Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Emergency #5

[Wicked Strong]

Some good news - today is the last day for the 57 people quarantined at Camp Ashland in Nebraska. Everyone will take last test on Thursday then return to their homes. Safe journey home.

The 57 Americans quarantined at Camp Ashland prepare to return home

 

[gregjrichards]

Every pore on my body opened': British victim describes what it's like to have coronavirus as he's treated in Japan after catching virus on infection-riddled ship the Diamond Princess as two other passengers DIE

David Abel, 74, who begged for the Government to evacuate the 74 Brits trapped on the quarantined vessel before he and his wife Sally were diagnosed, claimed they are in 'the best place' for treatment after being whisked off the cruise liner described as a hotbed for the virus.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8024213/Every-pore-body-opened-British-victim-describes-like-coronavirus.html

I am really glad the Abels are getting the best care and hope they and everyone else on the ship survives and recovers.

 

[Pi Thoughts]

Eat at your local Chinese restaurant or watch it close down- Australians urged to put aside coronavirus fears as Asian eateries across country rapidly go out of business

Eat at local Chinese restaurant or watch it close down Australians urged put aside coronavirus fears | Daily Mail Online

I think this is going to be a very big problem unfortunately. I went to the best Chinese takeaway with 5 star reviews where I live in Scotland on Saturday night. It was empty and the phone rang once during the time I waited for my order. It was crazy busy as usual when I last went in December. The three other Chinese takeaways nearby were also empty.

There has been a proactive campaign by some Australian media to support Chinese Restaurants who are apparently up to 80% down on normal trading.
Ben Fordham’s very special banquet dinner – SOLD OUT

 

[Henry2326]

BNO NEWSROOM TWEET
One woman infected with coronavirus is believed to have infected at least 40 people by going to church in Daegu SK - Yonhap

BREAKING: South Korea reports 22 new cases of coronavirus, raising country's total to 104 - Yonhap Tracking coronavirus: Map, data and timeline

BNO Newsroom on Twitter
_________________________________
Other tweets are saying that schools are closed in Daegu.
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"A South Korean Navy sailor tested positive Thursday for the new coronavirus in an initial examination, government officials said, sparking concerns the virus might have spread into military barracks." Final test result coming tomorrow. (LEAD) Navy sailor tests positive for coronavirus in initial examination | Yonhap News Agency

The South Korean sailor who preliminarily tested positive for coronavirus had recently visited his hometown Daegu, where there have been dozens of cases recently (LEAD) Navy sailor tests positive for coronavirus in initial examination | Yonhap News Agency

 

[Henry2326]

2 deaths and 2 other positive results occurred in Qom, Iran. Schools and universities are closed in Qom.

"Medical teams have been deployed in Qom and the suspected persons have been quarantined,"

"Iran has applied safety measures on arrival flights at its airports to control a possible spread of the virus."

Two Iranians Who Tested Positive For Coronavirus Die In Qom

Schools closing in Qom, Iran after coronavirus outbreak
________________________________
There are tweets that I can not post here that indicate the military may be shutting down highways to Qom.

 

[asyousay]

Every pore on my body opened': British victim describes what it's like to have coronavirus as he's treated in Japan after catching virus on infection-riddled ship the Diamond Princess as two other passengers DIE

David Abel, 74, who begged for the Government to evacuate the 74 Brits trapped on the quarantined vessel before he and his wife Sally were diagnosed, claimed they are in 'the best place' for treatment after being whisked off the cruise liner described as a hotbed for the virus.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-8024213/Every-pore-body-opened-British-victim-describes-like-coronavirus.html

I am really glad the Abels are getting the best care and hope they and everyone else on the ship survives and recovers.

So zero apologies from Mr Abel for accusing Japan of faking their test results I see.

 

[Hatfield]

China again alters the methodology for counting coronavirus cases, as death toll rises to 2,118.

For the second time in a week, China on Thursday changed its criteria for confirming coronavirus cases, throwing into confusion the methodology that the country at the heart of the outbreak uses to track transmissions and resulting in a dramatic decrease in new infections.

Using the new criteria, officials in the province on Thursday recorded 349 new cases in the previous 24 hours, bringing the total national figures to 74,576. New deaths rose by 114 on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to 2,118.



Coronavirus Live Updates: China Changes Diagnosis Criteria, Resulting in Confusion

Based on reading Dixiegirl's great summaries of the WHO meetings, I think the WHO is starting to realize they cannot trust China's figures. The WHO made comments in their recent meeting that alluded that they are doing their own forecasting models and I suspect they are using other countries new numbers rather than relying on Chinas figures.

