Living in a 21-day long Lockdown in my home in Chandigarh, the disputed capital of Indian Punjab, I found my life a bit stressed, boring and hardly expecting any excitement soon. Being a journalist by profession, it has become a habit to scan three-four daily newspapers and view some e-papers and news portals on internet with the blessings of Google. Every news, editorial and articles, TV programmes and social media video clippings all talk about preventive measure and preachy sermons, about COVID-19. Everywhere the news is about rising numbers of corona affected patients, and increasing number of people dying from the onslaught of cruel coronavirus. Every message in newspaper or on TV programmes and highly pro-active social media, just reflects a sense of scare and gloom. Resulting in stress and sadness. There is nothing that changes one’s mood by bringing in some relief and excitement. Everyone anxicously hoping for a break-through in vaccine and therapeutic medicine that controls /prevents the deadly Corona’s affects.
But, staying in such a above narrated gloomy environment, a news came from Wuhan, China, the considered epicentre of Global pandemic that appeared on various newspapers’ front pages with photographs of celebrations, has also cheered me today (9th April 2020). China has lifted Wuhan Lockdown after 76 days on 8th April, 2020, and has also allowed it’s at least 50,000 effected people after recovery to go home. Images from Wuhan, a Chinese city of 11 million people, known for manufacturing cars (where from the pandemic originated), overwhelmed with joy and happiness, the residents waved flags, city staged a light show with skyscrapers and bridges radiating images of health workers happily recovered patients. The recently cured persons and Wahun’s health staff, hugging each other and making selfies, made me happy, my face blushed and eye gleamed. A ray of hope made me confidant that humanity will soon win the war against coronavirus world-wide.
Tens of thousands Wuhans immediately jumped on trains and planes to leave to their homes to be with their eagerly awaiting love ones and families. However, the flights to Beijing and International destinations were kept closed/shut. But some people from Wuhan arriving in Beijing were put to two rounds of testing for virus.
At least ninety per cent of the world is under Lockdown to maintain social distancing, because of coronavirus. The world leaders need to work unitedly, pooling their resources and knowledge to fight this deadly coronavirus. No country should shy of asking China, how it has brought under control the death rate as well as the further spread of the pandemic to other parts of China.
Instead of indulging in blame games, accusing and counter accusing, let world powers first control the coronavirus by utilising know-how and strategy that China has applied. I don’t think if China is approached to seek help it would shy away from its responsibility to serve humanity. China has already exported three billion masks, other medical equipment’s and ventilators to various countries and sent his doctors and health staff to trained indigenous staff. China has also deputed its doctors, nurses and other medical staff to Pakistan for providing training to their health staff and doctors to overcome coronavirus. This has sent positive signals world over.
Coming to Wuhan where from the Coronavirus is believed to have originated. And when Coronavirus spread was still at its initial stage, everyone blamed China and their non-veg eating habits of consuming every genre of animal, mammals, birds and sea food and the meat of one of the animals, which acted as a carrier of the coronavirus. Meat of two mammals-the Bats and the Pangolins-are suspected as a source of carrying coronavirus that spread everywhere. Many business men from several nations visiting Wuhan, had also believed to have carried the corona to their respective countries. This charge needs an intensive scientific study to find out firm conclusions. That issue should be left for the time being and should be taken up again at appropriate time, after the world wins war against Coronavirus.
Now, the world has received a reverse development news that stated that at a few places, corona has been spread form human-to-animals. There have been handful of cases of pets being infected; the indications are that they contracted it from humans. This came to light after a large cat in a New York’s Bronx Zoo, contracted coronavirus from human beings, the Zoo caretakers. The large cat also showed the similar symptoms as have been observed in affected human beings. At the Bronx Zoo, Nadia, her sister Azul, two Amur tigers and three African lions, all have developed a dry cough but are expected to recover. The cats experienced some decreased appetite, though they have been otherwise healthy.
Subsequently, the Bronx Zoo said in a statement “it is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections, but we will continue to monitor them closely and anticipate full recoveries.” Other tigers and big cats at the zoo have not shown any symptoms of disease, the zoo said.
