So much has been written about coronavirus that for a person confined to their house under lockdown has nothing else to read but the news and comments about this virus. The entire newspapers and most of the news on the internet have nothing to offer but the sordid news about the spread of this virus in all corners of the world. Every morning one gets up and eagerly looks for some good news about this virus, but is disappointed to see that there is no visible silver lining about discovery of any possible treatment of this virus, which is spreading like jungle fire around the globe. It looks that it might take many more weeks and months to hear some breakthrough in finding a proper vaccine or medicine for its treatment. So far the portents are very grave and there are hardly any visible signs that any cure would be found out within the foreseeable future. This is the first occasion in all history when the gravity of danger from the same source is being felt so intensely by all countries on a universal basis. In the case of previous spread of great viruses like the Spanish flue or Ebola spread, the danger was not so acutely felt as now because of a vibrant media and internet. In America, being the most resourceful country, 14.65% of the population of its state of New York has been hit by COVID-19. According to the latest report, in the United States 1.01M people have been affected, 114K people have recovered, and the death toll is 56,634 people. A new study shows that hospitalizations, ventilators, and other health resources that patients would require could cost the United States $654 billion for the proper treatment of coronavirus infected people. The first good news is that the latest research has suggested that coronavirus survivors’ plasma could save lives, and second, independent research studies have shown the benefit of receiving infusions of blood from COVID-19 survivors. The teams – both based in China – extracted blood plasma from patients who had recovered from COVID-19, which contained antibodies against the disease. The first study from the National Engineering Technology Research Center for Combined Vaccines in Wuhan gave plasma to 10 patients who were severely ill with COVID-19. Six days after receiving the infusion, the COVID-19 virus was undetectable in seven of the 10 patients. Scientists are however in disagreement over whether the virus is airborne or not. A study from a Chinese Hospital treated five ill patients with plasma from survivors. After 10 days three of the patients no longer needed ventilation. The preliminary findings of this century-old technique come as patients in New York City and Houston have started receiving antibody-loaded plasma. Scientists are hopeful that this technique will work, provided that the blood is properly screened. The advantage of coronavirus-survivor plasma is that it’s readily available, unlike drugs or vaccines which could take months or years to develop. This is the most heartening news in the treatment of COVID-19 so far. The first good news is that the latest research has suggested that coronavirus survivors’ plasma could save lives, and second, independent research studies have shown the benefit of receiving infusions of blood from COVID-19 survivors The result of one of the latest researches is that there is a loss of taste and smell in corona patients, which is an important symptom for COVID-19. This loss of sense of taste and smell may be the best way to tell whether someone has COVID-19. A distinguished researcher says, “When combined with other symptoms, people with loss of smell and taste appear to be three times more likely to have contracted COVID-19. This suggests that such people should, therefore, self-isolate themselves for seven days to reduce the spread of the disease.” Another research shows that coronavirus can infect cats but pet owners need not worry. This Chinese research suggests that cats can be infected with COVID-19 and spread it to other cats via respiratory droplets but other animals including dogs, chickens, pigs and ducks, are unlikely to catch the virus. The World Health Organization says that the virus is transmitted through droplets that are sneezed or coughed out, much in the same way that the common cold is spread. However, some researchers argue that there is preliminary evidence that the virus spreads in particles that are much smaller than droplets known as aerosols, which are less than five micrometers in diameter (more than 12 times smaller than the average diameter of a single human hair). They are advising increased ventilation of indoors and in confined spaces as a precaution as aerosols can linger in the air for long periods of time and travel further than droplets. It has not so far been concluded whether COVID-19 is airborne or not, but many researchers agree that a conclusive evidence for airborne transmission could take years. In the meantime, increasing ventilation and wearing masks (with priority going to healthcare workers, those with symptoms and vulnerable populations) could be beneficial. But the latest research concludes that the virus that causes COVID-19 is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. These droplets are too heavy to hang in the air. They quickly fall on floors or surfaces. You can be infected by breathing in the virus if you are within one metre of a person who has COVID-19, or by touching a contaminated surface and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth before washing your hands. Latest world-wide figures show that there are a total of 3,012.215 cases, out of which there have been 887,982 recoveries, and the total deaths are 207,856. Pakistan has reported 11,940 cases, including 253 deaths, while India has reported 24,942 cases, including 779 deaths. Both Pakistan and India have partially allowed shops in residential areas to reopen from a couple of days ago, that is more than a month after both countries went into lockdown, which was deemed essential to give relief to the general public. The writer is a former member of the Provincial Civil Service, and an author of Moments in Silence