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Serious CNN Docu about India Covid Tragedy! Where is Sinkies’ Bleeding Hearts?

U cannot lockdown poor people, they hv nothing to lose.... cheap festivals are all they enjoy once a year....
 
3 deaths per million people is hardly a pandemic.
 
This is a tragedy? I thought its just another typical day in Yeendia.
 
3 deaths per million people is hardly a pandemic.

Wrong. Again. Call it 0 for 165 tries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic

COVID-19 pandemic
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



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COVID-19 pandemic
COVID-19 Outbreak World Map Total Deaths per Capita.svg
Confirmed deaths per million population
as of 22 April 2021
show
Cases per capita
A nurse caring for a patient with COVID-19 in an intensive care unit
Meeting of the Italian government task force to face the coronavirus outbreak, 23 February 2020
Elderly woman roles up sleeve as two nurses administer a vaccine
Burial in Hamadan, Iran
Workers unloading boxes of medical supplies at Villamor Air Base
Clockwise from top:
DiseaseCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)
Virus strainSevere acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2
(SARS‑CoV‑2)[a]
SourceLikely via bats[1]
LocationWorldwide
First outbreakWuhan, China[2]
Index caseWuhan, Hubei, China
17px-WMA_button2b.png
30°37′11″N 114°15′28″E
DateDecember 2019[2] – present
(1 year, 5 months and 5 days)
Confirmed cases154,759,285[3]
Suspected cases‡Possibly 10% of the global population, or 780 million people (WHO estimate as of early October 2020)[4]
Deaths3,237,107[3]
Territories192[3]
Suspected cases have not been confirmed by laboratory tests as being due to this strain, although some other strains may have been ruled out.
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern regarding COVID-19 on 30 January 2020, and later declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020. As of 6 May 2021, more than 154 million cases have been confirmed, with more than 3.23 million deaths attributed to COVID-19, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in history.
Symptoms of COVID-19 are highly variable, ranging from none to life-threateningly severe. Transmission of COVID-19 occurs mainly when an infected person is in close contacthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic#cite_note-9 with another person.[8][9] Small droplets containing the virus leave an infected person as they breathe, cough, sneeze, or speak and enter another person via their mouth, nose, or eyes. Airborne transmission is also sometimes possible, as smaller infected droplets can linger in the air for minutes to hours within enclosed spaces that have inadequate ventilation.[9] Less commonly, the virus may spread via contaminated surfaces.[9] People remain contagious for up to 20 days, and can spread the virus even if they do not develop any symptoms.[10][11]
Recommended preventive measures include social distancing, wearing face masks in public, ventilation and air-filtering, hand washing, covering one's mouth when sneezing or coughing, disinfecting surfaces, and monitoring and self-isolation for people exposed or symptomatic. Several vaccines have been developed and widely distributed since December 2020. Current treatments focus on addressing symptoms, but work is underway to develop therapeutic drugs that inhibit the virus. Authorities worldwide have responded by implementing travel restrictions, lockdowns/quarantines, workplace hazard controls, and business closures. Many places have also worked to increase testing capacity and trace contacts of the infected.[12]
The pandemic has resulted in significant global social and economic disruption, including the largest global recession since the Great Depression.[13] It has led to widespread supply shortages exacerbated by panic buying, agricultural disruption and food shortages, and decreased emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases. Numerous educational institutions and public areas have been partially or fully closed, and many events have been cancelled or postponed. Misinformation has circulated through social media and mass media. The pandemic has raised issues of racial and geographic discrimination, health equity, and the balance between public health imperatives and individual rights.

