Wednesday, March 25, 2020

SER 04 / (A) OF X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases) - 2019-2020 CORNAVIRUS PANDEMIC

SOURCE:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_coronavirus_pandemic



INDEX
SER 12  (D)  OF X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases) VIRUS WAR

SER 12  (C)  OF X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases) VIRUS WAR


 SER 12  (B)  OF X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)  VIRUS WAR
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/04/ser-12-b-of-x-serials-infectious.html
SER 12  (A)  OF X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)  VIRUS WAR
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/04/ser-12-of-x-serials-infectious-diseases_16.html
SER  11  OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)

SER 09  OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/04/save-lives-ready-shovels.html

 SER 08   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-impossible-ethics-of-pandemic-triage.html

SER 07   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/04/how-it-will-end.html
 SER 06 ( B )   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)

 SER 06 (A )   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)



 SER 05   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)



SER 04 / (C)   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/ser-04-c-of-x-serials-infectious_27.html

 SER 04 / (B)   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/2019-2020-cornavirus-pandemic_26.html

 SER 04 / (A)   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/2019-2020-cornavirus-pandemic.html

 SER 03 OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/novel-coronavirus-covid-19.html

 SER 02 OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/history-in-crisis-lessons-for-covid-19.html

 SER 01 OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/infectious-diseases-infectious-diseases.html








This page was last edited on 

 23 March 2020, at 12:54 (UTC).




                    [ Page  01  OF  03 Pages ]


                  2019-2020    CORNAVIRUS PANDEMIC

                                  From Wikipedia, the free encycloped

   "Coronavirus outbreak" redirects here. For other outbreaks of coronaviruses, see Coronavirus § Outbreaks

    
COVID-19 Outbreak World Map per Capita.svg
Map of confirmed cases per capita as of 23 March 2020
   > 1 case per 1,000 inhabitants
   1–10 cases per 10,000 inhabitants
   1–10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants
   1–10 cases per 1 million inhabitants
   1–10 cases per 10 million inhabitants
   1–10 cases per 100 million inhabitants
   No confirmed cases
2019–20 coronavirus pandemic



Total confirmed cases map

Deaths per capita map

Cases per capita timeline (slidable)
Coronavirus patients on ventilators at the Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Iran
Meeting of the Italian government task force to face the coronavirus outbreak, 23 February 2020
Taiwanese 33rd Chemical Corps spraying disinfectant on a street in Taipei
Passengers at Linate Airport in Milan have their temperatures taken
Almost empty supermarket aisle in Melbourne, Australia
(clockwise from top)
DiseaseCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Virus strainSevere acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)
LocationWorldwide (list of locations)
First caseWuhan, Hubei, China
30°37′11″N 114°15′28″E
Date1 December 2019 – present[1]
(3 months and 3 weeks)
Confirmed cases352,000+[2][3]
Recovered100,000+[2][3]
Deaths
15,300+[2][3]
Territories
190+[2


The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).[4] The outbreak was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei, China, in December 2019, and was recognised as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020.[5] As of 23 March, more than 350,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in over 190 countries and territories, resulting in more than 15,300 deaths and over 100,000 recoveries.[2][3]


The virus is typically spread from one person to another via respiratory droplets produced during coughing.[6][7] Primarily, it spreads when people are in close contact but it may also spread when one touches a contaminated surface and then their eyes, nose or mouth.[8] It is most contagious when people are symptomatic, although spread may be possible before symptoms appear.[9] The time between exposure and symptom onset is typically around five days, but may range from two to fourteen days.[7][10] Common symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.[7][10] Complications may include pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. There is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment. Primary treatment is symptomatic and supportive therapy. Recommended preventive measures include hand washing, covering the mouth when coughing, maintaining distance from other people, and monitoring and self-isolation for people who suspect they are infected.[8][7][11]


Efforts to prevent the virus spreading include travel restrictions, quarantines, curfews, event postponements and cancellations, and facility closures. These include a quarantine of Hubei, nationwide quarantines in Italy and elsewhere in Europe, curfew measures elsewhere in China and South Korea,[12][13][14] various border closures or incoming passenger restrictions,[15][16] screening at airports and train stations,[17] and travel advisories regarding regions with community transmission.[18][19][20][21] Schools and universities have closed either on a nationwide or local basis in over 124 countries, affecting more than 1.2 billion students.[22]

The pandemic has led to global socioeconomic disruption,[23] the postponement or cancellation of sporting, religious and cultural events,[24] and widespread fears of supply shortages which have spurred panic buying.[25][26] Misinformation and conspiracy theories about the virus have spread online,[27][28] as during the time of 2009 flu pandemic lots more people were infected and died yet the mass hysteria seen for Coronavirus wasn't there [29] and there have been incidents of xenophobia and racism against Chinese and other East or Southeast Asian people.[30]




Epidemiology


Main articles: 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic by country and territory and Template:2019–20 coronavirus pandemic data/WHO situation reports

