The threat of coronavirus

A mysterious new virus has claimed 41 lives since emerging from a seafood and animal market in the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei province. Causing pneumonia like symptoms, the virus named as coronavirus has spread across China, several Asian countries and as far as the US, with most of the affected people having been to Wuhan. So far, more than 1,200 confirmed cases have been reported. Many of those infected either lived in Wuhan or had visited that city. Medical experts say coronavirus is closely related to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) that erupted in China in 2003, infecting more than 8,000 people across mainland China and Hong Kong and killing nearly 800. Since there is no vaccine, the new virus' spread can only be stopped through preventive measures.

While health officials around the world are on high alert, and the World Health Organisation is mulling over whether or not to declare an international health emergency, China is taking no chances. Having learnt its lessons from the outbreak of SARS it has moved quickly to contain the virus. Wuhan, a city of 11 million people and the neighbouring Huanggan have been locked down. At a time people travel in large numbers to celebrate the Chinese New Year, trains and planes in these areas have been suspended, and toll booths on roads leading out shut. A third city, Ezhou, also in Hubei province, has announced closure of its train station. Restrictive measures are not limited to the worst affected cities. All major tourist sites have been closed, New Year events cancelled, and the annual football tournament in Hong Kong called off. As required, doctors treating infected persons are seen using proper protective kits. Beijing has taken all these control measures in a transparent manner, which is a vital factor in preventing the spread of this previously unknown deadly virus.

It is good to know that Pakistan has adopted precautionary measures to stop coronavirus from entering this country via air travellers. PIA has made arrangements at the Beijing airport to scan passengers before they board Pakistan-bound planes. On this end, Ministry of National Health Services has made necessary screening arrangements at all international airports. Every passenger arriving from China is to go through health counters, where a doctor and two paramedics screen them through thermal body scanning machines and thermometers. This is important as a large number of Chinese live and work here, and many Pakistanis also travel to that country for business, studies and other purposes. The threat of virus though should not cause any panic reaction, but there must not be any laxity in vigilance.