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.”
Here's the updated chart on new AZ COVID cases over the last few months (with today's data): LINK
Cases: Largest death total in a single daily report today (147). 7-day death avg skyrockets to new high. On track for: 150K cases by July 21, 3,000 deaths revised from July 23 to July 22.
Testing: PCR tests dropped by 50% since yesterday. (Still waiting on "Project Catapult" push to 35K daily tests by July 31)
Spread: Overall PCR positive test percentage went up from 14.4% to 14.5% (based on 772K tests, up from a 6.6% low) and the average for this week started at 18% (based on 20,286 tests, last week revised up from 17% to 18%).
Hospital Utilization: COVID Hospitalizations drop by 7%. ICU beds for COVID patients drop by 5.5% (Overall ICU bed usage went down from 90% to 89%). Ventilators in use for COVID down 4.5%. Intubations for Respiratory Distress stayed in triple digits (104).
Misc Notes: Another slow lab didn't make the cutoff for today. Also, 106 of 147 deaths being reported today are due to death certificate matching. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Dunit35:
We had a four hour meeting about a mask mandate here in Enid, OK. A majority were wearing red for anti mask. Many were outside protesting anti masks. Many were voicing their opinions on the podium, breathing into and touching the same mic. A majority were telling the mayor and council that they would not forgot who voted yes when election time came.
It got voted down 5-2. The mayor even voted no and he’s always been pro mask. Now the two biggest stores we have, Wal Mart and Aldi require masks so the tantrums were kind of stupid.
People are really ****ing stupid/selfish. Q, I know. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
Exactly. I've said for a long time that part of the way to get people to wear masks is to give them masks they want to wear. I rotate between Chiefs, Avs, and Rockies masks. If it can go on a ball cap, it can go on a mask.
Imo it's too late now, people aren't likely to change now. And I know some of this wasn't possible but I think the way to have gotten masks on a greater percentage of people would have been to:
1: Not say initially that masks werent necessary
2: Make masks available for free at stores
3: Not shut any businesses down, but require a face covering to enter
Until today I've not worn a mask anywhere I wasn't required to. But I have worn a mask wherever I have been asked to. I really think people got mad that government shut down businesses and that masks were expensive/hard to come by. And now they have put their foot down about masks.
There would still be some resistance but I don't think it would be as bad as it is. [Reply]
Originally Posted by eDave:
Question about my AZ updates. Will CDC numbers going directly to fuck face, will that affect local data?
My interpretation is that the aggregating is changing, but not the initial reporting. That should still be available from local health departments. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
My interpretation is that the aggregating is changing, but not the initial reporting. That should still be available from local health departments.
The only change I've noticed is that hospitalization info is becoming even more difficult to track down across Missouri. Our local hospital is still providing updates to the public every day. (We're down to 8 now) [Reply]