Latest Update on Coronavirus- The Current Progress

The unprecedented and ongoing nature of the coronavirus outbreak is not only pressing unfathomable havoc on the health care systems around the world but is also wrecking the economical standing. The number of Covid-19 cases globally has crossed the 31 million mark on 23rd September and continues to grow rapidly. However, scientists from around the world are working on potential treatments and vaccines to curb the coronavirus spread. But, the challenges imposed, especially with logistics would be mammoth for countries to tackle. Read more to know about the progress and plan for progress on Covid-19. 

Key Updates:

The 75th virtual UN General Assembly, held from 15th- 31st September, World Health Organisation (WHO) had the following this to share: 

• Equitable access to COVID-19 tools: 

WHO asks the world leaders to support the Access to COVID-19 Tools(ACT)-Accelerator. An international collaborative effort to fast-track the 

development, production and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines 

globally, while strengthening the health systems.

• Maintain the momentum towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: 

According to the latest survey by WHO, 90% of countries are experiencing disturbances in essential healthcare services. The sustainable development goals are relevant to all countries- underdeveloped, developing or developed. The aim is to promote prosperity while protecting the environment and battling climatic change.

• Prepare for the upcoming pandemic together, now:

In 2019, the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board(GPMB), warned against the threat of a pandemic. It called on the world leaders to initiate urgent and united actions in order to prepare. Recently, the Board issued it’s 2020 report, ‘A World in Disorder’- which marked 5 urgent actions to be taken; responsible leadership; engaged citizenship; strong and agile systems for health security; sustained investment; and the robust global governance of preparedness.

• The cases and the number of fatalities are on a spike now, hence the WHO director asked the leaders to put targeted measures in place. This needs to be done for flattening the curve and protecting the health care system and workers. He urged that at individual levels it is essential to practice physical distancing, wearing a mask, regular washing of hands and avoiding crowded places.
• There are 182 vaccine candidates in the pre-clinical or clinical trials across the world. Out of these, 36 are in clinical trials and 9 are in final states of human trial. At least 8 candidate vaccines are being developed in India. Two of these have entered the Phase-II trials.
• The Trade and Development Report 2020 by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said that the global economy will shrink by an estimated 4.3% this year. While the Indian economy will shrink by 5.9% in 2020 and recover to 3.9% next year.

Over to you: 

As the world is moving towards unlocking things gradually, the fight gets only gruesome. The world was surely under-prepared and from this, countries need to ensure that a pandemic of this severity and magnitude never occurs. This world is getting warmer, the escalated human activities are diminishing wild spaces, the probabilities of spillover of a novel pathogen from animals to humans is on a hike. Hence, a long-term commitment to cooperation and preparedness is vital.