In a world under siege from a relentless virus, Asia’s resilience was tested to the utmost. Asia Focus staff look back at key events
ASIA
Gone viral: The first reports of a mysterious viral infection started trickling out of Wuhan, China in late 2019, and by the end of January the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a “public health emergency of international concern”. As a stricken world prepares to celebrate the New Year, the threat is far from over — in many places it’s worse than ever — but the arrival of vaccines offers some hope. Beyond the millions of lives disrupted by sickness and death, economic disruption and job losses have been severe, most notably in sectors such as travel and tourism on which many countries depend heavily. On the other hand, the protracted pandemic has led to a “new normal” including the concept of working from anywhere,…
