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.”
"Today's just the first death of what will be many," said Gov. Tom Wolf in a livestream Wednesday evening. "And our only hope is to prevent our hospitals from being overwhelmed
Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins:
Nah, it was my wife, too. She just finished two years of targeted therapy last week. I was diagnosed with Stage III Hodgkin's Lymphoma in January. I started treatment about six weeks ago. Prognosis is good, but I'd be lying if I said these recent developments haven't made me a bit skittish.
I've been able to keep working through treatment, although days 3-7 after chemo have been pretty shitty. My hair finally started falling out last week, so I had my girls and wife buzz my head with dog clippers (because they carve through a hell of a lot more hair than a beard and mustache trimmer). Funny thing is, my hair is now growing again, but it will probably all fall out after the next treatment. I still have to shave, but only once a week or so instead of daily.
I should probably just shave a goatee in while I still have a beard so I can truly become a member of the inner circle.
I know we don't agree on much politically, but I hope you and your wife fully recover. Cancer sucks and you have my prayers and wishes. [Reply]
The first coronavirus case in the U.S. and South Korea was detected on the same day. By late January, Seoul had medical companies starting to work on a diagnostic test — one was approved a week later. Today, the U.S. isn’t even close to meeting test demand https://t.co/r49Z9SzZF5pic.twitter.com/8FCkQkHiHQ
Originally Posted by Rain Man:
I kind of figured that the Super Bowl would be the highlight of 2020, but I was hoping there'd be a little competition for it.
From a sports front, it appears there will be little competition... [Reply]
Originally Posted by Bwana:
I just got a text from a cousin who works for the US customs. She just got off the phone with her boss. You may want to stock up on essentials before next Monday just to be safe. It sounds like congress could very well ratchet things up big time early next week.
This must mean they know the hospital crunch is coming in some places.
If we want to see China's results we have to shut everything down like they did. No one on the streets except to buy groceries once a week per household. Only essential personnel can go to work. And everyone wear masks all the time in public.
Their let up in Beijing looks like our current lock down. No restaurants but people can go to work if they can't work from home.
But the other thing they do when they open back up is still test like crazy and isolate positives from their household. Do we even have a plan for that? I hope so. [Reply]
The first coronavirus case in the U.S. and South Korea was detected on the same day. By late January, Seoul had medical companies starting to work on a diagnostic test — one was approved a week later. Today, the U.S. isn’t even close to meeting test demand https://t.co/r49Z9SzZF5pic.twitter.com/8FCkQkHiHQ
My god... There's a whole thread on this in DC... Do you know why the testing was delayed and also how testing in SK, the false positives, and the size and area of their country, is much different. Also, if you look at US and SK deaths, they are similar, despite 50 some in Washington out of 2 nursing homes... [Reply]
So what’s the end goal of Italy and France shutting it all down? Wait until a vaccine or cure? Because by my estimation if in two weeks they have no new cases and they open things back up it’s just going to start all over again with everyone getting it at once.
I’m not too worried about things getting bad next winter because much like other easily transferable diseases they will occur over a greater time period and region to where it will be manageable like others are, such as the flu. But if Italy and France go from no new cases to everyone out and about again, they will all just be exposed at the same relative time and place again. That’s they main reason I don’t see a total shutdown as being the answer. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Kiimosabi:
Here's the Elon Musk thread. Whatever you think of Musk you can bet that he associates with a lot more intelligent people than we do. Worth a read
Yeah his work on the Thai cave rescue with his magic submarine and accusing the head of the Thai naval special forces of being a pedophile was just outstanding. [Reply]
Originally Posted by mr. tegu:
So what’s the end goal of Italy and France shutting it all down? Wait until a vaccine or cure? Because by my estimation if in two weeks they have no new cases and they open things back up it’s just going to start all over again with everyone getting it at once.
I’m not too worried about things getting bad next winter because much like other easily transferable diseases they will occur over a greater time period and region to where it will be manageable like others are, such as the flu. But if Italy and France go from no new cases to everyone out and about again, they will all just be exposed at the same relative time and place again. That’s they main reason I don’t see a total shutdown as being the answer.
To reduce the number of new cases, and prevent an overload of their hospitals. I doubt that things will just go back to normal after two weeks. I think we're going to see human interaction for many if not most people change until this bug is gone, by vaccination or other. [Reply]
Originally Posted by mr. tegu:
So what’s the end goal of Italy and France shutting it all down? Wait until a vaccine or cure? Because by my estimation if in two weeks they have no new cases and they open things back up it’s just going to start all over again with everyone getting it at once.
I’m not too worried about things getting bad next winter because much like other easily transferable diseases they will occur over a greater time period and region to where it will be manageable like others are, such as the flu. But if Italy and France go from no new cases to everyone out and about again, they will all just be exposed at the same relative time and place again. That’s they main reason I don’t see a total shutdown as being the answer.
Read this - I think it gives a good idea of what Euro countries are thinking right now. May need a cycle for 18 months of lockdown, open up, lock down again when cases spike. https://www.imperial.ac.uk/media/imp...16-03-2020.pdf
I'm really hoping we find a way around that. This report is by nature pessimistic, so there's hope for new treatments, better suppression methods or a summer pause. [Reply]