a) A brief history of the World Health Organization.

The World Health Organization was created in 1948 to

coordinate health affairs within the United Nations system. Its
initial priorities were malaria, tuberculosis, venereal disease
and other communicable diseases, plus women and children’s
health, nutrition and sanitation. From the start, it worked with
member countries to identify and address public health issues,
support health research and issue guidelines. It also classified
diseases. In addition to governments, WHO coordinated with
other UN agencies, donors, non-governmental organizations
(NGOs) and the private sector.[2] Investigating and managing
disease outbreaks was the responsibility of each individual
country, although under the International Health Regulations,
governments were expected to report cases of a few
contagious diseases such as plague, cholera and yellow fever.
WHO had no authority to police what member countries did.

By 2003 WHO, headquartered in Geneva, was organized into 141

country offices which reported to six regional offices. It had 192
member countries and employed about 8,000 doctors, scientists,
epidemiologists, managers and administrators worldwide; the
budget for 2002-2003 was $2.23 billion.[3] Its director general was
Gro Harlem Brundtland, a medical doctor and former prime
minister of Norway. The majority of its funding came from annual
assessments plus voluntary contributions from member countries.
WHO started in 2000 the Global Outbreak Alert Response Network (GOARN) to analyze
events once they were detected. GOARN linked 120 networks and institutes with the data,
laboratories, skills and experience to take action swiftly in a crisis.

b) The vision and the mission of the WHO.***

Mission statement 
The Bulletin seeks to publish and disseminate scientifically rigorous public health information of
international significance that enables policy-makers, researchers and practitioners to be more
effective; it aims to improve health, particularly among disadvantaged populations.

Our Vision. “ Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well

being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” 

Alliance vision and mission

Vision:
All people everywhere will have access to a skilled, motivated and
supported health worker, within a robust health system.
Mission:
To advocate and catalyze global and country actions to resolve the
human resources for health crisis, to support the achievement of the
health-related millennium development goals and health for all.

c) 5 important functions of the World Health Organization.

1. Providing Leadership on Global Health

WHO is not the only major player in global health; there are several organizations who
share the spotlight. But where this organization differs from others is that it continuously
provides leadership in all areas of global health. This organization works with experts,
volunteers, politicians, and governments to ensure that there is a set standard for global
health and that it demonstrates this standard at all times. And because WHO is one of
the most visible organizations, it is critical that they showcase leadership at all times,
something it has done well since its inception.
2. Shaping the Research Agenda
Research is the main function of WHO; it is through research of disease and health policy
that practices can be implemented on a global scale to save as many human lives as
possible. Research is constantly changing and evolving, and WHO sees it as a priority to
ensure that their own research practices are always beneficial to public health. The
organization also distributes life-saving information all over the world, enabling the
information they receive from research to make it to the communities that are affected the
most by poor health conditions.
3. Setting the Standards for Global Health
One of the functions of WHO is to set international standards for the monitoring and
implementation of global health policy and practices. While it continues to work hand-in-
hand with governments and other non-governmental organization, it is this organization
to which all other non-profit organizations look up to when discussing global health policy,
norms, and practices. WHO does this by annually reviewing their own standards, taking
constructive criticism from the global health community, and updating its standards as it
sees fit.
4. Advocating for Evidence-Based and Ethical
Policy
WHO is not the only organization that works to promote global health. It is, however, the
one that takes the most responsibility for building a strong foundation on evidence-based
science and ethical policies. Because the organization works all over the world, it is
imperative that it takes the proper steps to ensure that their work is backed by sound
science, ethical behaviors on their part, and demonstrates a high ethical standard for
their international partners. This has been a function that WHO has been working
tirelessly to improve as it is clear that the organization cannot act alone in the global
health field; still, it remains a beacon of moral standards by upstanding global citizens.
5. Monitoring and Assessing Health Trends and
Concerns
One of the main functions for the WHO continues to be tracking health trends across the
globe. With malnutrition and preventable diseases supporting high mortality rates in
underdeveloped countries, it is a mission of this organization to assess trends in order to
ensure that its resources are going to the communities that need the most help. The
Twelfth Programme of Work describes this in great detail and discusses not only child
and maternal mortality rates, but also the spread of disease in every region, the
expanding number of society that is aged 55 and over, and sanitation issues that
contribute to the spread of disease.
WHO continues to be a symbol of integrity, rationality, and hope for the communities
around the world that face global health crises. It is no wonder that it has an amazing
reputation for providing excellent service for global communities while being an example
for other organizations all over the world. Now that five important functions of the World
Health Organization have been covered, consider learning more about current projects
the organization is overseeing to see if help is needed.

d) International Health Regulations for disease control (2005)

Pratham Riya image

e)  WHO’s activities over the years. (5 best examples) ***

Examples of WHO activities over the years

Smallpox eradication

In 1958, the USSR proposed a WHO-led smallpox eradication programme. By 1977, the last confirmed case of
smallpox was identified in Somalia. In 1980, the Global Commission for Certification of Smallpox Eradication
recommends a halt to routine smallpox vaccination.

