***NON-POLITICAL COVID-19 Discussion Thread***

[JakeF]

A couple of reminders...

Originally Posted by Bwana

Once again, don't come in this thread with some kind of political agenda, or you will be shown the door. If you want to go that route, there is a thread about this in DC.

Originally Posted by Dartgod

People, there is a lot of good information in this thread, let's try to keep the petty bickering to a minimum.

We all have varying opinions about the impact of this, the numbers, etc. We will all never agree with each other. But we can all keep it civil.

Thanks!

Click here for the original OP:

Spoiler!

Apparently the CoronaVirus can survive on a inanimate objects, such as door knobs, for 9 days.

California coronavirus case could be first spread within U.S. community, CDC says
By SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA, JACLYN COSGROVE
FEB. 26, 2020 8:04 PM

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating what could be the first case of novel coronavirus in the United States involving a patient in California who neither recently traveled out of the country nor was in contact with someone who did.

“At this time, the patient’s exposure is unknown. It’s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19, which would be the first time this has happened in the United States,” the CDC said in a statement. “Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. It’s also possible, however, that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.”

The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County, according to the state Department of Public Health.

The CDC said the “case was detected through the U.S. public health system — picked up by astute clinicians.”

Officials at UC Davis Medical Center expanded on what the federal agency might have meant by that in an email sent Wednesday, as reported by the Davis Enterprise newspaper.

The patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19 and “had already been intubated, was on a ventilator, and given droplet protection orders because of an undiagnosed and suspected viral condition,” according to an email sent by UC Davis officials that was obtained by the Davis Enterprise.

The staff at UC Davis requested COVID-19 testing by the CDC, but because the patient didn’t fit the CDC’s existing criteria for the virus, a test wasn’t immediately administered, according to the email. The CDC then ordered the test Sunday, and results were announced Wednesday. Hospital administrators reportedly said in the email that despite these issues, there has been minimal exposure at the hospital because of safety protocols they have in place.

A UC Davis Health spokesperson declined Wednesday evening to share the email with The Times.

Since Feb. 2, more than 8,400 returning travelers from China have entered California, according to the state health department. They have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days and limit interactions with others as much as possible, officials said.

“This is a new virus, and while we are still learning about it, there is a lot we already know,” Dr. Sonia Angell, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “We have been anticipating the potential for such a case in the U.S., and given our close familial, social and business relationships with China, it is not unexpected that the first case in the U.S. would be in California.”

It is not clear how the person became infected, but public health workers could not identify any contacts with people who had traveled to China or other areas where the virus is widespread. That raises concern that the virus is spreading in the United States, creating a challenge for public health officials, experts say.

“It’s the first signal that we could be having silent transmission in the community,” said Lawrence Gostin, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law. “It probably means there are many more cases out there, and it probably means this individual has infected others, and now it’s a race to try to find out who that person has infected.”

On Tuesday, the CDC offered its most serious warning to date that the United States should expect and prepare for the coronavirus to become a more widespread health issue.

“Ultimately, we expect we will see coronavirus spread in this country,” said Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “It’s not so much a question of if, but a question of when.”

According to the CDC’s latest count Wednesday morning, 59 U.S. residents have tested positive for the new strain of coronavirus — 42 of whom are repatriated citizens from a Diamond Princess cruise. That number has grown by two since Messonnier’s last count Tuesday, although the CDC was not immediately available to offer details on the additional cases.

More than 82,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported globally, and more than 2,700 people have died, with the majority in mainland China, the epicenter of the outbreak.

But public health leaders have repeatedly reminded residents that the health risk from the novel coronavirus to the general public remains low.

“While COVID-19 has a high transmission rate, it has a low mortality rate,” the state Department of Public Health said in a statement Wednesday. “From the international data we have, of those who have tested positive for COVID-19, approximately 80% do not exhibit symptoms that would require hospitalization. There have been no confirmed deaths related to COVID-19 in the United States to date.”

CDC officials have also warned that although the virus is likely to spread in U.S. communities, the flu still poses a greater risk.

Gostin said the news of potential silent transmission does not eliminate the possibility of containing the virus in the U.S. and preventing an outbreak.

“There are few enough cases that we should at least try,” he said. “Most of us are not optimistic that that will be successful, but we’re still in the position to try.”

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

The difference is that H1N1 didn't overwhelm hospitals.

Why not?

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by TLO

Why not?

Pneumonia often requires intensive treatments and while its not fatal for most healthy folk, it can cause serious complications if not treated by a professional.

Italy is running into massive problems because their hospitals are now overwhelmed with elderly folk and now younger folk are coming into hospitals and there are no beds, doctors or ventilators available for them. This is where the biggest risk in all of this lies. Some places in Lombardy are now deciding to give younger folk the ventilators and intensive care since they have the best odds of survival, which amounts to a near death sentence for those hailing from more vulnerable populations.

H1N1, while particularly nasty, often didn't cause complications to that scale to otherwise healthy individuals.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by Donger

maybe they could fill the stands with koalas and monkeys.

There are only 3 left in the world now.

[displacedinMN]

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is suspending face-to-face instruction after spring break and said students shouldn't return to campus.

[Mecca]

This mass hysteria is getting more real by the day......then I came upon this which sums a lot of this up too...

Here in America the following will happen if we stay home:

We will lose our jobs.

We will lose our homes.

We will lose our cars.

We will lose our health insurance (assuming our job even provides it).

We will accrue massive debt and default on loans.

OR:

We can go to work and if you get sick oh ****ing well.

That’s just how it is here.

[Hammock Parties]

two weeks until my MREs get here

will america still be standing?

[BIG_DADDY]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is suspending face-to-face instruction after spring break and said students shouldn't return to campus.

Probably a good time for all colleges to make the move so we can end this whole indoctrination thing.

[Talisman]

We've had kids trying to swallow spoonfuls of cinnamon, laying down in the middle of streets, planking on moving vehicles and chewing Tide pods. It's only a matter of time before the Doorknob Licking Challenge of 2020 starts hitting YouTube.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by BIG_DADDY

Probably a good time for all colleges to make the move so we can end this whole indoctrination thing.

Somebody sound jealous

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Here in America the following will happen if we stay home:

We will lose our jobs.

We will lose our homes.

We will lose our cars.

We will lose our health insurance (assuming our job even provides it).

We will accrue massive debt and default on loans.

OR:

We can go to work and if you get sick oh ****ing well.

That’s just how it is here.

Not really, but OK

[Donger]

Originally Posted by penguinz

There are only 3 left in the world now.

Shit. How about pangolins? The bonus being that there are plenty and it would lessen the number being eaten by Chinese people.

[penguinz]

Originally Posted by Donger

Shit. How about pangolins? The bonus being that there are plenty and it would lessen the number being eaten by Chinese people.

Now that is a great option. Fills the seats. Makes PETA happy and prevents the next great coronavirus outbreak from happening.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by loochy

Not really, but OK

Wrong.

[Loneiguana]

The Missouri state capital has confirmed that 5 of the MU students who attended the conference in NOLA where someone has tested positive worked at the capital Monday and Tuesday of this week. There are now in quarantine and being asked to document their activity during those two days.

Awesome.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by Loneiguana

The Missouri state capital has confirmed that 5 of the MU students who attended the conference in NOLA where someone has tested positive worked at the capital Monday and Tuesday of this week. There are now in quarantine and being asked to document their activity during those two days.

Awesome.

That's weird. According to some of the posters here they shouldnt worry about anything because they are under the age of 65.