World Health Organisation Declares Covid-19 Outbreak A Pandemic
On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organisation declared Covid-19 outbreak a global pandemic. At time of this announcement, there were close to 120,000 confirmed cases globally with over 4,000 deaths. The virus had spread to all continents except for Antarctica. A pandemic is defined as the global spread of a disease. To learn more about the economic implications of a pandemic, sign up for economics tuition Singapore with a reputable economics tutor Singapore. Economics Cafe Learning Centre is the best economics tuition centre in Singapore. It is founded by its principal economics tutor Mr Edmund Quek.
Pandemics Of The Past
Black Death was probably one of the most devastating pandemics in human history. The widespread outbreak wiped out about half of Europe’s population between 1347 and 1351. With guidance from your economics tutor Singapore in economics tuition Singapore, discuss the impact of Black Death on the global economy. For the centuries that followed, pandemics have been part of our human history. In the 20th century, the world has experienced a few pandemics.
The 1918 influenza pandemic, also commonly known as the “Spanish flu” was estimated to have killed 50 million people, with one-third of the world’s population then infected. There were more American soldiers died from this pandemic, than in World War I. In 1957, a pandemic caused by influenza A H2N2 virus claimed more than one million lives across the world with close to 120,000 in the United States. The virus, first emerged in Singapore and subsequently spread to Hong Kong and thereafter the coastal cities in the United States was believed to be originated from birds. In 1968, another pandemic caused by influenza A H3N2 killed 1 million people worldwide. The virus originated in China and quickly spread to the rest of the world. The virus has continued to co-exist with human being till this day. In consultation with your economics tutor Singapore in your economics tuition Singapore class, compare the economic implications of these few pandemics. Mr Edmund Quek, principal economics tutor Singapore of Economics Cafe Learning Centre is known for incorporating real world events into his economics tuition Singapore. His economics tuition centre is conveniently located within walking distance from the Bishan MRT Station.
Fast forward to 2009, influenza A H1N1 was the most recent pandemic in human history. This time, the virus was first detected in the United States. Found to be originated from swine, the virus was quickly spread to the rest of the world. Death toll from this pandemic was estimated to be between 150,000 and 580,000 in the first year of the outbreak. Same as influenza A H3N2, the H1N1 virus has continued to co-exist with human being in the form of a seasonal flu virus every year. You may consult your economics tutor Singapore in economics tuition Singapore the effective measures taken by the governments around the world back then to combat the virus.
A Long-term Battle
Political leaders around the world have declared a long-term battle against the virus. Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong cautioned that the Covid-19 outbreak might last till end of 2020. Leaders in some western countries have declared national emergency. Some of the worst affected countries like Italy had implemented extreme measures such as a national lockdown. In discussion with your economics tutor Singapore in your economics tuition class, evaluate the economic implications of a national lockdown.
China, in contrast, after battling the virus for months, announced that the peak of the outbreak in China had been over. The country had started to ease its various restrictions and resumed business operations across the country. In the past few days, the number of newly confirmed cases in China has dropped to single digit.
Linda Geng
Economics Tuition Singapore @ Economics Cafe
Principal Economics Tutor: Mr. Edmund Quek