Background
Main article: Investigations into the origin of COVID-19
Although the exact origin of the virus is still unknown, the first outbreak started in Wuhan, Hubei, China in late 2019. Many early cases of COVID-19 were linked to people who had visited the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan,[14][15][16] but it is possible that human-to-human transmission was already happening before this.[17][18] On 11 February 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) named the disease "COVID-19", which is short for coronavirus disease 2019.[19][20] The virus that caused the outbreak is known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a newly discovered virus closely related to bat coronaviruses,[21] pangolin coronaviruses,[22][23] and SARS-CoV.[24] Scientific consensus is that COVID-19 is a zoonotic virus that arose from bats in a natural setting,[25][26][27] although the exact original host and cross-species infection routes remain in need of further investigation.[17] Despite this, the subject has generated a significant amount of online conspiracy theories.[28][18]
The earliest known person with symptoms was later discovered to have fallen ill on 1 December 2019, and that person did not have visible connections with the later wet market cluster.[29][30] However, an earlier case of infection could have occurred on 17 November.[31] Of the early cluster of cases reported that month, two thirds were found to have a link with the market.[32][33][34] There are several theories about when and where the very first case (the so-called patient zero) originated.[35]
Cases
Main articles: COVID-19 pandemic by country and territory and COVID-19 pandemic cases

Total confirmed cases per country as of 27 April 2021.
  • 10,000,000+
  • 1,000,000–9,999,999
  • 100,000–999,999
  • 10,000–99,999
  • 1,000–9,999
  • 100–999
  • 1–99
  • 0
Official case counts refer to the number of people who have been tested for COVID-19 and whose test has been confirmed positive according to official protocols.[36][37] Many countries, early on, had official policies to not test those with only mild symptoms.[38][39] An analysis of the early phase of the outbreak up to 23 January estimated 86 percent of COVID-19 infections had not been detected, and that these undocumented infections were the source for 79 percent of documented cases.[40] Several other studies, using a variety of methods, have estimated that numbers of infections in many countries are likely to be considerably greater than the reported cases.[41][42]
On 9 April 2020, preliminary results found that 15 percent of people tested in Gangelt, the centre of a major infection cluster in Germany, tested positive for antibodies.[43] Screening for COVID-19 in pregnant women in New York City, and blood donors in the Netherlands, has also found rates of positive antibody tests that may indicate more infections than reported.[44][45] Seroprevalence based estimates are conservative as some studies show that persons with mild symptoms do not have detectable antibodies.[46] Some results (such as the Gangelt study) have received substantial press coverage without first passing through peer review.[47]
An analysis in early 2020 of cases by age in China indicated that a relatively low proportion of cases occurred in individuals under 20.[48] It was not clear whether this was because young people were less likely to be infected, or less likely to develop serious symptoms and seek medical attention and be tested.[49] A retrospective cohort study in China found that children and adults were just as likely to be infected.[50]
Initial estimates of the basic reproduction number (R0) for COVID-19 in January were between 1.4 and 2.5,[51] but a subsequent analysis concluded that it may be about 5.7 (with a 95 percent confidence interval of 3.8 to 8.9).[52] R0 can vary across populations and is not to be confused with the effective reproduction number (commonly just called R), which takes into account effects such as social distancing and herd immunity. By mid-May 2020, the effective R was close to or below 1.0 in many countries, meaning the spread of the disease in these areas at that time was stable or decreasing.[53]


  • Semi-log plot of weekly new cases of COVID-19 in the world and top five current countries (mean with deaths)

  • COVID-19 total cases per 100 000 population from selected countries[54]

  • COVID-19 active cases per 100 000 population from selected countries[54]
Deaths
Main articles: COVID-19 pandemic deaths and COVID-19 pandemic death rates by country
Further information: List of deaths due to COVID-19

