VIRUS OR CHAMELEON? DECLINING TREND, UPRISING HOPES.

It has been more than a year, people and various businesses are still suffering the ravages and the unpleasant consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. Beginning from the first case in China in November 2019 and Contemporarily covid-19 pandemic has taken more than 37 lakhs lives all across the globe. It has cost administrations, governments, businesses, organisations billions of dollars to at least continue surviving this pandemic and recovery is far more than expected. Within the period, the world has seen a plethora of other problems like democratic crises in various parts of the world. Army taking off the rule of government, China occupied Indian territory and the new president of the United States of America. It has taken more lives psychologically than caused biological problems because a lot of migrants, tourists, students are stranded 1000 miles apart from their homes and it has become miserable to disperse all of them accordingly. 

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE 

The world health organisation, a body under the economic and social council of the united nations has fought tirelessly and advised, aided various countries all across the globe. The aim of the WHO is to advise and attain good health standards internationally and universally. It has held more than 200 briefings, donated millions of dollars and devised various strategies to fight against the coronavirus. As a responsive organisation, it has never failed its part in contributing to any diminish the impact of any disease occurring globally. Let’s have a look at various geographical areas and their confirmation of the first coronavirus case in 2020. 

1. Thailand: recorded the first case outside the People’s republic of china and confirmed a lab test on January 13, 2020. 
2. Japan: first case on January 15, 2020. 
3. Americas: the US confirms the first case on 21 January 2020. 
4. European Union: France confirms three cases on 24 January 2020. 
5. Australia: confirmed the first case on 25 January 2020. 
6. Mediterranean: the UAE confirmed the first case on 29 January 2020. 
7. Africa: Egypt followed by Algeria reported its first case in January and February respectively. 
8. Antarctica: lost the status of the Covid free continent in December 2020 with confirmation of first cases. 

This shows us the brief timeline of the virus and how starting from sprawling cases it has now taken 37 lakh lives on the planet. There has been a spread of a lot of awareness and coronavirus protocol by the world health organisation to various countries to help lessen the transmission of the virus. 

North Korea became the first country to ban international travel to end the transmission of the virus and it became one of the most successful countries in the fight against coronavirus. Following that New Zealand and Australia became the next countries to lift the ban on travel and the ban is continuing to date which has resulted in misery for students enrolled in universities in New Zealand and Australia. On average International students pay 10 times the fee as domestic students and thus they continue to study online and never get exposed to territories of both countries. 

INDIA’S EARLIEST RESPONSE TO CORONAVIRUS :

The fight for the deadly pandemic began with prime minister Shri Narendra Modi unveiling the first-ever Janta curfew in the history of India which restricted the movement of 135 crores people from 7 am. All the activities were shut and only essential services were allowed to continue. At 5 p.m. all the citizens of the country were requested to come out of their balconies and door and Beat plates and spoons to honour and thank all those continuing those essential services in times of a medical emergency which a country like India never faced in its history of more than 1000 years. Right after this Janatha curfew on 22 st March 2020. Right after 2 days, India experienced something which is never expected to experience. Shri Narendra Modi introduced a 21-day lockdown for the whole nation to protect its civilians from the transmission of the virus. it is impossible to imagine a population of 135 crore people going under absolute lockdown and absolute shutdown of the economy but a prime minister like him, who is committed to the serving nation in all respects made it possible. India being an underrated country has set the example of the worlds largest lockdown ever. The months of September 2020, April and May of 2021 had costs India an unexpected number of cases and deaths. Some days in may even record more than 4 lakh cases a day but with constant efforts nationally and globally, the positivity rate today stands less than 2%. 

WHICH COUNTRIES ARE THE WORST AFFECTED IN EACH CONTINENT? 

1. Americas: The United States stands as the worst affected by the coronavirus even today with a total record of virus set at 33,072,912. 
2. Asia: India stands as the worst affected in Asia and recorded approximately 3 crore cases since the pandemic began. 
3. Europe: France and the United Kingdom stands as the worst affected countries contemporarily due to coronavirus and both of them have been slaves of more than 3 to 5 waves of the pandemic with different symptoms and variants. 
4. Australia and Newzealand: both have shown impeccable response to coronavirus and shut down every activity in an area recording only 100 cases or so. 
5. Africa: 14 countries in Africa are recording more than 30% increase in cases and a third wave is expected to fall this July in more than 8 countries including South Africa. 
6. Antarctica: it recorded cases in December 2020 but further records are unavailable due to scare population ad extremely low population. 

This article has certainly refreshed a lot of facts and contemporary analysis of the virus transmission, it is difficult to say whether how long it will continue because of changing nature of the virus.