Why is the world witnessing the outbreak of viral infection like SARS today?
How does it originate? Man has been disturbing the ecological balance of our fragile and precious planet. The disappearance of deep forests and introduction of new irrigation systems have forced the parasites living in harmony to seek space elsewhere. Various types of viruses have peacefully co-existed with wild animals like pigs, fouls and a variety of species for centuries. They infected humans after man encroached upon animal and bird habitats, and the viruses began migrating from animals and birds to humans. These viruses change forms, mutations occur frequently and when two viruses come together, they produce a new virus. How prepared is India to combat SARS? India with over 1 billion people is a vast country, yet has the resilience to face any challenge. Be it earthquakes, floods, famines, plague… our track record shows that we have a large and well-equipped infrastructure to combat SARS. The Union health ministry is coordinating with all the states. It has been networking with
