There has been an outbreak of new Wuhan coronavirus in China infecting more than 800 residents and killing around 26. The virus is also spreading around the world, including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan and the United States.
Wuhan coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a respiratory tract virus, suspected to have emerged from Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China. The largest city in central China (Hubei province) with a population of 11 million saw the outbreak last month, and the market has been closed since January 1, 2020, for disinfection. It is feared that the coronavirus may take the shape of an epidemic as hundreds of millions of people travel to China to celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday.
The coronavirus belongs to a large family of viruses, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). The name derives from the crown-like spikes on the surface of the virus, and it affects small mammals like bats and pigs. Chinese krait and Chinese cobra can take up the virus from bats, and these snakes, sold in the local seafood market, are suspected to be the source of infection. The virus mutates quickly and thus can leap from animals to humans, then from human to human. However, the virus’ adaptation to both warm-blooded and cold-blooded hosts is still a mystery.
The Wall Street Journal reports, “Seven strains are known to infect humans, including the virus in Wuhan. They can be spread by coughing, kissing or making contact with saliva.” Cough, sore throat, headache, fever, pneumonia are common symptoms.
People with weak immune systems, the young and the elderly are most vulnerable and may develop more severe respiratory tract illness. In China, the number of confirmed cases rose to 830. In the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak in Asia, around 8000 people were infected, of which 800 died, according to WHO. However, the mortality rate of the Wuhan virus is about 3%, and the patients who have succumbed to it are mostly above 60 years and had other health complications like Parkinson’s and diabetes.
As per the reports, “China’s Finance Ministry said it had allocated 1 billion yuan (Dollar 145 million) to support Hubei province in its fight to contain the outbreak. The city of Wuhan is also building a new 1,000-bed hospital to treat the infected and plans to have the facility operational by early next week.”
Eight cities of China are under lockdown, transportation in Wuhan has been stopped, airport and train stations are temporarily shut and refunds provided. Wearing of masks has been made mandatory, people are being advised to wash hands frequently, avoid crowds, public gathering, contact with people having fever or cough. Health officials have started increased screening of people at worldwide airports.
WHO has not labelled the outbreak as a global public health emergency. Didier Houssin, chairman of an emergency committee that studied the outbreak, said, “It’s too early to consider that this event is a public health emergency of international concern.”
While, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhamom Ghebreyesus said, “This is an emergency in China, but it has not yet become a global health emergency. It may yet become one.”
However, the death toll is still rising, ground zero being the worst affected. Scientists are working on new research for specifically combating the virus, though antivirals ready-for-the-market are being used at present.
UPDATE ON CORONAVIRUS IN WUHAN CITY OF CHINA FOLLOWING ALERT IN THAT REGARD BY WHO ON 14 JANUARY 2020.
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News reports have brought out warning on 14 January 2020 issued by WHO of a new corona virus that has struck in a city of China. The symptom of the disease is said to be pneumonia and it could have been through exposure to seafood market in Wuhan city of China sometime in December 2019. And a limited human-to-human transmission has been mentioned which can be read to imply that a limited contact with such patients has the potential of spreading. The warning to hospitals world-wide is reported to have been issued. The news reports as on 26 January 2020 suggest that , in China , more cases are coming to light while death toll has risen to 42. About 60 million people are said to be in confinement in 15 cities of China though , at present , about 1409 hundreds have been confirmed having been affected by the virus. This Vedic astrology writer had alerted around October- November 2019 about the likelihood of the planetary impacts involving respiratory system and lung in the body in vulnerable cases across the world , particularly during April to June and October-December in the year 2020.
In this context , it is apt to refer readers to this Vedic astrology writer’s predictive alert of 11 November , 2019 through article – “ Astrological probable alerts for 2020” – published on 1 January 2020 at wisdom-magazine.com/Article.aspx/5176/. The text of the related alert reads like this in the article :-
“ More care and appropriate strategy may be taken during April to June , particularly May-June in 2020 against …………………such stuff as are known for repugnant and repulsive smell through air…………………foodstuff , seafood …….could be either hit or face serious issues”. In another article published on 15 December 2019 , covering Italy through article – “ Potential of stars for Italy in soon coming year 2020” – published at http://www.astralis.it/Kumar02.htm, November –December 2020 have been alerted like this :-“ This scenario can also mean worrisome ailments involving respiratory system in the body”. Later on a further insight on the issue , it occurred to this writer that the impacts may stay longer to call for more care and appropriate strategy. In other words , as the days pass , the need to have more care and appropriate combating medical strategy is likely to mount in 2020 which has the potential to spill over as far as December 2021. During the present year 2020 , April to June and October to December , making a total of about six months look to be needing attention in that regard. The phenomenon may be understood here. Even if new Coronavirus related case does not appear in a country or countries , the patients having lung problem or vulnerability already independent of new Coronavirus , could be impacted in some way , whatsoever little during the said span of time. So vulnerability is important from the standpoint of planetary impact calling for more care and appropriate medical strategy. Having said that , there is no need to be in panic as the coronavirus does not exist anywhere and everywhere.