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 BigRedChief:
1st reported coronavirus death of an active duty soldier occurred on Saturday. Reported publicly today.
———————————————————-
'Sailors do not need to die': Captain of aircraft carrier hit by coronavirus outbreak begs Navy for more help
The commanding officer of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, which was forced into port in Guam due to a coronavirus outbreak, wrote a letter to the Navy on Monday warning that the "the spread of the disease is ongoing and accelerating."
"Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset — our Sailors," Capt. Brett Crozier, the carrier's CO, wrote in the letter exclusively obtained by The San Francisco Chronicle.
Originally Posted by Dartgod:
I didn't click on the link, but I assume there was a death on this ship?
I wonder how it got on there in the first place?
4000 people are on that ship and apparently a bunch of them have it, on a ship like that people fly in and out all the time, it's an aircraft carrier so they aren't isolated. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Donger:
It's a line many New Yorkers know well: "if you cannot fit on this train, there is another right behind."
Many straphangers, having had the wool pulled over their eyes before, aren't keen to take the conductors' advice. Soon, however, they may not have a choice.
Police officers will begin enforcing social distancing on subways this week, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Monday, despite complaints from essential workers that their usual trains have been packed following coronavirus-induced service cuts.
"I understand people are trying to get somewhere, but no one should be getting on a crowded train," the mayor told local station NY1. "Spread out throughout the train, wait for the next train.
"The PD's going to go out there, if they see any overcrowding, they're going to literally split it up, pull people off the train, move them along to different cars, whatever it takes."
On top of service cuts that have been deemed "essential service" for restaurant workers, healthcare professionals and others who must commute during the "New York on Pause" issued by the governor earlier in March, many lines have seen even less service thanks to limited availability of train crews.
"We are running as many trains as possible with the crews we have available," the Metropolitan Transit Authority said in service alerts Monday.
Wait...what? Restaurant workers have been deemed "essential"? They were the first things to close down here... [Reply]
Originally Posted by Donger:
No deaths yet. COD maybe? Port call(s)? I read that orders were given that ships had to stay at sea for 14 days after any port call.
Huh?
Originally Posted by BigRedChief:
1st reported coronavirus death of an active duty soldier occurred on Saturday. Reported publicly today.
Originally Posted by Dartgod:
I didn't click on the link, but I assume there was a death on this ship?
I wonder how it got on there in the first place?
Originally Posted by Mecca:
4000 people are on that ship and apparently a bunch of them have it, on a ship like that people fly in and out all the time, it's an aircraft carrier so they aren't isolated.
just like all our naval strike ships. They always have “stuff” coming into the ships, even at sea. Ive never served on an aircraft carrier, but have been in one. You think cruise ships pack people in like sardines, these Navy ships, I bet a virus would spread like wildfire in no time.
Bet this is the first of many ships that will have outbreaks. Just common sense. You can only take so many precautions and still be battle ready.
Maybe some Navy vets could tell us their experience or opinions? [Reply]
The outbreak seems to be escalating rapidly. A week ago the Pentagon confirmed three sailors on the Roosevelt had tested positive and that number had risen to 25 two days later. Since then the number of cases has almost tripled. On Monday, a US defense official told CNN that a second US aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, is also facing a "handful" of positive cases. [Reply]