Deceased in a 16 m (53 ft) "mobile morgue" outside a hospital in Hackensack, New Jersey
Official deaths from COVID-19 generally refer to people who died after testing positive according to protocols. These counts may ignore deaths of people who die without having been tested.[55] Conversely, deaths of people who had underlying conditions may lead to over-counting.[56] Comparisons of statistics for deaths for all causes versus the seasonal average indicate excess mortality in many countries.[57][58] This may include deaths due to strained healthcare systems and bans on elective surgery.[59] The first confirmed death was in Wuhan on 9 January 2020.[60] The first reported death outside of China occurred on 1 February in the Philippines,[61] and the first reported death outside Asia was in the United States on 6 February.[62]
More than 95 percent of the people who contract COVID-19 recover. Otherwise, the time between symptoms onset and death usually ranges from 6 to 41 days, typically about 14 days.[63] As of 6 May 2021, more than 3.23 million[3] deaths have been attributed to COVID-19. People at the greatest risk of mortality from COVID-19 tend to be those with underlying conditions, such as those with a weakened immune system, serious heart or lung problems, severe obesity, or the elderly (including individuals age 65 years or older).[64][65]
Multiple measures are used to quantify mortality.[66] These numbers vary by region and over time, influenced by testing volume, healthcare system quality, treatment options, government response,[67][68][69] time since the initial outbreak, and population characteristics, such as age, sex, and overall health.[70] Countries like Belgium include deaths from suspected cases of COVID-19, regardless of whether the person was tested, resulting in higher numbers compared to countries that include only test-confirmed cases.[71]
The death-to-case ratio reflects the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 divided by the number of diagnosed cases within a given time interval. Based on Johns Hopkins University statistics, the global death-to-case ratio is 2.1 percent (3,237,107 deaths for 154,759,285 cases) as of 6 May 2021.[3] The number varies by region.[72]

  • Semi-log plot of weekly deaths due to COVID-19 in the world and top five current countries (mean with cases)

  • COVID-19 deaths per 100 000 population from selected countries[54]
Reporting
On 24 March 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States, indicated the WHO had provided two codes for COVID-19: U07.1 when confirmed by laboratory testing and U07.2 for clinically or epidemiological diagnosis where laboratory confirmation is inconclusive or not available.[73][74] The CDC noted that "Because laboratory test results are not typically reported on death certificates in the U.S., [the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)] is not planning to implement U07.2 for mortality statistics" and that U07.1 would be used "If the death certificate reports terms such as 'probable COVID-19' or 'likely COVID-19'." The CDC also noted "It Is not likely that NCHS will follow up on these cases" and while the "underlying cause depends upon what and where conditions are reported on the death certificate, ... the rules for coding and selection of the ... cause of death are expected to result in COVID–19 being the underlying cause more often than not."[73]
On 16 April 2020, the WHO, in its formal publication of the two codes, U07.1 and U07.2, "recognized that in many countries detail as to the laboratory confirmation... will not be reported [and] recommended, for mortality purposes only, to code COVID-19 provisionally to code U07.1 unless it is stated as 'probable' or 'suspected'."[75][76] It was also noted that the WHO "does not distinguish" between infection by SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19.[77]
Infection fatality ratio (IFR)
Coronavirus
HCoV-229E virus
show
Types
show
Diseases
show
Vaccines
show
Epidemics and pandemics
show
See also
A crucial metric in assessing the severity of a disease is the infection fatality ratio (IFR), which is the cumulative number of deaths attributed to the disease divided by the cumulative number of infected individuals (including asymptomatic and undiagnosed infections) as measured or estimated as of a specific date.[78][79][80] Epidemiologists frequently refer to this metric as the 'infection fatality rate' to clarify that it is expressed in percentage points (not as a decimal).[81][82][83] Other published studies refer to this metric as the 'infection fatality risk'.[84][85]
In April 2020, an IFR range of 0.12–1.08% was derived from non-peer-reviewed serology surveys, with the upper bound characterised as much more credible and the range indicated as from 3 to 27 times deadlier than influenza (0.04%).[86]
In June 2020, a peer-reviewed analysis of pre-serology data from mainland China yielded an overall IFR of 0.66% (with age-bracketed values ranging from 0.00161% for 0–9 years to 0.595% for 50–59 years to 7.8% for > 80 years).[87]
In July 2020, the US CDC adopted the IFR as a "more directly measurable parameter for disease severity for COVID-19" and computed an overall 'best estimate' for planning purposes for the U.S. of 0.65%.[88][89]
CDC Planning Scenario IFR Range
Age groupIFR
0–190.002%–0.01%
20–490.007%–0.03%
50–690.25%–1.0%
70+2.8%–9.3%
Inses. In October 2020, medical scientists reported evidence of reinfection in one patient.
Cause
Main article: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2

