Is the Second Wave of COVID-19 Already Approaching?

Summary

• While the world is still grappling with the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is growing fear of the second wave in geographies that had contained the virus’ spread.
• Healthcare companies are struggling to find out a safe and effective treatment of COVID-19. Without any suitable treatment or vaccine yet, a second wave could be a nightmare for the world.
• China is currently facing a resurgence in COVID-19 infection.
• IMF predicts that the upcoming June World Economic Outlook Updateis expected to indicate negative development rates worse than estimated previously.

At the moment, governments across the world are struggling between managing public health and reviving the respective economies. The countries are working hard to contain the spread and gradually resume business to kickstart the economy.

While several nations are struggling to contain the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2, the second wave of coronavirus has emerged in China. The World Health Organization (WHO) had also warned of a second wave of COVID-19 as more than 100,000 confirmed cases have been reported across the world daily in the past two weeks.

Globally, there have been more than 8.04 million confirmed cases of COVID-19, including nearly 439,487 deaths, reported to WHO as on 17 June 2020 (at 10:43 AM CEST).

Most of the nations are in the eye of the storm when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic-induced economic impacts. While scientists and healthcare companies across the world are circling their wagons to develop a vaccine/treatment for COVID-19, at the same time the governments are looking to stop the rapid decline in the economy by easing the lockdown restrictions.

In such a situation, when the number of infections of COVID-19 has been continuously rising, and as there is no suitable preventive or therapeutic treatment to COVID-19 yet, a second wave spreading across geographies would be a nightmare for the world.

The Director-General of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom, stated that it took around two months to reach 100,000 cases of COVID-19, but now this number is being hit in a single day.

In this article, we will acquaint you with the second wave arising from Beijing.

The second wave of coronavirus emerging from China

Debates related to the second wave of coronavirus infections would seem distant as the world still struggles with the first wave of the pandemic. A few weeks back, experts stated that the second wave of coronavirus could arise, and now a new outbreak of coronavirus in Beijing has occurred. Presently, China is undergoing a resurgence in the cases of COVID-19. The second wave of coronavirus commenced in a local food market in Beijing.

China’s capital announced the shuttering of in-person classes for all schools on 16 June 2020 in preparation for a new wave of coronavirus, in effect from 17 June 2020.

According to some media reports, more than 1,200 flights in and out of Beijing were cancelled on 17 June 2020, as the Chinese capital grapples with a fresh coronavirus outbreak that has infected at least 130 people.

What is the second wave?

It is not a scientific term with well-defined factors. Rather, it is used for describing a subsequent, severe surge in cases that occurs after the first surge has been suppressed in the area. As authorities the world over lift restrictions intended to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic, the fear of a second wave arose.

Pathogens such as bacteria and virus have the capacity to create a pandemic. Since these pathogens have multiple strains and can mutate, the human body, habitually, has no immunity against them.

According to some studies, a mutant of novel coronavirus has emerged which appears to cause more severe infection. Researchers in the US also warned about the emergence of a mutant of the coronavirus, that is a more contagious strain of coronavirus. In addition to propagating more rapidly, this strain may make individuals vulnerable to a second infection after the first attack with COVID-19.

ALSO READ: Virus Mutation, Second Wave of Infection and Latest Vaccine Developments

Regarding the second wave, in late April 2020, WHO also stated that the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic is in our hands, and also revealed that COVID-19 is caused by a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) with unknown behaviour.

IMF Anticipates 'profound uncertainty' for Global Economic Recovery

Many countries are now in the second phase, as they removed the restrictions, with early signs of recovery, but with risks of second waves of infections and now re-imposition of lockdowns. The International Monetary fund (IMF) stated that assessing the economic landscape, the sheer scale and severity of the worldwide lockdown are striking.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed thousands of lives across the world. The present economic catastrophe is unlike anything the globe has witnessed before.

IMF chief economist, Gita Gopinath stated-

Moreover, the IMF will also help and support through surveillance and capacity expansion, to help disseminate best practices, as all nations learn from each other during this unprecedented disaster.

Since the Great Depression, it is the first time, in the year 2020 that both advanced along with emerging economies, will be in recession. The upcoming World Economic Outlook Update for June is likely to highlight negative development rates even harsher than previously estimated. The bitter truth is that this pandemic will have destructive consequences for the globe's poor population.

Apart from its exceptional extent, the Global Lockdown is playing out in ways which are entirely distinct from earlier crises.

Bottomline

With the increasing cases of COVID-19 and without approved treatment/vaccine until now, the debates around the second wave of COVID-19 seems like a terrible nightmare. However, as with some positive news coming from a few healthcare companies, we are likely getting closer to developing a vaccine or drug. At this moment whole world needs all hands on deck approach to weather the COVID-19 storm.