With 219 000 cases of coronavirus reported globally and a death toll of 8 900, countries have declared state of emergencies and put in place travel bans to curb the spread.
"It is known that at least some of those affected can transmit the disease before developing symptoms - or even in the absence of any symptoms. In addition, a very high proportion - around 80% - of people develop very mild forms of the disease, which makes it difficult to identify and isolate cases quickly."
Between mid-January and mid-February in China, over 2 000 health care workers were infected with the coronavirus. "Even though they cannot prevent the outbreak from spreading the measures currently being taken by many countries can slow it down by reducing the increase in cases and limiting the number of severe patients that health systems have to manage at the same time.
However, Mills said this "continuity" is weakened by the restrictions and travelled bans imposed by governments.