Illustration of SARS-CoV-2 virion
SARS‑CoV‑2 belongs to the broad family of viruses known as coronaviruses.[123] It is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA (+ssRNA) virus, with a single linear RNA segment. Other coronaviruses are capable of causing illnesses ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS, fatality rate ~34%). It is the seventh known coronavirus to infect people, after 229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1, MERS-CoV, and the original SARS-CoV.[124]
On 11 February 2020, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses announced that according to existing rules that compute hierarchical relationships among coronaviruses based on five conserved sequences of nucleic acids, the differences between what was then called 2019-nCoV and the virus from the 2003 SARS outbreak were insufficient to make them separate viral species. Therefore, they identified 2019-nCoV as a virus of Severe acute respiratory syndrome–related coronavirus.[125]
Diagnosis
Main article: COVID-19 § Diagnosis
Further information: COVID-19 testing
The standard methods of testing for presence of SARS-CoV-2 are nucleic acid tests,[126][127] which detects the presence of viral RNA fragments.[128] As these tests detect RNA but not infectious virus, its "ability to determine duration of infectivity of patients is limited."[129] The test is typically done on respiratory samples obtained by a nasopharyngeal swab; however, a nasal swab or sputum sample may also be used.[130][131] Results are generally available within hours.[126] The WHO has published several testing protocols for the disease.[132]
Chest CT scans may be helpful to diagnose COVID-19 in individuals with a high clinical suspicion of infection but are not recommended for routine screening.[133][134] Bilateral multilobar ground-glass opacities with a peripheral, asymmetric, and posterior distribution are common in early infection.[133][135] Subpleural dominance, crazy paving (lobular septal thickening with variable alveolar filling), and consolidation may appear as the disease progresses.[133][136] Characteristic imaging features on chest radiographs and computed tomography (CT) of people who are symptomatic include asymmetric peripheral ground-glass opacities without pleural effusions.[137]
Prevention
Further information: COVID-19 § Prevention, Face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Social distancing measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic

The CDC and WHO advise that masks reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen pictured.

Infographic by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), describing how to stop the spread of germs
Preventive measures to reduce the chances of infection include staying at home, wearing a mask in public, avoiding crowded places, keeping distance from others, ventilating indoor spaces, managing potential exposure durations,[138] washing hands with soap and water often and for at least twenty seconds, practising good respiratory hygiene, and avoiding touching the eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.[139][140] Poor hygienic conditions in underdeveloped countries such as the Dominican Republic, where there is also a gender, class, and ethnic gap, complicate the whole process of COVID-19 prevention.[141]
Those diagnosed with COVID-19 or who believe they may be infected are advised by the CDC to stay home except to get medical care, call ahead before visiting a healthcare provider, wear a face mask before entering the healthcare provider's office and when in any room or vehicle with another person, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, regularly wash hands with soap and water and avoid sharing personal household items.[142][143]
Vaccines
Main article: COVID-19 vaccine
See also: History of COVID-19 vaccine development and Deployment of COVID-19 vaccines