Disease control and eradication

In the 1960s WHO promoted mass campaigns against yaws, endemic syphilis, leprosy, and trachoma and helped
control a major cholera pandemic in Asia and the Western Pacific and the large epidemic of yellow fever in Africa.

Family planning
In 1970, WHO launched its Expanded Programme of Research, Development, and Research Training in Human
Reproduction, which was to focus on fertility regulation and birth-control methods.

Childhood immunisation

In 1974, WHO launched its Expanded Programme on Immunization, which aimed to vaccinate children worldwide
against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, poliomyelitis, and tuberculosis. This goal remains unachieved but is
now being pursued by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation.

Alma-Ata

In 1978, WHO adopted the Declaration of Alma-Ata, calling on all governments to make high-quality primary
health care an essential feature of their national health systems. Following this declaration, in 1981 WHO adopted
a global strategy for achieving health for all by 2000. The key to achieving this goal was to make primary health
care the “central function and main focus of the country’s health system”.

Maternal morbidity

In 1987, WHO launched the Safe Motherhood Initiative, which aimed to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality
by 50% by the year 2000. The initiative did not succeed and maternal health continues to be a major focus of
WHO efforts.

Polio eradication

In 1988, WHO formulated an ambitious plan to achieve global eradication of poliomyelitis by 2000. This goal was
not met, but efforts continue with the goal of polio eradication by 2005.

f)- WITH REFERENCE TO THE NOVEL

CORONAVIRUS(COVID-19) DISCUSS:

> CORONAVIRUS DISEASE OUTBREAK( ORIGIN):

Richard Ebright, a Rutgers microbiologist and biosafety expert, SAID in an
email that “the first human infection could have occurred as a natural
accident,” with the virus passing from bat to human, possibly through another
animal. But Ebright cautioned that it “also could have occurred as a laboratory
accident like an accidental infection of a laboratory worker.” He noted that bat
coronaviruses were studied in Wuhan at Biosafety Level 2, “which provides
only minimal protection,” compared with the top BSL-4.
Ebright described a December video from the Wuhan CDC that shows staffers
“collecting bat coronaviruses with inadequate [personal protective equipment]
and unsafe operational practices.”
There two Chinese articles, describing the heroics of Wuhan CDC researcher
Tian Junhua, who while capturing bats in a cave “forgot to take protective
measures” so that “bat urine dripped from the top of his head like raindrops.”

Kristian Andersen, PhD, an associate professor of immunology and microbiology at Scripps

Research 
Based on their genomic sequencing analysis, Andersen and his collaborators concluded that the
most likely origins for SARS-CoV-2 followed one of two possible scenarios.
In one scenario, the virus evolved to its current pathogenic state through natural selection in a non-
human host and then jumped to humans. This is how previous coronavirus outbreaks have
emerged, with humans contracting the virus after direct exposure to civets (SARS) and camels
(MERS). The researchers proposed bats as the most likely reservoir for SARS-CoV-2 as it is very
similar to a bat coronavirus. There are no documented cases of direct bat-human transmission,
however, suggesting that an intermediate host was likely involved between bats and humans.
In this scenario, both of the distinctive features of SARS-CoV-2's spike protein -- the RBD portion
that binds to cells and the cleavage site that opens the virus up -- would have evolved to their
current state prior to entering humans. In this case, the current epidemic would probably have
emerged rapidly as soon as humans were infected, as the virus would have already evolved the
features that make it pathogenic and able to spread between people.
In the other proposed scenario, a non-pathogenic version of the virus jumped from an animal host
into humans and then evolved to its current pathogenic state within the human population. For
instance, some coronaviruses from pangolins, armadillo-like mammals found in Asia and Africa,
have an RBD structure very similar to that of SARS-CoV-2. A coronavirus from a pangolin could
possibly have been transmitted to a human, either directly or through an intermediary host such as
civets or ferrets.

