MyVoice: Views of our readers - 30 Jan

Coronavirus rings alarm bells for Asian countries

Coronavirus is fast spreading across the world. The outbreak of coronavirus has reached far and wide in China and has killed 56 people so far and infected at least 1,975 people. The virus causes respiratory diseases that can kill people.

The virus was discovered in the year 1960 and two viruses from the nasal cavities of human patients with the common cold that were subsequently named human coronavirus 229E and human coronavirus OC43. Other members of this family have since been identified, including SARS-CoV in 2003, HCoV NL63 in 2004, HKU1 in 2005, MERS-CoV in 2012, and 2019-nCoV in 2019; most of these have been involved in serious respiratory tract infections.

On 31 December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, officially designated as 2019-nCoV by the World Health Organisation, was reported in Wuhan, China. By 24 January 2020, 25 deaths have been reported and 547 confirmed cases.

The Wuhan strain has been identified as a new strain of Betacoronavirus from group 2B with an 70% genetic similarity to the SARS-CoV. The virus was suspected to have originated in snakes.

This virus has almost reached in 10 countries across Asia. Governments should act fast to prevent spread of the virus further.

Sree Lakshmi, Hyderabad

Create safer environment for people

China's coronavirus has taught us to think scientifically in terms of joyful success solutions.

For example, Cholera disease lead to pasteurisation or boiling milk to 70 degrees centigrade at high pressure to kill germs, before packing milk into sachets. Let humanity make it a habit to keep environment clean, take only hygienic food, make innovative methods to get rid of mosquitoes and nullify their breeding.

Also innovate to create safer masks and gloves to help permanently the employees in the areas of painting, chemical industries, spraying paint and dust-exposed jobs to save them via precaution from cancer, respiratory diseases, asthma etc.

P N Sreelekha, Secunderabad

More Hindi words find place in Oxford dictionary

I read the news item with the headline 'Samvidhaan is Oxford's Hindi word of 2019' (Jan 29), with rapture. The tendency of English language is so noble that it picks up a popular word and imbibe in its belly every year.

This tendency only makes English language predominant and universally acceptable. The Oxford Dictionary becomes more and more weighty with additions of new words.

In 2019, a popular word Samvidhaan (constitution) was chosen. The word witnessed the values of democracy, secularism, liberty, fraternity, equality and became endeared to the Oxford.

It cannot be gainsaid that adding one Hindi word in the Oxford is a matter of great pride for all Indians. Let us be optimistic that many such more Indian words will get place in its belly in the years to come.

E Sreerama Murty, Yellamanchili, Visakhapatnam, AP