[show all]
Locations[a]Cases[b]DeathsRecov.[c]Ref.
175349,80715,307100,345
China (mainland)[d]81,0933,27072,703[31]
Italy[e]59,1385,4767,024[34]
United States[f]35,418473175[36][35]
Spain33,0892,1823,355[37]
Germany26,220111266[38]
Iran[g]21,6381,8127,913[39][40]
France[h]16,0186742,200[41][35]
South Korea8,9611113,166[42]
Switzerland[i]8,249107131[43][44]
United Kingdom[j]5,702282140[49][50]
Netherlands[k]4,216180–[52]
Austria3,784169[53][54]
Belgium3,74388350[55]
Norway[l]2,4158–[56]
Portugal2,0602314[58]
Sweden[m]1,9342416[59][60]
Australia[n]1,709788[35][61]
Brazil1,619252[35][62]
Denmark[o]1,57213–[63]
Malaysia1,51814159[66][67]
Canada1,4722118[68]
Israel1,238137[69]
Turkey1,236300[70]
Czech Republic1,16516[71]
Japan1,10141235[35][72]
Ireland90645[73]
Pakistan80366[74]
Luxembourg79886[75]
Ecuador789143[76]
Thailand721152[77][78]
Cruise ship side view.svgDiamond Princess[p]7129574[79][80]
Poland64971[81][82]
Chile63218[83][84]
Finland[q]626110[35][88]
Greece6241719[89]
Indonesia5794930[90][91]
Romania576573[92]
Iceland568136[93]
Saudi Arabia511018[94]
Singapore5092152[95][96]
Qatar494033[97]
Philippines4623318[98]
Russia[r]438017[102]
India433724[103]
Slovenia4143–[104]
South Africa40202[105]
Peru36351[106]
Hong Kong3564100[107]
Estonia35204[108]
Bahrain3392160[109]
Egypt[s]3271456[110]
Mexico31624[35][111]
Panama31331[112][113]
Croatia30605[114]
Argentina266427[115]
Iraq2662362[116]
Lebanon25648[117][118]
Colombia23523[119][120]
Serbia22222[121][35]
Dominican Republic20230[122]
Algeria2011765[35]
Taiwan195229[123][124]
Armenia19402[35]
Kuwait189030[125][126]
Bulgaria18733[127]
Slovakia18507[128][129]
Latvia18001[35][130]
San Marino175204[131]
Hungary167716[132]
Lithuania15411[133]
United Arab Emirates153238[134][135]
North Macedonia13621[136][137]
Uruguay13500[35][138]
Costa Rica13422[139][35]
Morocco13443[140]
Bosnia and Herzegovina12812[35]
Vietnam122017[141]
Andorra11211[142]
Jordan11201[35][143]
Malta10702[144]
New Zealand10200[145]
Burkina Faso9945[146]
Moldova9412[147]
Brunei9102[148]
Albania8923[149]
Tunisia8931[35]
Cambodia8602[150][151]
Sri Lanka8603[152][153]
Belarus81022[154][155]
Venezuela77015[156]
Cyprus[t]7500[35]
Ukraine7331[157]
Azerbaijan72110[158]
Senegal6705[35][159]
Oman66017[160]
Kazakhstan6200[161]
Palestine59017[162]
Cameroon5602[35]
Georgia5408[163][164]
Trinidad and Tobago5000[35][165]
Liechtenstein4600[166]
Uzbekistan4300[35]
Afghanistan4011[35]
Northern Cyprus3803[167]
Nigeria3612[168][169]
Cuba[u]3510[170]
Kosovo3100[171]
DR Congo3020[172]
Bangladesh2723[173]
Honduras2600[174]
Ivory Coast2501[175]
Bolivia2400[176]
Ghana2410[177][35]
Mauritius2420[178]
Monaco2301[179][35]
Montenegro2210[180][35]
Paraguay2210[181][182]
Guernsey2000[183]
Guatemala1910[35]
Jamaica1912[35][184]
Macau19010[185]
Rwanda1900[35]
Togo1800[186][35]
Jersey1500[183]
Kenya1500[187]
Barbados1400[188]
Kyrgyzstan1400[189]
Maldives1303[190]
Madagascar1200[191]
Tanzania1200[192]
Ethiopia1100[35]
Mongolia1000[35]
Seychelles700[193]
Equatorial Guinea600[35]
Gabon510[35]
Guyana510[194]
Isle of Man500[195]
Suriname500[196]
Bahamas400[197]
Eswatini400[198]
Guinea401[35][199]
Cape Verde300[200]
Central African Republic300[35]
Republic of the Congo300[201]
El Salvador300[202]
Liberia300[35][203]
Namibia300[35]
Zambia300[35]
Zimbabwe300[35]
Angola200[204]
Benin200[35]
Bhutan200[35]
Fiji300[205]
Gambia210[35][206]
Haiti200[207]
Mauritania200[208]
Nepal201[209][35]
Nicaragua200[210]
Niger200[211]
Saint Lucia200[35]
Sudan210[35]
Antigua and Barbuda100[35]
Chad100[212]
Dominica100[35]
Djibouti100[35]
Eritrea100[35]
Grenada100[35]
Mozambique100[35]
Papua New Guinea100[213]
St. Vincent and the Grenadines100[35]
Somalia100[35]
Syria100[214]
East Timor100[215]
Uganda100[216]
Vatican City100[35]
As of 23 March 2020 (UTC) · History of cases: China, international
Notes
  1. ^ Countries and territories, and one international conveyance where cases were diagnosed. Nationality and location of original infection may vary. In some countries, the cases cover several territories, as noted accordingly.
  2. ^ Reported cumulative confirmed cases. The actual number of infections and cases are likely higher than reported, but impossible to ascertain.
  3. ^ Recovered cases. All recoveries may not be reported. "–" denotes that no reliable data is currently available for that territory, not that the value is zero.
  4. ^ China
    Includes clinically diagnosed cases and deaths from 12 February 2020 and onwards in the province of Hubei.
  5. ^ Italy
    Only at-risk people showing symptoms have been tested from 27 February 2020 and onwards.[32][33]
  6. ^ United States
    1. Includes 56 cases in the US territories:
     • Guam (27 cases)[35]
     • Puerto Rico (23 cases)[35]
     • the U.S. Virgin Islands (6 cases)[35]
    as well as cases identified on the Grand Princess.
    2. Data is from unofficial trackers and not from the official Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
  7. ^ Iran
    Due to a shortage of resources, testing is restricted to severe cases.[citation needed] Includes clinically diagnosed cases and deaths from 9 March 2020 and onwards.
  8. ^ France
    Includes 169 cases and 2 deaths in overseas regions:
     • French Guiana (18 cases)[35]
     • Guadeloupe (56 cases; 1 death)[35]
     • Martinique (37 cases; 1 death)[35]
     • Mayotte (11 cases)[35]
     • Réunion (47 cases)[35]
    and 27 cases in collectivities:
     • French Polynesia (15 cases)[35]
     • New Caledonia (4 cases)[35]
     • Saint Barthélemy (3 cases)[35]
     • Saint Martin (5 cases)[35]
  9. ^ Switzerland
    While there are more positive cases in Switzerland, the figure reported here is only the number of confirmed cases.
  10. ^ United Kingdom
    Includes a further 19 cases, 1 death and 5 recoveries in the British Overseas Territories, not counted in the UK government sources:
     • Akrotiri and Dhekelia (3 cases)[45]
     • Bermuda (2 cases)[46]
     • The Cayman Islands (3 cases; 1 death)[47]
     • Gibraltar (10 cases; 5 recoveries)[48]
     • Montserrat (1 case)[35]
  11. ^ Netherlands
    1. Includes 12 cases and 1 death in constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean:
     • Aruba (8 cases)[35]
     • Curaçao (3 cases; 1 death)[35]
     • Sint Maarten (1 case)[35]
    2. The Dutch Government agency RIVM, responsible for the constituent country the Netherlands, does not count its number of recoveries.[51]
  12. ^ Norway
    1. From 13 March 2020, testing of the normal population was discontinued, and is now only reserved for health professionals and acutely ill people in vulnerable groups.
    2. The Norwegian Institute of Public Health states that there are more infected people in Norway than the figures show. The dark figures are presumed to be higher because of limited testing.[56] Nevertheless, the total number of tests per capita was as of 20 March comparatively high in Norway.[57]
  13. ^ Sweden
    Testing of suspected infections has been cut back in the whole country in the period around 12 March 2020, in order to focus efforts on people with increased risk of serious illness and complications.
  14. ^ Australia
    Excluding the cases from Diamond Princess cruise ship which are classified as "on an international conveyance". Ten cases, including one fatality recorded by the Australian government.
  15. ^ Denmark
    1. Includes 124 cases in constituent countries of the Kingdom of Denmark:
     • Faroe Islands (118 cases, 0 deaths)[63]
     • Greenland (4 cases, 0 deaths)[63]
    2. The Danish Government does not report the number of recoveries.[64]
    3. From 12 March 2020, the criteria for testing has been changed; only people with more serious symptoms and health professionals are being tested.[65]
  16. ^ Diamond Princess
    The British cruise ship Diamond Princess was in Japanese waters, and Japanese administration was asked to manage its quarantine, with the passengers having not entered Japan. Therefore, this case is neither included in the Japanese government's official count nor in United Kingdom's one. The World Health Organization classifies the cases as being located "on an international conveyance".
  17. ^ Finland
    1. Includes 2 cases in the autonomous region of Åland Islands.[85]
    2. Testing is limited to severely ill or at-risk patients and social or health care workers.[86][87]
  18. ^ Russia
    Excluding the cases from Diamond Princess cruise ship which are classified as "on an international conveyance". One fatality was not officially recorded by the Russian authorities as caused by coronavirus.[99][100][101]
  19. ^ Egypt
    Includes cases identified on the MS River Anuket.
  20. ^ Cyprus
    Excluding Northern Cyprus.
  21. ^ Cuba
    Includes cases on the MS Braemar.


























Health authorities in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, China, reported a cluster of pneumonia cases of unknown cause on 31 December 2019,[217] and an investigation was launched in early January 2020.[218] The cases mostly had links to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market and so the virus is thought to have a zoonotic origin.[219] The virus that caused the outbreak is known as SARS-CoV-2, a newly discovered virus closely related to bat coronaviruses,[220] pangolin coronaviruses[221] and SARS-CoV.[222]

The earliest person with symptoms was traced back to 1 December 2019, someone who did not have connections with the later cluster linked to the wet market.[223][224] Of the early cluster of cases reported in December 2019, two-thirds were found to have a link with the market.[1][225][226] On 14 March 2020, an unverified report from the South China Morning Post said that a 55-year-old from Hubei province could have been the first person who contracted the disease, on 17 November.[227][228]

On 26 February 2020, the WHO reported that, as new cases reportedly dropped in China but suddenly increased in Italy, Iran, and South Korea, the number of new cases outside China had exceeded the number of new cases in China for the first time.[229] There may be substantial underreporting of cases, particularly those with milder symptoms.[230][231] By 26 February, relatively few cases have been reported among youth, with those 19 and under making up 2.4% of cases worldwide.[10][232]
Government sources in Germany and the UK estimate that 60–70% of the population will need to become infected before effective herd immunity can be achieved.[233][234][235]

Deaths


Main page: Template:2019–20 coronavirus pandemic data/Case fatality rate

The crude mortality ratio (reported deaths divided by reported cases) is 3 to 4%, according to the World Health Organization, as of 6 March 2020.[236] The reported rate varies by country, age, and other health problems.[237]
The time from development of symptoms to death has been between 6 and 41 days, with the most common being 14 days.[10] By 21 March more than 11,400 deaths had been attributed to COVID-19.[238] Most of those who have died were elderly—about 80% of deaths were in those over 60, and 75% had pre-existing health conditions including cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.[239]
The first confirmed death was on 9 January 2020 in Wuhan.[240] The first death outside China occurred on 1 February in the Philippines,[241][242] and the first death outside Asia was in France on 14 February.[243] By 28 February, outside mainland China, more than a dozen deaths each were recorded in Iran, South Korea, and Italy.[244][245][246] By 13 March, over 40 countries and territories had reported deaths, on every continent except Antarctica.[247]


Diagrams


DIAGRAM - 01

 =========================================================


                      DIAGRAM - 02

Total confirmed cases of COVID-19 per million people, 20 March 2020[255]



 =====================================================================

    
                                                         DIAGRAM - 03

         Growth in total confirmed cases

====================================================

DIAGRAM - 04


Epidemic curve of COVID-19 by date of report





======================================================

                                                       DIAGRAM - 05
                           

 Epidemic curve of COVID-19 by date of report
               ======================================================
                                                                      DIAGRAM - 06

Semi-log plot of daily new confirmed cases by region: Hubei Province, mainland China excluding Hubei, the rest of the world (ROW), and the world total[257][258]


=========================================================

                                                      DIAGRAM - 07

 Semi-log plot of coronavirus daily deaths by region: Hubei Province, mainland China excluding Hubei, the rest of the world (ROW), and the world total[257][258]


====================================================================


                                                        DIAGRAM - 08

 Semi-log plot of cases in some countries with high growth rates (post-China) with doubling times and three-day projections based on the exponential growth rates


=============================================================

Signs and symptoms




Main article: Coronavirus disease 2019

Symptoms of COVID-19 are non-specific and those infected may either be asymptomatic or develop flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, or muscle pain. The typical signs and symptoms and their prevalence are shown in the corresponding table.[256] The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists emergency symptoms including difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain or pressure, sudden confusion, difficulty waking, and bluish face or lips; immediate medical attention is advised if these symptoms are present.[258]

Further development of the disease can lead to severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, sepsis, septic shock and death. Some of those infected may be asymptomatic, returning test results that confirm infection but show no clinical symptoms, so researchers have issued advice that those with close contact to confirmed infected people should be closely monitored and examined to rule out infection.[1][259][260][261] Chinese estimates of the asymptomatic ratio range from few to 44%.[262]

The usual incubation period (the time between infection and symptom onset) ranges from one to fourteen days; it is most commonly five days.[263][264] In one case, it may have had an incubation period of 27 days.[265]

Symptom[256]%
Fever87.9%
Dry cough67.7%
Fatigue38.1%
Sputum production33.4%
Anosmia (loss of smell)[257]30-66%
Shortness of breath18.6%
Muscle pain or joint pain14.8%
Sore throat13.9%
Headache13.6%
Chills11.4%
Nausea or vomiting5.0%
Nasal congestion4.8%
Diarrhoea3.7%
Haemoptysis0.9%
Conjunctival congestion0.8%
                 
COVID-19 symptoms


Cause


Transmission


See also: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 § Infection
CLICK/ GOOGLE URL BELOW TO OPEN THE VIDEO ON DISCUSSION ON  basic reproduction number and case fatality rate in the context of the pandemic. 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File%3ACOVID19_in_numbers-_R0%2C_the_case_fatality_rate_and_why_we_need_to_flatten_the_curve.webm



A video discussing the basic reproduction number and case fatality rate in the context of the pandemic.


