For the next few days, I'll try to pick and choose a few that I thought would be interesting each morning and do a post of articles for those who read here who want to view scientific stuff (? don't know how many are interested in viewing? - if not just roll and scroll - I'll try to continue also with WHO daily briefings transcripts )
So so so so much agree with the hospitals being overwhelmed. The just do not have the capabilities of doing what is needed and don't have the resources. David Abel touched on that this am when he said that some folks taken from the ship were taken far away to other hospitals. That makes sense. I live in a major metro area, and did a google on how many CT's were in my area.... yet I didn't get a number... just that most were merely local / non hospital CT facilities which would NOT be prepared to handle this type of epidemic MOO. They are just community CT for what was posted above as to other non-infectious diseases.
Hubei was overwhelmed... agree with that without a doubt as to resources and their numbers. The tests needed something quicker, CT's help, but then CT space and time is limited. Jeeeeezzzzz just a worst case scenario. And I do believe they are doing their best! I really do.
And the ECMO ( extra-corporeal membrane perfusion) used in the most critically ill patients in Wuhan is not a commonly available procedure in most US community hospitals, even those that do open heart surgery and have perfusionists to monitor the cardiac bypass procedures. The number of available units and the personnel to run them would likely be limited and mostly in large secondary or tertiary care facilities.
I think there will even be severe shortages of the most commonly used non-high tech equipment such as suction catheters, ET tubes, IV lines, Oxygen tubing, disposable gloves, swabs, masks, nasal cannulas, all of which are trashed, not reusable or recyclable.
There is also the problem with medication shortages. Right now several really important drugs are non-obtainable, some of which are antibiotics. The Thai Hospitals had reported better results (unverified) with a combination of conventional antivirals and anti-HIV drugs. How long before shortages appear?
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