Can coronavirus be used as bio-weapon?

The conspiracy theory of China using COVID-19 as bio-weapon can be baseless but the possibility of terrorists using corona victims as bio-weapon to spread the virus cannot be rubbished. The United Nations has warned that the world would witness a great peril if terrorist groups get a hold of dangerous virus strains.

Hyderabad: There is a conspiracy theory doing rounds that China has created the coronavirus in order to become a supreme power. The US President’s accusation that the Chinese government hid the fact that a virus escaped Wuhan’s laboratory is supporting this theory.

But scientists and intelligence groups are rubbishing the US’ accusations as baseless. They assured that the virus has evolved through animal-human transmission.

There is another argument that the US leaders are accusing China in order to cover up their failure in responding to the pandemic. Moreover, the fact that the US gave USD 3.7 million in funding to the controversial Chinese laboratory in Wuhan came to light recently. During the 2002-03 SARS outbreak in Asian countries, China decided to set up a virology laboratory in Wuhan to be better equipped for the future outbreaks. The Chinese government hoped that the virology studies would contribute towards developing antiviral drugs. Several sources said that there is no evidence China conspired against the world nations by developing a lab-made virus.

US intelligence agencies have confirmed that terrorist groups can hatch plans to spread coronavirus. People with wide range of ideologies, from white racists to Islamic terrorists, are likely to be involved in such bio-warfare.

An intelligence report revealed that a terrorist group has already resorted to such attacks. If the number of coronavirus cases rise at once, the public healthcare system will collapse, rendering the government helpless. Intelligence sources suggest that the government must implement a three-step strategy to prevent terrorist attacks.

Firstly, the government must track social media, emails, SMS, Internet chatrooms and message boards for any conversations related to terrorist attacks. People with such ideologies must be put under surveillance. Their places of residence must be under constant scanner. These deliberate contagions must be considered bio-terrorism and the guilty must be severely punished. In the second step, intentional spreaders must be identified and punished. Though contact tracing is effective during the initial stages of virus transmission, it is difficult to detect the source of infection as the transmission progresses to third stage. Epidemiology has answers to how to nab the bio-terrorists.

If a new type of pathogen is discovered in an area, it can be assumed to have been intentionally introduced. Initially, the coronavirus in India had its roots in China and Italy. Similarly, the virus entered the US through travelers from China, Italy and France. By comparing and contrasting the virus in a particular area, the officials can know if it has been deliberately spread.

The intelligence sources advised the government to protect the local population against foreign viruses with the help of lockdown, testing, quarantine and isolation strategies.

There is an increased risk of terrorists infiltrating India from Pakistan to Jammu and Kashmir to spread coronavirus. Terrorists may try to transmit the disease to Indian Armed Forces, who are trying to prevent the contagion by maintaining social distancing and personal hygiene. To disrupt this, terrorists are pushing through the borders. Besides enforcing lockdown norms, the army is trying to tackle terrorist attacks too.

Besides, the army is supporting the government in stopping the virus’s spread among citizens. The Indian military forces have built a quarantine center in Manesar within 48 hours for corona suspects. The Indian Air Force is airlifting Indians stranded abroad. The Indian Army has over 13,000 doctors, specialists and nurses. Additionally, there are 1,00,000 supporting medical staff. A former army commander suggested that one-third of this military force could be deployed in corona activities across the country. Retired military personnel are willing to extend their help. There are 130 military hospitals in India. If required, military engineers can turn civilian buildings, factories and sheds into corona care centers to establish 100 field-level hospitals. If the third stage transmission begins, the Center could deploy armed forces to enforce lockdown.

The possibility of terrorists using corona victims as bio-weapons to spread the virus cannot be rubbished. The United Nations has warned that the world would witness a great peril if terrorist groups get a hold of dangerous virus strains. COVID-19 is destroying nations and economies alike. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN has alerted that prolonged lockdowns may result in social unrest and terrorist attacks. Guterres said that the pandemic would go uncontrolled if various militant groups decided to create unrest and violence in the guise of coronavirus. As governments are busy controlling the pandemic, terrorist groups may take it as an opportunity to strike.