Now, the Bronx Zoo, one of the largest in the United States and one of New York’s top attractions, houses roughly 6,000 animals, has been closed to public. Taking clue from New York Zoo, India after consulting the Bronx Zoo authorities, have also closed its Zoo all over the country, as a precautionary measure.
Recently, a pet cat in Belgium tested positive for the coronavirus, but the American Veterinary Medical Association has said that not enough was yet known to change the current view that neither cats nor dogs appear to be able to pass the virus. The pet-cats in Belgium are reported to have contracted the virus from its female-host, owner.
There have been reports about two pet dogs presumed to have “caught” the coronavirus from the owners in Hong Kong. The first dog, a 17-year-old Pomeranian, tested a weak positive for the virus at the end of February, Live Science reported. The dog died in mid-March, though the exact cause of death is not known, as the owner didn’t allow an autopsy. A second dog, a German shepherd, tested positive for coronavirus but showed no symptoms of the disease, Bloomberg reported.
The coronavirus spreading from animals to humans and from to humans to animals, also needs a thorough research for future precautions and care. According to a report published in UK’s eminent newspaper Guardian, Chinese researchers investigating the animal origin of the coronavirus outbreak in China, have said that the endangered pangolin may be the “missing link” between bats and humans.
Bats are known carriers of the latest strains of the disease. The Guardian report further pointed out that a “genetic analysis showed that the strain of the virus currently spreading among humans was 96% identical to that found in bats.”
But according to Arnaud Fontanet, from France’s Pasteur Institute, the disease did not jump straight from bats to humans. “We think there’s another animal that’s an intermediary,” reported AFP.
Peoples are scared and fearful, after knowing that the celebrity like Prince Charles, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau wife of Canadian prime Minister Justin Trudeau, have also been infected by the Coronavirus. Even though these celebrities are well protected from coming in to contact with ordinary human being.
Till Wednesday (8th April 2020) night, more than 14,600 Americans had lost their lives due to coronavirus and over 4.3 lakh have tested positive for the killer disease. Although, scientists and the medical fraternity all-over the world, are racing against time to find a vaccine and a therapeutic solution to it. However, Hydroxychloroquine has been identified by the US Food and Drug Administration as a “possible treatment” for the COVID-19. It is being tested on more than 1,500 coronavirus patients in New York. Anticipating that it would work, having produce some initial positive results, US President Donald Trump has bought from India, more than 30 million doses of hydroxychloroquine for potential treatment of COVID-19 patients. Under mild pressure from Trump, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has opened the export of hydroxychloroquine on Wednesday and have also raised the production capacity at its four pharmaceutical plants to 50 per cent.
SOME COVID-19’s TAIL PIECES
In India, Family members of those whose life was consumed by coronavirus, have behaved in an abnormal manner. It is sad reflection on Indian family values. The coronavirus scared relatives refused to accept the corpse of relatives packed in special anti-virus bags. A national awardee Ragi (Musician) bestowed with Padam Shri, fourth highest National Civilian awarded Ragi Nirmal Singh, 58, (an eminent Ragi at Darbar Sahib, Golden Temple), Amritsar, was not allowed cremation at public cremation grounds, first in Amritsar and then at Verka town, 20 kms, away from Amritsar. He was cremated in a field offered by a Sikh devotee. Despite being a national highest awardee Ragi Nirmal Singh was not even provided normal treatment at the Government hospital, Amritsar, Punjab. Under protocol defined for the Civil National awardees, who has to be given a special treatment at every national function, however, failed to get proper treatment, and died in the Government.
In another case woman’s off springs refused to accept mother’s corpse, from hospital where she breath her last, following corona attack. They even no to cremate her, when the district administration invited them to do so. Even they refused to lit the pyre. An official lit the pyre, according to news reports.
Yet in another case members of a Hindu family refused to carry the corpse for cremation. It surprised everybody, when four Muslims neighbours, showed the grace by paying respect to the dead woman and became pall bearers, carrying her body to cremation ground for cremation.
The writer is senior journalist and Indo-Pak peace activist