File:COVID19 in numbers- R0, the case fatality rate and why we need to flatten the curve.webm



The primary mode of transmission is via respiratory droplets that people exhale or cough.[266] This is thought to occur when people are in close contact, often during coughing or sneezing.[267][268] The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) concur that it seems to spread via these droplets, but "[t]here is not enough epidemiological information at this time [23 March] to determine how easily and sustainably this virus spreads between people."[6] The stability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the air and on various surfaces is believed to be comparable to that of other coronaviruses.[269][270][271] A single study of how long SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) remains infectious on various surfaces, "show[s] that when the virus is carried by the droplets released when someone coughs or sneezes, it remains viable, or able to still infect people, in aerosols for at least three hours."[272]

They also tested SARS-CoV-2 on plastic, stainless steel, copper, and cardboard, and found that although SARS-CoV-2 decayed exponentially over time in all five environments they tested, the virus was viable for infection for up to three days on plastic and stainless steel, for one day on cardboard, and for up to four hours on copper.[273][274][275]

A survey of research on the inactivation of other coronaviruses using various biocidal agents suggests that disinfecting surfaces contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 may also be achieved using similar solutions (within one minute of exposure on a stainless steel surface), including 62–71% ethanol, 50–100% isopropanol, 0.1% sodium hypochlorite, 0.5% hydrogen peroxide, and 0.2–7.5% povidone-iodine; benzalkonium chloride and chlorhexidine gluconate are less effective.[269]

The WHO has stated that the risk of spread from someone without symptoms is "very low". However, if someone has early symptoms and a mild cough, there is a risk of transmission.[276] An analysis of infections in Singapore and Tianjin, China revealed that coronavirus infections may be spread by people who have recently caught the virus and have not yet begun to show symptoms, unlike other coronaviruses such as SARS.[277][278]

Estimates of the basic reproduction number (the average number of people an infected person is likely to infect) range from 2.13[279] to 4.82.[280][281] This is similar to the measure typical of severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-CoV).[282]


Virology


Main article: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
Illustration of SARSr-CoV virion



Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, first isolated from three people with pneumonia connected to the cluster of acute respiratory illness cases in Wuhan.[219] All features of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus occur in related coronaviruses in nature.[280]
SARS-CoV-2 is closely related to the original SARS-CoV.[281] It is thought to have a zoonotic origin. Genetic analysis has revealed that the coronavirus genetically clusters with the genus Betacoronavirus, in subgenus Sarbecovirus (lineage B) together with two bat-derived strains. It is 96% identical at the whole genome level to other bat coronavirus samples (BatCov RaTG13).[252][282] In February 2020, Chinese researchers found that there is only one amino acid difference in certain parts of the genome sequences between the viruses from pangolins and those from humans, however, whole genome comparison to date found at most 92% of genetic material shared between pangolin coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2, which is insufficient to prove pangolins to be the intermediate host.[283]

Diagnosis

Main article: COVID-19 testing

Infection by the virus can be provisionally diagnosed on the basis of symptoms, though confirmation is ultimately by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) of infected secretions (71% sensitivity) and CT imaging (98% sensitivity).[284]

Viral testing

The WHO has published several RNA testing protocols for SARS-CoV-2, with the first issued on 17 January.[285][286][287][288] Testing uses real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR).[289] The test can be done on respiratory or blood samples.[290] Results are generally available within a few hours to days.[291][292]
A person is considered at risk if they have travelled to an area with ongoing community transmission within the previous 14 days, or have had close contact with an infected person. Common key indicators include fever, coughing and shortness of breath. Other possible indicators include fatigue, myalgia, anorexia, sputum production and sore throat.[293]

Imaging

Characteristic imaging features on radiographs and computed tomography have been described in a limited case series.[294] The Italian Radiological Society [it] is compiling an international online database of imaging findings for confirmed cases.[295] Due to overlap with other infections such as adenovirus, imaging without confirmation by PCR is of limited use in identifying COVID-19.[294] A larger[clarification needed] comparing chest CT results to PCR has suggested that though imaging is less specific for the infection, it is significantly faster and more sensitive, suggesting that it may be considered as a screening tool in epidemic areas.[296]

Prevention



 Infographic by the United States CDC, describing how to stop the spread of germs.
Strategies for preventing transmission of the disease include overall good personal hygiene, hand washing, avoiding touching the eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands, coughing/sneezing into a tissue and putting the tissue directly into a dustbin. Those who may already have the infection have been advised to wear a surgical mask in public.[297][298][299] Social distancing measures are also recommended to prevent transmission.[300][301]
Many governments have restricted or advised against all non-essential travel to and from countries and areas affected by the outbreak.[302] However, the virus has reached the stage of community spread in large parts of the world. This means that the virus is spreading within communities whose members have not travelled to areas with widespread transmission.[citation needed]
Health care providers taking care of someone who may be infected are recommended to use standard precautions, contact precautions and airborne precautions with eye protection.[303]
Contact tracing is an important method for health authorities to determine the source of an infection and to prevent further transmission.[304] Misconceptions are circulating about how to prevent infection, for example: rinsing the nose and gargling with mouthwash are not effective.[305] As of 13 March 2020, there is no COVID-19 vaccine, though a number of organizations are working to develop one.[306]

Hand washing


Main article: Hand washing

Hand washing is recommended to prevent the spread of the disease. The CDC recommends that people wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the toilet or when hands are visibly dirty; before eating; and after blowing one's nose, coughing, or sneezing. It further recommended using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol by volume when soap and water are not readily available.[297] The WHO advises people to avoid touching the eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.[298][307]

Respiratory hygiene

Health organizations recommended that people cover their mouth and nose with a bent elbow or a tissue when coughing or sneezing (the tissue should then be disposed of immediately).[298][308] Surgical masks are recommended for those who may be infected,[309][310][311] as wearing a mask can limit the volume and travel distance of expiratory droplets dispersed when talking, sneezing and coughing.[312] The WHO has issued instructions on when and how to use masks.[313]
Masks have also been recommended for use by those taking care of someone who may have the disease.[311] WHO has recommended the wearing of masks by healthy people only if they are at high risk, such as those who are caring for a person with COVID-19, although masks may help people avoid touching their faces.[311]
China has specifically recommended the use of disposable medical masks by healthy members of the public.[314][250][312][315] Hong Kong recommends wearing a surgical mask when taking public transport or staying in crowded places.[316] Thailand's health officials are encouraging people to make face masks at home out of cloth and wash them daily.[317] The Czech Republic banned going out in public without wearing a mask or covering one's nose and mouth.[318] Face masks have also been widely used by healthy people in Taiwan,[319][320] Japan,[321] South Korea,[322] Malaysia,[323] Singapore,[324][325] and Hong Kong.[326]

Social distancing


Main article: Social distancing

Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen demonstrates social distancing by using the traditional fist-and-palm salute instead of shaking hands in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Social distancing includes infection control actions intended to slow the spread of disease by minimizing close contact between individuals. Methods include quarantines; travel restrictions; and the closing of schools, workplaces, stadiums, theatres, or shopping centres. Individuals may apply social distancing methods by staying at home, limiting travel, avoiding crowded areas, using no-contact greetings, and physically distancing themselves from others.[327][328] Many governments are now mandating or recommending social distancing in regions affected by the outbreak.[329][330] Allowed gathering size was swiftly reducing from 250 people (if there was no known COVID-19 spread in a region) to 50 people, and later to 10 people.[331] On 22 March 2020, Germany banned public gatherings of more than two people.[332]
Older adults and those with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease, hypertension, and compromised immune systems face increased risk of serious illness and complications and have been advised by the US CDC to stay home as much as possible in areas of community outbreak.[333][334]


Self-isolation


Transmission of COVID depends on many factors, and the basic reproduction number can be lowered by engaging in outbreak prevention measures such as social distancing and self-isolation upon experiencing symptoms.