A doctor at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center receiving a COVID-19 vaccination
In Phase III trials, several COVID‑19 vaccines have demonstrated efficacy as high as 95% in preventing symptomatic COVID‑19 infections. As of April 2021, 13 vaccines are authorized by at least one national regulatory authority for public use: two RNA vaccines (Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna), five conventional inactivated vaccines (BBIBP-CorV, CoronaVac, Covaxin, WIBP-CorV and CoviVac), four viral vector vaccines (Sputnik V, Oxford–AstraZeneca, Convidecia, and Johnson & Johnson), and two protein subunit vaccines (EpiVacCorona and RBD-Dimer).[144][failed verification] In total, as of March 2021, 308 vaccine candidates are in various stages of development, with 73 in clinical research, including 24 in Phase I trials, 33 in Phase I–II trials, and 16 in Phase III development.[144]
Many countries have implemented phased distribution plans that prioritize those at highest risk of complications, such as the elderly, and those at high risk of exposure and transmission, such as healthcare workers.[145] Stanley Plotkin and Neal Halsey wrote an article published by Oxford Clinical Infectious Diseases that urged single dose interim use in order to extend vaccination to as many people as possible until vaccine availability improved.[146] Several other articles and media provided evidence for delaying second doses in the same line of reasoning.[147][148][149]
On 21 December 2020, the European Union approved the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine. Vaccinations began to be administered on 27 December 2020. The Moderna vaccine was authorized on 6 January 2021 and the AstraZeneca vaccine was authorized on 29 January 2021.[150] On 4 February 2020, US Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar published a notice of declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act for medical countermeasures against COVID-19, covering "any vaccine, used to treat, diagnose, cure, prevent, or mitigate COVID-19, or the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 or a virus mutating therefrom", and stating that the declaration precludes "liability claims alleging negligence by a manufacturer in creating a vaccine, or negligence by a health care provider in prescribing the wrong dose, absent willful misconduct".[151] The declaration is effective in the United States through 1 October 2024.[152] On 8 December it was reported that the AstraZeneca vaccine is about 70% effective, according to a study.[153]
Treatment
Main article: Treatment and management of COVID-19
There is no specific, effective treatment or cure for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.[154][155] Thus, the cornerstone of management of COVID-19 is supportive care, which includes treatment to relieve symptoms, fluid therapy, oxygen support and prone positioning as needed, and medications or devices to support other affected vital organs.[156][157][158]


