The Novel Coronavirus has emerged from the city of Wuhan in China and has reached more than 20 countries in the world within a month. Experts are anticipating that this virus can spread and engulf more people than ever before. However, the coronavirus has not yet been declared a global epidemic. But governments around the world are preparing for the possibility that this could be the next global pandemic.
What causes an epidemic:
The term epidemic is used for such infectious disease, the danger of which is being faced by people all over the world at the same time.
Swine flu spread in the year 2009 can be taken as an example of this. Experts believe that a large number of people worldwide were killed due to swine flu.
The global epidemic spreads when a new virus easily infects people and whose infection is from one person to another.
The coronavirus meets all the criteria of a global pandemic. Especially when there is no treatment or vaccine, then the risk of infection increases.
When is the epidemic declared:
According to the World Health Organization, coronavirus infection is just one step away from attaining epidemic status.
There are cases of infection in many neighboring countries of China. The extent of its infection is spreading to outside countries.
If we see its infection increasing among different communities in different parts of the world, then it will be called an epidemic.
How many are there?
So far this picture is not clear how serious is the threat of coronavirus and how far it will spread.
The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Tedros Adhonom Gebreyesus, has said that corona infection is still limited outside China.
32,000 cases of coronavirus infection have been confirmed so far. So far 600 people have also died. Most of these cases are from China.
There have been 150 cases of coronavirus infection outside China. One person has died in the Philippines. In a meeting of the World Health Organization, Dr. Gebreyes said on Monday, "From where the coronavirus began to spread, if we intensify our fight there, its infection to other countries will be less and dull."
Until the virus starts spreading, every pandemic is different, so it is almost impossible to predict its full effect beforehand.
The coronavirus is increasing the concern of the whole world, originating from China. Experts also say that the coronavirus is less deadly than other epidemics of the past. An example of SARS is given in this connection.
