Preventing the progression of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic to community transmission stage in the Western Pacific region

The pandemic of Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in the loss of lives of thousands of people, socioeconomic commotion, and overwhelmed health care facilities. In the Western Pacific region, despite of the significant decline in the number of reported cases in China, the region accounted for 943 cases and 20 deaths in a single day and it is an indication that the disease continues to spread. The nations in the region have begun the task of scaling up of all essential activities with an aim to ensure that they are ready and well-equipped with facilities to facilitate quick detection and subsequent actions against the disease. In conclusion, like the global community, the Western Pacific region has to step up their efforts to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We have to ensure that we are ready with our capacity building and resource before the emergence of the outbreak in the region and this will essentially require a coordinated and concerted approach from all the involved stakeholders.