COVID-19 in the Tropics - A State of the Tropics Report 2022

The emergence of a previously unknown coronavirus in China in late 2019 began a disease progression that rapidly spread across the globe. This virus was labelled SARS-CoV-2 and was responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 focused attention on the inequalities that persist around the world, even in the most advanced nations. Most countries enacted home quarantine measures in the first half of 2020 to minimise the spread of COVID-19. Those workers, children and individuals with reliable internet access continued to work, learn and communicate. For those without access to digital technologies, many of these opportunities were not available. This inequality caused economic and health pressures on individuals, families and communities, with the consequences reflected globally.

The pandemic highlighted the fragility of global societal systems. Public health systems in many nations proved incapable of meeting the pressures of patient loads driven by the pandemic. Two years on, COVID-19 continues to affect communities, and the full effects may not be realised for many years. This report provides an initial assessment of the impacts of COVID-19 on the health, economics, environment and community resilience across the Tropics.

Download the 2022 report.

For more information or hard copies please contact Shelley Templeman: Shelley.Templeman@jcu.edu.au