Motion for a resolution | Doc. 15073 | 04 February 2020

The Parliamentary Assembly’s role in developing a systematic approach to cope with global epidemic outbreaks

Signatories: Ms Emine Nur GÜNAY, Turkey, NR ; Ms Boriana ÅBERG, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Ms Thorhildur Sunna ÆVARSDÓTTIR, Iceland, SOC ; Mr Ziya ALTUNYALDIZ, Turkey, NR ; Lord Donald ANDERSON, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Kamil AYDIN, Turkey, NR ; Ms Karin BROUWERS, Belgium, EPP/CD ; Ms Marija Maja ĆATOVIĆ, Montenegro, SOC ; Mr Ahmet Ünal ÇEVİKÖZ, Turkey, SOC ; Ms Sevinj FATALIYEVA, Azerbaijan, EC/DA ; Mr Antonio GUTIÉRREZ, Spain, SOC ; Mr Akif Çağatay KILIÇ, Turkey, NR ; Mr Haluk KOÇ, Turkey, SOC ; Mr Tiny KOX, Netherlands, UEL ; Mr Kakhaber KUTCHAVA, Georgia, SOC ; Mr Reinhold LOPATKA, Austria, EPP/CD ; Baroness Doreen MASSEY, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Giuseppe Maria MORGANTI, San Marino, SOC ; Mr Simon MOUTQUIN, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Killion MUNYAMA, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr Ulrich OEHME, Germany, EC/DA ; Ms Ria OOMEN-RUIJTEN, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Mr Alberto RIBOLLA, Italy, EC/DA ; Ms Darya SAFAI, Belgium, NR ; Mr Ali ŞAHİN, Turkey, NR ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Lord Don TOUHIG, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Lesia VASYLENKO, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Ms Martine WONNER, France, ALDE ; Ms Zeynep YILDIZ, Turkey, NR

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

In the past 20 years, a series of infectious disease outbreaks, starting with the rapid global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in 2009, emergence and international spread of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), the largest Ebola epidemic ever, the emergence and spread of Zika virus and recently a new strain of a deadly coronavirus have increased global health concerns about emerging infectious disease threats.

Unfortunately, from November 2002 to July 2003, outbreak of SARS in southern China caused an eventual 8 098 cases, resulting in 774 deaths reported in 17 countries, affecting 26 countries with 9,6% fatality rate according to WHO. During 2009, flu pandemic Influenza A (H1N1), or swine flu, between early 2009 and late 2010, 11 to 21% of the global population contracted illness, and 151 000 to 579 000 died. Recently, a new strain of a deadly coronavirus has been identified in China, claiming more than 130 lives according to official Chinese statistics, but the real number is likely much higher. Global health authorities are now trying to coordinate their response to prevent it from spreading worldwide and avoid a repeat of the 2002 SARS outbreak.

All these outbreaks have highlighted threat of the continued emergence and spread of epidemic diseases. While the majority of these threats begin abroad, increased globalisation has proved that these diseases are a merely flight away. Therefore, international engagement is vital to addressing disease threats before they ever reach our borders, as well as mitigating their impact on the global health and economy.

The Parliamentary Assembly should develop a systematic approach for global preparedness and lead international co-operation with its guidance for prevention, infection control and treatment to mitigate the global public health risks.