Preparing the western pacific region for the onset of large-scale community transmission of coronavirus disease 2019

The Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to remain a public health emergency of international concern. In the Western Pacific region, the estimates pertaining to the caseload and death rates have shown a big improvement, as the region accounts for 1.8% and 1.3% of the global caseload and deaths worldwide. The available estimates clearly suggest that now the epicenter of the disease has shifted to the European and the American region. However, it will be a wrong assumption to presume that the epidemic is over in the Western Pacific region, and thus it will be a premature decision to be complacent about the outbreak readiness and emergency response action plan. In conclusion, the decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in the Western Pacific region is not a time to relax, as any lacunae on our part will result in a resurgence of the disease. The right approach will be to continue the fight against the disease with the support of individuals, families, societies and the health sector and thus prepare ourselves for a large-scale community transmission.