Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #112

[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 virus in China ‘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.

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PLEASE NOTE:

Tricia set up the Covid forum for people who are genuinely concerned about Covid-19. It is not for anyone who is here with a view to minimizing its existence or downplaying the severity of it. Please know that MSM, scientists, politicians, government agencies worldwide are not involved in the biggest conspiracy in the history of man to convey the pandemic as more serious than it is.

If you aren't concerned about Covid-19, this Covid forum is not for you. There are lots of other Websleuths threads you can participate in that need your help.

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Sillybilly
WS Administrator

 

[Knitty]

Please continue here.

 

[charminglane]

We are still giving away around 5 boxes of tests every day at work.
They are right on the desk.
Coworker masked on a cruise to Alaska. Had a great trip, but still caught it in her way home.
Yes, I believe the uptick in L.A.

 

[weepingangel]

We are still giving away around 5 boxes of tests every day at work.
They are right on the desk.
Coworker masked on a cruise to Alaska. Had a great trip, but still caught it in her way home.
Yes, I believe the uptick in L.A.

I’m in new England and it’s been going around at work. Started seeing more of it a month or so ago.

 

[Lilibet]

It’s popping up again among my friends here in Oregon. My daughter in Atlanta had avoided it until a large work event a couple of months ago. It’s not like it was at the height of the pandemic in 2020-21, but it’s still with us and we need to pay attention and take it seriously. This thread is a lifesaver…literally in some cases, I’m sure.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

The Covid summer wave is here

Infections are most likely rising in at least 39 states, driven in part by a trio of new variants.

www.nbcnews.com

If more people around you seem to be coming down with Covid lately, that’s because infections are indeed on the rise nationally.

Cases are most likely increasing in 39 states and aren’t declining anywhere in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — evidence that an anticipated summer wave is underway.

The CDC no longer tracks Covid cases, but it estimates transmission based on emergency department visits. Both Covid deaths and ED visits have risen in the last week. Hospitalizations also climbed 25% from May 26 to June 1, the latest data available.

California in particular appears to be experiencing a notable rise in infections. The state’s data suggests high levels of coronavirus in wastewater, and Covid has gotten more prevalent there since May. The documented share of Covid tests in California that came back positive has risen from around 3% to 7.5% in the last month or so.

“It looks like the summer wave is starting to begin,” said Dr. Thomas Russo, chief of infectious diseases at the University at Buffalo Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences...

 

[scoodyboo]

If you're traveling, don't let down your guard. I masked on planes and boats but still got it. I heard so much coughing in the last airport I traveled through. I also may have let guard down on other preventive measures such as taking vitamins daily.

 

[sds71]

Gov. Ned Lamont tests positive for COVID-19

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Gov. Ned Lamont has tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced Thursday. Lamont’s office said he was feeling slightly under the weather and took an at-home C…

www.wtnh.com

“He has notified those he recently came into close contact with regarding his test result, and he has encouraged them to take tests, as well. He’s informed his staff that they can expect him to work remotely for the time being,” the statement read.

 

[Sundog]

I wonder if RSV is still circulating and its impact in regions of the country. I was seriously ill in late April, early May and tested positive for strep throat but presumptively negative for both flu and covid. They didn't test for RSV. It was two - three weeks before I was able to return to some normalcy, although about a month more before I had anywhere near earlier energy. I don't think I had only strep throat, unless something was going on with my immune system that overreacted and then my body had to deal with that. It was very strange, I have never been that ill and they say that a strep throat bacterial infection is usually cleared up with antibiotics within a few days. Maybe it's due to the fact that the isolation over the last few years due to covid (masking, avoiding venues with lots of people, etc.) has had an effect on how bodies respond to these kinds of illnesses and there is more vulnerability. In any event, I am back to normal now, although it took quite a while.

 

[mickey2942]

We had Covid over 2 years ago, and our lives are still not the same. We used to travel quite a bit, now, we can't even remember the last time we went on a drive more than five miles from our home.

