As per the NIH’s National Institue of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), the emergence and spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) poses a complex challenge to global public health.
Viral infections have been a major threat at the beginning of 2020. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Anthony S. Fauci, Director, NIAID, shared his observations on a detailed clinical trial about the first 425 cases of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China. He notes that the imposition of temporary travel restrictions by the US and other countries may have controlled the spread of the virus, to some extent. The team of researchers further added that the whole world should prepare themselves to counter the transmission of this virus as it is traveling wide and far. They say that if the virus reaches the US, containment will become really difficult, leaving behind only certain mitigation strategies such as isolating infected people at home and shutting down schools and colleges.
There is research underway for COVID-19, with numerous vaccines and therapeutic trials going on for those who are infected. NIAID has also sponsored trial for the testing of antiviral drug ‘remdesivir’. Researchers add, “The COVID-19 outbreak is a stark reminder of the ongoing challenge of emerging and re-emerging infectious pathogens and the need for constant surveillance, prompt diagnosis, and robust research to understand the basic biology of new organisms and our susceptibilities to them, as well as to develop effective countermeasures.”
COVID-19 is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation.
Get the latest public health information from CDC.
Get the latest research from NIH. [1] [2]
