Wrong information about the "virus" has claimed thousands of lives

Experts: Water shortage is a major reason for the rapid spread of "Corona"

The world needs to spend $ 7.6 billion on water supply facilities by 2030. Reuters

Two out of every five people around the world face an acute shortage of water, as experts confirmed that it undermines efforts to contain the Corona pandemic, and is a major cause of the rapid spread of the virus, while a study said that incorrect information about Corona killed thousands.

In detail, Bloomberg News Agency said in a report that washing hands thoroughly and repeatedly is one of the most effective measures to limit the spread of the virus, because spray and contact are the main ways of transmitting Corona, according to what the World Health Organization announced. However, about three billion people do not have access to running water or soap in their homes, and four billion people suffer from severe water scarcity for about one month a year, according to the United Nations Water Group.

The head of the United Nations Water Group, Gilbert F. Hongbo, in an interview: "It is a catastrophic situation for people who live without access to safe water and safely managed sanitation," adding that "the investment deficit has led to billions of people becoming vulnerable, and we are witnessing the consequences now."

Hongbo said the world needs to spend $ 7.6 billion on water supply facilities by 2030, according to the United Nations, and not just for urgent sanitation needs, but in order to address longer-term issues stemming from the pandemic, such as providing better irrigation to avoid a potential food crisis. .

Some companies have come up with solutions to the most pressing problems. The Japanese Lexel Group Corporation, the owner of popular products in the sanitary supplies sector, has collaborated with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and other partners to produce a handwashing mechanism outside the water network that only requires a small amount of water in a bottle.

This is a quick and short-term solution to help combat the Corona pandemic, but more permanent investments are needed, such as connecting water pipes to more homes, said Clarissa Brookhurst, a professor at the University of North Carolina Water Institute, who previously worked as head of water management. And sanitation, and health in UNICEF.

Lack of access to basic water and sanitation services is another example of the deadly effects of inequality revealed by the pandemic.

Disadvantaged people in cities are particularly vulnerable, as they often live in densely populated areas, where social distancing is difficult, especially if they are forced to share a single source of water.

The director of the Pan American Health Organization, Carissa Itine, said that containing the transmission of infection in poor urban areas in America is more difficult, as these areas have limited access to water, sanitation and public health services.

Hongbo explains that about 7.5 billion people may live in areas suffering from water scarcity for at least a month in the year to 2050, creating an unprecedented competition for water.

It is estimated that each degree of global warming will expose about 7% of the world's population to a shortage of renewable water resources of up to 20%, at least. Limiting warming to 1.5 ° C compared to 2 ° C would reduce the climate-induced water problem by about 50%.

This comes at a time when a medical study revealed that the wrong information about "Corona" has caused the death of thousands of people, and prompted thousands to seek medical care.

A team of scientists from countries, including Australia, Japan and Thailand, analyzed data collected between December 2019 and April 2020, for the purpose of the study, which was published in the "American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene" (the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Health).

The data showed that about 800 people died due to drinking highly concentrated alcohol to cleanse their bodies, while 5900 people were transferred to hospitals after consuming methanol, and 60 people lost their eyesight later.

The misinformation circulating among social media users in India prompted many to eat cow urine or dung to protect themselves from infection, while camel urine with lemon was reported to protect against Corona.

The study, which analyzed data from 87 countries in 25 languages, pointed out that some Asians and health care workers were repeatedly stigmatized and subjected to verbal and physical abuse.

• 800 people died due to drinking highly concentrated alcohol to cleanse their bodies, and 5900 people were hospitalized after consuming methanol, and 60 of them lost their eyesight.

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