***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.”

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Mennonite

FRANCE NOW AT EPIDEMIC LEVEL. All restaurants, cafés, non-essential services closed. MORE THAN 50% OF THE 300 #COVIDー19 CASES IN FRENCH ICUs ARE PEOPLE UNDER 60; France now has 4,500 cases, which doubled in the past 72 hours, said Jérôme Salomon, head of French health service.

— Rachel Donadio (@RachelDonadio) March 14, 2020

The longer time goes the less our country will be able to keep out of the watchful eye of American social news searchers. The more reality of what it is like in other countries the more panic and chaos will happen here in America.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by SupDock

There's a few different reasons. One is that resistant bacteria are consumed in the animal meat, or introduced on plants that are fecally contaminated.

Yes and I, for one, vehemently oppose both under-cooked bushmeat and shat-on lettuce.

Let's start a movement.

[eDave]

As many as 70,000 AZ residents could have coronavirus, according to CDC models

The state of Arizona has tested 143 people for COVID-19, but the daily numbers are far below the average across the U.S.

ABC15 spoke with Dr. Christ about the state testing 15 people on Wednesday, and 28 people on Thursday, while the average number of tests across the country is 55.

The reason? Lack of test kits to providers, and providers don't have proper protective gear, we’re told.

Dr. Christ said there is not just one reason on why there is a lack of testing, "one of the things we’re hearing is medical providers may not have the testing kits or the appropriate PPE, so that's what we’re working on today is, can we set up some type of testing center, can we work with the labs?"

https://www.abc15.com/news/region-ph...-to-cdc-models

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by Donger

The French just surrendered (again)...

(CNN)French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe announced on Saturday that his country will increase social distancing to combat the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a televised press conference, Philippe said that starting at midnight Saturday, all places that are not essential to French living, including restaurants, cafes, cinemas and clubs, will be closed.

The closure order includes all businesses except those that are essential.
"Markets and food shops, pharmacies, gas stations, banks, newspaper and tobacco stores will remain open," Philippe said. "Places of worships will remain open, but religious ceremonies and gatherings will be postponed."

Tobacco stores remaining open under the classification of "essential businesses" + smoking causing underlying health issues that lead to complications if you get Coronavirus.

What a joke.

[eDave]

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by eDave

As many as 70,000 AZ residents could have coronavirus, according to CDC models

The state of Arizona has tested 143 people for COVID-19, but the daily numbers are far below the average across the U.S.

ABC15 spoke with Dr. Christ about the state testing 15 people on Wednesday, and 28 people on Thursday, while the average number of tests across the country is 55.

The reason? Lack of test kits to providers, and providers don't have proper protective gear, we’re told.

Dr. Christ said there is not just one reason on why there is a lack of testing, "one of the things we’re hearing is medical providers may not have the testing kits or the appropriate PPE, so that's what we’re working on today is, can we set up some type of testing center, can we work with the labs?"

https://www.abc15.com/news/region-ph...-to-cdc-models

Be nice if Dr Christ could turn urinalysis cups into covid test kits.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

Tobacco stores remaining open under the classification of "essential businesses" + smoking causing underlying health issues that lead to complications if you get Coronavirus.

What a joke.

In deference to the French, those are basically bodegas less than they are single-purpose tobacco retailers.

TIL the French smoke more than Americans do.

[displacedinMN]

North Carolina closed schools for two weeks.

[dirk digler]

The biggest news today is that we got a fresh total test number from MA, which had been lacking. We do not have a fresh number for Washington State, which is doing the most testing. Among smaller states, the situations in Louisiana and Colorado stand out. pic.twitter.com/qSmFF4SLva

— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) March 14, 2020

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by dlphg9

So my stepdad is in the hospital recovering from the surgery to remove the cancer. He is in the ICU, has COPD, CHF, and a suppressed immune system due to the radiation and chemo. The hospital has taken measures to try and keep COVID-19 from spreading around the hospital.

Limiting the hours you can visit (7:30 am to 6:30 pm) - Im not an expert on viruses, but this seems to be a pointless tactic. I am pretty sure that the virus doesnt give a **** what time of day it is. They really should be turning all visitors away, unless they are willing to wear a mask at all times, so that in case a person has it they are limiting the chances of spreading it.

Limiting the number of visitors at a time to 2 - another pointless tactic. The visiting hours are 11 hours long. Limiting the amount of people that can be in the room doesn't really do much, especially when there are 11 hours in which they can come visit. If 2 people visit for an hour, then that means 22 people could visit in just one day. I dont think most people even have that many people visit.

When/if this really hits the CDC is recommending zero visits from anyone, family included, until end of life. That's going to be horrible.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

China welded people shut into buildings and was rounding up people at gunpoint.

That woman they welded in had schizophrenia and wouldn't stop going out. Still horrible.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Donger

Well, we were discussing meat, specifically bushmeat.

And the procurement of that meat causes secondary bacterial spread through the aforementioned mechanisms. Even properly cooked bushmeat can lead to zoonotic transmission, as it's often about contact itself, not just preparation.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Sure, if that was all it impacted (looking at you, leafy greens).

Any thoughts on Chronic Wasting Disease?

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by DaFace

There's nothing inherently dangerous about their cuisine. Swine flu originated here (North America) after all.

No but wet markets are very dangerous. Ground zero for this is the Hunaan Seafood Market in Wuhan. Viruses love cold and wet. A lot of disease experts I've read want to put an end to all wet markets, and illegal bushmeat markets. The latter will the tough.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Hand to mouth / face
Aerosol transmission
Fecal oral route

I'll choose aerosol transmission, if choices are given?