The world today is in state of fear due to the outbreak of COVID 19 (CoronaVirus). According to the World Health Organization (WHO) there are more than 90,000 coronavirus cases across the globe. More than 80,000 of those cases are in China, WHO said. Now, the killer Virus has already reached India with 7 confirmed cases as reported in National media. Manipur is lucky that the killer virus has not yet reached. Those suspected case has been reported negative. The concern and the seriousness of the Manipur State Medical Directorate in preventing the spread of the killer virus not only need appreciation from the people but requires support to the initiative taken up by the department authority, as we now have information about the virus reaching the neighbouring country Myanmar.
On February 20 of this year, no case of Coronavirus affected people had been reported among the 30 countries as reported by the South China Morning Post. However, as per a report from inside the neighbouring country, Myanmar has confirmed 1 case affected by the virus and 9 more under quarantine. And thus the number of the country reaching the virus is on the rise.
We all know that Myanmar shares 1,624-kilometre of a porous border. The country is a friendly neighbor of India with a trade agreement signed and still going on. Entry from Myanmar to India through Moreh town and up to 16 Kilometer inside Indian territory without a passport is permitted by the Indian authority.
The country Myanmar is also a friendly neighbor of China sharing as 2,129 kilometers borderline. Restriction of border trade is reportedly nil as Chinese dominates the market. As the virus reached our neighbouring country Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram government should take up immediate effective measures to put restrictions on cross border trade or entry until a solution to the virus is found.
More stringent measures to prevent the spread of virus should be initiated immediately. However, people of the state need not be panic as there are ways to prevent the spread of the virus.
Besides WHO, the state government, as well as the government of India, had issued some preventive measures to protect from the virus and the people need to be serious about the kind of instructions.
As per information by UNICEF Coronavirus is large where the cell diameter is 400-500 micro and for this reason, any mask prevents its entry. The virus does not settle in the air but is grounded, so it is not transmitted by air. Coronavirus, when it falls on a metal surface, will live 12 hours, so washing hands with soap and water well enough.
Corona virus when it falls on the fabric remains 9 hours, so washing clothes or being exposed to the sun for two hours meets the purpose of killing it. The virus lives on the hands for 10 minutes, so putting an alcohol sterilizer in the pocket meets the purpose of prevention. If the virus is exposed to a temperature of 26-27 ° C. it will be killed, as it does not live in hot regions. Also drinking hot water and sun exposure will do the trick. UNICEF also appealed to stay away from ice cream and eating cold is important. It said that gargle with warm and saltwater kills the tonsils’ germs and prevents them from leaking into the lungs.