>SYMPTONS OF CORONAVIRUS:
People may be sick with the virus for 1 to 14 days before developing symptoms. The most
common symptoms of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Most
people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment.
More rarely, the disease can be serious and even fatal. Older people, and people with other
medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), may be more vulnerable to
becoming severely ill.
People may experience:
cough
fever
tiredness
difficulty breathing (severe cases)

>CORONAVIRUS AFFECTED COUNTRIES(SPREAD):

204 COUNTRIES:
Country Cases Deaths Region

United States 264,159 6,714 North America

Italy 119,827 14,681 Europe

Spain 117,710 10,935 Europe

Germany 89,838 1,230 Europe

China 81,620 3,322 Asia

France 59,105 5,387 Europe

Iran 53,183 3,294 Asia

United Kingdom 38,168 3,605 Europe

Turkey 20,921 425 Asia

Switzerland 19,606 591 Europe

Belgium 16,770 1,143 Europe

Netherlands 15,723 1,487 Europe

Canada 11,747 173 North America

Austria 11,464 168 Europe

South Korea 10,062 174 Asia

Portugal 9,886 246 Europe

Brazil 8,229 343 South America

Israel 7,030 40 Asia

Sweden 6,131 358 Europe

Australia 5,350 28 Australia/Oceania

Norway 5,296 57 Europe

Ireland 4,273 120 Europe

Russia 4,149 34 Europe

Czech Republic 4,091 53 Europe

(Czechia)
Denmark 3,757 139 Europe

Chile 3,737 22 South America

Ecuador 3,368 145 South America

Malaysia 3,333 53 Asia

Japan (+Diamond 3,329 74 Asia

Princess)

