***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.”

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

New case in Chicago.

So that means soon to be in Minneapolis-it is the first of the month so they have to come here and pick up their welfare checks.

If it appears everywhere in the USA. I'd bet money on its spread will be placed on those health care workers that processed the 34 Americans infected with the virus on the cruise ship without proper equipment. Yeah, they were asymptomatic when they got on those flights but, we knew at the time that they didn't have the right equipment and there was a 10 day incubation period.

When finished with the job those exposed to the virus got on commercial aircraft and went out all over the USA. Some of those elderly civilians on the airplanes probably got on other connecting flights. And so on and so on.

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

If it appears everywhere in the USA. I'd bet money on its spread will be placed on those health care workers that processed the 34 Americans infected with the virus on the cruise ship without proper equipment. Yeah, they were asymptomatic when they got on those flights but, we knew at the time that they didn't have the right equipment and there was a 10 day incubation period.

When finished with the job those exposed to the virus got on commercial aircraft and went out all over the USA. Some of those elderly civilians on the airplanes probably got on other connecting flights. And so on and so on.

According to Azar all the HHS employees involved the whistle blower complaint have been well over 14 days with no interaction with individuals and none became symptomatic or have the disease.

[Chiefspants]

Wash your hands, clean your work surfaces, stock 2 weeks of food (even if it’s Ramen) just in case. We’re not getting any transparency or competence from our government here.

https://abc7ny.com/5974999/

The thing that's scary to me, is there's not many cases in New York, but obvious there's people like me who are coming back from places that have a lot of infections," he said.
The man, who will go by 'John' by anonymity, recently spent five days in Tokyo on business. When he returned home this week, he just knew he had a problem.

At NYU Brooklyn, they put him in isolation, and ran a battery of tests for other things - all negative. Then, per protocol, they called the CDC, because NYU Suspect COVID-19, but the CDC said no.

The CDC says they thought he wasn't sick enough - even though public health experts say most coronavirus cases are more minor, and it flies in the face of what the CDC said on a press call on Friday.

[DaFace]

I don't fully understand the "stock 2 weeks of food" advice I keep seeing out there. I'm not terribly worried about DoorDash and grocery delivery getting shut down, and if they do, it'll be a lot longer time period than 2 weeks.

I suppose it makes sense if you don't live in a place that has those kinds of services and you don't know anyone who could go shopping for you. Otherwise, seems a bit alarmist to me.

[Hammock Parties]

Thailand confirms first death

South Korea confirms 18th death, 210 more cases

Armenia confirms first case

China cases continue to spike. Guess we take whatever China says with a grain of salt when it comes to this "peaking" they speak of. I'd love to be wrong and hope it drops like a brick soon, though

294 Israeli students are in home quarantine, among them 28 preschool children

Leader of infamous South Korean cult blamed for spreading virus to be tested for both virus and possibly for the title of "South Korea's biggest piece of shit." Also, members of the church visited Wuhan. One yikes after another

Public anger building in South Korea in response to what they feel has been a half-assed government response to the virus...and they're probably not wrong

No-brainer political decision of the year: A bipartisan effort in South Korea passes a special budget aimed at combating the virus

China offers to transport citizens stuck in other countries heavily affected by virus back to China. Ok, maybe I'm a little out of the loop here, but outside of perhaps South Korea, isn't China still the most heavily-affected country right now?

UK Prime Minister announces "battle plan" for combating virus

Trump: Americans, please try to remain calm. Remember that scene from Airplane! when the stewardess tried to say the same thing and the passengers responded in kind? Costcos everywhere reported a similar response today

Samsung Korea halts production in mobile device plant after virus case confirmed

Sharp to temporarily switch from manufacturing TVs to manufacturing masks

Beyond Meat not deterred from entering China this year even with virus still running rampant. I guess when opportunity knocks...

Milan, Italy itching to go back to normal life. Don't we all

Iranians burn down a clinic that may have been a quarantine area for virus patients. Iran, if you could just go ahead as a country and quit going full reerun over this situation, that would grreaaat, mmkay? Thanks a bunch, buh bye - The world

No immediate plans to cancel, postpone, or relocate NBA, NHL, or MLB games

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I don't fully understand the "stock 2 weeks of food" advice I keep seeing out there. I'm not terribly worried about DoorDash and grocery delivery getting shut down, and if they do, it'll be a lot longer time period than 2 weeks.

I suppose it makes sense if you don't live in a place that has those kinds of services and you don't know anyone who could go shopping for you. Otherwise, seems a bit alarmist to me.

If schools/workplaces close, I’d prefer not to deal with the lunacy of shopping etc that I’m reading about in Italy (no bread, supermarkets closing, lines extending outside stores, etc). I got my shopping taken care of Thursday (stoked up on noodles, rice, etc).Yesterday I went to pick up prescriptions for gma and it was starting then. King Soupers was out of Clorox wipes, masks, and hand sanitizer and the employees said they didn’t know when they’d be able to restock. Doordash is an option, but I think I’d prefer dealing with it now than dealing with it when things get to that level.

FTR, none of this is intended to be alarmist. I’m treating this like I would before traveling a month out of country (Nepal, Kenya, etc). Funnily enough, the country that gave me most anxiety to travel to was France due to the spur of the moment riots (often violent) happening at the time. My concern is always more to do with running into the human/media driven hysteria and doing what I can to be prepared now rather than later.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I don't fully understand the "stock 2 weeks of food" advice I keep seeing out there. I'm not terribly worried about DoorDash and grocery delivery getting shut down, and if they do, it'll be a lot longer time period than 2 weeks.

I suppose it makes sense if you don't live in a place that has those kinds of services and you don't know anyone who could go shopping for you. Otherwise, seems a bit alarmist to me.

I suspect some people are worried about those services being overrun

Everyone trying to get grocery delivery, etc. Worried about the person delivering being sick as well

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by SupDock

I suspect some people are worried about those services being overrun



Everyone trying to get grocery delivery, etc. Worried about the person delivering being sick as well

I get that, but if we're to that point, 2 weeks isn't going to cut it.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I get that, but if we're to that point, 2 weeks isn't going to cut it.

A friend of mine is convinced we’re going to get there and has been dropping this link to everyone (basically 200 servings of MRE like food). https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

A friend of mine is convinced we’re going to get there and has been dropping this link to everyone (basically 200 servings of MRE like food). https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks.

I'm just going to order this from now on instead of grocery shopping.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

A friend of mine is convinced we’re going to get there and has been dropping this link to everyone (basically 200 servings of MRE like food). https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Mennonite]

Well, after finding out that there is a 2% mortality rate, I've decided that I will abandon life on the surface world and declare myself a Morlock.

Fair warning: henceforth anyone approaching my burrow will be treated as an enemy C.H.U.D. or a free-range Eloi.

[SuperBowl4]

Just stock up on some Slim-Jim's and your favorite Beef Jerky and several cases of you favorite beverage and you'll be one step ahead. Don't forget the toilet paper

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Mennonite

Well, after finding out that there is a 2% mortality rate, I've decided that I will abandon life on the surface world and declare myself a Morlock.

Fair warning: henceforth anyone approaching my burrow will be treated as an enemy C.H.U.D. or a free-range Eloi.

There's a 2% mortality rate?

[nychief]

Originally Posted by TLO

There's a 2% mortality rate?

2.3 in wuhan... under that elsewhere. Keep in mind, while 2 percent sounds small, it'd be 7 million americans.