Understanding COVID-19 – The Pandemic of 2020

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 94-102
Author(s):  
Prasaath Sastha K R ◽  
Balasubramanian Arul ◽  
Ramalingam Kothai
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
H1n1 Influenza ◽  
World Health ◽  
Disease Spread ◽  
Unknown Etiology ◽  
Director General ◽  
Causative Organism ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

It all started in December 2019, a seafood market in Wuhan, China, with a series of pneumonia alike cases admitted with severe acute respiratory depression. Since they were unable to detect the precise cause, they named it "Pneumonia of unknown etiology". Later it was identified as SARS COV 2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome – coronavirus 2). At first, the disease spread locally affecting the people of Wuhan, and then started spreading throughout China, creating a worldwide panic. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 in China as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from China and local healthcare units organized an intensive outbreak investigation program. The causative organism of this infection is a new virus that belongs to the “coronavirus (CoV)” family. After which the disease was called nCoV-19 (Novel coronavirus – 19). On February 11, 2020, the WHO Director General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, renamed the disease as "COVID-19," which is the acronym of "coronavirus disease 2019". Viral epidemics like SARS-CoV in 2002, H1N1 influenza in 2009, and the most recent one the MERS-CoV Middle East Respiratory Distress Syndrome Coronavirus (first identified in Saudi Arabia) in 2012 threatened the health of mankind in the past two decades. All of these were successfully prevented by systematically approaching the problem to solve it. Healthcare professionals around the world are well trained to manage any type of health crisis. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 as a "PANDEMIC" pointing to over 118,000 cases and 80,000 dead in 110 countries or more. In a media briefing, the WHO Director General said: "This is not just a public health crisis, it is a crisis that will touch every sector, so every sector and every individual must be involved in the fight."

scholarly journals ELIDAN Certificate: BEHAVIOR is the Key to Save Places from COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Viral Transmission ◽  
World Health ◽  
Unknown Etiology ◽  
Medical Geology ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Integrated Research ◽  
The World

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), viral diseases continue to emerge and represent a serious issue to public health. In the last twenty years, several viral epidemics such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) from 2002 to 2003, and H1N1 influenza in 2009, have been recorded. The new coronavirus, formed a clade within the subgenus Orthocoronavirinae, sarbecovirus subfamily. The first time these cases were published, they were classified as “pneumonia of unknown etiology.” The question then became: are future epidemic risks amenable to forecast from identifiable triggers? Of immediate concern was the integrated research on closed spaces; where they in fact favorable or not to virus transmission subject to certification? We are currently opening diverse research in viral Medical Geology studies, as a new discipline. At present, there appears to be an emergent need for society to be educated on both existing in a world with Covid-19, while simultaneously learning how to prevent the spread of the pandemic. It is certainly important, yet has become insufficient, to impose physical distancing among people, isolation of patients, coughing “vampire” style into your elbow or continuing the usage of hand disinfectants and hand washing. The goal of this most recent work is to prepare a safety certificate for closed spaces which allows us to mandate the minimum number of people who may be present (altogether) with the minimum risk in values of viral transmission. It analyzes four key parameters in the propagation of Covid-19. The Viral Transmission in selected enclosed spaces was calculated according to the mathematical algorithm proposed by Prof. Dr. Luis CRUZ RODRIGUEZ. The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a true global public health crisis as well as a devastating financial recession, affecting the entire world. Here we have proposed a certification entitled: “Elidan Certificate”, depicting prolonged safety within enclosed areas, such as inside of buildings or relating to various modes of transportation, suggesting a safe number of people who may occupy those particular places. Our aim is to better understand potential dormant repositories of outbreaks and the potential spread of those repositories, together with potential geological-geogenic terrain factors in closed space and their triggers. Integrated research on closed spaces, whether favorable or not to the virus transmission, would be subject to certification, along with the imminent opening of diversity research in viral Medical Geology studies, as a new discipline is anticipated. In this regard, UVC is a well-known disinfectant for air, water and surfaces, which can help reduce the risk of acquiring Covid-19 when applied correctly. By the way, the IUVA has been given the task of bringing together a group of experts, leaders in the field, from various parts of the world with the aim of developing guides that contribute to an effective use of UVC Technologies (ELIDAN dynamic LLC).

