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‘Coronavirus stories need clarity’
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Posted on Jan 27 2020
I am a provider in the ER at CHC. I just read two articles referencing the Wuhan coronavirus. One about hotel cancellations, and another saying MVA is still encouraging visitors. Some of the language in how these articles are written makes it sound like we have diagnosed cases here in the CNMI:
“The Marianas Visitors Authority still encourages tourists from China to visit the CNMI despite the recent outbreak of a new coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, from Wuhan, China that has left nine dead.”
“Saipan is already experiencing the effects of the newly discovered coronavirus that allegedly came from Wuhan, China, according to Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands”.
Please consider rewriting these articles. Please contact CHCC, as I am not an official representative, and verify there are no diagnosed cases. Then please address that there are no diagnosed cases early in the rewritten articles.
The way this is written is concerning. I worry that everyone with a cough and fever will think they have Wuhan coronavirus and overwhelm the hospital. Currently we are only suspicious of individuals who have been in Wuhan in the last two weeks who have fever, cough and flu-like symptoms, and people who have been in close contact with them.
Again, I hope you will consider removing these articles, contacting CHCC for an official update, then rewriting the articles to clarify that there are no known cases of Wuhan coronavirus in CNMI.
I appreciate your consideration.
Chris Jensen, PA-C
via email
