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A28 WORLD NEWS
Friday 17 april 2020
Coronavirus could erode global fight against other diseases

By ANIRUDDHA GHOSAL to treatment. Other factors,
and VICTORIA MILKO like access to transporta-
Associated Press tion during a lockdown, are
NEW DELHI (AP) — Lavina threatening India's progress
D'Souza hasn't been able on TB. Patients and doctors
to collect her government- can't get to clinics, and it's
supplied anti-HIV medica- difficult to send samples for
tion since the abrupt lock- testing.
down of India's 1.3 billion India has nearly a third of
people last month during the world's TB cases, and
the coronavirus outbreak. diagnosing patients has
Marooned in a small city been delayed in many
away from her home in areas. Dr. Yogesh Jain in
Mumbai, the medicine Chhattisgarh — one of In-
she needs to manage her dia's poorest states — and
disease has run out. The other doctors fear that
43-year-old is afraid that means "TB cases would cer-
her immune system will tainly increase."
crash: "Any disease, the Coronavirus-related lock-
coronavirus or something downs also have inter-
else, I'll fall sick faster." rupted the flow of supplies,
D'Souza said others also including critical medicine,
must be "suffering because In this March 24, 2014, file photo, a doctor examines a tuberculosis patient in a government TB protective gear and oxy-
of the coronavirus without hospital in Allahabad, India. gen, said Dr. Marc Biot, di-
getting infected by it." Associated Press. rector of operations for in-
As the world focuses on the gasong, head of the Africa veloped health care sys- and governments issuing ternational aid group Doc-
pandemic, experts fear los- Centers for Disease Control tems, such as South Korea, stay-at-home orders, it is tors Without Borders.
ing ground in the long fight and Prevention. patients seeking treatment highly likely that the num- "These are difficult to find
against other infectious dis- That is compounded in for diseases like TB had to ber of TB patients who re- now because everybody
eases like AIDS, tuberculosis countries with already over- be turned away, said Ho- main undetected will in- is rushing for them in the
and cholera that kill millions burdened health care sys- joon Sohn, of Johns Hopkins crease." same moment," Biot said.
every year. Also at risk are tems, like Sudan. Doctors at Bloomberg School of Pub- In Congo, already over- The fear of some diseases
decadeslong efforts that Al-Ribat National Hospital in lic Health, who is based in whelmed by the latest out- resurging is further aggra-
allowed the World Health Sudan's capital, Khartoum, South Korea. break of Ebola and years vated by delays in immuni-
Organization to set target shared a document detail- About 30% of global TB of violent conflict, the coro- zation efforts for more than
dates for eradicating ma- ing nationwide measures: cases — out of 10 million navirus comes as a measles 13.5 million people, accord-
laria, polio and other ill- fewer patients admitted to each year — are never di- outbreak has killed over ing to the vaccine alliance
nesses. emergency rooms, elec- agnosed, and the gaps in 6,000 people, said Anne- GAVI. The international
With the coronavirus over- tive surgeries indefinitely care are concentrated in Marie Connor, national di- organization said 21 coun-
whelming hospitals, re- postponed, primary care 10 countries with the most rector for World Vision, a tries are reporting vaccine
directing medical staff, eliminated for non-critical infections, Sohn said. humanitarian aid organiza- shortages following border
causing supply shortages cases, and skilled doctors "These are people likely tion. closures and disruptions to
and suspending health ser- transferred to COVID-19 not seeking care even in "It's likely we'll see a lot of air travel — mostly in Af-
vices, "our greatest fear" is patients. normal circumstances," 'indirect' deaths from other rica — and 14 vaccination
resources for other diseases Similar scenes are unfold- he said. "So with the CO- diseases," she said. campaigns for diseases like
being diverted and de- ing worldwide. Even in VID-19 pandemic resulting The cascading impact of polio and measles have
pleted, said Dr. John Nken- countries with highly de- in health systems overload, the pandemic isn't limited been postponed.q

Trudeau: US border won’t reopen soon to nonessential travel

By ROB GILLIES der will be among the first borders
Associated Press to open. "It will be one of the early
TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime borders to be released," Trump
Minister Justin Trudeau said Thurs- said. Nearly 200,000 people cross
day the border between Canada that border everyday in normal
and the United States isn't open- times. Canada sends 75% of its ex-
ing any time soon for nonessential ports to the U.S. and about 18% of
travel. Trudeau said it will still be a American exports go to Canada.
"significant amount of time" before Truck drivers and Canadians who
Canada can loosen such a restric- live in the U.S. for part of the year
tion. and are returning to Canada are
The U.S. and Canada agreed last among those who are exempted
month to limit border crossings to from the current travel ban.
essential travel amid the pandem- Canada has more than 29,826
ic but that agreement is due to ex- confirmed cases, including 1,048
pire April 19. deaths. Almost half of the deaths
U.S. President Donald Trump said are linked to nursing homes.
Wednesday the U.S. and Canada The U.S. has more confirmed cases
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses Canadians on the COVID-19 are "doing well" amid the pandem- and deaths from COVID-19 than
pandemic from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Thursday, April 16, 2020.
Associated Press. ic and said the U.S. Canada bor- any country in the world.q