The outbreak of a new coronavirus in China has already caused almost global panic. The World Health Organization recognized it as an emergency, after China, the sick were found in Sweden and in Russia.
But is the virus so terrible and who benefits from the panic swelling around it?
In Russia, such shots are thrown into the fight against a new terrible sore that it seems as if it was an invasion of alien monsters.
The operational headquarters for the fight against coronavirus included, in particular, Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova , Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Alexander Gorovoy , Emergencies Minister Yevgeny Zinichev and even Deputy Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Andrei Moreyakov . Given the composition of the participants, it can be assumed that the work of this headquarters will have to have a powerful propaganda effect. Question: which one - sedative or pressure? Meanwhile, previous experience shows that such outbreaks of disease have long turned into a well-functioning business, with which everyone is foamed from everything from the pharmaceutical industry to politicians. The new Chinese coronavirus does not seem to be an exception.
First, some statistics. According to media reports, in the world last week, more than 6 thousand cases of infection with a new virus were registered. At the same time 132 people died, 104 - were cured. All deaths are reported in China. In the WHO official bulletin, the data is slightly more modest: 2741 confirmed cases of infection, 5794 - unconfirmed suspicions of coronavirus. WHO registered deaths from coronavirus - 80, cases of recovery - 461. Somehow the situation does not fit with the panic reports of the appearance of a deadly virus, do not you find? In addition, one more fact should be taken into account: about 12 million people live in the notorious Chinese city of Wuhan.
“The mortality rate for a new coronavirus is 2-3%, which is several times lower compared to other dangerous coronaviruses, ” said Mikhail Schelkanov , a virologist and the head of the international scientific and educational center for biological safety at the Federal Service for the Protection of the Human Welfare, based on FEFU . - As for the scale of the outbreak, I would not even call it an epidemic. If you count in relative numbers, you will see some distant figures after the decimal point as a percentage, even in relation to the population of only this Chinese region. "
Moreover, according to the expert, the further spread of the virus, which seems to be impossible to avoid, is also not so scary.
“Of course, there will be imported cases, and it is obvious that Russia will not be an exception, ” continues Mikhail Shchelkanov. - I will tell you more, every year tourists bring to Russia 100-300 imported cases of viral infections that are exotic to us. But all these cases are quickly detected, correctly diagnosed, localized and have no epidemic consequences. The same will be with coronavirus. I honestly don’t see a reason to panic at all. ”
However, the optimism of virologists, to put it mildly, does not fit with what is happening in China itself. For example, the infamous city of Wuhan today was literally cut off from life, and the mayor of the city of Zhou Xianwan last Monday even announced that he was ready to resign if the decision to close the city would cause discontent among the population.
“We acknowledge that everything necessary should be done to contain the disease, for the safety of people ... we all agree that the main thing is to control the spread of the disease ,” said Mr. Xianwan.
“We are not talking about an epidemic or a pandemic at all. It’s difficult for me, of course, to be responsible for China, but I can assume that they just took advantage of the situation and conduct biosafety exercises. Actually, why not? ” - suggested in a conversation with Our Versia, Professor Pavel Vorobyov , chairman of the Moscow City Scientific Society of Therapists .
By the way, the use of viruses and deliberate escalation of hysteria around an unknown sore has been tested more than once by the governments of many countries. An example is the United States, which at one time took on the pseudo-fight against Ebola in West Africa. It is possible that possible Chinese teachings are just the tip of the iceberg. However, the theory that China is simply conducting exercises is opposed by facts of a different kind. Based on just a hundred deaths, the Fitch rating agency has already hastened to issue forecasts of the macroeconomic consequences of the spread of the virus. Analysts note that the possible spread of the disease will have negative consequences for large corporations operating not only in China, but also in Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore. And, according to the forecasts of the National Credit Ratings (NKR) agency , a possible slowdown in China’s economic growth in 2020 may amount to 0.5 percentage points.
The obvious beneficiaries of the current hysteria surrounding the coronavirus are pharmaceutical companies. It is possible, by the way, that they are the main PR customers of the current hysteria. In 2009, a similar hysteria was spreading around the world related to the spread of the so-called swine flu, which then killed only a few dozen people. This, however, did not prevent the Swiss company Roche from launching a massive advertising campaign of its own drug Tamiflu, which was then declared the only panacea for the new sore. It is noteworthy that the farm was then supported by WHO, recommending the drug for public procurement. According to expert estimates, Roche’s revenues from the sale of the miracle drug then amounted to about $ 1 billion.. And all the hysteria surrounding swine flu increased farm revenues by 200–300%. Apparently, we will hear about new developments in the field of treatment of Chinese coronavirus in the very near future. By the way, this time, Russian manufacturers seem to have decided not to stay away from earnings in a general panic. Arbidol and ingavirin have already begun to advertise antiviral drugs as drugs that can relieve a new sore. Moreover, the creators of the commercial video Arbidol no hesitate to report that "the risk of infection is high" and that "Arbidol is active even against coronavirus." The fact that research on the virus itself, whose genome the Chinese side handed over to Russia only last week, began just the other day, of course, the advertisers are not confused. By the way, last year the manufacturer of arbidol bailed out 2, 5 billion rubles from the sale of his funds. This, according to the DSM Group, provided him with fourth place in the antiviral drug market in Russia. It seems like a good time to boost sales.