scholarly journals China’s fight against COVID-19: What we have done and what we should do next?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sixiang Cheng ◽  
Yuxin Zhao ◽  
Atipatsa Chiwanda Kaminga ◽  
Pingxin Zhang ◽  
Huilan Xu
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Epidemiology ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
World Health ◽  
Director General ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Positive Direction ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractBackgroundOn 12 March, the World Health Organization Director-General declared that “the threat of a global pandemic has become a reality”, and the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19, has become a global concern. Chinese efforts in curbing the virus have widely been recognized. Even the WHO has lauded the efforts of the Chinese government and advised the world to learn from China in fighting the disease. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, to curb the spread of the epidemic, the Chinese government has implemented unprecedented prevention interventions at the nationwide level. Currently, the outbreak in Wuhan is changing in a positive direction and has been effectively controlled. However, it is not clear what these measures were and how these measures changed to curb the outbreak of COVID-19 quickly. This study explored the characteristics and identified that China’s control strategies have changed the epidemiological curve of rapidly rising new confirmed cases of COVID-19. This study also seeks to expand the experiences and lessons from this outbreak.MethodsWe collected public health interventions measures from Jan 20, 2020, to 5 March 2020, and data from COVID-19 daily newly confirmed cases and daily cumulates cases to compare the control effects and changing trends. We performed a retrospective description of these intervention strategies from three stages. Besides, from the perspective of public health, the experiences and lessons exposed by this outbreak were roughly summarized.ResultsThese non-pharmacology interventions measures adopted by the Chinese government by the instruction and spirit of President Xi Jinping were timely and efficient.ConclusionsThe present study was conducted to comprehensively analyze from a social epidemiology context. The results confirmed that these radical interventions taken by the Chinese government were effective, ambitious, and agile. However, we must be aware that the epidemic situation in Wuhan is still challenging.

scholarly journals COVID-19—A Novel Zoonotic Disease: A Review of the Disease, the Virus, and Public Health Measures

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 145-153
Author(s):  
John S. Mackenzie ◽  
David W. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
Clinical Severity ◽  
World Health ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Unknown Etiology ◽  
Director General ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

A cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown etiology emerged in Wuhan, China, at the end of December 2019. The cluster was largely associated with a seafood and animal market. A novel Betacoronavirus was quickly identified as the causative agent, and it is shown to be related genetically to SARS-CoV and other bat-borne SARS-related Betacoronaviruses. The number of cases increased rapidly and spread to other provinces in China, as well as to another four countries. To help control the spread of the virus, a “cordon sanitaire ” was instituted for Wuhan on January 23, 2020, and subsequently extended to other cities in Hubei Province, and the outbreak declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the Director General of the World Health Organization on January 30, 2020. The virus was named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee for the Taxonomy of Viruses, and the disease it causes was named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization. This article described the evolution of the outbreak, and the known properties of the novel virus, SARS-CoV-2 and the clinical disease it causes, and the major public health measures being used to help control it’s spread. These measures include social distancing, intensive surveillance and quarantining of cases, contact tracing and isolation, cancellation of mass gatherings, and community containment. The virus is the third zoonotic coronavirus, after SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, but appears to be the only one with pandemic potential. However, a number of important properties of the virus are still not well understood, and there is an urgent need to learn more about its transmission dynamics, its spectrum of clinical severity, its wildlife origin, and its genetic stability. In addition, more research is needed on possible interventions, particularly therapeutic and vaccines.

scholarly journals A review of the management and safe handling of bodies in cases involving COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 287-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Smitha Rani
Keyword(s):  
Control Measures ◽  
World Health ◽  
Disease Spread ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Causative Organism ◽  
The World ◽  
Prevention And Control Measures ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
And Control

Wuhan Municipal Health Commission, China, reported a cluster of cases of ‘pneumonia of unknown aetiology’ in Wuhan, Hubei province in late 2019. The causative organism was eventually identified as a novel coronavirus. Subsequently, the disease spread to more provinces in China, then the rest of the world, and the World Health Organization declared it a pandemic. The virus was named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the disease was termed COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease). Since then, an increasing number of people have succumbed to this infectious disease. High contagiousness and rapid spread of the disease has been a matter of concern, as it may overburden healthcare systems. Hence, it is vital to implement strict infection prevention and control measures to curb the spread of the disease. This article reviews the guidelines available for the handling of bodies of deceased persons with suspected or confirmed COVID-19, and for their safe disposal. It also provides a summary of recommendations for conducting autopsies in cases where COVID-19 is suspected.

scholarly journals An Uncertain Risk: The World Health Organization's Account of H1N1

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 511-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudeepa Abeysinghe
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
H1n1 Influenza ◽  
World Health ◽  
Scientific Uncertainty ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
The World ◽  
Public Risk ◽  
Health Organization

ArgumentScientific uncertainty is fundamental to the management of contemporary global risks. In 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the start of the H1N1 Influenza Pandemic. This declaration signified the risk posed by the spread of the H1N1 virus, and in turn precipitated a range of actions by global public health actors. This article analyzes the WHO's public representation of risk and examines the centrality of scientific uncertainty in the case of H1N1. It argues that the WHO's risk narrative reflected the context of scientific uncertainty in which it was working. The WHO argued that it was attempting to remain faithful to the scientific evidence, and the uncertain nature of the threat. However, as a result, the WHO's public risk narrative was neither consistent nor socially robust, leading to the eventual contestation of the WHO's position by other global public health actors, most notably the Council of Europe. This illustrates both the significance of scientific uncertainty in the investigation of risk, and the difficulty for risk managing institutions in effectively acting in the face of this uncertainty.

