Coronavirus: Virus could spread further as map reveals nations not washing their hands
Coronavirus is likely to keep on spreading, according to experts. There’s already been one casualty in Britain, with the death toll mounting around the world. Health officials around the world have been urging people to practice good hygiene to stop further spread of the virus. But a basic hygiene protocol is being ignored by the public.
Global market research companies joined together to form WIN/Gallup International.
Together, they conducted research into the hand-washing habits of 63 countries.
Participants were asked whether they washed their hands with soap and water after going to the toilet.
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To help control the outbreak of COVID-19 (new coronavirus), the NHS recommends the public to wash their hands with soap and water.
The health body’s guidelines include washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, as well as washing your hands when you get home or into work.
As of 2nd March, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that 64 countries have been affected by COVID-19 (new coronavirus).
Countries harbouring the new virus include Italy, Germany, France and Spain.
The WHO’s guidelines to help prevent COVID-19 from spreading further includes “regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with soap and water.”
This is to help kill the virus which may be present on your hands.
The infection is spread from person to person, which is probably why German politician Horst Seehofer rejected a handshake from his country’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, in favour of a smile on Monday 2nd March.
But with government officials and international organisations strongly recommending hand washing with soap and water, why aren’t people doing it?
WIN/Gallup International’s map details the percentage of people wash their hands with soap and water – and the results are shocking.
Fifteen percent of the UK don’t wash their hands with soap and water after using the loo – let alone when they enter their home or workplace.
And three more cases of coronavirus has recently been confirmed in Scotland.
This brings the total number of UK confirmed cases up to 90.
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And we’re not the worst culprits helping to spread the disease.
Only 61 percent of people in Spain have said they wash their hands with soap and water.
With such basic hygiene standards being the golden halo to our problems, it’s about time the public started taking it seriously.
The UK government has now moved into the “delay” phase of their four-part action plan to tackle the virus.
Britain’s Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, has stated there’s a “slim to zero” chance of avoiding a global epidemic.
Echoing this sentiment, Iran has erected checkpoints to limit travel between major cities.
Palestine had banned hotels in the West Bank from receiving foreign tourists for two weeks.
And California has declared COVID-19 as a state of emergency.
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