Coronavirus panic has hit Ukraine. There have been major disturbances in Ukraine because of the entry to Ukraine of those individuals, mostly it seems Ukranians, who have been repatriated from Wuhan in China, which is the epicentre of the Coronavirus outbreak.
Fear of the disease engendered panic in residents of a town that holds a quarantine centre where the Wuhan evacuees are to be held until they are no danger to others. This panic, brought about by fear of this novel disease, turned to violence.
Demonstrators who are fearful of the spread of coronavirus attacked the convoy of busses bringing evacuees to the quarantine zone, throwing rocks at the busses and clashing with security forces that were protecting the convoy. Tyres were set alight by protestors and attempts were made by them to block the road. Some of the crowd was said by Sky News to be ‘drunk’ and in one incident a car was used as a weapon to attack police lines.
This is a significant and worrying level of disturbance and probably the first I’ve seen reported occurring in Europe that is connected to fears of the coronavirus. Despite asssurances from the Ukranian government that all appropriate steps were being taken to stop the spread of the disease from the quarantined patients to the rest of population, those fearful of the virus rioted anyway. ‘King Mob’ as has been the case over the centuries, has never been the sort of entity that is willing to listen to logic or reason when it comes to invisible enemies, whether they be spiritual, ideological or just based in naked fear of a disease like coronavirus. Let’s hope that what has happened in Ukraine is a one off and not a portent of what might happen if the coronavirus situation gets worse.
‘King Mob’ is the inevitable – and almost guaranteed – outcome when the populace has completely lost all faith, trust, and confidence in their elite and their elite’s establishment.
Coming soon to a country near you, probably.
As Ted points out, the responses of some of the mob – ‘Why doesn’t the Mayor take them in?’ – shows exactly how people are mad as hell and not prepared to put up with elected elites risking other people’s lives.
Shame it hasn’t happened here. Yet.
It’s almost inevitable the bug (& the panic) are coming to all of Europe, especially countries with big “hub” airports like Schipol in the Netherlands, where 10,000s pass through daily.
The present methods of isolation and detection are woefully inadequate; also people suspected of infection should be kept in quarantine for at least 24 days, not 14.
Drugs used to counter hypertension are partially effective at blocking the virus cell gateway, ACE4 receptors, so it will be interesting to see if infection rates reflect this.
It appears to spread mainly from aerosols (sneezes & coughs) and surface contact, remaining active in the air and on some surfaces for a week. So basic hygiene, (good) masks and lots of alcohol wipes and disinfectants will help avoid it.
The most worrying aspect is about re-infection of those who have recovered from Covid-19: a 2nd bout, after the 1st has significantly weakened the immune system, could result in up to 40% fatalities.
Stay safe!
Corrections & additions to my comment above:
It’s ACE2, not 4. These cell receptors are more prevalent in those of Asian descent (although the reasons are not fully clear). So there is some optimism that it will be more containable when (not if) it becomes widespread in the USA & Europe.
Surface virulence is now thought to be up to 9 days, not 7.
The virus has now been detected in urine from a sufferer. With Chinese buildings often having “poor” sewage systems, this presents another transmission route.
One report suggest the death rate from those re-infected is up to 65%, not 40%.