1 COVID-19: An Opportunity for Smart and Sustainable …
5
Fig. 1.1 Etymology of COVID-19. Source Authors, data from [37, 39, 40]
over environmental sustainability. It leads to an increase in the level of urbanisation, creates an ecological imbalance, degradation of environment, and so on. All
such phenomenon has the ability to accelerate the process of virus transmission
from one person to another [4]. Globally, the total number of confirmed COVID19 cases has exceeded 13.61 million mark with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of
around 4.30% (0.58 million people) till 17 July 2020 [35]. Out of the six regions on
the globe, the American region is the worst affected region due to the COVID-19
pandemic. The maximum number of confirmed cases and death due to COVID-19
have been recorded in the American Region with 52.55% (7.15 million) and 50.85%
(0.29 million), respectively, followed by Europe and Eastern Mediterranean Region
(Table 1.1). However, the CFR of the world has decreased significantly from 15 to
4.30% [20].
The analysis of COVID-19 data has given some valuable insides about the spread
of SARS-CoV-2. The trend shows that, in the initial 6 weeks, the number of cases
increased at a constant rate and followed a linear curve. From the 6th week onwards,
the trend showed an exponential hike in the total number of confirmed COVID-19
cases. However, some regions were able to control the spread of COVID-19 and
slow down the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from the 12th week onwards as best
exemplified by Europe Region (Figs. 1.2 and 1.3).
In the EURO, there was a sudden change in the graph from exponential to almost
linear after the 12th week onwards due to the decrease in the average number of
reported COVID-19 cases per week. Furthermore, the WPRO was able to control the
situation within the initial 6 weeks. As a result of which, the WPRO has registered
the minimum number of COVID-19 cases in the region. But the AMRO was not
able to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the initial 14 weeks. In turn, AMRO
had registered the maximum number of confirmed cases per week and experienced
an exponential increase in the total number of cases from the 15th week onwards
(Figs. 1.2 and 1.3). From the analysis, it is observed that the three weeks period is
5
Fig. 1.1 Etymology of COVID-19. Source Authors, data from [37, 39, 40]
over environmental sustainability. It leads to an increase in the level of urbanisation, creates an ecological imbalance, degradation of environment, and so on. All
such phenomenon has the ability to accelerate the process of virus transmission
from one person to another [4]. Globally, the total number of confirmed COVID19 cases has exceeded 13.61 million mark with a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of
around 4.30% (0.58 million people) till 17 July 2020 [35]. Out of the six regions on
the globe, the American region is the worst affected region due to the COVID-19
pandemic. The maximum number of confirmed cases and death due to COVID-19
have been recorded in the American Region with 52.55% (7.15 million) and 50.85%
(0.29 million), respectively, followed by Europe and Eastern Mediterranean Region
(Table 1.1). However, the CFR of the world has decreased significantly from 15 to
4.30% [20].
The analysis of COVID-19 data has given some valuable insides about the spread
of SARS-CoV-2. The trend shows that, in the initial 6 weeks, the number of cases
increased at a constant rate and followed a linear curve. From the 6th week onwards,
the trend showed an exponential hike in the total number of confirmed COVID-19
cases. However, some regions were able to control the spread of COVID-19 and
slow down the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from the 12th week onwards as best
exemplified by Europe Region (Figs. 1.2 and 1.3).
In the EURO, there was a sudden change in the graph from exponential to almost
linear after the 12th week onwards due to the decrease in the average number of
reported COVID-19 cases per week. Furthermore, the WPRO was able to control the
situation within the initial 6 weeks. As a result of which, the WPRO has registered
the minimum number of COVID-19 cases in the region. But the AMRO was not
able to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the initial 14 weeks. In turn, AMRO
had registered the maximum number of confirmed cases per week and experienced
an exponential increase in the total number of cases from the 15th week onwards
(Figs. 1.2 and 1.3). From the analysis, it is observed that the three weeks period is