The Covid Timeline

Written by Hannah Mestermann (Co-founder/ Editor in Chief)

I don’t know about you, but these past nine months have come and gone. Some months felt like decades- whereas others felt like minutes. As we look back at these past months of quarantine, online- schooling, and a home-bound summer holiday; we ask ourselves: Where did it all start?

Here is a rundown of how CoVid-19 developed into the pandemic as we know it:

Global:

7818 total confirmed cases worldwide/ 82 of which were reported in 18 countries outside China

• WHO reports a cluster of pneumonia cases (no deaths) in Wuhan, Hubei Province (Jan 4)

• China shares the genetic sequence of the novel - coronavirus (Jan 12)

• They confirmed the first case outside China is Thailand (Jan 13) (even though the first case out of China has later been recorded to date all the way back in November 2019 -in France.)

National-UAE:

First case is confirmed (Jan 29)

• Most people are still oblivious to what's about to become a pandemic.

Global:

85,403 total confirmed cases worldwide/ 6009 cases outside China, across 54 countries

• Disease caused by the novel-coronavirus is named ‘CoVid-19’ after the COronaVIrus Disease that started in 2019.

Global:

750,867 total confirmed cases worldwide/ spread across 203 different countries and territories

• Toilet paper purge began.

• The USA surpasses China’s total CoVid cases.

• Tokyo 2020 Olympics postponed.

• GCSE and A-level exams cancelled as Britain closes schools (Mar 18).

• Italy becomes the epicentre of the pandemic (Mar 21).

National- UAE:

630 confirmed cases (Mar 31)

• 4-week school closure starts; online schooling begins (Mar 8).

• Visas to foreigners are suspended (Mar 17).

• Sporting events are postponed (Mar 19).

• Distribution of magazine & newspapers suspended (Mar 24).

• Shopping centres & food markets close for two weeks (Mar 25).

• All inbound/ outbound passenger flights & transit of passengers through UAE suspended for two weeks (Mar 25).

• UAE schools and universities extend e-learning until the end of the academic year (Mar 30).

Global:

3,090,445 total confirmed cases worldwide/ spread across 213 territories

• One hundred days since the first case of ‘pneumonia with an unknown cause’ was reported (Apr 9).

• New York becomes the new epicentre for CoVid-19 (74,223 New Yorkers diagnosed during its worst two-week period- 1 in 114 citizens).

• WHO + Global Citizen host the ‘One World: Together At Home’ benefit concert; raising $127.9 million for Corona relief funds.

• 100-year-old British Veteran, Capt. Tom Moore raises $33 million for the British Healthcare system by walking 100 laps around his garden.

National- UAE:

11,929 confirmed cases (Apr. 31)

• UAE begins a two- week 24-hour national Lockdown (Apr 6).

• UAE launches the ‘10 Million Meals’ campaign; the nation’s most massive food distribution drive to support low-income families

• They completed over one million CoVid tests Nationwide. Curfew implemented & set to 20:00- 06:00 (later changed to 22:00- 06:00)

• Dubai World Trade Centre turned into a 3000-bed CoVid- field hospital.

Global:

5,934,936 total confirmed cases worldwide/ spread across 216 territories

National- UAE:

33,996 cases (May 31)

• Expo 2020 is postponed to next year.

• UAE surpasses over 2 million CoVid tests.

• Public spaces & facilities reopen.

Global:

10,185,374 total confirmed cases worldwide

National- UAE:

48,246 confirmed cases (Jun 30)

• Shopping malls and private sector malls free to operate at 100% capacity (Jun 3)

• National curfew is lifted (Jun 25).

• Administrative penalties between AED500 and AED 50,000 are imposed if precautionary and preventive measures are violated.

Global:

17,106,000 total confirmed cases worldwide

• The UN's State of Food Security & Nutrition in the world forecasted that another 130 million people could experience chronic malnutrition & hunger by the end of the year because of CoVid.

National- UAE:

60,223 confirmed cases (Jul 31)

Global:

25,602, 665 total confirmed cases worldwide (17.1 mil recoveries- 858k deaths)

• New Zealand extends lockdown as the first cases recorded after months of being CoVid- free.

National- UAE:

71,540 confirmed cases (sept. 2) (62,029 recoveries)

• Schools reopen, pupils return to class

• 30% increase in cases throughout UAE citizens

So even though the last few months have not been filled with as much CoVid- related drama; the number of cases are still accelerating all over the world, making it imperative that you wear your mask whenever leaving the house, adhere to social distancing rules and sanitise your hands frequently throughout the day. Familiarise yourselves with the common symptoms and be responsible when going out.

Stay safe everyone! We are all in this together.