Are you totally fed up of all the bad news regarding the Covid-19 outbreak? Believe it or not there is positive news too. So just for a change I thought I’d focus on some that you might have missed to remind us this won’t last forever and that there are still things to be grateful for. The outbreak has forced us to slow down and remember what is important and has also reminded us of the many things (such as freedom of movement) that we have previously taken for granted. It’s unfortunately not until things break down that we start appreciating them – or even remembering that they exist at all.
Hang in there, we’ll get through this and I’m sure we’ll continue to see more and more positive news!!
1. For the first time since the coronavirus outbreak started, China has reported no new domestic transmissions of Covid-19, a major milestone in the country’s fight against the pandemic. The country has closed its final specific coronavirus hospital - because it is no longer needed. Medics were seen joyfully ripping off their protective gear in scenes of celebration. As the outbreak is finally brought under control, parks and tourist attractions are slowly beginning to reopen to the public under careful moderation.
2. Despite the death toll in Italy continuing, the confirmed cases are now slowing. Italy may have been hit hard, experts say, because they have the oldest population in Europe
3. Cases are also declining in South Korea, just 74 on 17th March, a significant drop from 909 at its peak on February 29 and has decreased each day since.
4. Researchers in Rotterdam and Utrecht University claim they have found an antibody that can successfully cure a patient of the disease. It could lead to a vaccine and also allow people to test themselves at home, freeing up valuable time for struggling health services across the world.
5. Doctors at the Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipar, India, have been using a cocktail of HIV, swine flu and Malaria medication to cure Covid-19 patients.
6. The Cleveland Clinic also apparently has technology which can turn around coronavirus tests in eight hours - though it still needs further in-house testing.
7. Japanese pharmaceutical firm Takeda Pharmaceutical Co has revealed it is working on a new coronavirus drug which uses blood plasma of recovered patients and researchers in Ontario, Canada, have replicated the virus which could prove invaluable for testing.
8. A newborn baby at North Middlesex Hospital with the disease has now been confirmed to be out of danger, while 103-year-old grandmother Zhang Guangfen was cured within a week.
9. The first person in New Delhi to catch the virus has successfully recovered at Safdarjung hospital.
10. Across the UK and abroad communities are coming together to help their neighbours. Village shops are delivering to elderly and vulnerable residents and groups are being set up to help those isolating with shopping and medicine drops.
11. The heavily polluted city of Venice and others across the world are getting a well earned rest. Following a complete lockdown in Italy, Venetians are sharing incredible stories, pictures and videos which show the city's canals crystal clear with fish swimming in them. Pollution is down due to a lack of boat traffic.
12. In China it seems the lockdown had an unintended benefit -- blue skies. The average number of "good quality air days" increased 21.5% in February, compared to the same period last year, according to China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
13. World governments are now coordinating preventive measures with a degree of cooperation never seen before. China has deployed doctors and public health experts to assist Italy with the ongoing crisis. Israelis and Palestinians are uniting to fight the epidemic. Governments around the world are implementing economic measures to assist the economically vulnerable.
14. In Italy, where citizens have been on lockdown, impromptu mass sing and dance-alongs have been taking place via balconies.
15. After a social media campaign, a co-ordinated mass applause for healthcare workers broke out in several areas across Spain, including Pamplona, Madrid and Murcia - where many are on lockdown - via their windows.
16. Some coffee and fast food companies are actively supporting NHS workers by offering free hot drinks and discounted food etc. Also former England footballer Gary Neville - who also runs a chain of hotels in the Manchester area - announced he would be opening his hotels free of charge for NHS workers to stay at. This means that any NHS members who would otherwise be forced to isolate if family members experienced symptoms can instead stay at hotel.
17. The UK's Premier League announced that all football games would be temporarily suspended in a bid to protect players and fans amid the outbreak. As this meant last minute cancellations for many matches scheduled to go ahead, several football clubs including Liverpool FC, Everton, Aston Villa and Newcastle donated the food which had been ordered for the stadiums, to food banks instead, as well as making large cash donations.
