***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.”

[KCUnited]

50% decline in new cases here over the past week

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/site...dashboard.html

[htismaqe]

Question for the more informed here...

If I strangle someone who has COVID, while having COVID myself, because quarantining with them is insufferable, will that be classified as a COVID-related death?

[O.city]

No. It's also not possible to commit a felony during quarantine.

Think of it like a purge situation.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

50% decline in new cases here over the past week

https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/site...dashboard.html

We're still getting pounded pretty good here in Missouri. 2 weeks behind Chicago I guess.

[suzzer99]

Super Bowl will probably be another super spreader event. Then hopefully cases will fall off a cliff heading into summer.

[ghak99]

Originally Posted by TLO

We're still getting pounded pretty good here in Missouri. 2 weeks behind Chicago I guess.

The local school closed today and tomorrow because of "cold". The lows were definitely cold, but the number of kids and teachers who were going to be out was the deciding factor to make it a 4 day break.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by ghak99

The local school closed today and tomorrow because of "cold". The lows were definitely cold, but the number of kids and teachers who were going to be out was the deciding factor to make it a 4 day break.

Snow day due to cold here as well -36c ,wish we got those at work.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Question for the more informed here...

If I strangle someone who has COVID, while having COVID myself, because quarantining with them is insufferable, will that be classified as a COVID-related death?

Just don't break a vaccuum cleaner...if you do that then you WILL go to jail

[O.city]

Originally Posted by ghak99

The local school closed today and tomorrow because of "cold". The lows were definitely cold, but the number of kids and teachers who were going to be out was the deciding factor to make it a 4 day break.

Happening all over here too.

[htismaqe]

We've got schooled delayed and closed all over but it's because of the cold. We haven't been above zero for almost 48 hours now. The high yesterday was -4 actual temp.

[Kopinto]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Every geo is a bit different. We don't have a shortage of ICU beds here so it's not our issue.

And yes, it's the media's fault, at least here. The local media starts every newscast with the number of new cases and deaths. EVERY newscast.

They don't ever mention declines, overall percentages, or anything like that. Just new cases and deaths.

And then people rush out to get tested and get corporate insurance in case they need that. You may very well have a point when it comes to the KC metro. Here, it's not like that. Not at all.

The good news: It'll likely be over by March, maybe February, and omicron may be the most infectious form this virus is able to take (it's already the most infectious virus known it appears). And in that case, it will continue to dominate future mutations as they occur while, perhaps becoming even less capable of causing damage to the host.

[TLO]

Guy I work with... Very anti vaccine, Covid is a hoax, etc. Tested positive about a week ago along with his wife. They both have multiple risk factors. His wife has completely recovered. She had 2 shots.

He is now in the hospital with phenomena in both lungs. Prognosis not looking very promising.

****.

[Sure-Oz]

Originally Posted by TLO

Guy I work with... Very anti vaccine, Covid is a hoax, etc. Tested positive about a week ago along with his wife. They both have multiple risk factors. His wife has completely recovered. She had 2 shots.

He is now in the hospital with phenomena in both lungs. Prognosis not looking very promising.

****.

Smh their loved ones suffer from their stubbornness. Awful.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Kopinto

The good news: It'll likely be over by March, maybe February, and omicron may be the most infectious form this virus is able to take (it's already the most infectious virus known it appears). And in that case, it will continue to dominate future mutations as they occur while, perhaps becoming even less capable of causing damage to the host.

I read some article (sorry, no link) a while back that said that historic plagues and pandemics typically last 2.5 to 3.5 years. I presume that at that point it's burned through the population. So I'm hopeful that we're getting close. The vaccines may extend it a bit more by flattening the peak, but let's hope we're almost done.

[Demonpenz]

lets go