2020 Corona Virus Pandemic
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new virus. You can read more about this deadly disease and how it spreads here. Today 13th April 2020 marks 32 days since our “normal” everyday life was turned upside.
It is a full month since the Irish government ordered the closure of schools, colleges and banned the gathering of large crowds in public places.
The term “social distancing” is on everyone’s lips as we negotiate our way through a new reality.
32 days on and with further restrictions implemented we are now confined to our homes with some exceptions as the world continues to fight against this century’s deadly virus pandemic.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a new virus. You can read more about this deadly disease and how it spreads here.
Made in China
As children growing up a lot of our toys and games that we played with bore the trademark “made in China”.
At last count, it is estimated that approx. 80% of all children’s toys be they plastic, wooden, electronic, technical or educational are made in China.
Toys, of course, are not the only Chinese export and because of the number of products produced and exported from China to the rest of the world the trade travel alone to and from China is vast and wide-reaching.
31st December 2019
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On the final day of the 10th and the last year of the 2010s decade the virus was recorded to have infected a number of citizens of Wuhan, a province in China with a population of just over 11 million people.
The day following the Epiphany or more commonly known as Little Christmas and within 7 days of the first revelation, the disease was confirmed as a “new virus” 2019-nCov later to be known as COVID-19 or Coronavirus.
Five days later China reported its first fatality – this was to be the start of a worldwide pandemic which we are currently living through.
Around the World in 30 Days
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In early January, 13 days into the new decade and just after it had claimed it’s first life, the Coronavirus made an appearance outside of mainland China. This was recorded in a man in Thailand.
In an effort to curtail the spread the Chinese authorities set about isolating the whole of Wuhan from the rest of China were those recorded as having the virus exceeded 500 and more deaths ensued.
Elsewhere around the world and ironically on the “Celebration of Life” day on 22nd January countries like South Korea, Australia, and European countries like UK and France along with the United States of America begin to confirm cases of the virus in their countries.
Saturday 25th January and what should have been the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations spanning 15 days of festivities have for the most part been called off or cancelled.
Within a month and by the 31st January 2020 the virus went from being an unidentified worry to being labelled a public health emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Running rampant in Europe
By early February and with the death toll in China rising and surpassing previous outbreaks of virus infections the 3rd February 2020 is declared a Coronavirus Public Holiday by the Chinese in an effort to slow the progress of the virus.
21 provinces, municipalities and other regions in China have told workers and businesses not to resume work before 10th February. and with confirmed cases running into the tens of thousands a team of WHO experts were deployed to China to try and get a handle on what was happening there.
11 days into February 2020 and the WHO officially name the Coronavirus, COVID-19.
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Then on the International Day of Love in the country that is broadly known as the most romantic place of all, France announced its first fatality from the coronavirus.
On 20th February – World Day of Social Justice, South Korea reported its first fatality. And with numbers of confirmed cases jumping by hundreds each day this country was recorded as being the 2nd worst country outside of China to be affected by the coronavirus.
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6 days before the end of the month on 23rd February in the North West of Italy the Lombardy region reports its first community transmission of the coronavirus.
Within a very short space of time, Italy is forced to closedown towns in Lombardy as cases grow rapidly within days.
All sporting events are also cancelled.
Europe has become infected!
…to be continued here…
8 Comments
Kenechi Obinna · April 14, 2020 at 2:59 pm
The coronavirus has really affected so many and it has created an unforgettable story in the history of the world.
As you discussed the situation in Italy, I am intrigued to know the present situation of things in Italy. I hope you will talk about it more in your next post.
I’m hopeful that this coronavirus will no longer be found anywhere soon.
Julie Anne Byrne · April 15, 2020 at 8:56 pm
Hi Kenechi, thanks for your comment, yes this virus has been far and wide-reaching.
The world prays that it will soon be eliminated.
Be well, Julie Anne
Gomer · April 14, 2020 at 3:03 pm
We’ve been seeing things happen via news on TV, and yet people here in our place feel relaxed as if there’s no threat coming.
We live here in a rural community south of Manila, something like a rural or agricultural place where houses are far from each other, so you can imagine, if Coronavirus comes here, it won’t spread or be transmitted from one person to another.
I’d like to tune in to your blog to keep me aware of what’s happening with the rest of the world.
Keep posting, this website of yours will be one of my sources of information online about current affairs especially this COVID-19 crisis.
Julie Anne Byrne · April 15, 2020 at 9:01 pm
Hi Gomer
You are lucky you live in such remoteness as the big cities around the world are struggling to cope, and with their health systems coming under such immense pressure, it really is quite frightening the number of fatalities being recorded.
I hope you enjoy reading the next update of my blog.
Happy reading and be well, Julie Anne
OGG · April 14, 2020 at 3:04 pm
I still can’t believe we’re 4 months into 2020 and this pandemic has no signs of slowing down.
Life as we know it will change forever. With the lockdown fully in place and is due to be extended for another month or so, almost everything has gone digital. Everything has been done online.
There’s no end in sight yet for this pandemic, so all we can do is remain calm, and keep safe.
Stay safe and thanks for sharing!
Julie Anne Byrne · April 15, 2020 at 9:22 pm
Thanks OGG, I think we just need to let it run its course and try to stay out of harm’s way. Making sure to keep ourselves and our loved ones protected.
I firmly believe by boosting our immune systems and ensuring our physical and mental health is taken care of this too will certainly arm us with the right tools to fight any attack on our systems.
Stay safe and be well, Julie Anne
laertes · April 14, 2020 at 3:55 pm
Do agree with what you reported Ms Julie Anne, it is nice that you shared your article to others because it is timely since almost all countries in the world are affected by Covid19 infection.
Known health authorities all over the world designed preventive strategies and policies to prevent its spread from country to another country and to the rest of the world, but it seems that the plan fails.
The making of the vaccines took place a few years back based on the old coronavirus that infected thousands of Chinese in early 2000, but the development is slow because coronavirus is hard to grow in-vitro.
Until such time that it hits Wuhan, China in the month of December 2019 and it mutated to 3 different variants ( type A,B & C) of which the corresponding type infects different countries and killed thousands of people.
The lockdowns will continue maybe for a year until a vaccine will be developed and I think the vaccine will be released in early September this year as revealed by a scientist from England.
A new drug has also been developed lately as a broad-spectrum antibiotic designed for Ebola but is quite effective in Covid19 patients in the U.K. The drug is Remdesivir which is recently published in New England Journal in Medicine by Gilead sciences.
Recent findings in China revealed that Covid19 can also be transmitted by ultrafine aerosol that can float or suspended above the air for hours as Covid19 was collected 13 feet above from Covid19 infected patients admitted in the intensive care unit in China.
Likewise, you can be infected with the virus 2 or 3 times a year just like you can with having flu 2 or 3 times a year…in short, you cannot develop what we call herd immunity from Covid19 virus.
If you want a more thorough reading of what I commented here, then you can email me and I will send you the link of my published article.
Thanks and Good day Julie!
Julie Anne Byrne · April 15, 2020 at 9:59 pm
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Dr Laertes on the subject of the COVID-19 virus they are greatly appreciated.
I truly believe given the worldwide race to find a vaccine that one shall be found soon rather than later, whether it will be the “right one” remains to be seen.
I believe the survival of the world economy will dictate how quickly a vaccine will be implemented across the globe.
It is my understanding of what I have read that this virus is like no other and attacks the body differently than that of a normal flu virus, but I am not a medical physician nor do I have a medical degree so I cannot really comment on the treatment of the coronavirus.
I would very much like to read further your published article, thank you.
Stay safe, and be well, Julie Anne