Exploring the news that a surprisingly small amount of coronavirus cases have appeared in Bali. This is taking into account the news as of April 16th 2020
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Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).[8] The disease was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of China’s Hubei province, and has since spread globally, resulting in the ongoing 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic.[9][10] Common symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.[5] Other symptoms may include fatigue, muscle pain, diarrhoea, sore throat, loss of smell, and abdominal pain.[5][11][12] The time from exposure to onset of symptoms is typically around five days but may range from two to fourteen days.[5][13] While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms, some progress to viral pneumonia and multi-organ failure.[9][14] As of 20 April 2020, more than 2.4 million cases have been reported across 185 countries and territories,[15] resulting in more than 165,000 deaths. More than 625,000 people have recovered.[7]
The virus is primarily spread between people during close contact,[a] often via small droplets produced by coughing,[b] sneezing, or talking.[6][16][18] While these droplets are produced when breathing out, they usually fall to the ground or onto surfaces rather than remain in the air over long distances.[6][19][20] People may also become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching their eyes, nose, or mouth.[6][16] The virus can survive on surfaces for up to 72 hours.[21] It is most contagious during the first three days after the onset of symptoms, although spread may be possible before symptoms appear and in later stages of the disease.[22]
The standard method of diagnosis is by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) from a nasopharyngeal swab.[23] Chest CT imaging may also be helpful for diagnosis in individuals where there is a high suspicion of infection based on symptoms and risk factors; however, it is not recommended for routine screening.[24][25]
Recommended measures to prevent infection include frequent hand washing, maintaining physical distance from others (especially from those with symptoms), covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or inner elbow, and keeping unwashed hands away from the face.[26][27] The use of masks is recommended for those who suspect they have the virus and their caregivers.[28] Recommendations for mask use by the general public vary, with some authorities recommending against their use, some recommending their use, and others requiring their use.[29][30][31] Currently, there is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19.[6] Management involves treatment of symptoms, supportive care, isolation, and experimental measures.[32]
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)[33][34] on 30 January 2020 and a pandemic on 11 March 2020.[10] Local transmission of the disease has been recorded in most countries across all six WHO regions.[35]
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Worried about social unrest, Widodo is struggling to strike a balance between confronting an ever-growing caseload of 300-400 new infections a day, and trying to keep the economy ticking over so workers in the informal sector can at least retain an income.
He is also irritated at the slow dispersal of funds to an estimated 2.8 million newly-unemployed in the real economy as part of an initial $6.6 billion social safety net package announced last week.
Health workers in Bali have had to deal with the added threat of a recent outbreak of dengue fever, a sometimes fatal disease which has similar flu-like symptoms as Covid-19. Late rains have been responsible for about 2,000 dengue cases in the Ubud area and an unusually high number in southern Bali.
There has also been a serious outbreak of dengue fever further afield, in East Tenggara province, which only reported its first case of Covid-19 last weekend.
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#ubud
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#denpasar
