According to the BBC, the World Health Organisation has stated that the world should do as much as possible to be prepared for a possible coronavirus pandemic. The coronavirus, officially named Covid 19 by the WHO, has spread to 38 more countries, apart from China, causing great concern worldwide.
A total 80.994 are confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease, including 78.159 in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. Also, 2.760 deaths (including 2.720 in China, 16 in Iran, 10 in South Korea, 10 in Italy and one each in the Philippines, Japan, France and Taiwan) have been reported around the world, on February 26th 2020, so naturally, a global panic is prevalent. There are even persistent and alarming rumours that the Tokyo Olympics might be cancelled, next July.
Very dear friends, rather dear relatives are residents of Bejing since last December and our thoughts and prayers are with them. We know that they are following the World Health Organisation's precautions and instructions fastidiously and that, in the very near future, this disease will be considered a terminated nightmare, an ordeal that has passed. My love to you dear friends, anticipating the pleasure of seeing you all, on your next home leave.
The CNBC reported that the US health officials say that trials of a coronavirus vaccine on humans will shart in 1 1/2 months. "We are on time at least and, maybe, a little bit better," Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infection Diseases told the press. We all hope and pray that very soon the coronavirus disease will be curable.
Unfortunately, this disease, also, has economic repercussions. Newspapers like the "Market Watch" reported that this plague has become "an economic pandemic". China's economic growth is expected to slow down to 4.5% in the first quarter of 2020. The International Energy Agency stated that the global oil demand has been hit hard by the coronavirus due to factory shutdowns. Also, as the coronavirus has unnerved the world economy, it disrupts supplies, international companies and large industries. Stock markets have plunged all over the world. Gas prices have fallen and the markets have become terribly erratic. So tragically, tens of thousands of people are unemployed, all over the world, due to this disease.
There is unofficial evidence that the virus can be spread by people before they show symptoms. To protect yourself from contacting the disease, you must scrub your hands thoroughly with soap under hot running water, many times a day, and you must avoid, if possible, visiting people who have a cold.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue each time you cough or sneeze, then discard it and wash your hands very well. Seek medical help if you have a fever, cough and difficulty in breathing and give the doctor your medical history. If you live in an affected area, never eat uncooked animal products and take care when handling raw meat, milk and their bi-products to avoid contamination, by cooking the food thoroughly and by washing your hands meticulously.
Four people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus in Greece. Fortunately, their symptoms are very mild and they shall, soon, be completely healthy. But large gatherings are strictly prohibited including the carnivals all over the country.
(I wish to thank ERT, STAR TVgr, the BBC, CNCB and the Market Watch for the valuable information for this post.)
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| Sunflowers in a Vase by Vicent van Gogh |
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| By Joe Cartwright |
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