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The Black Death

Black death, by far the deadliest pandemic in history, originated somewhere in Asia in the 14th century. It reached Crimea by the late 1340s and from there the plague spread throughout Europe and North Africa. The plague was carried by fleas that lived on and infected rats. The first outbreak of the bacterial disease wiped out almost 75 to 200 million people, or close to two-thirds of Europe\’s population then, while the recurring waves kept on affecting the parts of the world for centuries. It is surprising to learn that social distancing was also practiced at that time. Some cities were successfully able to distance themselves from others.

This pandemic caused massive upheavals in European society. From local parishioners leading religious processions to ask their god for help to people coming out on the streets to whip themselves, almost everything was tried by the people to get rid of this deadly disease.

The 1918 Flu

This flu is one of the deadliest influenza pandemics humanity has ever witnessed. It is often referred to by the misnomer \”The Spanish Flu\” because Spain was the only country at that time that did not censor its newspapers to report the spread of the disease. This pandemic is overshadowed by world war 1, but it would have killed more people, close to 100 million, than the war itself. Like the ongoing scenario with COVID-19, countries committed several mistakes that led to the massive outbreak. Philadelphia had a parade amid the pandemic and had one of the highest death rates per capita. 

Local newspapers a century ago gave an accurate account of the numbers associated with the pandemic, unlike the case with COVID-19, probably because the countries were more united at that time.

The Justinianic Plague

Fifteen hundred years ago, when the Byzantine empire was rising to dominance under Emperor Justinian I, this plague struck the city of Constantinople. Although caused by the same bacteria as the black death, the Justinianic plague was not as devastating. The war with the Sassanid Empire was also put to a temporary halt, and the emperor himself got infected with the disease.

The disease spread to other cities as well, and thousands of people fled these infected cities. The political pandering also occurred then. The mortality rate of the disease was under or over-reported by the people based on whether they supported the emperor or not.

The First Cholera Pandemic

This pandemic is also referred to as Asiatic Cholera Pandemic or, simply, Asiatic Cholera. It is known to have originated in the city of Calcutta in 1817. Although the mortality rate was not so high, the reach of it was phenomenal. It began in British India and spread throughout southeast Asia to the Middle East, Eastern Africa, and the Mediterranean Coast over time and affected almost every country in Asia.

At the time, the opinions of the scientists differed as to what is the cause of this disease, but the medical community now believes cholera to be an exclusively human disease transmitted through warm fecal contaminated river waters and contaminated food.

The Hand Sanitizer

Sanitizers with more than 60% alcohol can instantly disinfect the skin provided it is rubbed until dried. A highly concentrated solution of sanitizer when poured onto Coronavirus disables the hydrophobic effect, which enables the lipids to hold together, and gives the molecules room to move around. This is more like a crushing effect and happens in a matter of 2-5 seconds.

The Soap

A single drop of any kind of soap contains quadrillions of molecules called amphiphiles. These amphiphiles resemble lipids that form the shell of the virus. When soap comes in contact with the virus, the tails of amphiphiles compete with lipids for space, and, as a result, the outermost layer of the virus breaks. The amphiphiles then form a layer around particles of the virus, and these layered particles can be simply washed away with water.

Hand Sanitizer vs Soap

Scientists recommend washing hands with soap and water whenever possible as it also removes the dirt particles that could otherwise hide the virus. Also, it is highly convenient to cover your hands in soap and water. Of course, sanitizers are more convenient to use on the go, and, therefore, should be used when one doesn\’t have access to the sink. Sanitizers, however, are ineffective if too little is used or wiped off before drying up. Either of the two is effective in killing the novel Coronavirus, but I would recommend that you wash your hands if you have access to the sink.

The Silver Lining

Of course, the coronavirus is deadly, the effects are scary, the economic conditions are disturbing, but amidst all, smog has given way to clear blue sky, the ozone hole has suddenly disappeared, and interestingly, Ganga has purified itself to an extent where millions of rupees and hundreds of cleaning missions could not reach. Reports say that pollution decreases human lives by 3 years.

The positive changes are not only confined to the envIronment alone but the fact that people are forgetting all their religious, monetary, and territorial differences and coming forward to help each other selflessly, showcasing fraternity and moving ahead to the path of becoming better humans and constructing a better society. This shall not only make the earth a better place to live in but also set an example for the coming generations.

The bright side for us

The limited options available due to lockdown have made the situation difficult. Has it not brought an opportunity to innovate, to find a way ahead with what we have. Being scared to eat outside food, people have learned the health benefits of eating freshly cooked homemade meals, the pleasure of cooking together, eating together, and above all no wastage of food at all. People are learning to stay fit without heading to the fitness centers. Also, there has been a new trend of using locally manufactured products. These local products are no less than the expensive imported stuff and if consumed regularly would help to boost the economy. This is the time for us to go #Vocal4Local.

Stay positive

The pandemic is disastrous and capable of destroying the world. But if tackled properly, the destruction can be minimized. People should take the situation seriously, follow safety instructions, and stay aware. COVID -19 is teaching us lessons for life. By sighting real-time examples of “less is more” and “together we can”, Coronavirus is a blessing in disguise!!!

The global outbreak of COVID-19 has renewed the interests of scientists and researchers to look more deeply into the “spillover” of disease from animals to humans. \”Zoonosis\” is the term which precisely describes the passing of an infection in such a manner. What triggered the outbreak is still unknown, but scientists believe that this infection was passed from bats to humans through an intermediary animal, a pangolin, possibly. There are a number of diseases that have spilled over from animals to humans including Ebola in Africa, Marburg in Europe, Hendra virus in Australia and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), coronavirus and Nipah virus in East Asia. Scientists and researchers have been warning for a very long time that ongoing disturbance of species through human activities and climate change can raise the risk of pandemics. Through this article, I want to make my readers aware of the fact that \”Yes\” climate change and biodiversity loss can, in future, pose a threat of pandemic so fatal as to wipe half of Earth\’s population.

