***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.”

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Donger

I wonder if there was a super spreader (or multiple) in NYC.

I’ve wondered this as well as if there may be multiple strains of different severity.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Monticore

I think if we acted like everybody had the virus for 2-3 weeks we maybe be able to get out of this mess sooner rather than later.

Yeah I don't understand why that's not the message - the more seriously we take isolation now, the quicker this thing is over. Hopefully Trump starts hammering that home because I know he wants this thing to open back up ASAP.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Donger

Bad!

Oh whatever it's a joke. You got touchy all of a sudden itt.

[displacedinMN]

complaints coming out that the lakes areas of MPLS have too many people because everyone is at home. They are walking around and getting too close.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Oh whatever it's a joke. You got touchy all of a sudden itt.

Just trying to help.

[tk13]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Yeah I don't understand why that's not the message - the more seriously we take isolation now, the quicker this thing is over. Hopefully Trump starts hammering that home because I know he wants this thing to open back up ASAP.

To be fair Trump and Pence have been pushing their 15 day plan hard for a week now. Problem is we haven't taken it that seriously.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Are any other countries/regions showing signs of improvement outside of China and South Korea?

[loochy]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Oh whatever it's a joke. You got touchy all of a sudden itt.

He was tested though, and he was negative. I think he probably realized the error of his ways since then (even though he would never admit it)

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

I’ve wondered this as well as if there may be multiple strains of different severity.

its weird like some report loss of taste or smell but others don’t. Wonder if it’s the same virus but with slight mutations or its just our individual response to the virus?

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Mr_Tomahawk

Are any other countries/regions showing signs of improvement outside of China and South Korea?

Italy had 1,000 fewer cases today than the previous day.

So did Spain.

Germany had 50% fewer for two days running.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

this is a perfect “”DC” response. I asked what you would have done differently and you come back with a personal attack.

A personal attack? Come on man.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis

I will leave this here; it is from someone in local government in NY that just posted it in a private Facebook group I belong to about 15 minutes ago:

The first two weeks of sheltering in place are baked in (no matter what you do you’re always going to be a couple weeks behind the results as those who are symptomatic manifest as actual cases with the ability to profess to serious/critical.

That said, any day where the numbers are flat is good, even if over the next week the 5K new cases today will translate into 1000 filled hospital beds and 250 on ventilators (on average).

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by tk13

To be fair Trump and Pence have been pushing their 15 day plan hard for a week now. Problem is we haven't taken it that seriously.

I don’t know what we could do though? Threating people with fines and jail like Britan is doing?

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

I wouldn't be shocked if our fearless leader has been asymptomatically spreading it this whole time.

Dude, take this shit to DC already

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Donger

Italy had 1,000 fewer cases today than the previous day.

So did Spain.

Germany had 50% fewer for two days running.

Well yeah, this distancing thing works. There's no way it couldn't. Now will it totally eliminate the virus? No, unless you put everyone in an individual prison...but it works somewhat.