The Warning Threat Of Covid-19: Urgent Action Needed For Developing Countries

The far-reaching ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is disrupting economies and public health systems, has ravage developed countries such as China, the United States, United Kingdom, South Korea, Singapore and Italy. Unfortunately, that dreadful moment is not too far off and threatens to disproportionately hit developing countries throwing health systems into disarray. Moving forward, the focus should be on helping countries to prepare for, respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing particularly on the most vulnerable.

• Publications
• 21 Apr, 2020

Four months after it was first identified in December 2019 in China’s Hubei Province, the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. Lately the situation in China showed a significant decrease in cases, but the devastation of the novel virus is spreading other countries. 204 countries have reported cases, out of 1,021,037 cases, 751,675 people are infected, 53,251 have lost their lives, and, blissfully, 213,224 have recovered. Up to this point, the novel coronavirus pandemic is mainly ravaging developed countries such as China, the United States, United Kingdom, South Korea, Singapore and Italy. The United States of America has the highest tally: 245,373 cases, with 6,095 deaths, and 10,403 recoveries. Italy has recorded 115,242 cases with 13,915 deaths, and 18,278 recoveries. These developed nations enjoy relative affluence, strong institutions and political systems, and have fairly effective medical systems by global standards. Theoretically, these wealthy nations are better equipped and have resources to enabled them cope with the disease and deal with its repercussions.