Chinese Virus

Chinese Virus www.infralive.com 43 Infra LIVE April 15, 2020 between humans. In a similar way, it is thought that SARS-CoV-2 jumped the species barrier and initially infected humans from another animal host. Since there is usually very limited close contact between humans and bats, it is more likely that transmission of SARS-CoV-2 to humans happened through an intermediate host, that is another animal species more likely to be handled by humans. This intermediate animal host could be a domestic animal, a wild animal, or a domesticated wild animal and, as of yet, has not been identified. A number of investigations in the area believed to be the source of the outbreak in China are currently underway or planned. These include investigations of human cases with symptom onset in and around Wuhan in late 2019, environmental sampling from markets and farms in areas where the first human cases were identi- fied, and detailed records on the source and type of wildlife species and farmed animals sold in these markets. Until the source of this virus is identified and controlled, there is a risk of reintroduction of the virus into the human population and the risk of new outbreaks like the ones we are currently experiencing. t h e ma r k e t e n v i r o nme n t . Subsequent investigations into the first human cases have determined that they had onset of symptoms around December 1, 2019. However, these cases had no direct link to the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market and they may therefore have been infected in November through contact with earlier undetected cases (incubation time between date of exposure and date of symptom onset can be up to 14 days). How did the first human SARS -CoV- 2 inf ec t i ons occur? At this stage, it is not possible to determine precisely how humans in China were initially infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, all available evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 has a natural animal origin and is not a manipulated or constructed virus. SARS-CoV-2 virus most probably has its ecological reservoir in bats. SARS-CoV, the virus that caused the SARS outbreak in 2003 and probably also had its ecological reservoir in bats, jumped from an animal reservoir (civet cats, a farmed wild animal) to humans and then spread further suggest that the spillover from an animal source to humans happened during the last quarter of 2019. As soon as the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in late December 2019, investigations were conducted to understand the epidemiology of COVID-19 and the original source of the out- break. A large proportion of the initial cases in late December 2019 and early January 2020 had a direct link to the Huanan Wholesale Seafood Market in Wuhan City, where seafood, wild, and farmed animal species were sold. Many of the initial patients were either stall owners, market employees, or regular visitors to this market. Environmental samples taken from this market in December 2019 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, further suggesting that the market in Wuhan City was the source of this outbreak or played a role in the initial amplifi- cation of the outbreak. The market was closed on January 1, 2020 and was c l eaned and disinfected. The virus could have been introduced into the human population from an animal source in the market or an infected human could have introduced the virus to the market and the virus may have then been amplified in Currently, India has about 7 0,000 ICU beds available; also there is inadequacy in terms of ventilators inhospitals. According to a WHO-China joint mission report, 5 pc of people diagnosed with Covid-19 require artificial respiration, another 15 pc need to breathe in highly concen- trated oxygen. This can make situation in India much worse given the availability of equipment. The centre has ordered to procure over 80,50,000 N95 and personal protective equipment; and is looking to procure 10million surgical gloves and 20 million pcs of nitrile gloves byMarch 2020. Cipla has indicated that it has companies for manufacturing testing kits. It has asked 14 private firms to evaluate Covid- 19 testing kits. CoSara Diagnos- tics Pvt Ltd, a Ahmedabad based firm manufacturing Covid-19 testing kits, claims it can give test results in about 2.5 hours. The government has also established quarantine facilities under the supervision of defence forces. Currently the Indian army is running one quarantine facility in Manesar in Haryana that has a capacity of 300 people, and defence forces are ready with quarantine hubs that can cater to nearly 5,000 people in different parts of the country. Infrastructure requirements As of March 27, 2020 India had tested 27,688 samples from 26,798 individuals. However with over 1.4 million international incoming passengers screened, the numbers actually tested are very low. Current testing capacity in the central government laboratories is approximately 10,000 tests per day (111 centers x about 90 tests a day) where samples of suspected Covid-19 can be tested. Also, additional 44 private laboratories have been approved to conduct Covid-19 tests. The government has also started granting license to private Box-B: How India is coping