***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.”

[crayzkirk]

I'm hopeful that a vaccine will be found for this novel strain of the Corona Virus. Scientists around the world have been studying them for years and I believe it will happen sooner rather than later. From the limited information that I have, my opinion is that there are no vaccines for them because it's not worth spending the money as they simply cause colds and aren't usually fatal. Companies can make more money selling treatments rather than cures.

I don't like wearing a mask, not being able to go out to dinner and a movie, being separated from my friends and working from home however, I have to place faith in the people that know more about these things and believe that they have our best interests in mind.

After all, even the experts are just human.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by TLO

The IHME model may very well be right, but to this point its track record hasn't been all that impressive.

[petegz28]

Numbers came in good today. I am not freaking out about the "new cases" as there is a lot more testing going on and we have heard this whole time more testing will expose more cases so we can't freak out when what we said you happen happens.

[tk13]

Kind of wild to watch ESPN 2 right now. The first live rugby match in New Zealand with a crowd full of people. They haven't had a new case of the virus in 22 days.

[eDave]

Originally Posted by tk13

Kind of wild to watch ESPN 2 right now. The first live rugby match in New Zealand with a crowd full of people. They haven't had a new case of the virus in 22 days.

I'm at a sports bar and this is on. I have no idea what's going on. But it should be more popular.

[Monticore]

Canadian expert says he is confident COVID-19 vaccine is months away not years.

article does say many, many months which is pretty vague still.

https://www.cp24.com/news/canadian-e...away-1.4982250

[Demonpenz]

Originally Posted by eDave

I'm at a sports bar and this is on. I have no idea what's going on. But it should be more popular.

guess what when they get a touch down they actually have to touchdown the ball. What a idea!~

[Donger]

Originally Posted by TLO

The IHME model may very well be right, but to this point its track record hasn't been all that impressive.

Isn't that the one that predicted 100,000 to 240,000 deaths with mitigation efforts?

[TLO]

Saw an article today where Harvard scientist's believe we'll hit 200k deaths by September.

[Fat Elvis]

Wow. The U.S. has recorded a 36% increase in daily COVID cases (rolling average of last three days), according to a CDC documented obtained by @YahooNews.

Most European countries dropping rapidly.

via @realchriswilson (w/ @janawinter)

https://t.co/p8i9PU18b7 pic.twitter.com/ytSFArm2za

— Sharon Weinberger (@weinbergersa) June 10, 2020

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis

Wow. The U.S. has recorded a 36% increase in daily COVID cases (rolling average of last three days), according to a CDC documented obtained by @YahooNews.

Most European countries dropping rapidly.

via @realchriswilson (w/ @janawinter)

https://t.co/p8i9PU18b7 pic.twitter.com/ytSFArm2za

— Sharon Weinberger (@weinbergersa) June 10, 2020

I wonder how much of this has to do with increased testing?

Idk man, I kinda feel like we're in the eye of the hurricane right now. I'm worried things are going to get really bad this fall/winter.

At this point, who really knows though.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by TLO

I wonder how much of this has to do with increased testing?

Idk man, I kinda feel like we're in the eye of the hurricane right now. I'm worried things are going to get really bad this fall/winter.

At this point, who really knows though.

Some of it is attributable to that, but not all. The percent positive numbers are going up in many states, and numerous areas are seeing their highest levels of hospitalization yet, with bed availability starting to dwindle.

[Mecca]

Basically what you're seeing is the overall number doesn't look like it's increasing as much because NY is doing better, however on just places in general we are probably as bad as we've ever been because it's reaching the rest of the country much more severely now.

[petegz28]

I am not saying there isn't an increase in cases but at least according to Worldometers we re where we have been since May and maybe even slightly below for daily new cases

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Basically what you're seeing is the overall number doesn't look like it's increasing as much because NY is doing better, however on just places in general we are probably as bad as we've ever been because it's reaching the rest of the country much more severely now.

Let's hold back on the phrase "much more severely" a touch. That might be the case in some specific areas but what I read over the weekend is that a lot of the new cases are largely asymptomatic and a lot of areas are not getting hit so "the rest of the country" is a bit broad.