Timelines of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 by month: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Chinese medics in the city of Huanggang, Hubei on 20 March 2020
During the early stages of the outbreak, the number of cases doubled approximately every seven and a half days.[226] In early and mid-January 2020, the virus spread to other Chinese provinces, helped by the Chinese New Year migration and Wuhan being a transport hub and major rail interchange.[227] On 10 January, the SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequence data was shared through GISAID.[228] On 20 January, China reported nearly 140 new cases in one day, including two people in Beijing and one in Shenzhen.[229] A retrospective official study published in March found that 6,174 people had already developed symptoms by 20 January (most of them would be diagnosed later)[230] and more may have been infected.[231] A report in The Lancet on 24 January indicated human transmission, strongly recommended personal protective equipment for health workers, and said testing for the virus was essential due to its "pandemic potential".[32][232] On 31 January The Lancet would publish the first modelling study explicitly warning of inevitable "independent self-sustaining outbreaks in major cities globally" and calling for "large-scale public health interventions."[233]
On 30 January 2020, with 7,818 confirmed cases across 19 countries, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC),[234][235] and then a pandemic on 11 March 2020[236][237] as Italy, Iran, South Korea, and Japan reported increasing numbers of cases.
On 31 January 2020, Italy had its first confirmed cases, two tourists from China.[238] As of 13 March 2020, the WHO considered Europe the active centre of the pandemic.[239] On 19 March 2020, Italy overtook China as the country with the most reported deaths.[240] By 26 March, the United States had overtaken China and Italy with the highest number of confirmed cases in the world.[241] Research on SARS-CoV-2 genomes indicates the majority of COVID-19 cases in New York came from European travelers, rather than directly from China or any other Asian country.[242] Retesting of prior samples found a person in France who had the virus on 27 December 2019[243][244] and a person in the United States who died from the disease on 6 February 2020.[245]
On 11 June 2020, after 55 days without a locally transmitted case being officially reported,[246] the city of Beijing reported a single COVID-19 case, followed by two more cases on 12 June.[247] As of 15 June 2020, 79 cases were officially confirmed.[248] Most of these patients went to Xinfadi Wholesale Market.[246][249]
On 29 June 2020, WHO warned that the spread of the virus was still accelerating as countries reopened their economies, despite many countries having made progress in slowing down the spread.[250]
On 15 July 2020, one COVID-19 case was officially reported in Dalian in more than three months. The patient did not travel outside the city in the 14 days before developing symptoms, nor did he have contact with people from "areas of attention."[251]
In October 2020, the WHO stated, at a special meeting of WHO leaders, that one in ten people around the world may have been infected with COVID-19. At the time, that translated to 780 million people being infected, while only 35 million infections had been confirmed.[252]
In early November 2020, Denmark reported on an outbreak of a unique mutated variant being transmitted to humans from minks in its North Jutland Region. All twelve human cases of the mutated variant were identified in September 2020. The WHO released a report saying the variant "had a combination of mutations or changes that have not been previously observed."[253] In response, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen ordered for the country – the world's largest producer of mink fur – to cull its mink population by as many as 17 million.[254]
On 9 November 2020, Pfizer released their trial results for a candidate vaccine, showing that it is 90% effective against the virus.[255] Later that day, Novavax entered an FDA Fast Track application for their vaccine.[256] Virologist and U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci indicated that the Pfizer vaccine targets the spike protein used to infect cells by the virus. Some issues left to be answered are how long the vaccine offers protection, and if it offers the same level of protection to all ages. Initial doses will likely go to healthcare workers on the front lines.[257]
On 9 November 2020 the United States surpassed 10 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, making it the country with the most cases worldwide by a large margin.[258]
It was reported on 27 November, that a publication released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicated that the current numbers of viral infection are via confirmed laboratory test only. However, the true number could be about eight times the reported number; the report further indicated that the true number of virus infected cases could be around 100 million in the U.S.[259][260]
On 14 December 2020, Public Health England reported a new variant had been discovered in the South East of England, predominantly in Kent. The variant, named Variant of Concern 202012/01, showed changes to the spike protein which could make the virus more infectious. As of 13 December, there were 1,108 cases identified.[261] Many countries halted all flights from the UK;[262] France-bound Eurotunnel service was suspended and ferries carrying passengers and accompanied freight were cancelled as the French border closed to people on 20 December.[263]
2021
Timelines of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 by month: January, February, March, April
On 2 January, VOC-202012/01, a variant of SARS-CoV-2 first discovered in the UK, had been identified in 33 countries around the world, including Pakistan, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Norway, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, India, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, and China.[264]
On 12 January, it was reported that a team of scientists from the World Health Organization would arrive in Wuhan on the 14th of the month; this is to ascertain the origin of SARS-CoV-2 and determine what were the intermediate hosts between the original reservoir and humans.[265] On the following day, two of the WHO members were barred from entering China because, according to the country, antibodies for the virus were detected in both.[266]
On 29 January, it was reported that the Novavax vaccine was only 49% effective against the 501.V2 variant in a clinical trial in South Africa.[267][268] The China COVID-19 vaccine CoronaVac indicated 50.4% effectivity in a Brazil clinical trial.[269]
On 12 March, it was reported that several countries including Thailand, Denmark, Bulgaria, Norway, and Iceland had stopped using the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine due to what was being called severe blood clotting problems, a cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). Additionally, Austria halted the use of one batch of the aforementioned vaccine as well.[270] On 20 March, the WHO and European Medicines Agency found no link between thrombus (a blood clot of clinical importance), leading several European countries to resume administering the AstraZeneca vaccine.[271]
On 29 March, it was reported that the U.S. government was planning to introduce COVID-19 vaccination 'passports' to allow those who have been vaccinated the ability to board airplanes, cruise ships as well as other activities.[272]
As of 6 May 2021, more than 154 million cases have been reported worldwide due to COVID-19; more than 3.23 million have died and more than 91.2 million have recovered.[3]
National responses
Main articles: COVID-19 lockdowns, COVID-19 pandemic by country and territory, and National responses to the COVID-19 pandemic

