The outbreak of coronavirus in China and its eventual spread to other nations have created a situation of panic and medical emergency. The virus causes respiratory infection.
Early symptoms include fever and dry cough. It eventually causes shortness of breath. The most disturbing fact is that there is no available cure or vaccine available at this time.
Impact on China
The death toll has already reached a staggering number of 41 in China alone. There have been more than 1300 confirmed cases of contravirus exposure. Most patients are between 55-87 years old. As such, many tourist places have been shut down and festivities cancelled.
Most affected is the Wuhan city, where the virus outbreak was first reported. Along with Wuhan, the Chinese authorities have locked down 18 cities in the country to prevent the virus from spreading. All flights, trains and other modes of transportation going out these cities have been suspended, meaning people in these places can’t leave the cities.
This had prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to issue guidelines to prevent exposure to the virus and its further transmission. The organization is now closely monitoring the situation along with the Chinese authorities.
Schools have been shut down for two weeks in Hong Kong. Advisories have been released by the city officials to stay at home and contain the spread of the virus. Bus services have been suspended in Enshi while the railway station has been closed for public use in Ezhou.
Hospitals have been jampacked and pharmacies are running short of medicines. Chinese media outlets have claimed that a 1,000-bed hospital will become fully functional within 6 days.
It is now being speculated that the origin of the virus may be linked to China’s discreet Biological Warfare program.
Global Impact
The impact of coronavirus is not limited to China. There are three confirmed cases in France, Singapore, and Japan. Two cases have been reported in the United States, Vietnam, and South Korea. Taiwan and Nepal have reported one case each.
Thailand has five confirmed patients who have been exposed to the deadly virus. Australia has also confirmed many cases in Sydney and Melbourne. Canada and the United Kingdom are also investigating suspected cases.
Due to only a handful of cases outside China, WHO has not classified Coronavirus as an “international emergency.”
Real-Time Tracking
A real-time tracking tool has been built by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering. People can track the cities that have fallen victim to the outbreak. The site uses data from WHO and centers for disease control in Europe, USA, and China.
India’s Preparedness
Roughly, 23000 Indian students are currently studying in China, and a considerable number among them are at the Wuhan Medical University. The cost of treatment has run up to 1 million yuan (1 Cr Indian rupees) for Maheshwari, an Indian working at a primary school teacher in Shenzhen.
India is gearing up to face the dangers of the outbreak. There are now a total of 19 airports wherein passengers are being screened for coronavirus. Now, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has provisions for a separate ward to contain the spread of the deadly disease.
