Number of COVID-19 cases in selected APAC countries as of December 13, 2020
What is SARS CoV 2?
Novel coronavirus, officially known as SARS CoV 2, is a disease which causes respiratory problems which can lead to difficulty breathing and pneumonia. The illness is similar to that of SARS which spread throughout China in 2003. After the outbreak of the coronavirus, various businesses and shops closed to prevent further spread of the disease. Impacts from flight cancellations and travel plans were felt across the Asia Pacific region. Many people expressed feelings of anxiety as to how the virus would progress.
Impact throughout Asia Pacific
By the end of January 2020, it was announced that the coronavirus outbreak was in fact a public health emergency. The following March, it was officially declared a global pandemic. China and South Korea were the main countries in the Asia Pacific region which initially saw the rapid spread of COVID-19 among its citizens. The high number of cases experienced in these countries was likely due to community spreading, in which the infection spread through a specific area. However, by October China nor South Korea were in the leading five Asia Pacific countries that had suffered the highest number of coronavirus cases. Throughout 2020, strong impacts were felt in various Asia Pacific economies, due to the slowdown of many economies across the Asia Pacific region.