Daily Analysis of 'The Hindu' - 28th February, 2020 | Additional Study Material for UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


Virus marches on 
?Even as the number of laboratory confirmed cases in 
Wuhan and other parts of mainland China has come 
down in the last few days (78,497 cases and 2,744 
deaths as on February 27), the spread of the novel 
coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 
disease remains unchecked in a few countries. 
?The number of countries/regions that have so far 
reported at least one confirmed case has also gone up 
in the past week — 3,346 cases from 49 countries as 
on February 27. 
?This does not include the 705 confirmed cases on a 
cruise ship in Japanese waters. 
Page 2


Virus marches on 
?Even as the number of laboratory confirmed cases in 
Wuhan and other parts of mainland China has come 
down in the last few days (78,497 cases and 2,744 
deaths as on February 27), the spread of the novel 
coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 
disease remains unchecked in a few countries. 
?The number of countries/regions that have so far 
reported at least one confirmed case has also gone up 
in the past week — 3,346 cases from 49 countries as 
on February 27. 
?This does not include the 705 confirmed cases on a 
cruise ship in Japanese waters. 
?Till some time back, the cases on board the vessel 
were the highest outside China.  
?But that changed on February 24 when the total 
number of cases reported from South Korea stood 
at 763, overshooting the number of cases on the 
ship 
?With 1,766 cases and 13 deaths, South Korea has 
the most number of infections outside China as 
on February 27. 
?Beyond the high number of cases reported from 
South Korea, what is indeed alarming is the rate of 
viral spread. 
 
Page 3


Virus marches on 
?Even as the number of laboratory confirmed cases in 
Wuhan and other parts of mainland China has come 
down in the last few days (78,497 cases and 2,744 
deaths as on February 27), the spread of the novel 
coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 
disease remains unchecked in a few countries. 
?The number of countries/regions that have so far 
reported at least one confirmed case has also gone up 
in the past week — 3,346 cases from 49 countries as 
on February 27. 
?This does not include the 705 confirmed cases on a 
cruise ship in Japanese waters. 
?Till some time back, the cases on board the vessel 
were the highest outside China.  
?But that changed on February 24 when the total 
number of cases reported from South Korea stood 
at 763, overshooting the number of cases on the 
ship 
?With 1,766 cases and 13 deaths, South Korea has 
the most number of infections outside China as 
on February 27. 
?Beyond the high number of cases reported from 
South Korea, what is indeed alarming is the rate of 
viral spread. 
 
?What has made it arduous for South Korea in 
containing the spread is the difficulty in tracing 
the contacts of cult members as they prefer not 
to disclose their affiliation to the church. 
?The spread has been equally alarming in Iran 
though the numbers are far fewer compared with 
South Korea. 
?From just two cases on February 20, the numbers 
in Iran increased to 245 on February 27; there have 
been 26 deaths too, the highest outside China. 
?It becomes apparent that mass gatherings in 
enclosed spaces are an ideal ground for the virus 
to spread. 
Page 4


Virus marches on 
?Even as the number of laboratory confirmed cases in 
Wuhan and other parts of mainland China has come 
down in the last few days (78,497 cases and 2,744 
deaths as on February 27), the spread of the novel 
coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 
disease remains unchecked in a few countries. 
?The number of countries/regions that have so far 
reported at least one confirmed case has also gone up 
in the past week — 3,346 cases from 49 countries as 
on February 27. 
?This does not include the 705 confirmed cases on a 
cruise ship in Japanese waters. 
?Till some time back, the cases on board the vessel 
were the highest outside China.  
?But that changed on February 24 when the total 
number of cases reported from South Korea stood 
at 763, overshooting the number of cases on the 
ship 
?With 1,766 cases and 13 deaths, South Korea has 
the most number of infections outside China as 
on February 27. 
?Beyond the high number of cases reported from 
South Korea, what is indeed alarming is the rate of 
viral spread. 
 
?What has made it arduous for South Korea in 
containing the spread is the difficulty in tracing 
the contacts of cult members as they prefer not 
to disclose their affiliation to the church. 
?The spread has been equally alarming in Iran 
though the numbers are far fewer compared with 
South Korea. 
?From just two cases on February 20, the numbers 
in Iran increased to 245 on February 27; there have 
been 26 deaths too, the highest outside China. 
?It becomes apparent that mass gatherings in 
enclosed spaces are an ideal ground for the virus 
to spread. 
A browning east 
?Western Ghats are the crown jewels of I n d ia ’ s natural 
heritage. 
?Eastern Ghats spread across some 75,000 sq. km. from 
Odisha to southern Tamil Nadu, play an important dual role: 
fostering biodiversity and storing energy in trees.  
?In these mountains exist a reservoir of about 3,000 flowering 
plant species, nearly 100 of them endemic, occurring in the 
dry deciduous, moist deciduous and semi-evergreen 
landscapes. 
?Many animals, including tigers and elephants, and some 400 
bird species are found in these discontinuous forests that 
receive an annual average rainfall of 1,200 mm to 1,500 mm. 
Page 5


Virus marches on 
?Even as the number of laboratory confirmed cases in 
Wuhan and other parts of mainland China has come 
down in the last few days (78,497 cases and 2,744 
deaths as on February 27), the spread of the novel 
coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 
disease remains unchecked in a few countries. 
?The number of countries/regions that have so far 
reported at least one confirmed case has also gone up 
in the past week — 3,346 cases from 49 countries as 
on February 27. 
?This does not include the 705 confirmed cases on a 
cruise ship in Japanese waters. 
?Till some time back, the cases on board the vessel 
were the highest outside China.  
?But that changed on February 24 when the total 
number of cases reported from South Korea stood 
at 763, overshooting the number of cases on the 
ship 
?With 1,766 cases and 13 deaths, South Korea has 
the most number of infections outside China as 
on February 27. 
?Beyond the high number of cases reported from 
South Korea, what is indeed alarming is the rate of 
viral spread. 
 
?What has made it arduous for South Korea in 
containing the spread is the difficulty in tracing 
the contacts of cult members as they prefer not 
to disclose their affiliation to the church. 
?The spread has been equally alarming in Iran 
though the numbers are far fewer compared with 
South Korea. 
?From just two cases on February 20, the numbers 
in Iran increased to 245 on February 27; there have 
been 26 deaths too, the highest outside China. 
?It becomes apparent that mass gatherings in 
enclosed spaces are an ideal ground for the virus 
to spread. 
A browning east 
?Western Ghats are the crown jewels of I n d ia ’ s natural 
heritage. 
?Eastern Ghats spread across some 75,000 sq. km. from 
Odisha to southern Tamil Nadu, play an important dual role: 
fostering biodiversity and storing energy in trees.  
?In these mountains exist a reservoir of about 3,000 flowering 
plant species, nearly 100 of them endemic, occurring in the 
dry deciduous, moist deciduous and semi-evergreen 
landscapes. 
?Many animals, including tigers and elephants, and some 400 
bird species are found in these discontinuous forests that 
receive an annual average rainfall of 1,200 mm to 1,500 mm.