COVID-19: Time For Experts to Rethink Coronavirus Origin - Faseyiku

With the spread and growing rate of new cases especially in the West, it is time to dig further as to the origins of the Coronavirus in the attempt to tame the scourge. It is appearing to me by the day that Wuhan (China) may have been the FIRST epicentre of the community infection or dispersal but the virus may not have originated there. It may, and mark the word MAY, have been introduced into China in the same way it has been introduced to many other countries. The rate at which it has spread so far and the discovery or confirmation in the US by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) that some pre-dated American deaths have now been found to be coronavirus and not influenza suggests that the virus may have been around for longer than last November 2019. As of now, many more deaths are being re-examined and re-tested in the West.

In the UK, a man was found to have coronavirus without any history of travel or contact with anyone who was know to have previously travelled. There were no clusters to associate his infection with and no one close to him was infected. Report has it that authorities have serious concern as to how he may have picked the virus.

There are many questions begging for answers. Is this virus originated from an animal or a mutant from any of the known coronaviruses? One thing we are sure of is that this will be cracked and humanity is not about to lose the war again this microbe. To put things in perspective, it appears that this primarily coming out of China initially made western nations to be unnecessarily relaxed about the threat. Is Covid-19 blown out of proportion? This is a question that begs for answers. I say this because the statistics for other viruses are pretty scary and the world did not go into overdrive. In 2018–2019 season, an estimated 35.5 million people were sick with influenza, 16.5 million attended a health care provider for their illness, there were 490,600 hospitalisations, and 34,200 died from influenza. The figure for coronavirus pales into a level of insignificance when considered alongside. Of all who died worldwide from influenza, 25,555 were above 65 years in age. Mortality rate for influenza is 48.7% for 65+ people. So why this much noise about Covid-19 with relatively lower mortality and pervasiveness?

This post is not dismiss concern but to encourage everyone not to panic. Covid-19 is not the virus that will wipe out the world. It will be contained without disruption to normal daily lives. The reportage should always try to put a proper context and perspective to the spread and more knowledge need to come out from epidemiologists. As always, observe proper hygiene and do basic things like washing of hands regularly, not shaking or hugging people. Above all, report feeling unwell to a medical professional quickly.

Oluseyi Faseyiku