Anupama Nair
Is it a curse that from 1720, the world has been witnessing such killer pandemics every hundred years? The Great Plague (1720-1723), killed 100 thousand people worldwide. The Cholera Pandemic (1820-1824) killed millions in Asia. In 1920 after the First World War, the Spanish Flu killed nearly 17 million people. Come circa 2021, the Corona Virus has killed many millions and the list goes on and on.
Nostradamus the great French physician and astrologist became quite famous in recent times with his prediction of Corona. He stated “There will be a twin year (2020) from which will rise a queen (corona) who will come from the east (China) and who will spread a plague (virus) in the darkness of night, on a country with 7 hills (Italy) and will transform the twilight of men into dust (death), to destroy and ruin the world. It will be the end of the world economy as you know it”. This prediction was proved right. Nostradamus had predicted 2021, also as a year of suffering with draughts and floods. It was also true, as many parts of the world were ravaged by floods, this year. Heat waves and draught killed many thousands in Europe and America. As far as Corona was concerned, the cases are increasing day by day. The Third Wave can attack us any time.
SARS-CoV2 or Corona Virus as we know originated in bats in the Middle East. It transmitted into humans in Wuhan’s open wet-meat markets. Gradually the virus spread to the whole world killing millions in its wake, destroying lives and livelihoods. It is surprising to hear that this virus was discovered in 1965 and was called B814. Corona or Covid 19 was many times more deadly than SARS infection of 2002-2003. Viruses are always changing, and a new variant, or strain, of a virus is born. It is said a variant usually doesn’t affect how the virus works, but sometimes they make it act in different ways.
Variants of viruses occur when there is a change or mutation to the virus’s genes. It is the nature of RNA viruses such as the coronavirus to evolve and change gradually. “Geographic separation tends to result in genetically distinct variants. Viruses constantly change through its mutation. When a virus has one or more new mutations it’s called a variant of the original virus. Currently, several variants of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes coronavirus or COVID-19 are creating concern across the world.
Over the past week a new variant of corona, discovered in South Africa, and some other countries in Africa caused a stress in many countries of the world. The World Health Organization or WHO has raised alarm bells and termed it as ‘variant of concern’! A doctor from Europe stated “It is a rapidly evolving situation. Omicron's genetic profile has raised concerns across the world, but there's a shortage of real-world data that means nobody has the complete picture of what it can do”. So, in other words, it is unclear, about the danger this variant poses to the world. Governments across the world are trying to protect their citizens from a potential outbreak in their respective countries.
The new mutation, which is ‘potentially more transmissible’, first discovered in South Africa and has then been discovered in Australia, United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Italy, the Czech Republic and Hong Kong. Israel is considering banning all foreigners from entering the country in response to Omicron fears, the authorities announced. “The ban, pending government approval, is expected to last two weeks. Israelis returning from a country on the ‘red list’, which includes countries in southern Africa, will be needed to isolate for seven days in a designated hotel. There are seven suspected cases of the variant in Israel, sources from the country stated.
Australia and South Korea has banned the entry of foreigners who have traveled to nine southern African countries in the past 14 days, including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Malawi and Mozambique. The issuing of visas for nationals from those countries has been suspended until further notice.
Europe is anxiously imposing travel bans and working hard to ramp up its Corona virus ‘sequencing abilities’ after several countries reported Omicron cases. A suspected case of the variant was discovered in Innsbruck, in western Austria, after a traveler who recently arrived from South Africa who tested positive for Covid-19. Samples from the case have been sent to Vienna, and results are expected in the coming days, said Austrian authorities. Scientists at the Regional Hospital in Liberec, Czech Republic, said that one case of the Omicron variant was detected in a traveler who arrived from Namibia. Eight other people that traveled with the infected person are also being checked for Covid-19 and the variant.
Two cases were confirmed in the UK, two in Germany and one in Italy. Many more are suspected in the Netherlands.
The UK's Secretary of State for Health, Sajid Javid said that the two cases detected in the UK were linked to travel to southern Africa, the region where the Omicron variant was first detected. The German cases, identified in the city of Munich, were two passengers who arrived from Cape Town on November 24.The Italian case is in the south-western region of Campania, and the passenger was one who arrived from Mozambique.
A top expert of infectious disease in the United States, Dr. Anthony Fauci, also “suspected it was possible the new variant was already in his country, but unfortunately was yet to be detected”. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that “no known Omicron cases have been identified in the United States as of now, and that if the variant emerges, the agency expects that cases would be quickly identified through the nation's variant surveillance system”.
Dr. Fauci, the chief medical adviser to Biden Administration and the director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stated, "I would not be surprised if it is in the country, but we have not detected it yet, but when you have a virus that is showing this degree of transmissibility and you're having travel-related cases they've noted in other places already, when you have a virus like this, it almost invariably is going to go all over".
The World Health Organization said that “early evidence suggested that the Omicron variant, first identified in South Africa, could pose an increased risk of re-infection and said that some of the mutations detected on the variant were concerning”. The discovery of the new variant has sparked fears across the world. A number of countries have already imposed travel bans and the global markets plunged as a result.
Studies suggested "it is the most heavily mutated version of the virus we have seen to date. This variant carries some changes we've seen previously in other variants but never all together in one virus. It also has novel mutations". The variant is suspected to have a high number of mutations — about 50 overall. The genomic scientists in South Africa said “more than 30 of the mutations were found in the spike protein or the structure the virus uses to get into the cells they attack”.
Scientists across the world have lauded the South African health authorities for their quick reaction to a Covid-19 outbreak in the country's Gauteng province, which led to the discovery of the new variant.
Meanwhile in India, an urgent meeting was chaired by the Union Home Secretary Rajesh Bhushan after a review of the situation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) stated.
MHA said that taking into consideration the current global scenario, ways to strengthen preventive measures were discussed in the meeting. The Centre will now review SOP on testing and surveillance of international passengers, especially from countries in the ‘at-risk’ category. Moreover, genomic surveillance for Covid-19 variants will be further intensified. The Center is considering steps to prevent the possibility of a fresh spike in Covid-19 cases.
Mr. Bhushan has asked the States to “review the detailed travel history of passengers arriving via international flights and to absolutely ensure that travelers from ‘at-risk’ countries are tested. All samples, which test Covid-positive should be promptly sent for genome sequencing”, the ministry said. Maharashtra has responded by imposing quarantine on all people coming from ‘at-risk countries’, and made it mandatory for people to be vaccinated fully before traveling by public transport.
Mr. Bhushan, while highlighting the need for rigorous surveillance of international passengers, said that there is “already a reporting mechanism for obtaining past travel details of passengers coming through international flights”.
How to stay safe? Avoid the 3Cs: spaces that are closed, crowded or involve close contact. The risks of getting Covid-19 are higher in crowded and inadequately ventilated spaces where infected people spend long periods of time together in close proximity. Meet people outside. Outdoor gatherings are safer than indoor ones. India is a pioneer in Vaccine development. Covaxin and Covishield are the two vaccines. We have already vaccinated 1 billion, and we have a long way to go. India is distributing vaccines to most of the countries of the word. Hopefully the world will bid adieu to this deadly virus in the coming year. It is a great relief our vaccination system is one of the best in the world.
ICC has cancelled many matches to be held in South Africa. Sources from the BCCI suggest that India—South Africa series could be postponed.
Hope the virus will disappear completely from this world.
