ALERT: CORONAVIRUS GLOBAL OUTBREAK

–KAKALI DAS |

Amidst the disturbing hullabaloo over the socio-political sections of the country, none can overlook the epidemic far worse that might be coming from outside of the borders. We talked a great deal about Coronavirus over the past couple of weeks and we almost got the sense from the world that it is under control; that China has gotten a handle on the problem. Whereas, in the last 48 hours, 48 countries have now confirmed that the virus has reached their shores. To make it worse, during that time, more cases have emerged outside of China than inside. Three countries, specifically, Japan, Italy and Iran are now in near shutdown. The WHO, that until now refrained from calling it a pandemic has now said that how they deal with that in the next 48 hours as a human race would decide which way that would go.

The virus is spreading at a shocking rate across the world. One of the ways to enlighten that is by glancing at the global markets. The global markets are in a 7 days free-fall, as the businessmen have, suddenly, realised the havoc it will cause to their business if people fall sick at this increasing rate. As there are reports that our own sensex yesterday crashed about 1100 points as the investors lost 5 lakh crore wealth in a minute due to China shutting down. Countries beginning to panic the more its soaring high resulting an alarm. 11 villages have been shutdown in Italy; people, quarantined in a red zone until 4th of March. Japan declared a state of emergency. It’s very likely that the Olympics, Tokyo, 2020 will be cancelled as well which itself is unprecedented. To recall, Olympics was called off just once during the World War II in the past. Alongside, a shocking news is that the Health Minister of Iran, who from the past couple of days have been seen hustling from one TV channel to another, then one day had to confirm about he being infected too of that virus. The Vice President of Iran, who is in-charge of the human welfare has also been confirmed to get the virus, who was seen seated next to the President a couple of days ago. UAE halts all Iran flights over Coronavirus outbreak. The economists are worried that it would result in a global economic slowdown. 300 fishermen from Gujarat and other states are trapped in Iran.

The need of the hour for India is, “Are we prepared if there’s a massive outbreak here? “Are we checking all ports and airports? “Are we quarantining people coming from Iran and Japan too, alongside China?” “Do we have enough quarantined wards and beds enough prepared to handle the epidemic if it does break in India, especially in the rural and suburbs?”

Stay safe and adopt every necessary precautions given in the authentic websites like of WHO, Department of Health and Human Services etc.