Skis, bikes, camping equipment in our garage is relegated to the corner, probably going to our kids soon. We are both just so tired all of the time. At least we were vaccinated, I wonder what would have happened if we hadn't been vaccinated.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

I wonder if RSV is still circulating and its impact in regions of the country. I was seriously ill in late April, early May and tested positive for strep throat but presumptively negative for both flu and covid. They didn't test for RSV. It was two - three weeks before I was able to return to some normalcy, although about a month more before I had anywhere near earlier energy. I don't think I had only strep throat, unless something was going on with my immune system that overreacted and then my body had to deal with that. It was very strange, I have never been that ill and they say that a strep throat bacterial infection is usually cleared up with antibiotics within a few days. Maybe it's due to the fact that the isolation over the last few years due to covid (masking, avoiding venues with lots of people, etc.) has had an effect on how bodies respond to these kinds of illnesses and there is more vulnerability. In any event, I am back to normal now, although it took quite a while.

Have you had covid in the past?

From my reading, covid can prime the immune system to react differently (over-reactions more than underreactions IIRC) to future infections of other diseases, or to flare up and cause problems even in the absence of any active infection.

ETA: Except in the case of colds, where there are so many variants and we know you can only get each variant once, thus the more you've had the fewer there are left for you to catch, I don't personally believe that avoiding illness (whether via isolation, masking etc) makes one more vulnerable or more likely to have worse symptoms.

MOO

 

[Sundog]

Have you had covid in the past?

From my reading, covid can prime the immune system to react differently (over-reactions more than underreactions IIRC) to future infections of other diseases, or to flare up and cause problems even in the absence of any active infection.

ETA: Except in the case of colds, where there are so many variants and we know you can only get each variant once, thus the more you've had the fewer there are left for you to catch, I don't personally believe that avoiding illness (whether via isolation, masking etc) makes one more vulnerable or more likely to have worse symptoms.

MOO

I haven't had covid, at least that I'm aware of.

With regard to greater susceptibility due to years of isolation, we do know that medical experts attribute the increase in RSV in children this past year to their not being exposed to the usual illnesses. So maybe that's an issue for older adults as well.

 

[anneg]

I wonder if RSV is still circulating and its impact in regions of the country. I was seriously ill in late April, early May and tested positive for strep throat but presumptively negative for both flu and covid. They didn't test for RSV. It was two - three weeks before I was able to return to some normalcy, although about a month more before I had anywhere near earlier energy. I don't think I had only strep throat, unless something was going on with my immune system that overreacted and then my body had to deal with that. It was very strange, I have never been that ill and they say that a strep throat bacterial infection is usually cleared up with antibiotics within a few days. Maybe it's due to the fact that the isolation over the last few years due to covid (masking, avoiding venues with lots of people, etc.) has had an effect on how bodies respond to these kinds of illnesses and there is more vulnerability. In any event, I am back to normal now, although it took quite a while.

DH got sick in late April with a cold-like virus. When his fever went up to 102, I took him to Urgent Care and they tested him for Covid, flu, RSV, and strep--all negative. I got it but didn't bother to test for Covid since he apparently didn't have it. There are plenty of rhinoviruses and other viruses that cause similar symptoms, so who knows what it was. It dragged on for at least a couple of weeks.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

I haven't had covid, at least that I'm aware of.

With regard to greater susceptibility due to years of isolation, we do know that medical experts attribute the increase in RSV in children this past year to their not being exposed to the usual illnesses. So maybe that's an issue for older adults as well.

I've read that about lack of exposure increasing risk later, but I'm skeptical that it's correct, and I've seen some articles that appear to debunk that line of thought.

MOO though.

DH got sick in late April with a cold-like virus. When his fever went up to 102, I took him to Urgent Care and they tested him for Covid, flu, RSV, and strep--all negative. I got it but didn't bother to test for Covid since he apparently didn't have it. There are plenty of rhinoviruses and other viruses that cause similar symptoms, so who knows what it was. It dragged on for at least a couple of weeks.

One thing I've read is that sometimes, and more often with the more recent variants, a person can get negative covid tests if they test too soon, that apparently it often takes around five days of infection before a test will show positive. I guess a person has to build up a sufficient viral load to register on the test, or something along those lines.

MOO on this too.

 

[anneg]

I've read that about lack of exposure increasing risk later, but I'm skeptical that it's correct, and I've seen some articles that appear to debunk that line of thought.

MOO though.


One thing I've read is that sometimes, and more often with the more recent variants, a person can get negative covid tests if they test too soon, that apparently it often takes around five days of infection before a test will show positive. I guess a person has to build up a sufficient viral load to register on the test, or something along those lines.

MOO on this too.