Nobody can use numbers where the formula keeps changing daily or weekly. Its a total crock IMO. No consistency in how they are reporting. And you cant do easy balancing to ensure accuracy of counts when 2+2 = 3.

 

[Amonet]

BBC update on the first death from Covid-19 in South Korea. It says the 61 yr old male was bedridden in hospital and appears to have been infected while in hospital.

It also says that 166 people who were in contact with an infected woman who's a member of the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Daegu have been asked to self-quarantine


South Korea confirms first Coronavirus death

 

[JerseyGirl]

Three new coronavirus cases in Iran as schools close following deaths

Three additional coronavirus cases were confirmed in Iran on Thursday while five suspected others await examination.

Coronavirus news and live updates: Two Diamond Princess passengers die - CNN

TEHRAN, Iran — All schools and universities, including religious Shiite seminaries, are shut down in the holy city of Qom. Iran had recently evacuated 60 Iranian students from Wuhan.

Iran announces 3 new cases of coronavirus after 2 deaths

 

[JerseyGirl]

2 deaths and 2 other positive results occurred in Qom, Iran. Schools and universities are closed in Qom.

"Medical teams have been deployed in Qom and the suspected persons have been quarantined,"

"Iran has applied safety measures on arrival flights at its airports to control a possible spread of the virus."

Two Iranians Who Tested Positive For Coronavirus Die In Qom

Schools closing in Qom, Iran after coronavirus outbreak
________________________________
There are tweets that I can not post here that indicate the military may be shutting down highways to Qom.

All patients were Iranian and the person in the central city of Arak was a doctor from Qom.

Health officials had called for the suspension of all religious gatherings in Qom, a Shi'ite Muslim holy city about 120 km (75 miles) south of the capital Tehran.

More coronavirus cases in Iran's Qom; religious gatherings under threat

 

[gregjrichards]

Another THIRTEEN cases of the killer coronavirus are diagnosed onboard the Diamond Princess as experts warn the cruise is virus-riddled and MORE cases will emerge

Japan's health ministry today confirmed the spate of new infections, taking the total number of cases on the gigantic vessel to 634.

Leading experts have suggested more cases will crop up on the virus-riddled cruise, which has been moored off the coast of Yokohama since February 3.

Another THIRTEEN cases of coronavirus are diagnosed on Diamond Princess | Daily Mail Online

 

[JerseyGirl]

Thailand unhappy with Israel’s entry ban over coronavirus concerns

Thailand’s government is scrambling to cope with new travel restrictions after Israel banned the citizens of Thailand and three other Asian countries and territories from entering over concerns about a new virus.

Israel announced it was refusing entry to all foreign nationals who had traveled to Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau during the past 14 days. Israeli citizens and residents will be isolated at home for 14 days after their return from areas at risk.

The consequences for Thailand could be more substantial. About 25,000 Thai workers are employed in Israel, mostly in the agricultural sector.

 

[Hatfield]

I hope some other investigators really try to determine the main source of how all the passengers caught the virus on that Princess Cruise ship. It may help to know so that steps can be taken on other cruises and other places like Motels and Hotels and even Hospitals to know where the breakdown was on that Cruise ship.

One theory I read that may make sense is if the plumbing had vent pipes that were shared with individual room's plumbing. Its hard to describe unless you are familiar with how elbow joints under sinks work to control odors.

Usually an elbow joint has water at the bottom of the elbow so that fumes dont back up into a home. The water in the elbow acts as a barrier. With Cruise ships, there was a theory I read where the plumbing may have tied rooms together and vent pipes may have been shared with the plumbing. Even the toilets use water as a vapor barrier but when someone flushes, there is a small opportunity for backflow of gases from the main sewage pipe to enter back into the bathroom.

Its just a theory but I do hope they figure it out so everyone can learn how to prevent another disasterous outbreak on another ship.

I once tracked the venting that was in the bathroom ceiling fan and went into my attic and expected the vent to go up through the roof and outside. To my horror, the venting went right into the attic and that was it. Probably someone cutting corners when they built the house.

 

[ARE]

I’m a bit confused about the fact that people are being allowed to leave the cruise ship and go home.... due to poor quarantine practices, aren’t they still at risk of being infected? Shouldn’t the quarantine period have been reset each time someone tested positive?

hopefully they’re going home to be quarantined in their own countries.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Thousands of Americans voluntarily self-quarantine after returning from China

Many states monitoring travelers from China who have agreed to lie low for a few weeks out of an abundance of caution:

California - there are more than 5,400 such people in the state.

Washington - 745 people have been asked to self-quarantine.

Georgia - health officials identified about 200 travelers.

Michigan - more than 300 people were referred for monitoring.

