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:
They are picking your nose to try and figure out what is going on in your body , how the test was done, viral load/shedding in nasal cavity, accuracy of test itself etc.
some viruses like mono can test negative even when you are positive just because the viral load isn't enough, negative 1 day positive tomorrow.
I actually had that happen with a mono test when I was in college. Tested negative on a Friday, though they suspected mono.. Went back Monday and tested positive.
They also thought strep was a possibility so they gave me an antibiotic. I broke out in a rash like nothing I've ever seen. Doctor said that was pretty common. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Monticore:
They are picking your nose to try and figure out what is going on in your body , how the test was done, viral load/shedding in nasal cavity, accuracy of test itself etc.
Some viruses like mono can test negative even when you are positive just because the viral load isn't enough, negative 1 day positive tomorrow.
But a follow up question to this - We've all heard the reports that people may actually be more infectious before they become symptomatic. Wouldn't this indicate a higher viral load from the start? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Dunit35:
53% sounds scary until you actually look it up and see that it’s 100-150 cases a day. There’s four million of us here. We’re at .00062% infection rate and .000034% death rate. Settle down with the scare tactics already.
Originally Posted by F150:
New Data Suggest the Coronavirus Isn’t as Deadly as We Thought
A study finds 50 to 85 times as many infections as known cases—meaning a far lower fatality rate.
How deadly is the coronavirus? A new study finds a far lower fatality rate than most experts thought, writes Andrew Bogan https://t.co/McOoBAI9Hj
Originally Posted by TLO:
But a follow up question to this - We've all heard the reports that people may actually be more infectious before they become symptomatic. Wouldn't this indicate a higher viral load from the start?
I am not certain how exactly how shedding works and how that would affect the test I just read it somewhere in regards to possible error , but again people are/were still learning .
maybe it is like shedding hair the hair leaves you and there is less on you lol. [Reply]
Originally Posted by TLO:
But a follow up question to this - We've all heard the reports that people may actually be more infectious before they become symptomatic. Wouldn't this indicate a higher viral load from the start?
Not necessarily. If you are symptomatic, you're probably not going to be performing all of your normal activities: less contact = fewer transmission possibilities.
One thing that keeps flu infections down is that the onset of illness tends to relatively sudden. If you feel like refried death, you're less likely to go to work. [Reply]
Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy:
That's a very good question Donger and honestly I don't have the numbers to back it up. I know our President has all the numbers from an economic and health side
