The world will be observing two years since China detected the coronavirus. COVID-19 has now spread globally. On 31 December 2019 as the world prepared to usher in a new year, Chinese health authorities notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of a new pneumonia-like virus.
The outbreak was in Wuhan and the entire city was placed under lockdown as hundreds of people fell sick. People were only allowed to go out and buy essential goods. As it spread, China rushed to build more health facilities to accommodate those who needed treatment for COVID-19.
Before long, Europe identified infections of the coronavirus in its region. Italy was the hardest hit and became the new epicentre of the outbreak. The region’s health care system was overwhelmed
The United States too reported cases of the new virus. Africa was the last continent to report COVID-19 cases.
Today more than 283-million cases have been reported worldwide. Almost 5-and-half-million have died. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says the continent has been able to manage the pandemic.
The virus has continued to mutate. The latest strain, Omicron, is causing huge surges of new infections in the northern hemisphere.
The pandemic continues to pummel the global economy as countries struggle to recover. The United Nations chief has called for new strategies to help the world build back better.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says, “For the world to be able to build back better, the developed north will have to do more to help the developing South get access to vacancies.”
