Greatest danger from coronavirus may be virulent xenophobia

Is it time for Justin Trudeau to dine in a Chinese restaurant?

In April 2003, as public panic over the SARS virus sparked a regrettable xenophobic backlash against Chinese-Canadians and others of Asian descent, then prime minister Jean Chrétien tried to dampen fears — and defend rationality — by very publicly lunching at a Chinese restaurant in Toronto. A similar message seems to be needed today, as the deadly coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China was last week declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization.

Reports of anti-Chinese and anti-Asian incidents have cropped up around the world. Misinformation with xenophobic overtones has spread faster than the virus itself on social media, although Google, Facebook and Twitter have all pledged to crack down on the fake news. Some countries have slapped blanket bans on travel from China or people carrying Chinese passports.

Fear is a powerful force.

The WHO and many experts oppose travel bans, saying they don’t work and may make such situations worse, by causing critical shortages of food, medical supplies and other urgently needed resources. Yes, the coronavirus first appeared in China, which has borne the brunt of the disease thus far. But pathogens have no nationality or ethnicity.

As of Friday, there had been only four confirmed cases in Canada. Meanwhile, it’s unfair, illogical and frankly hateful to somehow blame the disease on the country’s estimated 1.7 million Canadians of Chinese descent, or the more than six million Canadians with Asian heritage.

In Toronto, officials have already appealed to the public to not repeat the ugly racism that accompanied the SARS outbreak 17 years ago.

WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has praised China’s response, saying that country’s quick actions, including identification and sharing of the virus, have likely already saved lives worldwide. The WHO’s action — far from unprecedented, with global health emergencies declared five times since 2010 — is aimed at raising global awareness and encouraging a co-ordinated response to prevent the virus from spreading to less developed countries with relatively weak healthcare systems.

That’s the gravest danger, that poorer countries could be overwhelmed by the health-care demands of outbreaks there, WHO officials stress.

Let’s also remember SARS was a far deadlier pathogen, killing more than 700 people out of less than 10,000 cases worldwide. In comparison, the new coronavirus, which has already infected more than 10,000 people, the vast majority in China, had killed 213 — all in that country — as of midday Friday. (Editor's note: The number of deaths had climbed to more than 360 as of Monday morning).

Yes, coronavirus cases have been reported in 18 other countries worldwide, but health officials — thanks to lessons learned during the SARS crisis — have done a reasonably effective job of identifying and isolating those infected by the bug.

Scientists are also working globally on both treatments and preventative vaccines.

The important message is not to panic — as of Friday, no cases of coronavirus had been reported in Atlantic Canada – and not to believe everything you’ve read about the bug on social media.

Finally, let’s also not forget that influenza — the flu — kills an estimated 3,500 Canadians yearly.