'184 countries going through hell': Trump faults China for Covid-19 spread

The US is considering coronavirus scanning of air travellers from countries hit hard by the virus, says President Trump

US President Donald Trump doubled down on China for failing to tame the coronavirus at its very origin, saying it has led to 184 countries “going through hell”, as several American lawmakers demanded steps to reduce dependence on Beijing for manufacturing and minerals.

Trump has been publicly blaming China for the global spread of the “invisible enemy” and launched an investigation against it. He has also indicated that the US may be looking at “a lot more money” in damages from China than the $140 billion being sought by Germany from Beijing for the pandemic. Leaders of the US, the UK and Germany believe that the deaths and the destruction of the global economy could have been avoided, had China shared the information about the virus in its early phases, news agency PTI reported.

“It’s in 184 countries, as you hear me say often. It’s hard to believe. It’s inconceivable,” Trump told reporters at White House Tuesday. “It should have been stopped at the source, which was China. It should have been stopped very much at the source, but it wasn’t. And now we have 184 countries going through hell.” The virus, which originated in China’s Wuhan city in mid-November, has killed more than 200,000 people and infected over three million globally. The largest number of them are in the US: nearly 59,000 deaths and over one million infections…Read More

Covid-19: FIR against Coca Cola plant in Himachal for flouting lockdown

Operation of all units barring those manufacturing essential commodities has been banned during the lockdown, they added

A case has been registered against a Coca Cola plant in Himachal Pradesh, operated by a separate entity, for running its factory in violation of an lockdown order issued to check the spread of coronavirus, officials said on Tuesday. Operation of all units barring those manufacturing essential commodities has been banned during the lockdown, they added.

The Coca Cola factory in Nalagarh falling under Baddi police district of Solan, operated by Krish Flexipacks, was found operational during a surprise check on Monday night, Baddi Superintendent of Police Rohit Malpani said. An FIR was registered against the factory and its owners under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Nalagarh police station, he added.

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There was no immediate reaction from the company to the official action. There is a provision of six-month jail and/or fine of Rs 1000 under Section 188 of the IPC. In his order, Solan deputy commissioner-cum-district magistrate K C Chaman banned operation of all units in the district during the lockdown period, barring those manufacturing essential commodities including pharmaceutical, medical devices, soaps, hand cleaners. The managements of all non-essential industries are directed to shut their units immediately failing which strong action will be taken against concerned starting registration of cases under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, as well as other relevant laws, the order stated.

There will be a coronavirus vaccine, likely by 2022-end: Zavaray Poonawalla

Founder-Director Serum Institute of India tells Business Standard that India’s social containment of the epidemic so far has been good

Serum Institute of India recently partnered Codagenix, a US-based biotech drug research company, to develop a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. Its Founder-Director Zavaray Poonawalla tells Business Standard that India’s social containment of the epidemic so far has been good. Edited Excerpts: How is India doing as far as managing the whole social community distancing factor goes, with the advent of the COVID-19? Are our numbers of confirmed cases being under-reported?

I think we are taking it very seriously and perhaps that’s a good thing in a country with the size of our population. In practical terms, people are avoiding crowds, flights have been halted and large events delayed. We have as a country in other spheres shut down activities like cricket, racing and other sporting and business events, and I think we can’t do very much more than that. The numbers we are seeing seem to indicate we are doing better than the rest and while I can’t say if they are being under-reported, I do know that our health care infrastructure is not large enough, which is why over-awareness is a good thing.

How bad is this epidemic so far as India is concerned?

It’s a virus with a big scary name but we have had viruses earlier. Now, a new one has emerged. So it’s getting to be seen as the bad one until it is understood better, and we are indeed doing so day by day. If you recall the swine flu pandemic that emerged in 2009, it was equally terrifying because it was the exact opposite, which is very few young people were immune to it, and it spread from country to country, much faster than the present one. Today, swine flu is more of a seasonal type of flu and can be vaccinated against with part of your annual flu shots.

Coronavirus: Death toll from outbreak rises to 17 in China, 444 cases found

Chinese authorities have warned that the disease could spread further in the ongoing holiday season

The death toll from the new coronavirus outbreak in China nearly doubled to 17 with the confirmed infection cases sharply rising to 444 on Wednesday, even as the cases of the deadly pneumonia were reported from the US, Hong Kong, Macao and Mexico. Chinese authorities have warned that the disease could spread further in the ongoing holiday season during which millions travel at home and abroad amid official advisories to people of Wuhan, the epicentre of illness, not to leave the city. Seventeen people have died due to the virus, state-run China Daily reported.

The coronavirus is a large family of viruses that causes illnesses ranging from the common cold to acute respiratory syndromes, but the virus that has killed people in China is a novel strain and not seen before. Common symptoms of the novel coronavirus strain include respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties, according to the WHO. The Chinese health authorities said that 444 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) had been reported in 13 provincial-level regions in the country.

Considering its potential to spread to different countries, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is holding a rare emergency meeting Geneva on Wednesday to consider declaring Wuhan virus as an international public health emergency, as it did with swine flu and Ebola…