The WHO fact-finding team had initially rejected the possibility of a lab-leak saying it is “extremely unlikely” and that further investigation into it was not required. However, at a press briefing on February 12, the WHO Chief Tedros A Ghebreyesus appeared to backpaddle saying that on discussing with a few team members “all hypotheses [including … Continue reading Explained: Probing the origin of SARS-CoV-2 virus
Hubei province
Conspiracy theories about SARS-CoV-2 virus origin put to rest
In contrast to a lab-origin, the investigation by the WHO team now strongly suggests virus origin to a natural reservoir in bats, but unlikely to have been in Wuhan. The virus jumping directly from bats to humans is highly unlikely and initial investigation too suggests the introduction into humans through an intermediary host species. By … Continue reading Conspiracy theories about SARS-CoV-2 virus origin put to rest
COVID-19: China’s dangerous obsession with secrecy a serious threat to global public health
Contrary to what was earlier reported, China confirmed to the WHO of the cluster of cases of ‘viral pneumonia of unknown cause’ on January 3 only after the global body twice reached out to the Chinese authorities on January 1-2. Powerful countries cannot be allowed to endanger the lives of global public by shirking responsibility. … Continue reading COVID-19: China’s dangerous obsession with secrecy a serious threat to global public health
Coronavirus: Trump finds a scapegoat in WHO
After blaming coronavirus as democrats’ new hoax, and calling the microbe as “China virus”, WHO has now become Mr. Trump’s latest scapegoat for all the failures of his administration in containing the spread. After blaming the Democrats for investing a ‘hoax’ in the form of novel coronavirus, and pointing fingers at China by calling the … Continue reading Coronavirus: Trump finds a scapegoat in WHO
Coronavirus cases cross one million without counting asymptomatic ones
On April 2, novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) cases crossed one million and deaths passed 50,000. Besides missing out people with mild symptoms and underreporting, the actual number of infected people will be manifold higher as most countries do not test people who are asymptomatic. On April 2, the number of people infected with novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) … Continue reading Coronavirus cases cross one million without counting asymptomatic ones
Coronavirus: Undetected cases drive virus spread in the community
Eighty-six percent of people in China infected with novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) but undetected before travel restrictions came into effect were the source of infection for 79% of documented cases, a paper in Science says. Eighty-six percent of people in China who were infected with novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) were not tested in the two week period … Continue reading Coronavirus: Undetected cases drive virus spread in the community
COVID-19 has higher death rate than influenza, Tedros says
Contrary to the notion that COVID-19 has less death rate compared with influenza, WHO says about 3.4% of reported COVID-19 cases have died globally compared with generally far fewer than 1% of those infected with influenza. Contrary to the general notion that coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has less death rate compared with influenza (commonly called as … Continue reading COVID-19 has higher death rate than influenza, Tedros says
Novel coronavirus marches on outside China
Even as the number of laboratory confirmed novel coronavirus cases has come down in the last few days in mainland China, its spread continues unchecked in other countries. The epidemic in South Korea, Italy and Iran is causing alarm, while Hong Kong and Singapore appear to have reined in the virus. Even as the number … Continue reading Novel coronavirus marches on outside China
Explained: Novel coronavirus has spread to 49 countries, but why WHO will not declare it a pandemic now
Though 3,346 confirmed novel coronavirus cases have been reported from 49 countries outside mainland China, WHO says it will not declare it a pandemic now. The reason: Using the word pandemic carelessly has no tangible benefit, but has significant risk in terms of amplifying unjustified fear. On February 26, for the first time since the … Continue reading Explained: Novel coronavirus has spread to 49 countries, but why WHO will not declare it a pandemic now
Window of opportunity to contain COVID-19 is narrowing, warns WHO chief
The window of opportunity to contain novel coronavirus is narrowing as the number of cases with no clear epidemiological link, such as travel history to China or contact with a confirmed case is increasing in many countries, WHO chief cautioned. With a spike in the number of new confirmed cases in 'many countries with no … Continue reading Window of opportunity to contain COVID-19 is narrowing, warns WHO chief
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