***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.”

[O.city]

You're also reopening all these elective surgeries and those people are required to have COvid tests prior to that. Wonder if thats part of it?

[TLO]

Originally Posted by O.city

You're also reopening all these elective surgeries and those people are required to have COvid tests prior to that. Wonder if thats part of it?

I feel like there are a lot of factors at play. It would be nice for some sort of health official to come out and say "this is what we're seeing, and this is what we think is happening."

Instead it feels kind of like a free for all for everyone to try and figure out for themselves.

[loochy]

My neighbor's entire family has it. She is the manager of a nursing home. They experienced a case at the nursing home, so they recommended that she get tested. She came up positive, as did her husband and two children. It's been about a week and a half and they have absolutely zero symptoms. No sniffles, no coughs, no anything.


I'm thinking a part of the sharp increases is that cases like this that are being caught now. 2 months ago there's no way that they would have been tested.

[petegz28]

Beijing is now blaming their latest outbreak on "imported salmon". So time to get the salmon out of the stores before it kills everyone!

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by loochy

My neighbor's entire family has it. She is the manager of a nursing home. They experienced a case at the nursing home, so they recommended that she get tested. She came up positive, as did her husband and two children. It's been about a week and a half and they have absolutely zero symptoms. No sniffles, no coughs, no anything.


I'm thinking a part of the sharp increases is that cases like this that are being caught now. 2 months ago there's no way that they would have been tested.

This is what TLO and I talked about last night. We are just hearing "cases". And every time you turn around you find most if not all of said cases are either ridiculously mild or no symptoms at all. That doesn't take away from the fact that there are thousands getting severely sick but we can't pretend everyone who gets is should cancel Christmas either.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by O.city

Wonder if the increase in testing is allowing more mild and such cases to be found which is increasing the number of positives but allowing the death numbers to stay falling?

I can tell you this, locally here they are doing way more testing due to some more positive cases mainly centered around poultry and meat plants in the area, resulting in contact tracing and testing. The vast majority of the positives they are finding are asymptomatic.

So we have seen a large climb in positives but I think the only death related to the spike has been a 70+ year old with underlying health issues.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Donger

The number of people sickened with Covid-19 across Texas’ hospitals hit a new high Wednesday, surging about 11% in a single day.

There are 2,793 patients hospitalized with a coronavirus infection in the state, up from 2,518 patients reported Tuesday, according to updated data from the Texas Department of State Health Services. The total Wednesday marks the eighth new high in the state in less than two weeks. Texas coronavirus hospitalizations are now up more than 84% since Memorial Day as the state continues to reopen.

What I'm curious about are the severity of the cases. Such as what percentage are asymptomatic, what percentage are very sick but stable, what percentage are in ICU, etc.

I'd love to see some info on how people who currently have it are exhibiting...

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Rausch

What I'm curious about are the severity of the cases. Such as what percentage are asymptomatic, what percentage are very sick but stable, what percentage are in ICU, etc.

I'd love to see some info on how people who currently have it are exhibiting...

I don't think that many people would go to the hospital if they are asymptomatic.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by Rausch

What I'm curious about are the severity of the cases. Such as what percentage are asymptomatic, what percentage are very sick but stable, what percentage are in ICU, etc.

I'd love to see some info on how people who currently have it are exhibiting...

I think that's why the Texas thing is probably the biggest story. They are seeing legit increases in people getting hospitalized with it.

They've had an 85% increase in hospitalizations since Memorial Day. You don't end up in the hospital if you're not having any issues. Hopefully we see this thing level off there within the next week or so, and it's not already too late and about to take off.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

I can tell you this, locally here they are doing way more testing due to some more positive cases mainly centered around poultry and meat plants in the area, resulting in contact tracing and testing. The vast majority of the positives they are finding are asymptomatic.

So we have seen a large climb in positives but I think the only death related to the spike has been a 70+ year old with underlying health issues.

I don't know about the vast majority but a good portion for sure.

[lewdog]

Hospitalizations of younger than 65 concerns are present in AZ and many parts of the country.

Current COVID hospitalization numbers broken down by age group.
20-44 years old- 830
44-54 years old- 621
55-64 years old-763
65+ years old- 1603


Percentage of positive cases needing hospitalized- 9%


https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/e...ards/index.php

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by lewdog

Hospitalizations of younger than 65 concerns are present in AZ and many parts of the country.

Current COVID hospitalization numbers broken down by age group.
20-44 years old- 830
44-54 years old- 621
55-64 years old-763
65+ years old- 1603


Percentage of positive cases needing hospitalized- 9%


https://www.azdhs.gov/preparedness/e...ards/index.php

[O.city]

Deaths lag. So the hospitalizations of today, are next weeks deaths etc.

The lowering of the deaths would theoretically be from the lockdowns.

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by petegz28

306 of the 1,239 deaths were people below the age of 65.

And again, I wouldn't want to contract a virus that puts 10% of those testing positive in the hospital. Just because you don't die, doesn't mean you won't have permanent damage of some capacity. This virus is showing in some to cause arterial damage. It's too variable and too new to know why. I prefer to have a healthy heart and lungs for my next 50 years on this Earth.

[jdubya]

Maybe hospitalizations are increasing because they are going broke for lack of patients and procedures for the last 3 months. You might walk into a hospital today with a mild headache and they will want to run you through the works including a CT scan and getting you admitted for a few days. $$$$$$$$