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Zhao Guoping: Origin tracing COVID-19 challenging task for scientists
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, the puzzle of where the virus originated is attracting global attention from the science community.
To identify the origin of an unknown virus, scientists need to find out the pathogen that caused the disease and the animal carrier, that is, the natural host of the virus, according to Dr Zhao Guoping, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Since the outbreak of SARS, global scientists have been searching for its source. They identified SARS-CoV as the pathogen. But it was not until 2015, 13 years after the outbreak, that the natural host of SARS-CoV, Rhinolophus sinicus, was revealed.
Questions are still waiting to be answered including whether Rhinolophus sinicus is the only natural host of SARS-CoV and how the virus varied when it encountered its intermediate host, civet cats.
Tracing the origin of the virus pathogen requires scientific evidence, including the biological evidence provided by etiology, clinical medicine and epidemiology and the molecular biological evidence provided by genetic sequencing and antibody detection, according to Dr Zhao.
Scientists need to establish the connection between the two types of evidence, which is not easy, to confirm both findings before they can finally make the issue clear, he said.
The epidemiological investigation of the origin of an infectious disease usually starts from the contact history of the first infected patient, or “patient zero”, which is even more difficult to confirm.
It is challenging to trace COVID-19 patient zero as it involves a large volume of complicated data, and the early cases might include asymptomatic infections short of medical records, said Liu Peipei, an expert at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Jin Qi, head of the Institute of Medical Biology at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said patient zero has not been confirmed for the 1918 influenza pandemic, AIDS or the H1N1 flu that broke out in 2009. Tracing patient zero is a multi-disciplinary problem that requires a great deal of work from the medical and scientific circles.
The novel coronavirus spread extensively around the world since late 2019 and the single “patient zeroes” is absent in most countries, the latest study by the University College London Genetics Institute has shown. -Xinhua
Muslims across the country celebrated this year’s Eid-ul-Adha in a colourful and spiritually uplifting atmosphere under the theme, “A Season of Sacrifice, Solidarity and Spiritual Renewal.”
The celebration brought together Muslims from diverse backgrounds in a remarkable display of faith, unity and cultural heritage.
The occasion was marked by special Eid prayers at various designated grounds, the slaughtering of rams in homes for sharing among family members, friends and the less privileged, as well as musical concerts and recreational activities including horse riding.
Leading the celebration was the Chief Imam, Dr Sheikh Osman Sharubutu.
While the national celebration was held at the Black Star Square where President John Dramani Mahama was the Special Guest of Honour, similar gatherings took place at different centres across the capital and other regions of the country.
A visit by The Spectator to some celebration grounds revealed Muslims, both young and old, elegantly dressed in colourful jalabiya and other Islamic attire, reflecting the rich culture and traditions of the Muslim community.
The celebration also portrayed the spirit of religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence in the country, as a number of Christians joined their Muslim counterparts to mark the occasion.
Muslim leaders and government officials used the opportunity to call on the faithful to uphold the teachings of the Holy Quran, renew their spiritual commitment and refrain from acts capable of undermining the peace, unity and security of the nation.
They further urged Ghanaians to continue to live in harmony and support one another for national development.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
Dear Obaa Yaa,
During Eid-ul- Adha celebration, I decided to spend the weekend at my boyfriend’s place since we were planning towards our marriage.
To my surprise, what keeps me wide awake, restless and frustrated every single time is that he snores loudly like a generator running on full power, and I genuinely cannot get any rest
At a point, I thought it was just a normal thing, but I have realised it is something he does with ease and doesn’t see anything wrong with it.
When he steps out in the morning, I try to get enough sleep because I may not sleep in the evening.
The most annoying thing is that, he always wants to cuddle me. These two things are a no for me and a red flag.
We are about to get married, what should I do?
Enam, Keta.
Dear Enam,
The snoring and constant cuddling are frustrating, but you don’t have to choose between sleep and closeness.
Start with the snoring: check if it’s worse when he sleeps on his back, cut out alcohol before bed, try nasal strips or a humidifier, and see a doctor if he pauses while breathing.
For quick relief, foam earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones help a lot.
Separate blankets, a bigger bed, or sleeping apart on some nights often makes couples rest well and feel closer overall.
Bring this up before the wedding .Tell him you want to wake up next to him for years to come, but sleep deprivation makes you both miserable.
Test earplugs and side-sleeping this weekend, and if it’s still unbearable, bring in a doctor. Good sleep matters more for your marriage than staying glued together all night.