Then-US President Donald Trump signs the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act into law with Alex Azar on 6 March 2020.
A total of 192[3] countries and territories have had at least one case of COVID-19 so far. Due to the pandemic in Europe, many countries in the Schengen Area have restricted free movement and set up border controls.[273] National reactions have included containment measures such as quarantines and curfews (known as stay-at-home orders, shelter-in-place orders, or lockdowns).[274] The WHO's recommendation on curfews and lockdowns is that they should be short-term measures to reorganise, regroup, rebalance resources, and protect health workers who are exhausted. To achieve a balance between restrictions and normal life, the long-term responses to the pandemic should consist of strict personal hygiene, effective contact tracing, and isolating when ill.[275]
By 26 March 2020, 1.7 billion people worldwide were under some form of lockdown,[276] which increased to 3.9 billion people by the first week of April—more than half the world's population.[277][278]
By late April 2020, around 300 million people were under lockdown in nations of Europe, including but not limited to Italy, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom, while around 200 million people were under lockdown in Latin America.[279] Nearly 300 million people, or about 90 percent of the population, were under some form of lockdown in the United States,[280] around 100 million people in the Philippines,[279] about 59 million people in South Africa,[281] and 1.3 billion people have been under lockdown in India.[282][283]
Asia
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
As of 30 April 2020,[284] cases have been reported in all Asian countries except for Turkmenistan and North Korea, although these countries likely also have cases.[285][286] Despite being the first area of the world hit by the outbreak, the early wide-scale response of some Asian states, particularly Bhutan,[287] Singapore,[288] Taiwan[289] and Vietnam[290] has allowed them to fare comparatively well. China was criticised for initially minimising the severity of the outbreak, but its wide-scale response has largely contained the disease since March 2020.[291][292][293][294] As of 29 January 2021, Singapore has the lowest case fatality rate in the world at <0.1%.[295]
The pandemic has had direct side effects, per a report on 28 November, in Japan. According to the report by the country's National Police Agency, suicides had increased to 2,153 in October. Experts also state that the pandemic has worsened mental health issues due to lockdowns and isolation from family members, among other issues.[296]
China
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China

A temporary hospital constructed in Wuhan in February 2020
As of 14 July 2020, there are 83,545 cases confirmed in China— excluding 114 asymptomatic cases, 62 of which were imported, under medical observation; asymptomatic cases have not been reported prior to 31 March 2020—with 4,634 deaths and 78,509 recoveries,[297] meaning there are only 402 cases. Hubei has the most cases, followed by Xinjiang.[298] By March 2020, COVID-19 infections have largely been put under control in China,[291] with minor outbreaks since.[299] It was reported on 25 November, that some 1 million people in the country of China have been vaccinated according to China's state council; the vaccines against COVID-19 come from Sinopharm which makes two and one produced by Sinovac.[300]
India
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in India

Indian officials conducting temperature checks at the Ratha Yatra Hindu festival on 23 June 2020
The first case of COVID-19 in India was reported on 30 January 2020. India ordered a nationwide lockdown for the entire population starting 24 March 2020,[301] with a phased unlock beginning 1 June 2020. Six cities account for around half of all reported cases in the country—Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Pune and Kolkata.[302] On 10 June 2020, India's recoveries exceeded active cases for the first time.[303]
On 30 August 2020, India surpassed the US record for the most cases in a single day, with more than 78,000 cases,[304] and set a new record on 16 September 2020, with almost 98,000 cases reported that day.[305] As of 30 August 2020, India's case fatality rate is relatively low at 2.3%, against the global 4.7%.[306][needs update]
As of September 2020, India had the largest number of confirmed cases in Asia;[307] and the second-highest number of confirmed cases in the world,[308] behind the United States,[309] with the number of total confirmed cases breaching the 100,000 mark on 19 May 2020,[310] 1,000,000 on 16 July 2020,[311] and 5,000,000 confirmed cases on 16 September 2020.[312]
On 19 December 2020, India crossed the total number of 10,000,000 confirmed cases but with a slow pace.[313]
The Indian Ministry of Science initiated a mathematical simulation of the pandemic, the so-called "Indian Supermodel", which correctly predicted the decrease of active cases starting in September 2020.[314][10][315][316][317]
A second wave hit India in April 2021, placing healthcare services under severe strain.[318] By late April, the government was reporting over 300,000 new infections and 2,000 deaths per day, with concerns of undercounting.[319]
Iran
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in Iran