Yes, I think that's correct about testing too soon when there isn't enough virus to test positive. It seems that being up to date on vaccination can affect the virus buildup (this is not a scientific comment!). DH got sick early in the week and was tested on Friday night at the Urgent Care facility using a PCR test. The doctor was pretty sure what he had wasn't Covid.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tests positive for COVID. Vice President Harris has tested negative

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff has tested positive for COVID-19 after experiencing mild symptoms, his office announced Sunday, but his wife, Vice President Kamala Harris, has tested negative and remains asymptomatic.

www.clickondetroit.com

 

[weepingangel]

Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tests positive for COVID. Vice President Harris has tested negative

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff has tested positive for COVID-19 after experiencing mild symptoms, his office announced Sunday, but his wife, Vice President Kamala Harris, has tested negative and remains asymptomatic.

www.clickondetroit.com

It’s sort of frustrating given POTUS’s age (which is a risk factor) there isn’t more masking by potus annd those around him- particularly during times of Covid surges. But whatever I guess since the “Pandemic is over” *eyeroll* Same could be said about the Royal family with two of their members diagnosed with cancer (again risk factor)

 

[slowpoke]

I wonder if RSV is still circulating and its impact in regions of the country. I was seriously ill in late April, early May and tested positive for strep throat but presumptively negative for both flu and covid. They didn't test for RSV. It was two - three weeks before I was able to return to some normalcy, although about a month more before I had anywhere near earlier energy. I don't think I had only strep throat, unless something was going on with my immune system that overreacted and then my body had to deal with that. It was very strange, I have never been that ill and they say that a strep throat bacterial infection is usually cleared up with antibiotics within a few days. Maybe it's due to the fact that the isolation over the last few years due to covid (masking, avoiding venues with lots of people, etc.) has had an effect on how bodies respond to these kinds of illnesses and there is more vulnerability. In any event, I am back to normal now, although it took quite a while.

I, too, had a doozy of an illness, and it lasted for around a month and a half

maybe even a little more than that. It started out feeling like a cold, but the cough was awful. I caught this from my husband, and he tested himself two times at different points in the long illness for Covid—negative. He was sick for about a month.

For me, after a month of it, I started feeling like I was turning the corner, but then I developed a sore throat (husband did not)! After suffering for a week with the sore throat, I had a teleheath appt whereupon an antibiotic was prescribed. After the sore throat finally dissipated, it still took time for me to feel better as the cough took its time to leave me alone.

I don’t know what dh and I had, but I was surprised how long of an illness it was. My case was worse than my dh due to the secondary infection of the sore throat that came on. I wasn’t tested for strep, they just went ahead and prescribed the antibiotic to start taking. After 3 days, my throat started improving.

 

[Sundog]

I, too, had a doozy of an illness, and it lasted for around a month and a half

maybe even a little more than that. It started out feeling like a cold, but the cough was awful. I caught this from my husband, and he tested himself two times at different points in the long illness for Covid—negative. He was sick for about a month.

For me, after a month of it, I started feeling like I was turning the corner, but then I developed a sore throat (husband did not)! After suffering for a week with the sore throat, I had a teleheath appt whereupon an antibiotic was prescribed. After the sore throat finally dissipated, it still took time for me to feel better as the cough took its time to leave me alone.

I don’t know what dh and I had, but I was surprised how long of an illness it was. My case was worse than my dh due to the secondary infection of the sore throat that came on. I wasn’t tested for strep, they just went ahead and prescribed the antibiotic to start taking. After 3 days, my throat started improving.

Sorry to hear you were so sick, there must be lots of stuff going around. I had to take antibiotics for 10 days for the strep throat, and it took that long to clear up the throat issue. I also had a bad cough that lingered for another month or more. I took a Covid test on days 2, 3, and 4 and they were all negative. I went to Urgent Care on day 5 and tested negative for covid and negative for flu. Positive for strep throat. I wish I had gone to Urgent Care sooner, and also wish they had tested me for RSV so I would know what else I had beside strep throat. Maybe that's all I had, and my immune system was on overdrive and that is what made it worse than a regular course of strep throat.

 

[killarney rose]

This illness you speak of seems to be making the rounds where I live. DH and I are going into week 3 of it and finally seem to be recovering. The cough has been awful but it’s finally getting better too. It just seems to be a virus you just have to wear off. My son’s MIL has had it for a week longer than us. She’s still coughing too. She got a shot, a Zpack and antibiotics. None helped her. My daughter is about a week behind us and very frustrated that she can’t shake it.