Last month, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the
novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) a Public Health Emergency of
International Concern (PHEIC). In doing so, the WHO added the virus
to the growing list of PHEICs including such diseases as Severe
Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), H1N1 (Swine Flu), Ebola, Zika
virus, and Smallpox. This declaration was made in the wake of
global travel restrictions and citywide lockdowns in certain areas
of China because of the virus' contagious, and potentially
deadly, nature.
As China is a major source of the manufactured components, there
have been concerns across the power, energy and infrastructure
sectors that Chinese suppliers and their downstream customers may
face difficulties satisfying supply and service
obligations–particularly those reliant upon component parts
coming from the City of Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have
originated and where the Chinese government has focused its
lockdown protocols.