Disinfection of Tehran Metro trains against COVID-19 transmission. Similar measures have also been taken in other countries.[320]
Iran reported its first confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infections on 19 February 2020 in Qom, where, according to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, two people had died that day.[321][322] Early measures announced by the government included the cancellation of concerts and other cultural events,[323] sporting events,[324] Friday prayers,[325] and closures of universities, higher education institutions, and schools.[326] Iran allocated 5 trillion rials (equivalent to US$120,000,000) to combat the virus.[327] President Hassan Rouhani said on 26 February 2020 there were no plans to quarantine areas affected by the outbreak, and only individuals would be quarantined.[328] Plans to limit travel between cities were announced in March 2020,[329] although heavy traffic between cities ahead of the Persian New Year Nowruz continued.[330] Shia shrines in Qom remained open to pilgrims until 16 March.[331][332]
Iran became a centre of the spread of the virus after China in February 2020.[333][334] More than ten countries had traced their cases back to Iran by 28 February, indicating the outbreak may have been more severe than the 388 cases reported by the Iranian government by that date.[334][335] The Iranian Parliament was shut down, with 23 of its 290 members reported to have had tested positive for the virus on 3 March 2020.[336] On 15 March 2020, the Iranian government reported a hundred deaths in a single day, the most recorded in the country since the outbreak began.[337] At least twelve sitting or former Iranian politicians and government officials had died from the disease by 17 March 2020.[338] By 23 March 2020, Iran was experiencing fifty new cases every hour and one new death every ten minutes due to COVID-19.[339] According to a WHO official, there may be five times more cases in Iran than what is being reported. It is also suggested that U.S. sanctions on Iran may be affecting the country's financial ability to respond to the viral outbreak.[340]
On 20 April 2020, Iran reopened shopping malls and other shopping areas across the country.[341] After reaching a low in new cases in early May, a new peak was reported on 4 June 2020, raising fear of a second wave.[342] On 18 July 2020, President Rouhani estimated that 25 million Iranians had already become infected, which is considerably higher than the official count.[343] Leaked data suggest that 42,000 people had died with COVID-19 symptoms by 20 July 2020, nearly tripling the 14,405 officially reported by that date.[344]
South Korea
Main article: COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea


Misinformation
Main article: COVID-19 misinformation
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in misinformation and conspiracy theories about the scale of the pandemic and the origin, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease. False information, including intentional disinformation, has been spread through social media, text messaging,[752] and mass media. Journalists have been arrested for allegedly spreading fake news about the pandemic. False information has also been propagated by celebrities, politicians, and other prominent public figures. The spread of COVID-19 misinformation by governments has also been significant.
Commercial scams have claimed to offer at-home tests, supposed preventives, and "miracle" cures.[753] Several religious groups have claimed their faith will protect them from the virus.[754] Without evidence, some people have claimed the virus is a bioweapon accidentally or purposefully leaked from a laboratory, a population control scheme, the result of a spy operation, or the side effect of 5G upgrades to cellular networks.[755]
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared an "infodemic" of incorrect information about the virus that poses risks to global health.[756] While belief in conspiracy theories is not a new phenomenon, in the context of the coronavirus pandemic, this can lead to adverse health effects. Cognitive biases, such as jumping to conclusions and confirmation bias, may be linked to the occurrence of conspiracy beliefs.[757]
 
I will miss eating chupputties and buryianies plus garam massala and tandoori.
 
I find it ironic and amusing they're complaining of oxygen shortage... while wearing masks. :biggrin:
 
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