Second Wave of COVID-19 in Pakistan: Our Responsibilities and Challenges as A Nation

The Corona virus (SARS-CoV2) pandemic initiated in late December 2019 in Wuhan city of Hubei, China, which has rapidly progressedinvolving more than 215 countries of the world. It was caused by novel SARS-COV2 coronavirus with Huanan seafood wholesale market as the possible point of origin. In past two decades, coronaviruses epidemic of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-COV) had 37% mortality rate and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-COV) had 10% affecting more than 10,000 population together. World Health Organization (WHO) declared it as the sixth Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on January 30, 2020 and later on March 11, 2020, the WHO labeledit as a pandemic. The first case of COVID-19 from Pakistan was reported on 26th February, 2020 and has affected over 354,000 people with a mortality of over 7000 patients. Many countries of the world have seen second wave of this pandemic. Government ofPakistan has also declared a second waveon October 28, 2020, after the rise in cases from 500 to 750 per day. Now it has crossed 2000 cases. The data released by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) shows that the current percent positivity rate is close to 3 compared to the previous figure of lesser than 2 making it a bigger challenge than first wave in Pakistan. The patients now presenting in hospitals are all in critical condition. Lack of a specific vaccine or antiviral drug and non-compliance to the standard preventive measures is the major reason of initiation of a second wave of this viral infection in Pakistan. Being a nation we need to be responsible. Our country may go into economic crisis & our health facilities may choke. We have to understand how to live with this virus till the availability of vaccine or Curative antiviral drug. TheGovernment of Pakistan is creating awareness in the public for the second wave as the situation of pandemic is getting worse. Smart lock downs are being implementedbut people are not following preventive measures that are leading to infection spread at a very alarming speed. At the moment preventive measures are the only way to stop the spread of disease. Preventive measures should be adopted to contain this deadly disease. Wearing masks, using hand sanitizers, washing hands with soap for 20 sec, keeping social distance of 6 feet are mandatory preventive strategies. Social, political, business, recreationaland religious gatherings, should be avoided. Educational institutesshould follow strict standard operating procedures. Most of the people in Pakistan are not considering this disease as a matter of serious concern due to unawareness, poverty, beliefs and lack of resources. People should ignore such disbeliefs and should start considering it as a great health concern. They should follow the preventive measures in true sense.

Effect of Temperature and Particle Size on Pyrolysis Yield from Paper Mulberry Broussonetia Papyrifera

Pyrolysis technology is most commonly employed to convert widely available biomass into useful biofuel products to meet energy needs and obtain chemical feedstocks. In the present study, pyrolysis of paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) was carried out with the aim to study the product distribution and their chemical compositions. The optimum process conditions for maximizing the pyrolytic yield were also determined. Experiments were performed in a well-swept resistively heated fixed-bed reactor to examine the effect of temperature and particle size on pyrolysis yields. Different ranges of temperature 350 °C, 450 °C, 550 °C and particle sizes 1 mm, 2 mm and 3 mm were used and their effect was evaluated on pyrolysis of Broussonetia papyrifera. The pyrolysis products were collected within three different groups as non-condensable gases products, condensable liquids and solid biochar. The result showed that the highest biochar product was attained at 350 oC and 3 mm particle size while the highest bio-oil yield was obtained at 450 oC and 2 mm particle size. On the other hand, the optimum temperature and particle size for gas yield was 550 oC and 1 mm. The bio-char with highest fixed carbon content (61%) and calorific value (26.5 MJ/Kg) was observed at 550 °C and 3mm. Nutrient elements like Mg, Al, Cu, Zn, Ca and K were found in high concentrations. The GC-Ms analysis of bio-oil showed that it was rich in alkanes, alcohols, ketones and cycloalkanes. The bio-oil was acidic (pH ranging 3.4-3.9) at all temperatures and particle sizes. The heating value of bio-oil was maximum at 3 mm and 550 °C (25 MJ/Kg). The gas product was mainly composed of CO2, CO, CH4 and hydrocarbons. The results of the present study showed that the pyrolysis of Broussonetia papyrifera produce carbon rich, high energy and relatively pollution-free potential solid biofuels and bio-oil.