Poland 3,266 65 Europe

Romania 3,183 122 Europe

Philippines 3,018 136 Asia

Pakistan 2,631 40 Asia

Luxembourg 2,612 31 Europe

India 2,567 72 Asia

Saudi Arabia 2,039 25 Asia

Indonesia 1,986 181 Asia

Thailand 1,978 19 Asia

Finland 1,615 20 Europe

Greece 1,613 59 Europe

Mexico 1,510 50 North America

South Africa 1,505 7 Africa

Dominican Republic 1,488 68 North America

Serbia 1,476 39 Europe

Panama 1,475 37 North America

Peru 1,414 55 South America

Iceland 1,364 4 Europe

Argentina 1,265 39 South America

Algeria 1,171 105 Africa

Colombia 1,161 19 South America

Singapore 1,114 5 Asia

Croatia 1,079 8 Europe

Qatar 1,075 3 Asia

United Arab Emirates 1,024 8 Asia

Estonia 961 12 Europe

Ukraine 942 23 Europe

Slovenia 934 20 Europe

New Zealand 868 1 Australia/Oceania

Egypt 865 58 Africa

Hong Kong 845 4 Asia

Iraq 820 54 Asia

Armenia 736 7 Asia

Morocco 735 47 Africa

Lithuania 696 9 Europe

Bahrain 672 4 Asia

Hungary 623 26 Europe

Moldova 591 8 Europe

Bosnia and 574 17 Europe

Herzegovina

Lebanon 508 17 Asia

Tunisia 495 18 Africa

Latvia 493 1 Europe

Bulgaria 485 14 Europe

Kazakhstan 460 6 Asia

Slovakia 450 1 Europe

Azerbaijan 443 5 Asia

Andorra 439 16 Europe

North Macedonia 430 11 Europe

Kuwait 417 0 Asia

Cyprus 396 11 Asia

Costa Rica 396 2 North America

Uruguay 369 4 South America

Belarus 351 4 Europe

Taiwan 348 5 Asia

Réunion 321 0 Africa

Cameroon 306 7 Africa

Albania 304 17 Europe

Burkina Faso 302 16 Africa

Jordan 299 5 Asia

Afghanistan 281 6 Asia

Cuba 269 6 North America

Oman 252 1 Asia

San Marino 245 30 Europe

Vietnam 237 0 Asia

Channel Islands 232 4 Europe

Honduras 222 15 North America

Uzbekistan 221 2 Asia

Senegal 207 1 Africa

Ghana 204 5 Africa

Malta 202 0 Europe

Côte d'Ivoire 194 1 Africa

State of Palestine 193 1 Asia

Nigeria 190 2 Africa

Mauritius 186 7 Africa

Faeroe Islands 179 0 Europe

Montenegro 174 2 Europe

Sri Lanka 159 4 Asia

Georgia 148 0 Asia

Venezuela 146 5 South America

Martinique 138 3 North America

DR Congo 134 13 Africa

Brunei 134 1 Asia

Bolivia 132 9 South America

Kyrgyzstan 130 1 Asia

Guadeloupe 128 6 North America

Kenya 122 4 Africa

Mayotte 116 1 Africa

Isle of Man 114 1 Europe

Cambodia 114 0 Asia

Niger 98 5 Africa

Trinidad and Tobago 97 6 North America

Gibraltar 95 0 Europe

Paraguay 92 3 South America

Rwanda 84 0 Africa

Liechtenstein 75 0 Europe

Guinea 73 0 Africa

Madagascar 65 0 Africa

Aruba 62 0 North America

Bangladesh 61 6 Asia

Monaco 60 1 Europe

French Guiana 57 0 South America

Guatemala 50 1 North America

Djibouti 49 0 Africa
Jamaica 47 3 North America

El Salvador 46 2 North America

Barbados 46 0 North America

Uganda 45 0 Africa

Macao 42 0 Asia

Togo 40 3 Africa

Zambia 39 1 Africa

French Polynesia 37 0 Australia/Oceania

Mali 36 3 Africa

Bermuda 35 0 North America

Ethiopia 35 0 Africa

Cayman Islands 28 1 North America

Bahamas 24 1 North America

Sint Maarten 23 2 North America

Congo 22 2 Africa

Saint Martin 22 1 North America

Eritrea 22 0 Africa

Gabon 21 1 Africa
Tanzania 20 1 Africa

Myanmar 20 1 Asia

Guyana 19 4 South America

Maldives 19 0 Asia

New Caledonia 18 0 Australia/Oceania

Haiti 18 0 North America

Syria 16 2 Asia

Equatorial Guinea 16 0 Africa

Mongolia 14 0 Asia

Namibia 14 0 Africa

Saint Lucia 13 0 North America

Benin 13 0 Africa

Dominica 12 0 North America

Curaçao 11 1 North America

Libya 11 1 Africa

Sudan 10 2 Africa

Suriname 10 1 South America

Mozambique 10 0 Africa
Laos 10 0 Asia

Seychelles 10 0 Africa

Grenada 10 0 North America

Greenland 10 0 North America

MS Zaandam 9 2

Zimbabwe 9 1 Africa

Antigua and Barbuda 9 0 North America

Eswatini 9 0 Africa

Guinea-Bissau 9 0 Africa

Saint Kitts & Nevis 9 0 North America

Angola 8 2 Africa

Central African 8 0 Africa

Republic

Chad 8 0 Africa

Holy See 7 0 Europe

Liberia 7 0 Africa

Fiji 7 0 Australia/Oceania

Mauritania 6 1 Africa

Cabo Verde 6 1 Africa

Nepal 6 0 Asia

Saint Barthelemy 6 0 North America

Nicaragua 5 1 North America

Montserrat 5 0 North America

Somalia 5 0 Africa

Turks and Caicos 5 0 North America

Bhutan 5 0 Asia

Gambia 4 1 Africa

Botswana 4 1 Africa

Belize 4 0 North America

Anguilla 3 0 North America

British Virgin Islands 3 0 North America

Burundi 3 0 Africa

St. Vincent & 3 0 North America

Grenadines

Malawi 3 0 Africa

Caribbean 2 0 North America

Netherlands

Sierra Leone 2 0 Africa

 Papua New Guinea 1 0 Australia/Oceania

Timor-Leste 1 0 Asia

 PREVENTIVE MEASURES:

*WHO’S ADVICE FOR PUBLIC:

1.Wash your hands frequently
2.Maintain social distancing

3.Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth

4.Practice respiratory hygiene

5.If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early

6.Stay informed and follow advice given by your healthcare provider

 SITUATION REPORTS:
Picture from Pratham

 TECHNICAL GUIDANCE:
Provides technical guidance on various topics :

Critical preparedness, readiness and response actions for

COVID-19

National laboratories

Risk communication and community engagement

Early investigation protocols

Naming the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

Country-level coordination, planning, and monitoring

Clinical care
Operational support and logistics

Virus origin/Reducing animal-human transmission

Humanitarian operations, camps and other fragile settings

Surveillance, rapid response teams, and case investigation

Infection protection and control / WASH

Guidance for schools, workplaces & institutions

Points of entry / mass gatherings

Health workers

Maintaining Essential Health Services and Systems

 TRAVEL ADVICE:
 Temperature screening alone, at exit or entry, is not an effective way to
stop international spread, since infected individuals may be in
incubation period, may not express apparent symptoms early on in the
course of the disease, or may dissimulate fever through the use of
antipyretics; in addition, such measures require substantial investments
for what may bear little benefits. It is more effective to provide
prevention recommendation messages to travellers and to collect
health declarations at arrival, with travellers’ contact details, to allow for
a proper risk assessment and a possible contact tracing of incoming
travellers.
Recommendations for international travellers

It is prudent for travellers who are sick to delay or avoid travel to affected
areas, in particular for elderly travellers and people with chronic diseases or
underlying health conditions.

