Since December, bad news surrounding the coronavirus COVID-19 has taken over our timelines and newsfeeds. And for good reason. The deadly virus has already infected over 850,000 people across the globe and is expected to surpass one million by the end of the week.
Although COVID-19 originated in Wuhan, China, the US now has the highest number of cases after conducting over one million tests. At the time of writing, a shocking 186,265 Americans tested positive for the coronavirus.
Individuals are consuming news at a record rate in hopes of hearing about a vaccine or a cure that will save the day. In the meantime, countries around the world are implementing international travel bans, social distancing measures and in some cases, full-blown lockdowns in an attempt to help curb the spread.
Although the global pandemic is far from over, there has been some positive news from several biotech and pharmaceutical companies that have been working around the clock to test potential treatments and vaccines, some of which who are already commencing human trials.
While we are still several months away from finding a viable cure, there is still some very positive news coming down the pipeline.
In an attempt to alleviate readers from the never-ending flow of negative news, we have put together a list of good news about efforts being made to fight COVID-19.
Italy Continues to Recover from Coronavirus
Before the US took the lead in COVID-19 cases, the entire world was watching Italy and its fast-growing death toll.
Italy, which is home to the world's second-oldest population, was the first country after China to succumb to the wrath of the deadly coronavirus.
After weeks of sad news from the Mediterranean country, things are finally starting to look up.
Although the coronavirus death toll has climbed by 812 to reach 11,591, the number of new cases rose by just 4,050 which is the lowest amount since March 17.
This might seem like a small improvement, but thanks to lockdowns and stringent measures that are expected to last until at least Easter, the once-dire situation in Italy is expected to stabilize.
The number of Italians who have recovered from the coronavirus has reached 15,729. The list of those who have recovered includes several elderly people, including a 101-year-old man.
Coronavirus Vaccines and Treatments Begin Animal and Human Trials
The volume of coronavirus treatments and vaccines being developed and tested is also very encouraging to see amid all of the bad news.
Roughly 35 companies and academic institutions have been working around the clock to create a vaccine and some already have candidates they have been testing in animals.
These companies got a head start on development after China shared the sequence the genetic material of Sars-CoV-2 in early January, which allowed research facilities around the world to grow the live virus and study how it invades human cells and makes people ill.
Governments Launch Emergency Funds to Alleviate Economic Impact
Another positive that has come out of this global pandemic is the response from governments in an effort to lessen the blow the virus will have on individuals.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed a US$8.3 billion emergency spending bill which includes over US$3 billion for research and development of vaccines, US$800 million for research for treatments, over US$2 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and US$61 million to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The US Agency for International Development will get over US$1 billion, while another US$1 billion will go to local and state public heath efforts including community health centers and state and local governments. Last but not least, the bill also authorizes approximately US$500 million for Medicare providers to administer.
At the same time, the Canadian government has allocated over C$1.1 billion to protect Canadians and aid the world in its fight against COVID-19.
To support the immediate response to the outbreak, C$50 million has been allocated to support initial actions, including border and travel measures and sustained activation of the Health Portfolio Operations Centre and the National Microbiology Laboratory.
Another C$7.1 million was provided to support the repatriation of Canadians and C$2 million was contributed to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support their efforts to contain the outbreak.
Takeaway
Although things will likely get worse before they get better in regards to the coronavirus, it's encouraging to see the entire world come together in an effort to save lives and prevent a complete economic shutdown.
The negative effects of COVID-19 are expected to continue in the form of a global recession, however, it is evident that individuals, businesses and governments around the world are doing everything in their power to prevent the worst from happening.
Is there any positive coronavirus news you'd like to share? Let us know in the comments!
Featured Image: Depositphotos ©3DPavel
