Media reported too late about Covid-19 outbreak

Journalists were commended for their exemplary reporting during the Covid-19 pandemic. But despite the job well done, one question that keeps lingering in my mind is what would have happened if journalists had paid more attention to the Covid-19 outbreak before it escalated to a pandemic.

When whispers of a mysterious illness in Wuhan, China, first emerged, very few journalists bothered to follow up on it. But as days turned into weeks, and the virus spread across borders and burgeoned into a full-blown pandemic, catching the world off guard, journalists were all over trying to report about the disease.

According to health experts if journalists had delved deeper into those initial reports from Wuhan, a swift action would have been taken something that would have mitigated the catastrophic toll that Covid-19 ultimately exacted.

Reporting more on outbreaks is something that journalists need to adopt because each pandemic or epidemic originates as a local event before escalating regionally or globally. By shedding light on these outbreaks, journalists can catalyze early interventions.

Such timely action not only has the potential to mitigate the devastating impact of pandemics but also enhances global readiness and resilience in the face of future health crises. Additionally, if outbreaks are handled promptly and effectively, health actors might be able to prevent them from escalating into full-blown pandemics.

Since we live in an interconnected world where diseases can spread rapidly across borders, early reporting on outbreaks is essential also for global preparedness. By monitoring and reporting on outbreaks in different regions, journalists can help facilitate international cooperation, information sharing, and coordination of response efforts.

Timely reporting enables countries to learn from each other’s experiences, adapt best practices, and strengthen collective resilience against emerging health threats.

Several outbreaks have been effectively addressed because of early reporting. For instance, the containment of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014 was facilitated by swift reporting and international cooperation. Similarly, the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak in 2003 was contained relatively quickly due to early detection and transparent reporting.

Additionally, outbreaks of diseases like the Zika virus and H1N1 influenza have been managed more effectively when identified and reported early, leading to targeted intervention strategies and reduced transmission rates.

To keep updated about outbreaks, journalists should regularly monitor official health alerts and updates from reputable sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other national or regional health authorities. These organizations often issue alerts and advisories about emerging infectious diseases and outbreaks.

For example WHO has the Weekly bulletin which focuses on public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African Region. Each week, a brief description, followed by public health measures implemented and an interpretation of the situation is provided for a few selected events.

Journalists should also follow epidemiological surveillance systems and platforms that monitor disease outbreaks worldwide. These systems collect data from various sources, including healthcare facilities, laboratories, and public health agencies, to detect and assess potential outbreaks in real time.

Finally, journalists should also pay close attention to events unfolding within the community, as these occurrences can serve as valuable indicators of potential outbreaks or emerging health concerns.

—n.milliam@yahoo.com

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