Strengthening Regional Capacities to Address COVID-19 Impacts on Animal Health Sector in East and Southeast Asia - TCP/RAS/3801

Strengthening Regional Capacities to Address COVID-19 Impacts on Animal Health Sector in East and Southeast Asia - TCP/RAS/3801

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Year of publication 2023

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 9

Publisher FAO ;

Category Factsheet

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Synopsis (short abstract) In December 2019, China reported cases of pneumonia with an unknown cause in Wuhan City. The causative agent was later attributed to a novel coronavirus – SARS-CoV-2. The virus quickly spread and became a global health threat, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a public health emergency of international concern in January 2020 and as a pandemic in March 2020. The outbreak was believed to be associated with a wet market in Wuhan where seafood and wild animals were sold. This was corroborated by environmental samples from the market that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. The SARS-CoV-2 was suspected to have originated in bats and spread among humans, yet the transmission through livestock was believed possible. Some companion animals, such as dogs, cats and ferrets, have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 after close contact with infected humans. However, it is unclear whether these animals played a role in the spread of the virus among humans. In light of the One Health approach, there was a need to strengthen the capacities of animal health services to detect, prevent and manage the likely transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at the animal–human interface. The Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) in the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is well positioned to provide technical and operational support, in collaboration with FAO headquarters and ECTAD country teams, to address the impact of COVID-19 on food security, livelihoods related to livestock and the animal–human interface.

Language English

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Concept Note. Virtual Inception Meeting Strengthening regional capacities to address COVID-19 impacts on animal health sector in East and Southeast Asia (TCP/RAS/3801(E))
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Building resilient animal health systems to reduce the risks and impact of biological threats in Southeast Asia 2025

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This factsheet highlights key progress and achievements from the first 18 months (December 2023 to May 2025) of the FAO Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) project “Building resilient animal health systems to reduce the risks and impact of biological threats in Southeast Asia.”With support from the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), the project has helped strengthen animal health systems in six Southeast Asian countries. Activities focused on building field epidemiology skills, improving laboratory systems, enhancing surveillance and early warning and promoting cross-border collaboration.Key accomplishments include expanding workforce training through the regional field epidemiology programme, activation of a regional disease rumour tracking system, developing national laboratory strategies and coordinating surveillance initiatives.