WHO informed on June 19 that the COVID-19 pandemic is taking a “new and dangerous phase”. The virus has created havoc all across the globe, starting from Wuhan China, reaching Italy, and then to the rest of the world. Italy had reported of the coronavirus around that time it was reported in Wuhan. WHO sheds new light on the possibilities of virus spread and how the current outbreak in Beijing might be related to COVID contamination in Europe.
As of now, the death toll across the globe is 465,000 and the number of people affected are 8.8 million. Several places of Asia and America are most effected right now, while the curve is flattening in Europe. Many European countries have also started easing out lockdown measures, but most of the American and Asian places have had to adopt herd immunity due to economic crisis.
Warnings from WHO for COVID-19 Pandemic
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus virtually reported to a press conference and revealed that the current phase of the coronavirus pandemic can be dangerous. He also said that he understands how people are getting frustrated at homes due to prolonged lockdown or work-from-home scenarios. However, the COVID-19 pandemic might take a worse turn due to the rising spread in several countries and new possibilities of the spread.
Scientists still need more time to research and give a clear update on the coronavirus. Moreover, a clear vaccine with definitive results might take time to develop. Even though the researchers are going through several trials, there is much more work to do in terms of identifying more symptoms of the virus.
Coronavirus traces in the sewage of Italy
According to the ISS Institute, the SARS-CoV-2 i.e COVID-19’s genetic traces in the wastewater samples collected from Turin and Milan around December 2019. Similar traces were found in Bologna around January 2020. However, Italy didn’t have confirmed cases in till February. ISS said that the results helped to study the beginning of the spread of the virus in Italy. The country was the first in Europe to report of coronavirus and also the first to imply lockdown measures in March.
Europe’s economic condition
There were other European countries that followed the same path as Italy. Many countries are reopening the lockdown in this month. The lockdown was terribly painful for people of those countries due to the economy. The European Union has reported about facing the worst recession in history. The leaders organized a virtual summit to propose the European commission’s $840/€750 billion rescue fund.
Though the plan was a major gesture of solidarity and could unite the troubled bloc, it wasn’t a successful deal. The oppose came from “frugal four” – Austria, Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark. The four countries fought in order to restrain spending. Spain and Italy are quite a lot in danger due to the economic condition and have overstretched finances. These two countries have been most affected due to the pandemic.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said that there was uncertainty if at all the deal would go through. Though the leaders will meet in mid-July, the deal may not be done until the summer ends.
How Beijing’s new outbreak can be related to Europe
The scientists of China said that the coronavirus emerged in the meat market of Wuhan in December. Now Beijing’s officials are saying that the virus may emerge elsewhere, maybe in Europe.
Beijing had controlled the spread of the virus. They had also relaxed the lockdown restrictions but they are now facing the second wave of coronavirus. The virus is spreading from a cluster centered on a market in the capital of Beijing.
Chinese Authorities launched a campaign nationwide. They will inspect food coming from all over. Health officials are running tests on thousands of people in Beijing. The schools and neighborhoods have gone back to lockdown again.
The authorities of China said that research of genome data indicated that new cases in Beijing originated from viruses in Europe. The current spread is different in nature though and WHO has shared the data with China already.
Zhang Yong of CDC China said that it was older than the virus currently spreading. He also indicated the chances of the virus being in imported frozen food or in the Xinfadi wholesale market itself.