General recommendations for personal hygiene, cough etiquette and keeping

a distance of at least one metre from persons showing symptoms remain
particularly important for all travellers. These include:

 Perform hand hygiene frequently, particularly after contact with

respiratory secretions. Hand hygiene includes either cleaning hands
with soap and water or with an alcohol-based hand rub. Alcohol-based
hand rubs are preferred if hands are not visibly soiled; wash hands with
soap and water when they are visibly soiled;
 Cover your nose and mouth with a flexed elbow or paper tissue when
coughing or sneezing and disposing immediately of the tissue and
performing hand hygiene;
 Refrain from touching mouth and nose;
 A medical mask is not required if exhibiting no symptoms, as there is
no evidence that wearing a mask – of any type – protects non-sick
persons. However, in some cultures, masks may be commonly worn. If
masks are to be worn, it is critical to follow best practices on how to
wear, remove and dispose of them and on hand hygiene after removal
(see Advice on the use of masks)

As for any travel, travellers are also advised to follow proper food hygiene
practices, including the five keys for food safety, as well as recommendations
to reduce the risk of transmission of emerging pathogens from animals to
human in live markets.

Travellers returning from affected areas should self-monitor for symptoms for
14 days and follow national protocols of receiving countries. Some countries
may require returning travellers to enter quarantine. If symptoms occur, such
as fever, or cough or difficulty breathing, travellers are advised to contact local
health care providers, preferably by phone, and inform them of their
symptoms and their travel history. For travellers identified at points of entry, it
is recommended to follow WHO advice for the management of travellers at
points of entry. Guidance on treatment of sick passengers on board of
airplanes is available on ICAO and IATA websites. Key considerations for
planning of large mass gathering events are also available on WHO’s website.
Operational considerations for managing COVID-19 cases on board of ships
has also been published.
For countries which decide to repatriate nationals from affected areas, they
should consider the following to avoid further spread of COVID-19: exit
screening shortly before flight; risk communication to travellers and crew;
infection control supplies for voyage; crew preparedness for possibility of sick
passenger in flight; entry screening on arrival and close follow-up for 14 days
after arrival. (WHO recommendations to reduce risk of transmission of
emerging pathogens from animals to humans in live animal markets)

General recommendations to all countries

Countries should intensify surveillance for unusual outbreaks of influenza-like

illness and severe pneumonia and monitor carefully the evolution of COVID-
19 outbreaks, reinforcing epidemiological surveillance. Countries should
continue to enhance awareness through effective risk communication
concerning COVID-19 to the general public, health professionals, and policy
makers, and to avoid actions that promote stigma or discrimination. Countries
should share with WHO all relevant information needed to assess and
manage COVID-19 in a timely manner, as required by the International Health
Regulations (2005).

Countries are reminded of the purpose of the International Health Regulations

to prevent, protect against, control and provide a public health response to the
international spread of disease in ways that are commensurate with and
restricted to public health risks, and which avoid unnecessary interference
with international traffic and trade. Countries implementing additional health
measures which significantly interfere with international traffic are required to
provide to WHO, within 48 hours of implementation, the public health rationale
and relevant scientific information for the measures implemented. WHO shall
share this information with other States Parties. Significant interference
generally means refusal of entry or departure of international travellers,
baggage, cargo, containers, conveyances, goods, and the like, or their delay,
for more than 24 hours.

WHO continues to engage with its Member States, as well as with

international organizations and industries, to enable implementation of travel-
related health measures that are commensurate with the public health risks,
are effective and are implemented in ways which avoid unnecessary
restrictions of international traffic during the COVID-19 outbreak.