Climate change and biodiversity loss are some major factors that have left majority of animals no choice but to look for an environment that’s more suitable for their needs. Data from various studies show that more than 20,000 species are already on the move because of changing climatic conditions. These species are, in general, moving towards Earth’s poles at phenomenal speeds: land animals at the speed of 10 miles (16 km) per decade whereas marine species at 45 miles (72 km) per decade. Change in climatic conditions leads to change in rainfall levels, and this in turn is forcing these species to make such a move. This phenomenon is making animal-human interaction more probable and, as a result, facilitating zoonotic diseases. The link between climate change and emergence of infectious diseases appears to be crystal clear, prima facie, but a great deal of research still needs to be done in order to establish stronger grounds for such plausibility. A study conducted on Hendra Virus, a disease that can pass from flying foxes to humans through horses and that has a fatality rate of 50-75%, suggests that there could be a possible link between climate change and disease spillover. It emphasizes that climate change could expand the geographical range of flying foxes southwards. This expansion would again make animal-human interaction more probable.

People around the globe are concerned more about vector-borne diseases, diseases that are spread by insects, such as dengue, malaria. Numerous studies have been conducted to measure the impact of such diseases, and several forecasts have been done which show that almost an additional 1 billion people will be hit by vector borne diseases by 2080. Very few studies of such a kind have been conducted on zoonotic diseases, and this has made the scientists to worry even more. There is one thing which is clear, zoonotic diseases have the potential to cause pandemics in the future, and this very potential correlates with the extent of animal-human interactions. The frequency and fatality of such pandemics are only going to increase in the future, if we do not keep a check on our actions. The choices we make today are somehow going to determine whether the future generations will suffer or thrive, so ultimately we, being the key players in this game of butterfly effect, will have to choose wisely.

Language: हिंदी

[HDquiz quiz = \”98\”]

How wildlife trade is linked to COVID-19?

A lot of viruses that make us sick originates in animals like flu originates in birds and pigs, HIV in Chimpanzee, Ebola originates in Bats, and in the case of the Covid-19, there\’s some evidence that it came from a bat to a pangolin before infecting a human.

Viruses are very good at jumping from one species to another. But, it requires all the hosts to encounter each other at some point. That\’s where the Wuhan market comes in. It\’s a wet market, a kind of place where live animals are slaughtered and sold for consumption. The cages are stacked one over another. Animals at the bottom are often soaked with all kinds of liquid like excrement, pus, blood. That\’s exactly how a virus can jump from one species to another. If that animal then comes in contact with or is consumed by humans, the virus could potentially infect them and if the virus then spreads to other humans, it causes an Outbreak.

Wet markets are scattered all over the world but the ones in China are particularly well known because they offer a wide variety of animals including wildlife. The animals are from all over the world and each one has the potential to carry their viruses to the market.

The reason all these animals are in the same market is because of the decision the Chinese government made decades ago

Back in the 1970s, China was falling apart, famine had killed more than 36 million people, and the communist regime which controlled all food production was failing to feed its population. In 1978, on the verge of collapse, the regime gave up control and allowed private farming. While large companies started dominating the production of popular foods like pork and poultry, some smaller farmers started catching and raising wild animals as a way to sustain themselves.

At the very beginning, it was mostly the peasant household. That\’s how wildlife farming started to get off the ground and since it started to sustain and feed people, the Chinese government-backed it. The government needed to encourage people to make a living through whatever productive activities they can find themselves-if you lift yourself out of poverty, no matter what you are doing, that\’s okay.

But then in 1988, the government made the decision that changed the shape of wildlife trade in China. They enacted the Wildlife Protection Law which designated animals as resources owned by the state and also, it protected people engaged in the utilization of wildlife resources. That\’s one of the most devastating problems of the law because if you designate the wildlife as natural resources that means it\’s something you can use for human benefit.

The law also encouraged the domestication and breeding of wildlife and with that, an industry was born \’Wildlife Farming Industry\’. Small farms were turned into industries. A bigger population means greater chances that a sick animal can spread the disease. Farmers were also raising a wide variety of animals which meant more viruses on the farms and then the animals were funneled into the markets for profit. While this legal wildlife farming industry started booming, it simultaneously provided cover for illegal wildlife trade. Endangered animals such as Tiger, Rhinoceros, Pangolins were trafficked in China.

In 2003, the SARS outbreak was traced to the wet market in Guangdong province. Scientists found traces of the virus in the civet cats. Chinese officials quickly shut down the markets and banned wildlife farming. But just a few months after the outbreak the Chinese government declared the 54 species of wildlife animals including civet cats legal to farm again. The wildlife farming industry plays a tiny role in China\’s gigantic GDP but the industry has enormous lobbying capabilities. It\’s because of this influence the Chinese government has allowed these markets to grow over the years.

In 2016, the Government sanctioned the farming of seven endangered species like tigers, pangolins. The industry uses clever marketing tactics and has been promoting these wildlife animals as tonic products as bodybuilding, sex-enhancing, disease-fighting, etc. None of the claims can hold water. The majority in China do not eat wildlife animals. Those people who consume these animals are the rich and the powerful-a small minority. It\’s this minority Chinese government chose to favor over the safety of the rest of its population.

This parochial commercial interest of a small number of wildlife eaters is hijacking China\’s national interest. Soon after the Coronavirus outbreak, the Chinese government shut down the wet markets and temporarily banned wildlife trade. Organizations around the world are urging China to make the ban permanent. Unless there is a complete ban on the wildlife industry, outbreaks like these are bound to happen again.