World failed to learn SARS lessons for coronavirus fight

PARIS: The novel coronavirus outbreak has exposed a lack of global research on ways to combat the spread of infectious diseases, with health authorities failing to learn lessons from previous flare-ups, experts said Tuesday.

The last outbreak of worldwide signficance was the SARS virus scare of the early 2000s, which killed 774 people. More recently the Mers virus killed more than 850 people, although the outbreak was largely contained to the Middle East.

Although scientists responded to both diseases, formulating treatment plans and eventually vaccines, experts say the new coronavirus epidemic shows there has not been any sustained, coordinated efforts on infectious diseases.

“Too often, the surge of research attention and investment that novel outbreaks generate quickly wane when those outbreaks subside and other priorities take their place,” Jason Schwartz, assistant professor at Yale´s Department of Health Policy and Management, told AFP.

“SARS and Mers demonstrated the global health threat posed by coronaviruses and the need for a sustained investment in better understanding these viruses with a eye toward prevention and treatment strategies.”

Bruno Canard, a virologist at France´s National Centre for Scientific Research, said that some countries, notably European Union members, launched coordinated research programmes following SARS. But the financial crisis of 2008 squeezed out funding, he said, lamenting a “scientific world on financial life support.” For Johan Neyts, professor of virology and president of the Belgian-based, International Society for Antiviral Research (ISAR), the world missed a chance after SARS, which is closely related to the new coronavirus.