 GLOBAL RESEARCH :
Global research and innovation forum: towards a research roadmap
On 30 January 2020, following the recommendations of the Emergency Committee, the WHO
Director-General declared that the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International
Concern (PHEIC).
World scientists on COVID-19 met at the World Health Organization’s Geneva headquarters from
11 to 12 February 2020 to assess the current level of knowledge about the new virus, agree on
critical research questions that need to be answered urgently, and ways to work together to
accelerate and fund priority research that can contribute to curtail this outbreak and prepare for
future outbreaks.

the WHO Blueprint team established several an ad hoc Expert working Groups
including one focused on COVID-19 disease modelling (COM). The goal of the
disease modelling group is to advance the development of COVID-19 medical
countermeasures (vaccines, therapeutics and/or drugs).

As of 26th March 2020, the group includes 92 experts representing 15 countries

and 60 research, regulatory or funding entities. The group currently meets
weekly to share updates on live studies and to discuss advances in the following
areas;

1. COVID-19 comparative pathogenesis in animal models:

2. COVID-19 vaccines: Provide developers and regulators with confidence to

proceed with Phase I vaccine studies through identification of correlates of
immunity and protection in animal models. Evaluation of putative vaccine-
induced enhanced disease.

3. COVID-19 therapeutics: Identification of suitable animal models for testing of

COVID-19 post-exposure therapies.

Outcomes to date
Significant progress has been achieved in the development of large animal
models that recapitulate mild COVID-19 disease in humans. In particular, several
laboratories across the world have shown with high reproducibility that Rhesus
macaques and ferrets are infectable with SARS-CoV-2, show evidence of virus
replication and shed virus in nasal swabs. Ongoing studies in these models
include testing of therapeutics and vaccine candidates.

INTERNATIONAL CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRY PLATFORM(ICTRP)IS

FORMED.

The mission of the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform is to ensure that a
complete view of research is accessible to all those involved in health care decision making.
This will improve research transparency and will ultimately strengthen the validity and value of
the scientific evidence base.
EMERGENCY USE LISTING PROCEDURE ANNOUNCEMENT
The EUL procedure is developed to expedite the availability of IVDs(IN VITRO DIAGNOSTICS)
needed in public health emergency situations. It is intended to assist interested procurement
agencies and Member States on the suitability for use of a specific IVD, based on a minimum set of
available quality, safety, and performance data.
“SOLIDARITY”CLINICAL TRIAL
The Solidarity trial will compare four treatment options against standard of
care, to assess their relative effectiveness against COVID-19. By
enrolling patients in multiple countries, the Solidarity trial aims to rapidly
discover whether any of the drugs slow disease progression or improve
survival. Other drugs can be added based on emerging evidence.

CORONAVIRUS IN INDIA:
The initial growth of the pandemic in India was one of doubling every 4 days
The first case of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic in India was reported on
30 January 2020, originating from China. As of 21 April 2020, the Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare have confirmed a total of 18,601 cases, 3,252
recoveries (including 1 migration) and 590 deaths in the country. [5] Experts
suggest the number of infections could be much higher as India's testing rates
are among the lowest in the world.[8] The infection rate of COVID-19 in India is
reported to be 1.7, significantly lower than in the worst affected countries. [9]
The outbreak has been declared an epidemic in more than a dozen states
and union territories, where provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897
have been invoked, and educational institutions and many commercial
establishments have been shut down. India has suspended all tourist visas,
as a majority of the confirmed cases were linked to other countries. [10]The
regions with the highest number of cases include Maharastra, Kerala,
Delhi, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Tamil
Nadu.

Impact on India’s trade with China

With China under lock-down, India is expected to witness a major impact on

imports and exports in various industries including pharmaceuticals,
electronics, mobiles, and auto parts.

China is the biggest exporter to India, followed by the US and UAE. In 2018,
China exported goods worth $90.4bn to India and accounted for 14.63% of the
exports.

How the COVID-19 outbreak impacts the Indian

pharmaceutical industry
According to the Trade Promotion Council of India, approximately 85% of
active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) imported by Indian companies are
from China.
India’s overdependence on China for APIs exposes it to raw material supply
disruption and price volatility.
Mankind Pharma and Granules India are airlifting APIs and other input
materials for their manufacturing due to limited land movements and shipping
delays from China as inventories are drying up, reported Economic Times.
Opportunities for Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers
Although the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak could have a significant impact on
the Indian pharmaceutical industry unless it is brought under control over the
next few months, it also provides an opportunity to India’s pharmaceutical
manufacturers to grab share from their Chinese competitors.
Indian pharmaceutical companies currently have two months’ stock of APIs
and intermediates, quoted the Economic Times. In the absence of a major
disruption due to the outbreak, the existing stocks may address the issue of
shortage, it added.
It also noted that the government should absorb the price differential to
improve capacity utilisation.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES IN INDIA:

Nation-wide lock-down

A 21-day lock-down across the country was imposed from 26 March to 14

April to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

All factories, schools, colleges, offices and transportation services have been
closed, while essential services such as supermarkets, and pharmacies remain
open.

