COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak and Response

By April, the COVID-19 pandemic had miraculously slowed down, but the situation was still dire, with some countries managing to protect their public, while others failed.

A 62-year-old woman was admitted to a hospital with textbook symptoms of pneumonia, which would later be diagnosed as COVID-19, and she spent 39 days fighting for her life.

Wuhan, a city in central China with a population of over 11 million, is where the virus was first identified, with two theories about its origin: created in a lab or jumped from wild animals to humans at a wet market.

By December 2019, Wuhan's hospitals were struggling to contain an outbreak of unknown ideology, with a cluster of unexplained pneumonia cases reported.

Doctor Li Wenliang was one of the first to sound the alarm, warning his colleagues about the outbreak, but was silenced by the authorities and forced to sign a letter of reprimand.

Liu Peiyen's father contracted the virus during a routine medical checkup in early January, and later died, with Liu believing that his father's death could have been avoided if the authorities had warned of the virus sooner.

Germany, including the biotech company Kirvak, was focused on other issues, but a handful of scientists understood the gravity of the situation and began working on a vaccine.

Researchers in Berlin developed one of the first diagnostic tests for COVID-19, and soon, scientists' worst fears were being realized, with the virus spreading rapidly.

The Chinese government responded with strict lockdowns, using its surveillance infrastructure to efficiently impose local lockdowns, but also quashed any dissent.

Taiwan, which had experienced the SARS outbreak in 2003, was better prepared, with a rapid response to the coronavirus, including stockpiling face masks and extensive contact tracing.

The country never imposed a strict lockdown, but instead contained the virus through preparation and social control, with only seven deaths reported by late August.

In contrast, the West remained oblivious to the oncoming threat, or were indifferent, with countries like France and Germany slow to respond to the pandemic.

France's coronavirus testing capacities were completely unprepared, allowing the virus to spread undetected, with a religious gathering in Mulhouse contributing to a countrywide infection.

Germany was also slow to respond, with economic interests taking priority over public health concerns, but eventually increased testing capacity and prepared hospitals for the epidemic.

The country was criticized for having too many hospitals and intensive care units before the crisis, but this proved to be a strength in responding to the pandemic.

The US was also slow to respond, with the government not always heeding expert advice, and a lack of testing kits, personal protective equipment, and a uniform health system exacerbating the crisis.

New York City lacked test kits when they needed them most, and hospitals were feeling the pinch, with nurses wearing garbage bags as PPE due to shortages.

The US has no short-term work scheme like Germany's, and no uniform health system, making economic conditions play a greater role in the pandemic response.

The unemployment rate nearly tripled in April, with many people having no health insurance, and angry Americans took to the streets in anti-lockdown protests.

States like Arizona were slow to respond to the pandemic, lifting restrictions too soon, and then seeing a surge in cases, with 25% of tests coming back positive in mid-July.- A 62-year-old patient is being treated for COVID-19, and her condition is deteriorating rapidly, with a life-threatening clot in her lung and poor circulation.

Despite being on blood thinners, her condition worsens, and she undergoes an emergency tracheotomy on day 22.

In Nigeria, the lockdown has led to increased violence and crime, with residents forming citizens' militias to maintain order.

The government's food distribution scheme has been inadequate, leading to stampedes and widespread hunger.

Muruf Abdul Salam, a 36-year-old sound engineer, has lost his job and is struggling to provide for his family of six.

The lockdown has failed to contain the spread of the virus in Nigeria, with the government unable to provide adequate support to citizens.

In France, Dr. Michel Schmidt, head of radiology, has discovered evidence of COVID-19 cases dating back to November 2019, suggesting the virus may have been circulating earlier than initially thought.

Researchers believe the virus may have originated from animals in South China or neighboring countries, and spread globally before being detected in Wuhan.

A vaccine is being developed by Curavac in Germany, with production beginning in April, and 30 vaccines are currently being tested on humans worldwide.

The race to develop a vaccine has become a political battleground, with countries competing for power and access to vaccines.

China has made significant progress in vaccine development and is leading the world in this area, with the first vaccine being registered.

The pandemic has become a geopolitical battleground, with the US and China vying for power and influence.

The US has terminated its relationship with the World Health Organization, accusing China of having total control over the organization.

In Taiwan, the government has managed the pandemic effectively, with only 500 infections reported, while in Germany, infections are on the rise again.

Maran Yonzekowat is still suffering from the long-term effects of COVID-19, including difficulty breathing and loss of taste.

Nigeria has extended its nationwide lockdown by four weeks, and experts attribute the country's relatively low infection rate to its young population.

China's economy has seen modest growth in the second quarter of 2020, while the US economy continues to struggle.

The pandemic has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide, with over 20 million infected, and the outlook remains far from encouraging.