Self-isolation at home has been recommended for those diagnosed with COVID-19 and those who suspect they have been infected. Health agencies have issued detailed instructions for proper self-isolation.[335][336]

Additionally, many governments have mandated or recommended self-quarantine for entire populations living in affected areas.[337][338] The strongest self-quarantine instructions have been issued to those in high risk groups. Those who may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 and those who have recently travelled to a country with widespread transmission have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days from the time of last possible exposure.[6][8][339]

Management



See also: Coronavirus disease 2019 § Management, and Pandemic § Management


Outbreak


The goal of community mitigation, (1) delay outbreak peak (2) decompress peak burden on healthcare, known as flattening the curve (3) diminish overall cases[disputed – discuss] and health impact.[331][332


There are a number of strategies in the control of an outbreak: containment, mitigation, and suppression. Containment is undertaken in the early stages of the outbreak and aims to trace and isolate those infected as well as other measures of infection control and vaccinations to stop the disease from spreading to the rest of the population. When it is no longer possible to contain the spread of the disease, efforts then move to the mitigation stage, when measures are taken to slow the spread and mitigate its effects on the health care system and society. A combination of both containment and mitigation measures may be undertaken at the same time.[333] Suppression requires more extreme measures so as to reverse the pandemic by reducing the basic reproduction number to less than 1.[334]

Part of managing an infectious disease outbreak is trying to decrease the epidemic peak, known as flattening the epidemic curve.[331] This decreases the risk of health services being overwhelmed and provides more time for vaccines and treatments to be developed.[331] Non-pharmaceutical interventions that may manage the outbreak include personal preventive measures, such as hand hygiene, wearing face-masks and self-quarantine; community measures aimed at physical distancing such as closing schools and cancelling mass gathering events; community engagement to encourage acceptance and participation in such interventions; as well as environmental measures such surface cleaning.[335]

More drastic actions aim at suppressing the outbreak were taken in China once the severity of the outbreak became apparent, such as quarantining entire cities affecting 60 million individuals in Hubei, and strict travel bans.[336] Other countries adopted a variety of measures aimed at limiting the spread of the virus. For example, South Korea introduced mass screening, localized quarantines, and issuing alerts on the movements of affected individuals. Singapore provided financial support for those infected who quarantine themselves and imposed large fines for those who failed to do so. Taiwan increased face-mask production and penalized hoarding of medical supplies.[337] Some countries require people to report flu-like symptoms to their doctor, especially if they have visited mainland China.[338]

Simulations for Great Britain and the US show that mitigation (slowing but not stopping epidemic spread), as well as suppression (reversing epidemic growth), has major challenges. Optimal mitigation policies might reduce peak healthcare demand by 2/3 and deaths by half, still resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and health systems being overwhelmed. Suppression can be preferred but need to be maintained until a vaccine becomes available (at least 18 months later) as transmission quickly rebounds when relaxed, while long-term intervention causes social and economic costs.[334]

Illness

There are no specific antiviral medications approved for COVID-19, but development efforts are underway, including testing of existing medications. Attempts to relieve the symptoms may include taking regular (over-the-counter) cold medications,[339] drinking fluids, and resting.[286] Depending on the severity, oxygen therapy, intravenous fluids and breathing support may be required.[340] The use of steroids may worsen outcomes.[341] Several compounds, which were previously approved for treatment of other viral diseases, are being investigated.[342]

History

Main article: Timeline of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic


Cases by country plotted on a logarithmic scale

Patient zero is the term used to describe the first-ever case of a disease.[343] There have been various theories as to where the "patient zero" case may have originated.[343] The first known case of the novel coronavirus was traced back to 1 December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei, China.[217] A later unconfirmed claim, citing Chinese government documents, suggests that the first victim was a 55-year-old man who fell ill on 17 November 2019.[344][under discussion] Within the next month, the number of coronavirus cases in Hubei gradually increased to a couple of hundred, before rapidly increasing in January 2020. On 31 December 2019, the virus had caused enough cases of unknown pneumonia to be reported to health authorities in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province,[211] to trigger an investigation.[212] These were mostly linked to the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market, which also sold live animals; thus the virus is thought to have a zoonotic origin.[213]

During the early stages, the number of cases doubled approximately every seven and a half days.[345] In early and mid-January 2020, the virus spread to other Chinese provinces, helped by the Chinese New Year migration, with Wuhan being a transport hub and major rail interchange, and infections quickly spread throughout the country.[254] On 20 January, China reported nearly 140 new cases in one day, including two people in Beijing and one in Shenzhen.[346] Later official data shows that 6,174 people had already developed symptoms by 20 January 2020.[347]

On 30 January, the WHO declared the outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.[348] On 24 February, WHO director Tedros Adhanom warned that the virus could become a global pandemic because of the increasing number of cases outside China.[349]

On 11 March, the WHO officially declared the coronavirus outbreak to be a pandemic, following a period of sustained community-level transmission in multiple regions of the world.[5] On 13 March, the WHO declared Europe to be the new centre of the pandemic after the rate of new European cases surpassed that of regions of the world apart from China.[350] By 16 March 2020, the total number of cases reported around the world outside China had exceeded that of mainland China.[351] On 19 March 2020, China reported no new domestic cases (excluding cases re-imported from abroad) for the first time since the outbreak, while the total number of deaths in Italy surpassed that of China.[352]

As of 23 March 2020, over 368,000 cases have been reported worldwide; more than 16,300 people have died and over 101,000 have recovered.[2][3]

Domestic responses
Main articles: 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic by country and territory and National responses to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

See also: Criticism of response to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic



More than 170 territories have had at least one case.[391] Due to the pandemic in Europe, multiple countries in the Schengen Area have restricted free movement and set up border controls.[392] National reactions have included containment measures such as quarantines and curfews.[393] As of 21 March, more than 250 million people are in lockdown in Europe,[394] and more than 100 million people are in lockdown in the United States.[395]


hide
Coronavirus quarantines outside China
CountryPlaceState/ProvinceStart dateEnd dateLevel
Argentina2020-03-19[353]2020-03-31National
Australia2020-03-23[354]National
Austria2020-03-16[355]2020-04-13[356]National
Belgium2020-03-18[357]2020-04-05National
BrazilSanta Catarina2020-03-17[358]2020-03-31State
São Paulo2020-03-24[359]2020-04-07State
Colombia2020-03-25[360]2020-04-13National
Czech Republic2020-03-16[361]2020-03-24National
Denmark2020-03-11[362]National
El Salvador2020-03-12[363]2020-04-01National
FijiLautoka2020-03-20[364]City
France2020-03-17[365]2020-04-01National
GermanyBavaria2020-03-20[366]2020-04-03State
FreiburgBaden-Württemberg2020-03-21[367]2020-04-03City
Greece2020-03-23[368]2020-04-06[369]National
Honduras2020-03-17[370]2020-03-29National
Ireland2020-03-12[371]2020-03-29National
Italy2020-03-09[372]2020-04-03National
Lebanon2020-03-15[373]2020-03-29National
Malaysia2020-03-18[374]2020-03-31National
Morocco2020-03-19[375]National
PhilippinesLuzon2020-03-15[376]2020-04-14Island group
Poland2020-03-13[377]National
Spain2020-03-14[378]2020-04-11[379]National
Tunisia2020-03-22[380]National
United StatesCalifornia2020-03-19[381]2020-03-29State
Clark CountyNevada2020-03-20[382]2020-04-20County
Connecticut2020-03-23[383]2020-03-29State
Illinois2020-03-21[384]2020-04-07State
Massachusetts2020-03-24[385]2020-04-07State
Michigan2020-03-24[386]2020-04-14State
New York2020-03-20[387]2020-03-29State
Oregon2020-03-24[388]State
United Kingdom2020-03-23[389]2020-04-13National
Venezuela2020-03-17[390]National
Outbreak ongoing: Quarantine data as of March 24, 2020






































Chin

China




Main article: 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic in mainland China


File:航拍武汉中心城区机动车禁行后道路：少有车辆踪影-Wg-8rMZAsY0.webm

"Aerial photography of roads after motor vehicles are banned in central urban areas of Wuhan: few vehicle traces"—Video news from China News Service


The first person known to have fallen ill due to the new virus was traced back to 1 December 2019 in Wuhan.[220] Doctor Zhang Jixian observed a cluster of unknown pneumonia on 26 December, and her hospital informed Wuhan Jianghan CDC on 27 December.[490] A public notice on the outbreak was released by Wuhan Municipal Health Commission on 31 December.[491] WHO was informed of the outbreak on the same day.[214] At the same time these notifications were happening, doctors in Wuhan were being threatened by policy for sharing information about the outbreak.[492] Chinese National Health Commission initially said that they had no "clear evidence" of human-to-human transmissions.[493]

Temporary hospital for treating mild COVID-19 patients in Wuhan, converted from Tazihu Sports Centre. There were more than 10 temporary hospitals like this in Wuhan. Each of them could accommodate hundreds of mild patients. After these hospitals had come into operation, the epidemic in Wuhan eased.[494][495]



The Chinese Communist Party launched a radical campaign described by the Party general secretary Xi Jinping as a "people's war" to contain the spread of the virus.[496] In what has been described as "the largest quarantine in human history",[497] a quarantine was announced on 23 January stopping travel in and out of Wuhan,[498] which was extended to a total of 15 cities in Hubei, affecting a total of about 57 million people.[499] Private vehicle use was banned in the city.[500] Chinese New Year (25 January) celebrations were cancelled in many places.[501] The authorities also announced the construction of a temporary hospital, Huoshenshan Hospital, which was completed in 10 days, and 14 temporary hospitals were constructed in China in total.[502]

On 26 January, the Communist Party and the government instituted further measures to contain the COVID-19 outbreak, including health declarations for travellers and changes to national holidays.[503] The leading group decided to extend the Spring Festival holiday to contain the outbreak.[504] Universities and schools around the country were also closed.[505][506][507] The regions of Hong Kong and Macau instituted several measures, particularly in regard to schools and universities.[508] Remote working measures were instituted in several Chinese regions.[509] Travel restrictions were enacted.[509][510] Other provinces and cities outside Hubei imposed travel restrictions. Public transport was modified,[511][509] and museums throughout China were temporarily closed.[512][513] Control of movement of people was applied in many cities, and it has been estimated that about 760 million people (more than half the population) faced some form of outdoor restriction.[514]

After the outbreak entered its global phase in March, many Chinese students studying in Europe and the United States have returned home as the domestic daily new cases in China declined. Chinese authorities have taken strict measures to prevent the virus from "importing" from other countries. For example, Beijing has imposed a 14-day mandatory quarantine for all international travellers entering the city.[515]