THE LOCKDOWN WAS EXTENDED TILL MAY 3 FOR CONTROLLING THE

OUTBREAK.

Government announces stimulus package

The Indian government announced a $22.6bn stimulus package to aid the

poor who are affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

The government also plans to provide wheat, rice and pulses free of cost to
approximately 800 low-income families over the next three months. Further,
cooking-gas cylinders will be provided to 83 million poor families and a $13.31
cash-transfer will be provided to 30 million senior citizens. The government
will provide $6.65 per month to approximately 200 million poor women for
three months.

Medical insurance worth five million rupees ($66,000) will be provided for
healthcare workers including doctors, nurses and paramedics.

Coronavirus: Visas cancelled for foreign nationals travelling from

affected countries
India announced the cancellation of existing e-visas issued to all foreign
nationals of China, on 05 February and advised Indians to avoid travelling to
China.India temporarily suspended visa on arrival for Japanese and South
Korean nationals on 27 February.
On 03 March, India announced the suspension of all visas issued to nationals
of Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan who have not yet entered the country.
Visas issued to foreign nationals who travelled to China, Iran, Italy, South
Korea and Japan who have not yet entered the country have also been
cancelled.
Medical screening and submission of self-declaration form including travel
history for all passengers arriving from the restricted countries are also
mandatory.
Ensuring availability of coronavirus drugs in India
The Department of Pharmaceuticals is assessing the availability of drugs in
the country due to the increase in cases of coronavirus infection.
Various government organisations including the National Pharmaceutical
Pricing Authority and Drugs Controller General of India have been instructed
to ensure an adequate supply of APIs and check black-marketing or illegal
hoarding.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DFGT) has been instructed to
restrict the export of 13 APIs and formulations, the majority of which are made
in Hubei, China.
Coronavirus screening, testing and quarantining at Indian airports
Starting from 04 March, India mandated universal screening at all airports in
the country given the rise in coronavirus imports.
Thermal screening has been installed at 21 airports including those in Delhi,
Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Cochin to check for
coronavirus in India. Universal screening has been mandated for flights from
China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand at the aero-bridges ear-marked
for the purpose.
Screening measures have also been implemented at 12 major seaports and
65 minor seaports and land borders.
Two quarantine centres have been set-up to isolate any passengers showing
symptoms of the infection. One centre is located at Manesar, Haryana, the
second is located at Chawla Camp in New Delhi and is managed by Indo-
Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)..
Labs testing for coronavirus in India
The NIV and 52 other laboratories under the Indian Council of Medical
Research’s (ICMR) Viral Research and Diagnostics Laboratories network are
equipped to test samples.
The National Institute of Virology lab in Pune is serving as the nodal lab for
coronavirus testing in India. The Pune lab has facilities for COVID-19
molecular diagnosis and next-generation sequencing.
The labs are equipped with reagents to test up to 25,000 samples. The Indian
government is in the process of adding more coronavirus testing laboratories
in the country.
India COVID-19: Visa cancellations and travel restrictions
The Indian government has mandated that non-resident Indians (NRIs)
arriving to the country should carry a coronavirus-negative certificate from
designated hospitals in the countries they are travelling from.
The Indian government has advised all Indians to avoid non-essential travel
abroad. Self-quarantine is mandated to passengers arriving in India from
China, Hong Kong, Republic of Korea, Japan, Italy, Thailand, Singapore, Iran,
Malaysia, France, Spain and Germany.
Visas have been suspended to French, German and Spanish nationals as
well as foreigners with a travel history to these countries. Visas of foreigners
already in India, however, remain valid.
Export ban on protection equipment
The DGFT issued a ban on the export of personal protection
equipment such as respiratory masks and protective overalls,
on 31 January. The exact reason for the ban has not been
notified, though.
The health ministry has designated 52
testing sites for coronavirus aross India.
DELHI
• All India Institute Medical Sciences (AIIMS)
• National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
MAHARASHTRA
• Indira Gandhi Government Medical College, Nagpur
• Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, Mumbai
RAJASTHAN
Sawai Man Singh, Jaipur
Dr. S.N Medical College, Jodhpur
Jhalawar Medical College, Jhalawar
SP Med. College, Bikaner
TAMIL NADU
King's Institute of Preventive Medicine & Research, Chennai
Government Medical College, Theni
UTTAR PRADESH
• King's George Medical University, Lucknow
• Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
• Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh
UTTARAKHAND

