After Covid-19, now Monkeypox rearing its head.....by Harvinder Kaur
Increased surveillance at international borders, declaration of global health emergency by WHO, and the spread of this virus once again refreshed the haunted memories of the Covid-19 pandemic
The memories of the Covid-19 pandemic and its painful repercussions are still lurching in our minds, now the outbreak of another virus Monkeypox once again is haunting the masses with the world health organization (WHO) declaring it another global emergency.
With the categorization of this disease as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the countries have scaled up surveillance measures at Airports so that no one skips the testing for this virus. This is the measure that was adopted when an outbreak of coronavirus had seized the entire world and people across the globe remained physically cut off for over two years on account of travel restrictions.
While WHO called for sustainable surveillance and monitoring to prevent the spread of this new virus, the people once again fear the imposition of Covid-19 like restrictions. Many assume monkeypox being declared a global health emergency is a process that is identical to that of the Covid-19 pandemic.
During the initial days, Covid-19 was declared a global health emergency and within a few days, it got the status of a pandemic. About ten million people lost their lives in the world in general, and in particular, over five lakhs died in India.It is hard to forget the trauma of the CoronaVirus pandemic wherein innumerable people have lost their lives besides another mental, physical, and financial losses.
A large number of people lost their livelihood and were forced to migrate to their native places. The heart-wrenching pictures of mass exodus portrayed the fury of this pandemic where people were seen walking thousands of kilometers to reach their homes.
Many were seen longing for food, medicines, and other basic amenities to survive while others died waiting for assistance. The dead bodies were seen lying in mercenaries waiting for their cremations as many people deserted their dead family members fearing getting infected. Likewise, a large number of children became orphans after their parents succumbed to this disease and their grief and misery cannot be expressed in words.
People cannot afford another Covid19-like situation because they have lost a lot in this pandemic, mostly because of mismanagement by the governments. Lockdown and curfew were glaring examples of such mismanagement which deprived people of their livelihood, throwing them into a deep state of poverty and hunger.
Monkeypox is ready for its diabolical dance after taking over 70 nations into its possession with most affected countries once again shutting their borders. Nearly 14,000 cases have surfaced in the world so far and health authorities around the globe are helpless to ascertain the origin and spread of this virus. Already panicked and grief-stricken people are crossing their fingers and looking forward to the early normalization of the situation.
July 24, 2022
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Harvinder Kaur, Chief Sub-Editor, Babushahi
sneh.harvi@gmail.com
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