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.”
Originally Posted by Monticore:
What agenda do I have?
I have never voted in your country or mine so it can't be political , pretty sure it isn't financial, and I have been using a wait and see approach for both HCQ and Remdevisir or any other drugs that as being tested.
HCQ has been used to treat corona virus since 2005... [Reply]
Originally Posted by O.city:
Are they 30 to 40 percent like you suggested? There has also been issues with the tests and protocol used it seems
As the serology tests improve it should help us get a better idea of this thing. NY and other countries may be anomalies but it would be nice to know why. [Reply]
Does anyone think this might lead to a change in how the elderly are handled?
As I browse social media I notice a lot of people who moved away from their family getting rather emotional about their parents or grandparents. The "I can't be there or take them food" tears are flowing. If you even hint at the, "you made this choice when you left" discussion all hell breaks loose.
In other countries it's much more common for immediate family to take care of the older family members themselves instead of dumping them in some home. My family has been very blessed with females who just naturally fall into the role, so it's never been a big family decision but it's interesting to see some trends appearing in the discussions. [Reply]
Originally Posted by O.city:
Are they 30 to 40 percent like you suggested? There has also been issues with the tests and protocol used it seems
I mean that just the number they reported at a glance. I couldn't speak to it more specifically but it just my opinion.
With NY and other countries going back to test samples of people who died in December it would leave me to believe the Asymptomatic spread of CoronaVirus was much more wide spread.
Based on the growth of the virus to date, and the times its rate of spread has drastically slowed twice, I think that it has more to do with it being much more wide spread than we know. [Reply]
Originally Posted by : Covid-19 could kill an extra 75,000 Americans through "deaths of despair"
As many as 75,000 Americans could die because of drug or alcohol misuse and suicide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis conducted by the national public health group Well Being Trust.
The growing unemployment crisis, economic downturns and stress caused by isolation and lack of a definitive end date for the pandemic could significantly increase so-called “deaths of despair” unless local, state and federal authorities take action, the group says in a new report released Friday.
Originally Posted by ghak99:
Does anyone think this might lead to a change in how the elderly are handled?
As I browse social media I notice a lot of people who moved away from their family getting rather emotional about their parents or grandparents. The "I can't be there or take them food" tears are flowing. If you even hint at the, "you made this choice when you left" discussion all hell breaks loose.
In other countries it's much more common for immediate family to take care of the older family members themselves instead of dumping them in some home. My family has been very blessed with females who just naturally fall into the role, so it's never been a big family decision but it's interesting to see some trends appearing in the discussions.
Minnesota
500 covid deaths
80% elderly
100 of those were in 2 facilities.
This may be one of the changes. Although getting older is getting easier. I know 80 year olds that golf 2-3 times a week. [Reply]