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| Dunlop More, Kolkata during Lockdown Photo source: internet/unknown |
Soon the COVID-19 started detecting in several other countries. So far worst hit countries are Italy, Spain, France, UK and USA. China is reporting negligible no. of new cases after March 15.
Initially there were few conspiracy theories landed up, as SARS-CoV2 is a bioweapon made by China. However bioweapons like Anthrax does possess features like high infectivity, high virulence, non-availability of vaccines, and availability of an effective and efficient delivery system. That does not go with SARS-Cov2. But many say that China saw this outbreak back in August as they recovered so fast. And China did not inform it to the world, as the world suffers til date due to Covid-19.
The most probable source of nCoV-19 is batmeat sold in Wuhan wild meat/seafood market. The conspiracy theories were lined up due to the proximity of The Wuhan Institute of Virology from that market. Also due to the fact that China silenced the whistle blower doctor who later died of nCoV-19.
Human coronavirus is known since 1960s for creating flu like symptoms during winter and early spring. It is caused by hCoV 229E ＆ OC43 and self limiting in nature. However the antibodies of hCoV is not long lasting, so second, third or more seasonal infections are common. As per experts SARS patients got Ab lasting for 8-10 years but that didn't happen with MERS recovered patients. We are yet to know that in case of CoVid-19.
On March 13, I got message that France is closing its educational houses w.e.f. March 16.
India reported its first case on January 30, 2020 from Kerala. First three cases were from Kerala, all 3 are students returning from Wuhan.
Since early March India started its anti Covid-19 drive. Many hospitals started establishing isolation wards, and state governments started set up of Corona specific hospitals. On March 17 West Bengal reported its first case in a person returned from UK.
In West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee started lock down by phased manner. On March 17 schools and colleges were shut down (til March 31) and lock down was announced initially from March 23 - 27 and later extended til March 31.
PM of India, Narendra Modi declared a 14-hour voluntary public curfew on March 22 and asked the masses to show gratitude to the health workers. However after the curfew people went berserk - social isolation got fucked up in a bad way. On March 24 nationwide lock down begins for next 21 days. On April 14, PM Modi has announced extension of lockdown til May 3, 2020 across the country.
The COVID-19 +ve does not mean you land up into ventilator support, but even you are asymptomatic you can spread the virus and that's bad, very bad.
As per data from China, South Korea and Italy, the risk factors are: age more than 60 yrs, hypertension, diabetes, chronic lung/kidney/liver diseases. The elderly population and immunocompromised population are at great risk of dying.
Testing for Covid19 is done by quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) of the material obtained by nasal/thorat swab.
As Corona-days go by, it is felt that WB is not doing enough test for COVID-19 and that's why number is so small. GoWB also released an order, which is another way of telling that suppress the Covid data.
On April 11, lockdown extends to April 30 in West Bengal. Educational institutes will be closed til June 10.
From June 1st, the states and central government has started unlocking processes, saying Unlock v1.0. Now phase by phase many restrictions are being withdrawn. However local train services are yet to be started so far (dated 20th June, 2020).
India's COVID-19 scene is not very good, but still not unbearable. The daily new cases are increasing but recovery rate is also high; actually total recovered cases are more than total active cases. Til date, no vaccine or anti-COVID drug is available to prevent/cure the disease.
WHO or World Health Organization is supposed to be the dumbest health institute at this moment. First they did not hear to the alarm by Taiwanese government (in October ?), and they said nCoV will not infect humans. Even WHO went to China very late in January, and declared pandemic in March 11. And later on WHO is fumbling like an humpty dumpty - sometimes yes on something and then admitting that's not true completely. So we are trying to believe that WHO is loosing its credibility regarding this outbreak.
The article may be updated.
For Medical purpose and medical updates follow these pages.
Lancet resource on COVID 19:
https://www.thelancet.com/coronavirus
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine:
https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/research-action/covid-19
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