Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Multi-country outbreak Update 37

Supply-chain Risk Briefing

1) Summary WHO issued the 37th update on SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) multinational outbreak on June 7, 2021. While specific outbreak locations or scale were not specified, the 'high' classification indicates significant public health risk level.

2) Supply-chain impact

• Global logistics network contraction — SARS outbreaks typically cause sharp declines in air and maritime transport volumes, with strengthened border controls causing cargo movement delays
• Manufacturing production disruptions — Concerns over reduced production capacity due to factory shutdowns or workforce quarantine measures to prevent infection spread
• Medical supply imbalances — Potential supply shortages due to rapid demand increases for personal protective equipment, diagnostic kits, therapeutics, etc.
• Service sector chain impacts — Contraction in travel, tourism, and food service industries leading to decreased demand for related raw materials and intermediate goods

3) Watch points

• Outbreak regions and spread scale — Assessment of supply-chain disruption levels based on whether major manufacturing hubs or logistics centers are included
• National epidemic prevention measures — Actual impact on logistics networks from policy responses such as border closures, movement restrictions, and factory operation suspensions