The early response by the Wuhan authorities was criticized as prioritizing control of information that might be unfavourable for local officials over public safety, and the Chinese government was also criticized for cover-ups and downplaying the initial discovery and severity of the outbreak.[516] In early January 2020, Wuhan police summoned and "admonished" several doctors—including Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist at Wuhan Central Hospital—for "spreading rumours" likening the disease to SARS.[517] Li later died because of the virus.[518] Later in March, Wuhan police apologized to Li's family after National Supervisory Commission admitted the conduct of local officials was inadequate and acknowledged the whistleblower's effort on raising public awareness.[519][520] Observers have also blamed the institutional censorship that left the citizens and senior officials with inaccurate information on the outbreak and "contributed to a prolonged period of inaction that allowed the virus to spread".[521] Some experts doubted the accuracy of the number of cases reported by the Chinese government, which repeatedly changed how it counted coronavirus cases, while others say it wasn’t likely a deliberate attempt to manipulate the data.[522][523][524] The Chinese government has also been accused of rejecting help from the US CDC and the WHO.[525]

Although criticisms have been levelled at the aggressive response of China to control the outbreak,[526] China's actions have also been praised by some foreign leaders such as US President Donald Trump, and Russian president Vladimir Putin.[527][528] Trump later reversed himself, saying "I wish they could have told us earlier about what was going on inside," adding that China "was very secretive, and that's unfortunate".[529] The director of WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated Chinese government "for the extraordinary measures it has taken to contain the outbreak",[530] and a later WHO report described China's response as "perhaps the most ambitious, agile and aggressive disease containment effort in history".[531] According to a media report on 16 March, the economy in China was very hard hit in the first two months of 2020 due to the measures taken by the government to curtail virus spread, and retail sales plunged 20.5%.[532] Per media reports, on 23 March mainland China has gone five days with only one case transmitted domestically, in this instance via a traveller returning to Guangzhou from Istanbul.[533][534][535]

On 24 March 2020, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang reported that spread of domestically transmitted epidemic has been basically blocked and the outbreak has been controlled in China.[536]

South Korea

Main article: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in South Korea




Coronavirus infection prevention tips banner in Seoul

COVID-19 was confirmed to have spread to South Korea on 20 January 2020 from China. There was a large increase in cases on 20 February,[538] potentially attributable to a gathering in Daegu of a new religious movement known as the Shincheonji Church of Jesus.[538][539][540]
Shincheonji devotees visiting Daegu from Wuhan were suspected to be the origin of the outbreak.[541][542] As of 22 February, among 9,336 followers of the church, 1,261 or about 13% reported symptoms.[543]
South Korea declared the highest level of alert on 23 February 2020.[544] On 28 February, more than 2,000 confirmed cases were reported in Korea,[545] rising to 3,150 on 29 February.[546] All South Korean military bases were on quarantine after tests confirmed that three soldiers were positive for the virus.[541] Airline schedules were also affected and therefore they were changed.[547][548]
South Korea introduced what was considered the largest and best-organised program in the world to screen the population for the virus, and isolate any infected people as well as tracing and quarantining those who contacted them.[549][550] Screening methods included a drive-thru testing for the virus with the results available the next day.[551] It is considered to be a success in controlling the outbreak despite not quarantining entire cities.[549][552]
The South Korean society was initially polarised with President Moon Jae-in's response to the crisis. Many Koreans signed petitions either calling for the impeachment of Moon over what they claimed is the government's mishandling of the outbreak, or praising his response.[553] On 23 March, it was reported that South Korea had the lowest one-day case total in four weeks.The country of South Korea's different approach to the outbreak includes having 20,000 people tested every day for coronavirus.[554]



Iran



Main article: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Iran



Disinfection of Tehran Metro trains against coronavirus



Iran reported its first confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections on 19 February in Qom, where, according to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, two people had died later that day.[555][556] Early measures announced by the government included the cancellation of concerts and other cultural events,[557] sporting events,[558] and Friday prayers,[559] universities, higher education institutions and schools.[560] Iran allocated five trillion rials to combat the virus.[561] President Hassan Rouhani said on 26 February 2020 that there were no plans to quarantine areas affected by the outbreak, and only individuals would be quarantined.[562] Plans to limit travel between cities were announced in March.[563] Shia shrines in Qom remained open to pilgrims until 16 March 2020.[564][565]

Iran became a centre of the spread of the virus after China.[566][567] Amidst claims of a cover-up of the extent of the outbreak in the country,[568] more than ten countries had traced their cases back to Iran by 28 February, indicating that the extent of the outbreak may be more severe than the 388 cases reported by the Iranian government by that date.[567][569] The Iranian Parliament was shut down, with 23 of its 290 members reported to have had tested positive for the virus on 3 March.[570] A number of senior government officials, as well as two members of the Parliament, have died from the disease.[571] On 15 March, the Iranian government reported 100 deaths in a single day, the most recorded since the outbreak began.[572] Per media reports on 23 March Iran has 50 new cases every hour and one new death every ten minutes due to coronavirus. Even so, some sources like Radio Farda, which is US backed, says Iran may be under-reporting.[573]

Europe

Italy


Main article: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Italy


Civil Protection volunteers carrying out health checks at the Guglielmo Marconi Airport in Bologna


The outbreak was confirmed to have spread to Italy on 31 January, when two Chinese tourists tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in Rome.[574] Cases began to rise sharply, which prompted the Italian government to suspend all flights to and from China and declare a state of emergency.[575] An unassociated cluster of COVID-19 cases was later further detected starting with 16 confirmed cases in Lombardy on 21 February.[576]

On 22 February, the Council of Ministers announced a new decree-law to contain the outbreak, including quarantining more than 50,000 people from 11 different municipalities in northern Italy.[577] Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said "In the outbreak areas, entry and exit will not be provided. Suspension of work activities and sports events has already been ordered in those areas."[578][579]

On 4 March, the Italian government ordered the full closure of all schools and universities nationwide as Italy reached 100 deaths. All major sporting events, including Serie A football matches, will be held behind closed doors until April.[580] On 9 March, all sport was suspended completely for at least one month.[581] On 11 March, Prime Minister Conte ordered stoppage of nearly all commercial activity except supermarkets and pharmacies.[582][583]

On 6 March, the Italian College of Anaesthesia, Analgesia, Resuscitation and Intensive Care (SIAARTI) published medical ethics recommendations regarding triage protocols that might be employed.[584][585][586]On 19 March, Italy overtook China as the country with the most coronavirus-related deaths in the world after reporting 3,405 fatalities from the pandemic.[587][588] As of 23 March 2020, there were 63,927 confirmed cases, 6,077 deaths and 7,432 recoveries in Italy.[589][590] On the same date it was reported that Russia had sent nine military planes with medical equipment to Italy.[591]

Spain


Main article: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Spain



People maintain social distancing in Valencia, Spain

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic was confirmed to have spread to Spain on 31 January 2020, when a German tourist tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in La Gomera, Canary Islands.[592]
On 24 February, following a COVID-19 outbreak in Italy, Spain confirmed multiple cases related to the Italian clusters, originating from a medical doctor from Lombardy, Italy, who was on holiday in Tenerife.[593] Afterwards, multiple COVID-19 cases were detected in Tenerife involving people who had come in contact with the doctor. Other cases involving individuals who visited Italy were also discovered in mainland Spain.[594][595][596]

It was reported on 24 March that 514 people had died in a single day, the daily death-toll yet.[597]

As of 23 March 2020, there have been 35,136 confirmed cases with 3,355 recoveries and 2,311 deaths in Spain according to authorities.[598] At least 2,355 people hospitalised are in intensive care (942 in the Community of Madrid) and more than 350,000 tests for COVID-19 have been conducted.[37][599] Since 13 March 2020, there have been registered cases in the 50 provinces of the country. Only on the islands of La Graciosa (Canary Islands) and Formentera (Balearic Islands) has there been no registered positive cases.[37]

United Kingdom



Main article: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United Kingdom

People in London buying canned foods 
and toilet paper on 18 March 2020

The UK response to the virus first emerged as one of the most relaxed of the affected countries, and until 18 March 2020, the British government did not impose any form of social distancing or mass quarantine measures on its citizens.[600][601] As a result, the government received criticism for the perceived lack of pace and intensity in its response to concerns faced by the public.[602][603][604]

On 16 March, Prime Minister Boris Johnson made an announcement advising against all non-essential travel and social contact, to include working from home where possible and avoiding venues such as pubs, restaurants and theatres.[605][606] On 20 March, the government announced that all leisure establishments (pubs, gyms etc.) were to close as soon as possible,[607] and promised to pay up to 80% of workers' wages, to a limit of £2,500 per month, to prevent unemployment in the crisis.[608] It was reported on 23 March that the UK would go into lockdown in the next 24 hours due to the coronavirus outbreak, the report goes on to say some individuals are not observing the 2-metre rule.[609]

France


Main article: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in France

The virus was confirmed to have spread to France on 24 January 2020, when the first COVID-19 case in Europe and France was confirmed in Bordeaux. It involved a 48-year-old French citizen who arrived in France from China. Two more cases were confirmed by the end of the day; all of the individuals recently returned from China.[610] A Chinese tourist was admitted to a hospital in Paris on 28 January and died on 14 February, marking the first death from COVID-19 in Europe and France. It was also the first death outside of Asia.[611][612] As of 23 March 2020, there have been 19,856 confirmed cases, 860 deaths and at least 2,200 recoveries in France.[613][614]

Germany



Main article: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in Germany

The virus was confirmed to have been transmitted to Germany on 27 January 2020, when the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Bavaria. The majority of the COVID-19 cases in January and early February originated from the headquarters of a car parts manufacturer in Bavaria. Later, new clusters were introduced by travellers from Italy, China and Iran. As of 23 March 2020, Germany has reported 29,056 cases, 123 deaths and 453 recoveries.[615]

Rest of Europe


Despite a select number of countries being particularly affected by bad outbreaks of COVID-19, many European countries, as of 24 March, experienced far fewer cases of the disease. These include Poland, Lithuania, Finland, Greece, Croatia and Armenia among many others.