scholarly journals Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Emerging and Future Challenges for Dental and Oral Medicine

2020 ◽  
Vol 99 (5) ◽  
pp. 481-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Meng ◽  
F. Hua ◽  
Z. Bian
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infection Control ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
World Health ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
Dental Practitioners ◽  
The World ◽  
Essential Knowledge ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

The epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), originating in Wuhan, China, has become a major public health challenge for not only China but also countries around the world. The World Health Organization announced that the outbreaks of the novel coronavirus have constituted a public health emergency of international concern. As of February 26, 2020, COVID-19 has been recognized in 34 countries, with a total of 80,239 laboratory-confirmed cases and 2,700 deaths. Infection control measures are necessary to prevent the virus from further spreading and to help control the epidemic situation. Due to the characteristics of dental settings, the risk of cross infection can be high between patients and dental practitioners. For dental practices and hospitals in areas that are (potentially) affected with COVID-19, strict and effective infection control protocols are urgently needed. This article, based on our experience and relevant guidelines and research, introduces essential knowledge about COVID-19 and nosocomial infection in dental settings and provides recommended management protocols for dental practitioners and students in (potentially) affected areas.

scholarly journals Four pandemics: lessons learned, lessons lost

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
World Health ◽  
Swine Flu ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The World ◽  
Spanish Flu ◽  
Future Events ◽  
Health Organization

In the past 100 years, the world has faced four distinctly different pandemics: the Spanish flu of 1918-1919, the SARS pandemic of 2003, the H1N1 or “swine flu” pandemic of 2012, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Each public health crisis exposed specific systemic shortfalls and provided public health lessons for future events. The Spanish flu revealed a nursing shortage and led to a great appreciation of nursing as a profession. SARS showed the importance of having frontline clinicians be able to work with regulators and those producing guidelines. H1N1 raised questions about the nature of a global organization such as the World Health Organization in terms of the benefits and potential disadvantages of leading the fight against a long-term global public health threat. In the era of COVID-19, it seems apparent that we are learning about both the blessing and curse of social media.

scholarly journals Oral aspects related to SARS-CoV-2

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-160
Author(s):  
Akram Belmehdi ◽  
Saliha Chbicheb
Keyword(s):  
Oral Cavity ◽  
Diagnostic Value ◽  
Disease Spread ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
The World ◽  
Spanish Flu ◽  
Taste Disorders ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
The Relationship

The pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is considered as the biggest global health crisis for the world since the Spanish flu, also known as the 1918 flu pandemic. Driven by the SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus infection, the rapid spread of this disease and the related pneumonia COVID-19 are a challenge for healthcare systems in over the world, and it is a constantly evolving situation with new symptoms and prognostic factors. SARS-CoV-2 has lately been detected in infected patient’s oral cavity; the COVID-19 outbreak is an alert that all dental and other health professionals must be vigilant in defending against the infectious disease spread. This review summarizes an update from current medical literature about the relationship between oral cavity and coronavirus disease by presenting some oral aspects which was detected in infected patients such as the oral lesions related to this virus and its therapeutic protocol, taste disorders and also the diagnostic value of saliva for SARS-CoV-2.

scholarly journals Lessons earned and lessons learned: What should be done next to counter the COVID-19 infodemic?

European View ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-163
Author(s):  
Nad’a Kovalčíková ◽  
Ariane Tabatabai
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Societal Challenges ◽  
The World ◽  
Information Manipulation ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

As governments and citizens around the world have struggled with the novel coronavirus, the information space has turned into a battleground. Authoritarian countries, including Russia, China and Iran, have spread disinformation on the causes of and responses to the pandemic. The over-abundance of information, also referred to as an ‘infodemic’, including manipulated information, has been both a cause and a result of the exacerbation of the public health crisis. It is further undermining trust in democratic institutions, the independent press, and facts and data, and exacerbating the rising tensions driven by economic, political and societal challenges. This article discusses the challenges democracies have faced and the measures they have adopted to counter information manipulation that impedes public health efforts. It draws seven lessons learned from the information war and offers a set of recommendations on tackling future infodemics related to public health.

scholarly journals Coronavirus Pandemic: a major public health crisis for the developed and developing world

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (03) ◽  
pp. 366-369
Author(s):  
Rooh Ullah ◽  
Muhammad Suleman Rana ◽  
Mehmood Qadir ◽  
Muhammad Usman ◽  
Niaz Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Viral Infection ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Day By Day

Pandemic of novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections in China is now become global public health crisis. At present 87.64% of the world is infected by this deadly illness. The risk from this epidemic depends on the nature of the virus, including how well it transmits from person to person, and the complications resulting from this current illness. The novel coronavirus has killed thousands of people in China and other countries as well; its rate of mortality is increasing day by day. There is an urgent need to control the virus by developing vaccine or any other antiviral drugs to save the world from this deadly viral infection.

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