11 Things That Are Happening Around Us As A Result Of The Coronavirus Outbreak
Unless you have been living under a rock, you will be aware of the most deadly disease in recent years which is doing the rounds. Yes, we are talking of coronavirus. The disease which originated in Wuhan, China, is pretty much the talk of the town as it is impacting the world in every way.
Unless you have been living under a rock, you will be aware of the most deadly disease in recent years which is doing the rounds. Yes, we are talking of coronavirus. The disease which originated in Wuhan, China, is pretty much the talk of the town as it is impacting the world in every way.
Be it sports, economy, travel, health or politics, coronavirus seems to have a death-like grip on the scheme of things. In fact that is literally the case as 508 new cases in China has brought the death tally to 2,663 in the mainland. China's total cases are 77,658. South Korea is in second place with 977, including 10 deaths.
So let's be honest, coronavirus is pretty much the way is world going right now and it is affecting a lot of things. Think we are kidding? Well, let's break it down for you:
1. Possibility of Olympics being postponed or cancelled
The IOC has put it very bluntly. If the Olympics were held now, they would have been cancelled. The Games begin in Japan on July 24 and the IOC will take a call in 3 months and if the risk is still there, the Games may be cancelled altogether. This is of course not the first time it has happened. The Olympics were cancelled in 1916 due to World War 1 and then again in 1940 and 1944 due to World War 2. In case the Olympics need to be moved, one can imagine the cost of doing so. Coronavirus is pretty much holding the biggest sporting event to ransom.
2. An entire cruise ship quarantined
The Diamond Princess, a cruise ship was quarantined at Yokohama, Japan after passengers on board tested positive for coronavirus. At least 12 Indians were among those infected. Nobody was allowed to get off the ship since February 4, meaning for 3 weeks they have been restricted in their movements.
3. Severe impact to the fragile global economy
It's not just people, even the economy is suffering at the hands of the disease. No, this is no joke. The IMF has come out and said that if it spreads to other countries, a "highly fragile" projected recovery in the global economy in 2020 would be at risk. Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the outbreak was a stark reminder of how unforeseen events could threaten a fragile recovery and urged G20 policymakers to work to reduce other uncertainties linked to trade, climate change, and inequality.
4. Flights cancelled or delayed due to potential risks
Not just in China, but different airlines around the world have delayed or cancelled their routes to avoid any contact with areas around the country which could expose passengers and crew to the coronavirus. There are as many as 21 airlines who have taken this drastic step and it is understandable. After all nobody wants to spread the disease into other countries. Better safe than to be sorry.
5. Athletes being denied entry for major tournaments
The Asian Wrestling Championships were recently held in Delhi. Chinese wrestlers were not allowed to compete. In fact a 40-member Chinese contingent was denied visas by the Indian Government. Our Sports Minister, Kiren Rijiju, said that normally visas would not be denied as this was a major competition, but these were exceptional circumstances.
6. Sports teams pulling out of important competitions
The Indian women's team pulled out of the Badminton Asia Championships which was being held in Manila, Philippines due to the risk of infection. While the men did take part, the women's team pulled out because the players' parents were concerned.
7. Politicians not immune to the disease
You may be a politician, but you are not immune to it. Iran's deputy health minister Iraj Harirchi tested positive for it. Iran has reported 95 cases, but the actual number is thought to be higher. So no matter who you are, you cannot be safe from the disease based on that.
8. People being forced to stay indoors
Gaming, indoor marathons and other pastimes inside the house seem to be the norm for people in China in and around Wuhan. Why? Because they are not venturing outdoors for fear of infection. People are living in constant fear and coronavirus has cast a shadow of gloom over their lives.
9. Matches being played in empty stadiums
The coronavirus has spread to Italy and clubs like Juventus and Inter Milan shall be playing their games in closed doors. Basically the matches will be played in front of empty stadiums. Even the beautiful game cannot get away from the threat of the disease. The authorities have had to take this decision as they cannot afford players and fans getting sick.
10. Paranoia causing false alarms
When fear is rampant among people, something has got to give. Videos of Asian people eating noodles have given rise to false ideas that this is how coronavirus spreads. Many people have also stopped consuming Chinese food as a result. One policeman in China beat two dogs to death to prevent the spread of the disease, pretty much an overreaction.
11. Mass panic all over the planet
To tell the truth, there is a lot of panic all over the world since coronavirus raised its ugly head. A lot of rumours about its origins, spreading and how one can be infected are doing the rounds. This can lead to mass hysteria and things can easily get out of control. So what do we do? The best thing is to fight it with information. After all, one needs to combat the flow of false info or else the situation will get even worse.