United States


Main article: 2020 coronavirus pandemic in the United States


Coronavirus in US counties (red)[616]





President Trump signs the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act into law on 6 March 2020



The first known case in the United States of COVID-19 was confirmed in the Pacific Northwest state of Washington on 20 January 2020, in a man who had returned from Wuhan on 15 January.[617] The White House Coronavirus Task Force was established on 29 January.[618] On 31 January, the Trump administration declared a public health emergency,[619] and placed travel restrictions on entry for travellers from China.[620]

After the first death in the United States was reported in Washington state on 29 February,[621] its governor, Jay Inslee, declared a state of emergency,[622] an action that was followed by other states.[623][624][625] Schools in the Seattle area cancelled classes on 3 March,[626] and by mid-March, schools across the country were closing and most of the country's students were out of school.[627]

On 6 March, president Donald Trump signed the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, which provided $8.3 billion in emergency funding for federal agencies to respond to the outbreak.[628] Corporations imposed employee travel restrictions, cancelled conferences,[629] and encouraged employees to work from home.[630] Sports events and seasons were cancelled.[25][631]

On 11 March, Trump announced travel restrictions for most of Europe (excluding the United Kingdom) for 30 days, effective 13 March,[632] and on 14 March, he expanded the restrictions to include the United Kingdom and Ireland.[633] On 13 March, he declared a national emergency, which made federal funds available to respond to the crisis.[634] Beginning on 15 March, many businesses closed or reduced hours throughout the US as a method to try to combat the virus.[635]

As of 23 March 2020, the epidemic was present in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. The number of confirmed cases in the US rose to 46,145, with 582 deaths.[636][2][3] On 23 March, it was reported that New York city had 10,700 cases of the coronavirus, an amount that is greater than the country of South Korea currently.[637]

The White House has been criticized for downplaying the threat and controlling the messaging by directing health officials and scientists to coordinate public statements and publications related to the virus with the office of Vice President Mike Pence,[638][639][640] yet an ABC/Ipsos poll released 20 March 2020 reports that 55% of respondents approve of President Trump's management of the public health crisis.[641]


International responses

See also: December 2019 – January 2020, February 2020, March 2020, and Criticism of response to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic




An analysis of air travel patterns was used to map out and predict patterns of spread and was published in The Journal of Travel Medicine in mid-January 2020. Based on information from the International Air Transport Association (2018), Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Taipei had the largest volume of travellers from Wuhan. Dubai, Sydney and Melbourne were also reported as popular destinations for people travelling from Wuhan. Bali was reported as least able in terms of preparedness, while cities in Australia were considered most able.[673][674]

Australia released its Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) on 7 February. It states that much is yet to be discovered about COVID-19, and that Australia will emphasize border control and communication in its response to the pandemic.[675]


Travel restrictions



A worker disinfects an ambulance in Daegu, South Korea



Announcement on a television screen at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, advising students not to travel to China (19 February 2020)


Travel restrictions



Main article: Travel restrictions related to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic




Countries that have implemented a global travel ban in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (red)















As a result of the outbreak, many countries and regions including most of the Schenge Area,[676] Armenia,[677] Australia,[678] India,[679] Iraq,[680][681] Indonesia,[682] Kazakhstan,[683] Kuwait,[684] Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, New Zealand, Philippines, Russia,[685] Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan,[686] Vietnam,[687] and the United States[688] have imposed temporary entry bans on Chinese citizens or recent visitors to China, or have ceased issuing visas or reimposed visa requirements on Chinese citizens.[689] Samoa started refusing entry to its own citizens who had previously been to China, attracting widespread condemnation over the legality of the decision.[690][691]

 The European Union rejected the idea of suspending the Schengen free travel zone and introducing border controls with Italy,[692][693][694] which has been criticized by some European politicians.[695][696] After some EU member states announced complete closure of their national borders to foreign nationals,[697] the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that "Certain controls may be justified, but general travel bans are not seen as being the most effective by the World Health Organization."[698]

Saudi Arabia temporarily banned foreigners from entering Mecca and Medina, two of Islam's holiest pilgrimage sites, to prevent the spread of coronavirus.[699] The United States suspended travel from the Schengen Area and later the Common Travel Area.[700] Many countries then started closing their borders to virtually all non-citizens or non-residents in rapid succession,[701] including India,[702] Slovakia,[703] Denmark,[704] Poland,[705] Lithuania,[706] Oman,[707] United Arab Emirates and Russia.[708][709]

Evacuation of foreign citizens



See also: Evacuations related to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

Ukraine evacuates Ukrainian and foreign citizens from Wuhan


Owing to the effective quarantine of public transport in Wuhan and Hubei, several countries have planned to evacuate their citizens and diplomatic staff from the area, primarily through chartered flights of the home nation, with Chinese authorities providing clearance. Canada, the United States, Japan, India, France, Australia, Sri Lanka, Germany and Thailand were among the first to plan the evacuation of their citizens.[710] Pakistan has said that it will not be evacuating any citizens from China.[711] On 7 February, Brazil evacuated 34 Brazilians or family members in addition to four Poles, a Chinese person and an Indian citizen. The citizens of Poland, China and India deplaned in Poland, where the Brazilian plane made a stopover before following its route to Brazil. Brazilian citizens who went to Wuhan were quarantined at a military base near Brasília.[712][713][714] On the same day, 215 Canadians (176 from the first plane, and 39 from a second plane chartered by the US government) were evacuated from Wuhan to CFB Trenton to be quarantined for two weeks.[citation needed]

On 11 February, another plane of 185 Canadians from Wuhan landed at CFB Trenton. Australian authorities evacuated 277 citizens on 3 and 4 February to the Christmas Island Detention Centre, which had been repurposed as a quarantine facility, where they remained for 14 days.[715][716][717] A New Zealand evacuation flight arrived in Auckland on 5 February; its passengers (including some from Australia and the Pacific) were quarantined at a naval base in Whangaparoa, north of Auckland.[718] The United States announced that it would evacuate Americans aboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess.[719] On 21 February, a plane carrying 129 Canadian passengers who had been evacuated from Diamond Princess landed in Trenton, Ontario.[720] The Indian government has scheduled its air force to evacuate its citizens from Iran.[721]

International aid


Digital billboard conveying support with the words "Be Strong China" in various languages at Shibuya in Tokyo on 10 February

On 5 February, the Chinese foreign ministry stated that 21 countries (including Belarus, Pakistan, Trinidad and Tobago, Egypt and Iran) had sent aid to China.[722] The US city of Pittsburgh announced plans to send medical aid to Wuhan, which is its sister city.[723] The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) also announced plans to provide help.[724] Some Chinese students at American universities have joined together to help send aid to virus-stricken parts of China, with a joint group in the greater Chicago area reportedly managing to send 50,000 N95 masks and 1,500 protection suits to hospitals in the Hubei province on 30 January.[725]

The humanitarian aid organisation Direct Relief, in coordination with FedEx transportation and logistics support, sent 200,000 face masks along with other personal protective equipment, including gloves and gowns, by emergency airlift to the Wuhan Union Hospital by 30 January.[726] The Gates Foundation stated on 26 January that it would donate US$5 million in emergency funds to support the response in China, along with technical support for front-line responders.[727] On 5 February, Bill and Melinda Gates further announced a US$100 million donation to the WHO to fund vaccine research and treatment efforts along with protecting "at-risk populations in Africa and South Asia".[728]

Japan, in planning a flight to Wuhan to pick up Japanese nationals there, promised that the plane would bring aid supplies that, according to Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi, would consist of "masks and protective suits for Chinese people as well as for Japanese nationals".[729] On 26 January, the plane arrived in Wuhan, donating its supply of one million face masks to the city.[730] Among the aid supplies were 20,000 protective suits for medical staff across Hubei donated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.[644]



Tehran's Azadi Tower lights in the colours of the Flag of China to show support


On 28 January, the city of Mito donated 50,000 masks to its sister city of Chongqing, and on 6 February, the city of Okayama sent 22,000 masks to Luoyang, its sister city. On 10 February, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) of Japan made a symbolic deduction of 5,000 yen from the March salary of every LDP parliamentarian, a total of two million yen, to donate to China; party secretary general Toshihiro Nikai stated that "For Japan, when it sees a virus outbreak in China, it is like seeing a relative or neighbour suffering. Japanese people are willing to help China and hope the outbreak will pass as soon as possible."[731]
Other countries have also announced aid efforts. Malaysia announced a donation of 18 million medical gloves to China.[732] The Philippine Red Cross donated $1.4 million worth of Philippine-made face masks to Wuhan.[733] Turkey dispatched medical equipment,[734] and Germany delivered various medical supplies including 10,000 Hazmat suits.[735] On 19 February, the Singapore Red Cross announced that it would send $2.26 million worth of aid to China, consisting of protective material and training.[736] Russia sent more than 23 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Wuhan.[737]
In March 2020, China, Cuba and Russia sent medical supplies and experts to help Italy deal with its coronavirus outbreak.[738][739] On 22 March 2020, after a phone call with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, Russian president Vladimir Putin arranged the Russian army to send military medics, special disinfection vehicles and other medical equipment to Italy.[740] Businessman Jack Ma sent 1.1 million testing kits, 6 million face masks and 60,000 protective suits to Addis Ababa for distribution by the African Union,[741] as concern grows that poor health infrastructure and high levels of HIV in the region[742] could precipitate severe disruption.WHO response measures


