VIRUS FINDINGS A CAUSE FOR CONCERN

It looks like we’re in for the long haul. The way things are unfolding, it’s as if we’re only in the opening act of quite a long drama.

We’re referring to the ongoing pandemic that has wreaked havoc on humanity for more than half a year now. The signs are not encouraging. Even the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that there is no end in sight yet for the contagion, even with various pharmaceutical firms worldwide racing to discover that all-important vaccine against the COVID-19 disease.

Scores have died and many more are on hospital beds being attended to, with most countries experiencing a new wave of resurgence by the seemingly mysterious coronavirus. While many countries thought they have the contagion at the palm of their hands, they have another thing coming.

About 126 countries and regions — about 70 percent of the globe — are reporting growing cases of COVID-19, the highest percentage since the beginning of April.

Nations, including those who thought they have attained success in the war against the disease, have to return to stricter controls in the wake of the resurgence. A few countries, like Japan, which have not really imposed lockdowns just to keep businesses and the economy going, are ruing their decision. They are back to square one.

The virus seems to be gaining the upper hand. Of late, it has been found that the original virus has mutated into another fiercer, more infectious variant, which epidemiologists say could be responsible for the resurgence of the health menace.

New discoveries seem to underscore the fact that we never really have a full grasp yet of this deadly scourge.

Take the case of a dog in the United States which died after testing positive for the coronavirus. Buddy, the seven-year-old German Shepherd struggled with symptoms like those of their human counterparts. So, what does that make of earlier theories that pets or animals for that matter are not hosts to the lethal virus?

The dog was eventually euthanized.

The official word from WHO is that pets likely do not often transmit the virus to their owners. But Shelley Rankin, a veterinarian at the University of Pennsylvania said more study is necessary.

“If we’re telling the world that prevalence (of animal cases) is low, then we have to look at high numbers of animals,” she said. Then how about another finding that young children can potentially be important drivers of the virus spread in the general population? In other words, children younger than five years old, according to the study, have been found responsible for transmission within the communities, a suggestion at odds with the current prevailing narrative.

A recent lab study had demonstrated that the more viral genetic material was present, the more infectious virus could be grown. It has also previously been shown that children with high viral loads of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are more likely to spread the disease.

“Thus, young children can potentially be important drivers of the pathogen spread in the general population,” the authors wrote.

The new findings are at odds with the current view among health authorities that young children — who, it has been well established, are far less likely to fall seriously ill from the virus — don’t spread it much to others either.

One recent study in South Korea found children, aged 10 to 19, transmitted COVID-19 within households as much as adults, but children under nine transmitted the virus at much slower rates.

As we gradually open up restrictions to kickstart the economy, it would do well for our decision makers to consider these new findings.

As the pandemic shows no sign of abating, countries are tightening movement restrictions again, striking a difficult balance of reopening economies and preventing infections.

It would do well for us, as other nations do, to take these crucial steps as we await our redemption from this lethal scourge with the development of a vaccine.

“As the pandemic shows no sign of abating, countries are tightening movement restrictions again, striking a difficult balance of reopening economies and preventing infections.

“New discoveries seem to underscore the fact that we never really have a full grasp yet of this deadly scourge.