• Government Medical College, Haldwani

WEST BENGAL
• National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata
• IPGMER, Kolkata
MADHYA PRADESH
• All India Institute Medical Sciences, Bhopal
• National Institute of Research in Tribal Health (NIRTH), Jabalpur
KERALA
• National Institute of Virology Field Unit
• Govt. Medical College, Thriuvananthapuram
• Govt. Medical College, Kozhikhode
KARNATAKA
• Bangalore Medical College & Research Institute, Bangalore
• National Institute of Virology Field Unit Bangalore
• Mysore Medical College & Research Institute, Mysore
• Hassan Inst. of Med. Sciences, Hassan
• Shimoga Inst. of Med. Sciences, Shivamogga
• BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad
• M.P.Shah Government Medical College, Jamnagar
HARYANA
• BPS Govt Medical College, Sonipat
• Pt. B.D. Sharma Post Graduate Inst. of Med. Sciences, Rohtak
HIMACHAL PRADESH
• Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh
• Dr. Rajendra Prasad Govt. Med. College, Kangra, Tanda
JAMMU AND KASHMIR
• Sher-e- Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar
• Government Medical College, Jammu
JHARKHAND
• MGM Medical College, Jamshedpur
MEGHALAYA
• NEIGRI of Health and Medical Sciences, Shillong
MANIPUR
• J N Inst. of Med. Sciences Hospital, Imphal-East, Manipur
ODISHA
• Regional Medical Research Center, Bhubaneswar
PUNJAB
• Government Medical College, Patiala
• Government Medical College, Amritsar
PUDUCHERRY
• Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research,
Puducherry
TELANGANA
• Gandhi Medical College, Secunderabad
TRIPURA
• Government Medical College, Agartala
BIHAR
• Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna
CHANDIGARH
• Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh
CHHATTISGARH
• All India Institute Medical Sciences, Raipur
ANDAMAN and NICOBAR ISLANDS
• Regional Medical Research Centre, Port Blair, Andaman and Nicobar
ANDHRA PRADESH
• Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences, Tirupati
• Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam
• GMC, Anantapur
ASSAM
• Gauhati Medical College, Guwahati
• Regional Medical Research Center, Dibrugarh

Social Media and COVID-19:

The Good!
Social media is one of the best ways to share information, especially if you
are trying to alert people about something. Whether it’s COVID-19 news from
individual states or news on a national scope, social media gets the message
where it needs to go.
The coronavirus news has made people aware of how the situation has been
constantly deteriorating, because of which we start taking precautions. It has
also educated us about the symptoms of COVID-19!
Safety tips are spreading through social media. One, in particular, is the term
“social distancing.”
Maybe the best thing that has happened across a variety of social media
platforms is the number of influencers that have spoken up urging people to
take everything they see about COVID-19 seriously and follow suit. Whether
it’s Tom Hanks who suffered from the illness himself or other high-profile
figures quarantining themselves, people are more inclined to listen when one
of these figures speaks out or shares a message through social media.

WHO and other public health organizations also use social media to inform
the public about the outbreak, and control the panic.

The Bad…
Social media is great for spreading information, but some
of that can be “fake news.” Misinformation about COVID-
19, can cause panic.
As COVID-19 spreads in the U.S., social media platforms like Facebook
and Twitter are facilitating important conversations about the virus, while
at the same time allowing sensationalism and misinformation to spread.
(TIME.COM)
Western digital corporations, social media platforms (Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Reddit) and their Chinese equivalents
(WeChat, Weibo, Tencent, Toutiao) are multipliers of
misinformation.
This increases public confusion about who and what to trust
generates fear and panic due to unverified rumours and claims.
(theconversation.com)

social media has taken on new and increased importance with the
large-scale implementation of social distancing, quarantine measures
and lockdowns of complete cities. (theconversation.com)

a number of dangerous conspiracy theories 'blew up', offering interesting, albeit

completely incorrect ways of viewing the situation. Some claim that the virus is a
biological weapon, created by either the US or China to kill each other. Some claim that
the outbreak was orchestrated by big tech - to undermine China’s status as the world
capital of high-tech manufacturing.(thedrum.com)
Finally, social media provides a sort of collective grieving space. Events like
these can be hard to process psychologically, and even harder to make sense
of. (thedrum.com)