WHO response measures


The WHO has commended the efforts of Chinese authorities in managing and containing the epidemic, with Director-General Tedros Adhanom expressing "confidence in China's approach to controlling the epidemic" and calling for the public to "remain calm".[743] The WHO noted the contrast between the 2003 epidemic, where Chinese authorities were accused of secrecy that impeded prevention and containment efforts, and the current crisis where the central government "has provided regular updates to avoid panic ahead of Lunar New Year holidays".[744]


WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom

On 23 January, in reaction to the central authorities' decision to implement a transportation ban in Wuhan, WHO representative Gauden Galea remarked that while it was "certainly not a recommendation the WHO has made", it was also "a very important indication of the commitment to contain the epidemic in the place where it is most concentrated" and called it "unprecedented in public health history".[744]

On 30 January, following confirmation of human-to-human transmission outside China and the increase in the number of cases in other countries, the WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the sixth PHEIC since the measure was first invoked during the 2009 swine flu pandemic. Tedros clarified that the PHEIC, in this case, was "not a vote of no confidence in China", but because of the risk of global spread, especially to low- and middle-income countries without robust health systems.[462][745] In response to the implementations of travel restrictions, Tedros stated that "there is no reason for measures that unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade" and that "WHO doesn't recommend limiting trade and movement."[746]

On 5 February, the WHO appealed to the global community for a $675 million contribution to fund strategic preparedness in low-income countries, citing the urgency to support those countries which "do not have the systems in place to detect people who have contracted the virus, even if it were to emerge". Tedros further made statements declaring that "We are only as strong as our weakest link" and urged the international community to "invest today or pay more later".[747][748]
On 11 February, the WHO in a press conference established COVID-19 as the name of the disease. On the same day, Tedros stated that UN Secretary-General António Guterres had agreed to provide the "power of the entire UN system in the response". A UN Crisis Management Team was activated as a result, allowing co-ordination of the entire United Nations response, which the WHO states will allow them to "focus on the health response while the other agencies can bring their expertise to bear on the wider social, economic and developmental implications of the outbreak".[749]

WHO representatives holding joint meeting with Tehran administrators

On 14 February, a WHO-led Joint Mission Team with China was activated to provide international and WHO experts to touch ground in China to assist in the domestic management and evaluate "the severity and the transmissibility of the disease" by hosting workshops and meetings with key national-level institutions to conduct field visits to assess the "impact of response activities at provincial and county levels, including urban and rural settings".[750]
On 25 February, the WHO declared that "the world should do more to prepare for a possible coronavirus pandemic," stating that while it was still too early to call it a pandemic, countries should nonetheless be "in a phase of preparedness".[751] In response to a developing outbreak in Iran, the WHO sent a Joint Mission Team there on the same day to assess the situation.[752]


On 28 February, WHO officials said that the coronavirus threat assessment at the global level would be raised from "high" to "very high", its highest level of alert and risk assessment. Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO's health emergencies program, warned in a statement that "This is a reality check for every government on the planet: Wake up. Get ready. This virus may be on its way and you need to be ready," urging that the right response measures could help the world avoid "the worst of it". Ryan further stated that the current data did not warrant public health officials to declare a global pandemic, saying that such a declaration would mean "we're essentially accepting that every human on the planet will be exposed to that virus."[753]


On 11 March, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak an official pandemic.[754] The Director-General said that WHO was "deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction".[755]   

Impacts


Politics


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Tuesday, March 24, 2020

SER 03 OF X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases) :- Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

SOURCE :
https://www.globalsecurity.org/security/ops/hsc-scen-3-coronavirus.htm

INDEX
SER 12  (D)  OF X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases) VIRUS WAR

SER 12  (C)  OF X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases) VIRUS WAR


 SER 12  (B)  OF X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)  VIRUS WAR
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/04/ser-12-b-of-x-serials-infectious.html
SER 12  (A)  OF X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)  VIRUS WAR
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/04/ser-12-of-x-serials-infectious-diseases_16.html
SER  11  OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)


SER 09  OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/04/save-lives-ready-shovels.html

 SER 08   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-impossible-ethics-of-pandemic-triage.html

SER 07   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/04/how-it-will-end.html
 SER 06 ( B )   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)

 SER 06 (A )   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
SER 05   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)



SER 04 / (C)   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/ser-04-c-of-x-serials-infectious_27.html


 SER 04 / (B)   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/2019-2020-cornavirus-pandemic_26.html


 SER 04 / (A)   OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/2019-2020-cornavirus-pandemic.html

 SER 03 OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/novel-coronavirus-covid-19.html

 SER 02 OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/history-in-crisis-lessons-for-covid-19.html

 SER 01 OF   X SERIALS (Infectious Diseases)
https://bcvasundhra.blogspot.com/2020/03/infectious-diseases-infectious-diseases.html



       Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) 