Virginia - 138 residents are being monitored. "They were asked to remain at home and practice social distancing." Social distancing means avoiding public transportation (including taxis and ride-sharing) and large public gatherings and staying about 6 feet away from others.

Iowa - a total of 27 people are under voluntary self-quarantine

North Dakota - has 10 under voluntary self-quarantine.

Alabama - monitoring travelers, declined to provide exact numbers, which change daily as passengers continue to arrive home or finish their 14-day self-quarantine periods.

Indiana - monitoring travelers, declined to provide exact numbers, which change daily as passengers continue to arrive home or finish their 14-day self-quarantine periods.

Massachusetts - monitoring travelers, declined to provide exact numbers, which change daily as passengers continue to arrive home or finish their 14-day self-quarantine periods.

Texas - monitoring travelers, declined to provide exact numbers, which change daily as passengers continue to arrive home or finish their 14-day self-quarantine periods.

___

Infectious disease experts say that while quarantines can help slow the spread of a virus, they can't necessarily stop it from spreading entirely.

"It's like Swiss cheese," said Dr. Gregory Poland, director of the Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group in Rochester, Minnesota.

"It is going to leak out. You're just trying to prevent the tidal waves."

 

[Hatfield]

I’m a bit confused about the fact that people are being allowed to leave the cruise ship and go home.... due to poor quarantine practices, aren’t they still at risk of being infected? Shouldn’t the quarantine period have been reset each time someone tested positive?

hopefully they’re going home to be quarantined in their own countries.

Yes IMO its a valid concern because you never know what day a person may become infected. So for any passengers that got infected on the day they are leaving the ship then obviously they could end up going home, the virus takes hold, and then they spread it to others before anyone realizes the person actually caught the virus near those final departing days.

I am not sure of the rules for departing passengers that were flagged as "ok".

 

[asyousay]

Yes I don’t get them being allowed to leave the ship and go home as there still seems to be some confusion on how long it takes to show as well as I have seen reports saying up to 24 days and others it’s 14.

so that’s one hell of a difference IMO

 

[mickey2942]

BREAKING: Two Diamond Princess passengers die of the coronavirus

Is this correct? 624 cases of Coronavirus on Princess ship? Two people dead.

Scary how fast this virus goes around.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Yes IMO its a valid concern because you never know what day a person may become infected. So for any passengers that got infected on the day they are leaving the ship then obviously they could end up going home, the virus takes hold, and then they spread it to others before anyone realizes the person actually caught the virus near those final departing days.

I am not sure of the rules for departing passengers that were flagged as "ok".

Yes I don’t get them being allowed to leave the ship and go home as there still seems to be some confusion on how long it takes to show as well as I have seen reports saying up to 24 days and others it’s 14.

so that’s one hell of a difference IMO

14 Americans test positive for coronavirus after evacuation from quarantined cruise ship

In a statement, a State Department spokesperson said that the American evacuees were all deemed asymptomatic and fit to fly before being processed for evacuation.

But during the evacuation process, after passengers had left the ship and gone to the airport, U.S. officials received notice that 14 passengers, who had been tested two to three days earlier, had tested positive for COVID-19. "These individuals were moved in the most expeditious and safe manner to a specialized containment area on the evacuation aircraft to isolate them in accordance with standard protocols," the spokesperson said.

The State Department made the decision to allow the 14 individuals, who were in isolation, separated from other passengers and who continued to be asymptomatic, to remain on the aircraft to complete the evacuation process after a consultation with health officials, according to the statement.

The State Department said all evacuated American passengers were closely monitored by medical professionals throughout the flight and any who become symptomatic were to be moved to a specialized containment area.

The evacuees will now be placed under mandatory quarantine for 14 days.

"Passengers that develop symptoms in flight and those with positive test results will remain isolated on the flights and will be transported to an appropriate location for continued isolation and care," the spokesperson said, without elaborating on where that location could be.

Thousands of Americans voluntarily self-quarantine after returning from China

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

I have a hard time keeping up with this fast-paced thread and apologize if this has already been shared.

Opinion | Why Did the Coronavirus Outbreak Start in China?

Let’s talk about the cultural causes of this epidemic.

The new coronavirus disease has a name now: COVID-19. That took a while. The virus’s genome was sequenced within two weeks or so of its appearance, but for many weeks more, we didn’t know what to call it or the disease it causes.

For a time, in some quarters, the disease went by “Wuhan pneumonia,” after the city in central China where the first human infections were detected. But guidelines from the World Health Organization, which christened COVID-19 recently, discourage naming diseases after locations or people, among other things, to avoid “unintended negative impacts by stigmatizing certain communities.”...