Nordic Life Science 1
Wuhan, China a novel coronavirus was detected in
the city of Wuhan in the Hubei province of China. The official name for this virus is 2019-nCoV, or more commonly SARS-CoV-2, and the disease that is caused by the virus is called COVID-19. Public Health Agency of Sweden reported symptoms are mainly fever and cough. Other commonly reported symptoms are breathing problems, runny or blocked nose, sore throat, headache, nausea, and muscle and joint pain. Most of those infected get mild symptoms, but some people become severely ill with breathing difficulties and pneumonia. Older people, and those with underlying medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness. The disease is now spreading from person-to-person or via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. 26 NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG On March 11th the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. This pandemic has turned societies in the Nordic region, as well as in the rest of the world, upside down. Countries have temporarily shut their borders, entered lockdowns, imposed limited gatherings, and healthcare systems have been brought to their knees. The world is facing a severe human health, as well as an economic, crisis, and all industries, including life sciences, have been and will be affected. Helena Strigård, Director General of SwedenBIO, the national non-profit association for the life science industry in Sweden, agrees that the situation is severe for the life science industry. ”Clinical trials have halted or been delayed, stocks are going down, and a lot of companies could risk bankruptcy,” she says. PHOTO ZICHUAN HAN