                              By


                 GlobalSecurity.org Logo
        
A respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in January 2020. By 09 February 2020 Chinse sources were using the term novel coronavirus pneumonia (NPC) for the disease. 2019nCoV was renamed COVID-19 by WHO on 11 February 2020. Official names were announced for the virus responsible for COVID-19 (previously known as “2019 novel coronavirus”) and the disease it causes. The official name for the disease is "coronavirus disease (COVID-19)" and the name of the virus is "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)". Viruses, and the diseases they cause, often have different names. For example, HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. People often know the name of a disease, such as measles, but not the name of the virus that causes it (rubeola). From a risk communications perspective, using the name SARS can have unintended consequences in terms of creating unnecessary fear for some populations, especially in Asia which was worst affected by the SARS outbreak in 2003.
More than 100,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus disease had been reported globally as of 07 March 2020, World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said. Among those 101,827 confirmed infections before 6 a.m. CET (0500 GMT) Saturday, 3,484 patients have died, he said.
World Health Organization (WHO) stated 11 March 2020 "WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore made the assessment that #COVID19 can be characterized as a pandemic". The WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged all countries to activate and scale up emergency response mechanisms. "This is not just a public health crisis, it is a crisis that will touch every sector – so every sector and every individual must be involved in the fight," he stressed.
This outbreak began in early December 2019 and continued to grow. Within a few weeks the new coronavirus had resulted in thousands of confirmed cases in China, and hundreds of deaths, with additional cases had been identified in a growing number of other international locations, including the United States. But these early numbers were small relative to seasonal flu, which is expected to kill 50,000 people in the year 2020 in the United States alone.
While considerable uncertainty surrounded this incident, there are at least two reasons for concern about this outbreak. Unlike the SARS coronavirus, which produced a high fever soon after infectoin, it was suspected that carriers of the novel coronavirus could infect others for many days [possibly up to two weeks] before showing any symptoms. The diagnostic fever of SARS facilitated containment, which would not be possible with the novel coronavirus. The coronavirus can survive for five days maximum on smooth surfaces under suitable circumstances, according to experts from China's Health Commission.
Second, the contagiousness and deadliness of the novel coronavirus are similar to the Spanish Flu, a pandemic which killed some 50,000,000 people in the year 1918. The case specific mortality rate for the novel coronavirus was about 2%, ten times that of seasonal flu, but the age specific mortality rate for elderly patients with compromised immune systems [eg, diabetes], appeared to be much higher, possibly approaching the 10% rate of SARS. The epidemic is doubling every 6.4 days. In sum, the novel coronavirus may be difficult to contain, with catastrophic consequences.
But many health care officials were optimistic that such worst case outcomes can be avoided. Chinese officials expressed confidence that under the government's organizational arrangements, the epidemic would be brought under control by mid-February 2020. Zhongshan Nan, a Chinese expert on new coronavirus infection, said 02 February 2010 that after China has adopted a series of severe epidemic prevention and control measures, the epidemic is expected to reach its peak in the next 10 days to two weeks, but he also warned against relaxing vigilance. On 07 February 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) said it would be impossible to determine an inflection point. WHO spokesperson Tarik Jašarevic said, "At this stage, it is not possible to predict the spread of the virus as this is a new disease with many unknowns."
As of 20 February, 2114 of the 55,924 laboratory confirmed cases had died (crude fatality ratio [CFR2 ] 3.8%) (note: at least some of whom were identified using a case definition that included pulmonary disease). Individuals at highest risk for severe disease and death include people aged over 60 years and those with underlying conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and cancer. Patients who reported being retirees had the highest CFR at 8.9%. While patients who reported no comorbid conditions had a CFR of 1.4%, patients with comorbid conditions had much higher rates: 13.2% for those with cardiovascular disease, 9.2% for diabetes, 8.4% for hypertension, 8.0% for chronic respiratory disease, and 7.6% for cancer.
During a press conference Feb. 26, Donald Trump downplayed the 2019 coronavirus’s threat to the United States - "This is a flu. This is like a flu.". At one point, Trump said the virus might not hit the United States. Trump claimed that 15 Americans had contracted the new virus, even though the CDC's total count was then at 60. Trump insisted that the number of cases in the United States is "going very substantially down, not up." Trump said the United States is "rapidly developing a vaccine" for the coronavirus and would "essentially have a flu shot for this in a fairly quick manner."
“We are totally prepared,” Trump said at his campaign rally. “The press is in hysteria mode.” Donald Trump Jr., one of Trump's sons, accused members of the Democratic Party of wanting the coronavirus to kill “millions of people,” which he told Fox News Channel was a “new level of sickness” among opposition politicians.
Donald Trump accused Democrats of a new “hoax” over criticism of his handling of the coronavirus threat. “They're doing everything they can to instill fear in people, and I think it's ridiculous, and I think they're very disreputable,” he told reporters. "They tried the impeachment hoax. ... This is their new hoax,'' Trump said of Democratic denunciations of his administration's coronavirus response. Trump called for the media and politicians “not do anything to incite a panic because there's no reason to panic at all.” Trump said, “If you’re healthy, you’ll probably go through a process and you’ll be fine.” Other health officials stressed that they expect most of the of COVID-19 fatalities will be older people with existing serious health problems.
Investors did not regard it as a hoax. By 27 February 2020 US stock prices dropped for sixth straight session in a rout that wiped out nearly $5 trillion in value, with the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling 10 percent from highs achieved earlier in the month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted 1,191 points -- the largest single-day drop in history - a 4% single-day decline on the value of the stocks on the list. Terminal operations in Chinese ports were not going smoothly because truck drivers and port workers were missing. Container ships' round trips through Chinese ports were being increasingly cancelled because of low load levels. Crews were not being swapped in China. Saudi Arabia temporarily suspended entry for individuals seeking to perform Umrah pilgrimage in Mecca or visiting the Prophet's Mosque in Madina.
The Trump administration barred a top US disease expert from speaking freely to the public after he warned the coronavirus might be impossible to contain. The Trump administration has barred Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), from speaking publicly about the novel coronavirus without approval. Among the first steps Pence took was to institute measures to coordinate messaging, which would require top officials to seek clearance before making public statements on the illness.
Trump persisted 02 March 2020 in making false assurances about U.S. preparedness for the coronavirus outbreak and the prospects for a quick vaccine, or even cure. “We’re talking about a vaccine. Maybe a cure is possible. But we’re talking about a vaccine and they’re moving along very quickly, all of the pharmaceutical companies, are moving along very quickly.” [remarks before a meeting with Colombian President Iván Duque] The U.S. may have a vaccine “relatively soon” and “something that makes you feel better ... sooner” [evening rally in North Carolina].
The coronavirus outbreak in Iran became a source of controversy, following the disclosure by an Iranian parliament member that 50 people have died from the virus solely in the city of Qom. Iran’s health ministry insisted on 24 February 2020 that only 12 people have died from the virus in the entire country. At least four senior government officials announced that they tested positive for the virus. The first was Iran’s deputy minister of health, Iraj Harirchi, coming after a news conference where he looked sweaty and unwell. The second is prominent member of parliament, Mahmoud Sadeghi. The third is Masoumeh Ebtekar, a vice president in the Islamic Republic and a spokeswoman for the 1979 Islamic revolutionary hostage-takers. Mojtaba Zonnouri, a hard-line cleric from Qom who also serves in parliament, posted a video online acknowledging he had been infected. A total of four Iranian lawmakers tested positive for the coronavirus as the rapid spread of the outbreak forced the cancellation of Friday Prayers in many mosques across the country.
                  Wuhan Medical Center Hospital Doctor Li Wenliang and eight other medical staff disclosed the novel coronavirus epidemic in WeChat at the end of December 2019. On New Year's Day, Wuhan police summoned them, and accused them of distributing false information. At that time, Li Wenliang signed and printed his handprint at the request of the police. About 20 days later, the official acknowledged for the first time that the new type of pneumonia was indeed transmitted from some people. Dr. Li Wenliang contracted the virus while treating patients, and his death was confirmed 07 February 2020.
By late February 2020 at least 760 million people were locked down in China according to a New York Times analysis of government announcements in provinces and major cities. That's more than half the country’s population. After authorities extended the Lunar New Year holiday by 10 days in an attempt to contain the new coronavirus outbreak that had killed more than 900 people and infected more than 40,000, most provinces in China ended the official holiday on Monday 10 February 2020. According to the notice issued by the State Council, only the "businesses essential to the welfare of the general population" are allowed to reopen. Amid concerns of a potential uptick in cases as people return to work, the official ending of the holiday did not lead to the widespread reopening of businesses as the entire country remained on high alert. Across China, large companies extended their holiday until February 17 as well. However, the majority of the workforce in China is employed in informal sectors, such as construction. Many of those workers struggled since their daiy income dried up and are anxiously waiting to return to work.
Chongqing and Chengdu were two of the urban centers to join a list of approximately 80 which have put the entire city under effective lockdown. In addition to restricting the movement of residents, some cities have closed themselves off to arrivals.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new coronavirus an international emergency on 30 January 2020 but held off on recommending restrictions on the movement of people. The UN health agency praised "China's aggressive containment effort". The World Health Organization, which faced criticism for initially downplaying the virus threat, revised its risk assessment after crisis talks in Geneva. "Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries with weaker health systems," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The United States told its citizens not to travel to China in the first major response to the WHO's declaration of a global emergency. The State Department in Washington raised it warning alert to the highest level, telling US citizens not to travel to China because of the epidemic which has now spread to more than 20 nations.




The Diamond Princess cruise ship was quarantined off the Japanese port of Yokohama on 03 February 2020 after reports that one of the passengers had the new type of coronavirus. The Diamond Princess, operated by a US company, departed from Yokohama on January 20th. Its 16-day itinerary featured stops in Kagoshima, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan, and Okinawa. The original passenger manifest included 2,666 travelers from 56 countries and regions and 1,045 crewmembers. The health authorities say about half are Japanese nationals.

A total of 20 people aboard Carnival Japan’s Diamond Princess had been diagnosed with the virus since it arrived at the port city of Yokohama. The vessel and its 3,700 passengers and crew members have been quarantined after a passenger who disembarked after the ship docked in Hong Kong late last month tested positive for the virus. The number of people infected with novel coronavirus on board the cruise ship quarantined off the Japanese coast had risen from 20 to 61, Japan's NHK broadcaster reported 07 February 2020 citing the Ministry of Health. According to the outlet, passengers and crew members who showed symptoms such as fever, or were in close contact to others who were infected, were tested for the virus. Those newly infected will be transported to medical institutions in Tokyo, Saitama, Chiba, and Shizuoka Prefectures, as well as Kanagawa Prefecture. Japan's Health Minister Katsunobu Kato advised that the ship would be quarantined for two weeks, and all passengers would be required to remain on board. There were some 3,700 people on board the vessel, including 2,666 guests and 1,045 crew members, according to Princess Cruises. Passengers could not leave their cabins for any reason, and that all food would be delivered by the ship’s crew.

The huge vessel moored in Yokohama near Tokyo was easily the biggest coronavirus cluster outside the Chinese epicentre, with 621 positive cases confirmed among the passengers and crew. On 19 February 2020, 443 passengers disembarked from the ship after testing negative for the COVID-19 virus and not showing symptoms during a 14-day quarantine period. The complete removal of the passengers was expected to take at least three days. A specialist in infectious diseases at Kobe University rocked the boat with a video slamming "completely chaotic" quarantine procedures onboard, in rare criticism from a Japanese official. "The cruise ship was completely inadequate in terms of infection control," said Kentaro Iwata in videos he has since deleted, saying "there is no need to discuss this further".
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said foreign passengers on another ship carrying about 2,000 people will not be allowed to enter Japan. Abe said virus-infected passengers may be on board, while the operator of Holland America’s Westerdam denied anyone was infected. The ship is currently near Ishigaki, an island of Okinawa. About 3,600 passengers are stuck aboard another ship remains off the Hong Kong's coast, with three cases on board.
Taiwan announced it was banning all international cruise ships from docking at the island.
Donald Trump was a loud, xenophobic, anti-science critic of the 2014 Ebola response (calling Pres. Obama a "dope" and urging him to leave behind in Africa any Americans who contracted the disease). His instincts seemed wrong for the novel coronavirus challenge -- and his distrust of government experts was paricularly worrisome. In July 2018, President Trump reversed President Obama's decision (made after the Ebola epidemic) to create a special unit within the National Security Council to address such issues; Trump disbanded this team. Congress also had not kept up with key investments in research and preparedness. The special hospital network set up in 2014 to deal with challenges like the coronavirus was set to run out of money in May 2020.


Influenza vaccine can prevent illness in approximately 70-90% of healthy people aged less than 65 years. Among elderly people living outside of nursing homes or similar chronic-care facilities, influenza vaccine is 30-70% effective in preventing hospitalization for pneumonia and influenza. Among elderly persons residing in nursing homes, the vaccine can be 50-60% effective in preventing hospitalization or pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death.

During seasons when the flu vaccine viruses are similar to circulating flu viruses, flu vaccine has been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40 percent to 60 percent. Some people may experience flu like symptoms despite getting vaccinated is that they may have been exposed to a flu virus that is very different from the viruses the vaccine is designed to protect against. The ability of a flu vaccine to protect a person depends largely on the similarity or “match” between the viruses selected to make the vaccine and those spreading and causing illness. There are many different flu viruses that spread and cause illness among people.

For everything that virologists have learned about rhinoviruses — the cause of the majority of colds — they have not invented a vaccine for them. The development of vaccines for the common cold has been difficult because of antigenic variability of the common cold virus and the indistinguishable multiple other viruses and even bacteria acting as infective agents. There is uncertainty regarding the efficacy and safety of interventions for preventing the common cold in healthy people. Rhinoviruses are a wily foe. They’ve evolved into many different forms, and so antibodies to one form (known as a serotype) usually don’t work against any others.

Some types of rhinovirus can invade deep into the lungs. Many cases of childhood pneumonia turn out to be caused by rhinoviruses. Rhinoviruses are especially dangerous for people who already have certain chronic disorders such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Even a mild cold can trigger runaway inflammation in their lungs. It turns out that the majority of asthma attacks are brought on by rhinoviruses.

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