Coronavirus COVID-19 *Global Health Emergency* #11

[Amonet]

The number of people already infected by the mystery virus emerging in China is far greater than official figures suggest, scientists have told the BBC.

There have been 41 laboratory-confirmed cases of the new virus, but UK experts estimate the figure is closer to 1,700.

New Chinese virus 'will have infected hundreds'

Up to 4,500 patients in China may have caught the same strain of coronavirus that has killed two people, scientists fear.

Health officials in Wuhan – the city at the heart of the outbreak which started in December – confirmed four new cases today, taking the total to 48.

But Imperial College London researchers say this may be the 'tip of the iceberg' after analysing flights out of the city.

Experts say the fact three Chinese tourists have tested positive for the virus outside Wuhan indicates the disease toll may be higher than reported.

Scientists fear up to 4,500 Chinese patients may have caught the new coronavirus | Daily Mail Online

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COVID-19 -Media, Maps, Videos, Timelines, CDC/WHO Resources, etc. ***NO DISCUSSION***

POLLS:

POLL: Confident that US agencies are doing everything to prevent the spread of COVID-19?

POLL: What concerns you most about COVID-19?

POLL: Confident in US medical facilities and personnel to adequately manage COVID-19?

POLL: What do you think the status of COVID-19 will be in six months (September, 2020)?

 

[whitelilac]

India will now screen passengers arriving from 12 countries for coronavirus

From CNN's Esha Mitra and Vedika Sud in New Delhi

India will now be screening passengers from 12 countries for coronavirus on arrival in the country, according to health minister Harsh Vardhan.
Despite its close proximity to China and high population, India only has five confirmed cases of the coronavirus.
During a news conference on Monday, Vardhan said that passengers arriving from Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal, Indonesia, Iran and Italy would now also be screened.
Passengers from China, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea were already being screened.
The screenings will take place in 21 airports, 12 major seaports and 65 minor ports.

(It has to be kept out of India, an epidemic in India will be disastrous. Screening passengers who come in....what about the fact that possibly infected passengers may be asymptomatic on arrival? How do you deal with that?)

 

[cody22]

Try the movie "Outbreak".... The U.S. Military quarantines the whole town of Cedar Creek, California........ Spooky stuff.......moo

 

[whitelilac]

latest....my god
Italy (2,036 cases, 52 deaths)

 

[otto]

latest....my god
Italy (2,036 cases, 52 deaths)

Italy 2.6% fatality rate

USA 103 cases, 6 deaths.
5.8% fatality rate

 

[Tillicum]

That seems ridiculous. That’s definitely more than a month or two’s worth.

I wouldn't be surprised if some people are stockpiling merchandise in hopes of reselling, doubling or tripling the price when everything is sold out and unattainable.

 

[otto]

I wouldn't be surprised if some people are stockpiling merchandise in hopes of reselling, doubling or tripling the price when everything is sold out and unattainable.

Black market is thriving in China.

 

[cody22]

I wouldn't be surprised if some people are stockpiling merchandise in hopes of reselling, doubling or tripling the price when everything is sold out and unattainable.

I was planning on it, but my wife vetoed my plan to open up a Booze, cigarettes, and toilet paper stand in our front yard, if things got really rough.......Some girls are just too "COOOOOOL."...........moo

 

[whitelilac]

73 countries

Global fears grow as worldwide coronavirus infections surpass 90,000

From CNN's Josh Berlinger in Hong Kong

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said that public health officials are operating in "unchartered territory" as they combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 90,000 people across 73 countries and territories as of Monday evening.

 

[firebird]

I wouldn't be surprised if some people are stockpiling merchandise in hopes of reselling, doubling or tripling the price when everything is sold out and unattainable.

Of course they are. But the pics of people doing that in China are "sold" to the US as evidence of people taking precautions in the face of a devastating scourge. Most Americans don't know any better because we're not used to the idea of a constant black market.

 

[whitelilac]

I worry about my daughter. She works in ER/Trauma.....no cases in Baltimore yet, but I think there will be.
She expects she may get sick at some point if this goes on, but she is young and healthy.
still.....

 

[gitana1]

This is pretty cool - how to make your own hand sanitizer:

Ingredients

2/3 c. rubbing alcohol that is at least 99 percent isopropyl alcohol (some recipes call for cheap vodka, but that’s roughly 40 percent, not strong enough). Cost: $2

1/3 c. aloe vera gel or vegetable glycerin (available at PCC and most drugstores, usually in the beauty aisles). Cost: $4-$7

Mix well in a clean bowl. Add 10 drops essential oils for nice smell (we recommend lavender because it’s not bad for your skin; some essential oils are not good on skin, but add $12 if you're buying the lovely lavender scent from Dandelion Botanicals in Ballard). Rub a generous amount of the mixture all over your hands, and let it dry.

