LETTER | The year 2020 and we are faced with an evolving pandemic. The novel coronavirus 2019 originated from Wuhan, China and is now spreading over half the world.

It seems to have originated from wildlife where the virus jumped species and now human-to-human transmission is also recorded.

The whole world is driven into panic and fear and it's times like this that we see the best of human nature and indeed, the worst too.

Gates are closed simply and doors are slammed in their faces. What used to be a grand welcome for our tourist, now they are being told to leave the country or barred from entering.

What used to be smiles and heartfelt thanks for these tourists who are supporting our way of life and economy are now replaced with scorn and ridicule.

What used to be "Let's reach out to China for all their mighty economy has to offer" is now being replaced with even their inanimate "Made in China" goods being rejected!

Meanwhile, we see such valiant efforts by China with the immediate lockdown of 11 million people, the barring of all outbound flights, the building of hospitals in days and many of its healthcare staff risking their lives every minute at the front lines.

Definitely, we need to be vigilant and proactive in containing the pandemic and put an end to needless lives lost and human suffering.

Our response must never be guided by fear or rumours and even more so by discrimination and outright racism or bigotry.

Instead, it must be guided by science and facts with huge doses of objectivity.

No human is an island and no race or country is totally isolated from one another.

Our survival depends on one another in this ever-so-interconnected world and diseases or viruses have no respect for species, race, communities or country borders.

What is now needed is to extend our hands to help each other whenever and wherever help is needed and have compassion and love for our fellow citizens of the world.

We will not heal if our friends do not heal so let's pray for Wuhan, China and the world as we fight this together.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.