisory on Friday, 23 January 2020.

This Friday we also have a number of different meetings taking place including:
- Technical Expert Advisory Group to review the draft Guidance for Health Professionals.
- Interagency Pandemic Group to provide an update to government agencies on the international situation, including latest advice from the World Health Organisation
- Border Working Group to an update on the outbreak and to discuss key messages, and personal protection for border agency staff

Once these meetings have been completed we will send you more detailed information on the outcomes of the above and any additional information supporting below:

• Incident Management Team Establishment

The Ministry has established an incident management team within the Population Health and Prevention Directorate - Public Health Group and Office of the Director of Public Health. At this stage we have not activated the National Health Coordination Centre, we will let you know if we do. As the situation evolves we will keep you updated.

• Border and Health Advisories

Your Public Health Units should have received two border advisories from Sally Gilbert on Monday, 6th January and Wednesday, 22nd January. In addition two National Health Advisories were issued on 6 and 10 January 2020.

• Communications

The Ministry of Health Communications Group Manager Paul Giles is working closely with your DHB communications contacts to ensure messaging is shared and consistent. Detailed key messages will be provided to you on Friday. Information for the public is available on the Ministry of Health website at https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/diseases-and-conditions/novel-coronavirus-china-2019-ncov and is updated as the situation changes.

• Primary Care Information

We will be providing first case scenario information on Friday for you to share with the Primary Care sector where appropriate and the process to be applied.

Please note the Ministry has a new generic e-mail address for matters relating to the novel CoV event. Please use this e-mail: ncovresponse@health.govt.nz
_________________________________________________________________

This is an information/advisory only. No action is required other than to distribute as described.
__________________________________________________________________

Jane Kelley
Group Manager
Public Health
Ministry of Health
New Zealand

ncovresponse@health.govt.nz

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