Total cost: $6-$21

Purell is low in Seattle. How to make your own hand sanitizer

I have the aloe vera gel. So now I can make this.

 

[margarita25]

Thank you! I had tried posting of the panic reaction of overbuying only to be met with angry denials. IMO they don't see themselves as hoarding. I, like you am in a rural area, good farm community, and we all help each other. I do wonder if the "henny penny" people are in major cities, where there is not a good community to care about others.

MOO

Re: recommended quarantine situations, current and future, I would much rather people stock up and be prepared with everything that they want or need instead of going out to get it if there’s a chance they’re sick, or if they’ve been recommended to lock down for whatever reason.

People buying supplies to help get them through an emergency is not hoarding unless they get greedy - “insert common sense”. People need to be prepared for themselves and their families. It’s the smart people who are taking these things seriously, and the ill prepared who could cause further spread imo. It is the responsibility of individuals to plan for situations should there be outbreaks in the area. This is for the well-being of all people, not just the individuals themselves.

There’s a difference between emergency preparedness/hunkering down and hoarding.

Let’s make sure that is clear here.

ETA:
Also some people (like myself) aren’t going to want to be in public places such as grocery stores and pharmacies, etc when the numbers start to rise. The last place I want to be is a pharmacy and stores with people coughing everywhere, so I’ll get my Tylenol and whatever else I/we will need sooner rather than later.

 

[firebird]

So how's this for irony. I went to the doc today because I have a mild upper respiratory issue BUT, my closest colleague, with whom I work directly every day (handling documents, pens, keyboards, and sitting in close quarters) had walking pneumonia and missed more than a week of work two weeks ago. It was contagious and he caught it from his wife, who ended up hospitalized for a couple of days. One of my kids is asthmatic. So I went in to nip it in the bud, if necessary, so I didn't miss work and my child didn't catch it. Once they found out I was a corona-skeptic, all of the docs and pa's were rolling their eyes at the "crisis" -- yet one of my dx's was health-related anxiety. I noticed it when I was checking out my discharge info and was like "dudes, you have NO idea" lol

 

[margarita25]

Yeah, we have the Atlantic Ocean..though I'd need help with desalination. Seriously though, we have well water and I love ours as well. It's cold and fresh tasting all year long. Not sure what the rush is to buy bottled water.

One trick from hurricane preparedness I've learned is to fill your bathtub up with water. Just remember though, it's only to be used for drinking.

ETA Or fill already used plastic bottles with water and store that. JMO

(Also people fill the bath tub for water to flush the toilet after a hurricane.)

 

[Tripod]

She just wrote me. She has a friend who is a nurse and has started getting ill. She said they spent 3 hours today talking the hospital into testing the nurse. They agreed if the nurse friend tests positive they will test her too. It takes 5 days for the results though.

I'm hearing of way too many people begging to be tested. The CDC completely screwed this up. Their total failure in the testing department is almost certainly why they are limiting and prioritizing testing and then not tracing where it is.

I just can't condemn the CDC yet for any testing failures. Why? Because it's a new virus and testing kits for it didn't exist until what, just a few weeks ago? It hasn't been an instantaneous process by any means, as has the contact-tracing work. I really think we've been doing amazingly well, all considered. IMOO.

 

[gitana1]

latest....my god
Italy (2,036 cases, 52 deaths)

2.5 % death rate.

 

[gitana1]

Italy 2.6% fatality rate

USA 103 cases, 6 deaths.
5.8% fatality rate

Shooooot.

 

[margarita25]

Coronavirus explained: What are the chances I will die? How do I avoid it? Is it all a big fuss over nothing? World experts answer your questions

Coronavirus explained: What are the chances I will die? How do I avoid it? | Daily Mail Online

From the above link:

“Dirty money: A bank clerk disinfects banknotes in the quarters of Suining Bank. China's central bank has ordered to disinfect cash and destroy cash received from hospitals”

 

[otto]

When you think about, what we're potentially dealing with is an invisible airborne particle that enters through nose, mouth, potentially eyes (early reports from China), and which causes serious illness in 20% of the population and death in a much smaller percent. After we're infected, we don't know it for a week or two. It seems so farfetched.