Five years ago, the world was first alerted to the emergence of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China. This “viral pneumonia”, as it was initially termed, quickly escalated into a global pandemic, leaving an indelible mark on societies worldwide. The COVID-19 crisis underscored the fragility of global health systems and highlighted the critical need for preparedness in the face of emerging infectious diseases.
The pandemic, while seemingly receding in the public eye, is still an ongoing global health challenge. The virus continues its circulation, infecting individuals in about 75 countries as per the latest WHO data and evolving with the emergence of new variants.
As the world grapples with the potential threat of other zoonotic diseases like avian influenza, the WHO has issued a renewed call for greater transparency and cooperation in investigating the origins of COVID-19. Understanding the past is crucial for strengthening global health security and preventing future pandemics.
In a statement marking the anniversary, the WHO described the quest to understand how the virus began as both a “moral and scientific imperative.” The global health body stressed that without full transparency and data sharing from China, the global community remains vulnerable to future pandemics.
“Without transparency, sharing and cooperation among countries, the world cannot adequately prevent and prepare for future epidemics and pandemics,” the statement read.
The origins of the virus remain a contentious topic. While many scientists believe it spread naturally from animals to humans, possibly at a seafood market in Wuhan, suspicions about a potential laboratory leak persist. China has consistently denied the lab leak theory and has not yet responded to the WHO’s latest appeal, reported BBC News.
A team of researchers recently stated it was “beyond reasonable doubt” that the pandemic began with infected animals sold at the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market. Their findings were based on extensive analysis of samples collected in early 2020, but the debate over COVID’s origins is far from settled.
The first patient — who reportedly started experiencing symptoms as early as December 1, 2019 — had no reported link to the market or the other patients.
Maureen Miller, infectious disease epidemiologist and medical anthropologist, told Down To Earth (DTE) that COVID-19 could have started 3-4 months before December 2019 in China.
The WHO’s statement reflected on the events of late 2019 and early 2020, when COVID-19 transformed from a local outbreak to a global health crisis. The timeline was recapped by DTE here.
On December 31, 2019, the WHO’s China office identified a media report about the viral pneumonia cases in Wuhan. Within days, the organisation activated its emergency systems, issued public warnings, and coordinated global efforts to develop testing and treatment protocols.
By mid-January 2020, the WHO had developed comprehensive guidance for countries and helped create the first laboratory test for SARS-CoV-2. This was crucial as the virus spread across borders, leading to lockdowns, economic turmoil and a race to develop vaccines.
On January 30, 2020, India reported its first case of COVID-19 — the patient was a Thrissur resident studying medicine at Wuhan University.
In February 2020, DTE highlighted the growing threat of the novel coronavirus, warning that the “once-in-a-century” pandemic could be here. Featuring the virus on the cover, the magazine posed a critical question: Was the world prepared for such a crisis? The conclusion was stark: “No. The world has not even made a start.”
DTE has continued to document the story of the novel coronavirus extensively, as captured in the year-end reflection, Looking back at 2020: The year we must not forget.
As the world reflects on the pandemic’s impact, the WHO paid tribute to the millions of lives lost and the sacrifices made by healthcare workers. “Let’s take a moment to honour the lives changed and lost, recognise those who are suffering from COVID-19 and long COVID, express gratitude to the health workers who sacrificed so much to care for us, and commit to learning from COVID-19 to build a healthier tomorrow,” the statement said.
While the WHO declared the end of COVID-19 as a global health emergency in May 2023, its Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned against complacency. He reminded the world that the true death toll from the pandemic could be as high as 20 million — nearly three times the official estimate — and stressed the urgency of preparing for future health crises.
India may have faced the highest burden of COVID-19-related deaths — close to 5 million. Officially, 531,843 deaths have been reported by India by May 2023.
Various strains of SARS-CoV-2 remain widely in circulation and post-COVID-19 condition (PCC), also known as ‘long COVID’, continues to be a major concern with a much larger health burden — 6.2 per cent of people who had symptomatic COVID-19 may have PCC. The virus could be invading our brains, fuelling neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s as well.
The impact of COVID-19 went beyond public health — the world beat a desperate retreat in its war to get rid of extreme poverty, a good eight years before the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goal 1 target year of 2030.
The call for cooperation from WHO has underscored the challenges of fostering international solidarity in addressing pandemics — a concern especially underlined by the pathogenesis of Avian influenza virus H5N1. Five years on, the search for answers continues, alongside efforts to prevent history from repeating itself.