Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #63

[astheworldfallsdown]

Coronavirus: Global COVID-19 deaths pass half a million as North and South America struggle to overcome first wave

Global deaths from coronavirus have surpassed 500,000, as some countries continue to grapple with the first wave.

More than 10 million global COVID-19 cases have been reported, according to the latest official figures, with the respiratory infection being particularly dangerous for the elderly.

While the overall death rate has flattened in recent weeks, health experts have expressed concerns about record numbers of new cases in countries including the US, India and Brazil, as well as new outbreaks in parts of Asia.

The virus is still circulating widely in Europe, with new clusters of cases in Leicester, which could be the first UK city to go into a local lockdown, as well as a Swiss nightclub in Zurich.

China has reported a further decline in new confirmed cases, with a total of just 12, and no new deaths as of Monday, leaving the total at 4,634.

But regions around Beijing have remained on high alert, with the nearby county of Anxin, which has a population of around 400,000, announcing on Saturday it was going into lockdown to avoid a second wave of the virus.

Around one-quarter of all deaths so far have been in the US and a recent surge in cases have been reported in a handful of southern and western states that reopened earlier and more aggressively.

 

[tresir2012]

Texas virus cases take 'swift and dangerous turn'

Texas news hits the bbc here today

Normally I find the BBC articles accurate but I am going to check this bit at the bottom about 5,000 hospitalizations per day. First he mentions daily cases of 5,000 then later, the 5,000 hospitalizations which cannot be correct unless he is talking nationally regarding the hospitalizations.

"Over just the past few weeks, the daily number of cases have gone from an average of about 2,000, to more than 5,000," Mr Abbott said on Sunday.

Several southern and western states have recorded a surge in cases after lockdown restrictions were eased.

The number of reported infections in the US has now surpassed 2.5 million.

Over 125,000 Covid-19 patients are confirmed to have died nationwide - more than in any other country.

• Is the pandemic getting worse in the US?
• The people battling America's outbreak
• Where are global cases rising and falling?

The virus has now been linked to more than 500,000 deaths worldwide, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University in the US.

What's the latest on the surge in US cases?
The spike has led officials in Texas, Florida and other states to tighten restrictions on business again, with warnings that hospitals may soon be overwhelmed.

Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionBlack Lives Matter protesters (right) confronted demonstrators protesting against rules on masks.

On Sunday, Mr Abbott said that as many as 5,000 people a day were being admitted to hospital for treatment.

ETA that bit above is definitely incorrect. Unless he is talking nationally. From a link posted upthread -

"Thursday marked the seventh consecutive day that Texas reported a record number of hospitalized coronavirus patients, with 2,947 people currently in hospitals being treated for COVID-19, according to data released Thursday by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The latest seven-day average for the number of people hospitalized is 2,468. Since the beginning of June, hospitalizations have increased almost every day. There's almost twice as many people hospitalized because of the coronavirus than there was on Memorial Day."

Texas coronavirus hospitalizations hit record highs for a full week

 

[tresir2012]

Coronavirus: Leicester to be told it must stay in current lockdown for extra two weeks after spike in COVID-19cases

Government officials have recommended the current lockdown measures remain in force in the city of Leicester for an extra two weeks as restrictions are eased across the rest of England from this Saturday.

Leicester's mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said he received a report by email just after 1am on Monday detailing the suggestions which he said were unjustified and had been "hastily cobbled together".

He said it had left him "angry and frustrated", adding that a meeting due to take place this morning between him, the council's director of public health Ivan Browne and Whitehall officials to discuss a local surge in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, had been cancelled.

"What they are recommending is that they extend for two weeks the present level of restrictions when the rest of the country has them lifted on 4 July," he told LBC Radio.

Hold tight Leicester. You will get there.

ETA they are discussing this on the Radio 2 Jeremy Vine show. They just called it "Whack-a-mole".
????

Ok whack-a-mole is official government coronavirus policy.

Johnson: We are concerned about Leicester

The prime minister has said “local lockdowns and local whack-a-mole strategies” will be used to deal with coronavirus outbreaks.

He was asked about talk of a lockdown after rising cases of the virus in a Leicester suburb.

Mr Johnson said: "We are not out of the woods yet”

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Hairdressers and crèches reopen here, and Johnson says pandemic was 'disaster' for UK: Today's Covid-19 main points

PHASE THREE OF the easing of restrictions starts in Ireland today, with many businesses reopening.

Meanwhile, health officials have confirmed one further death and three new cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.

It brings the total number of confirmed cases here to 25,439 while the death toll is now 1,735.

Internationally, the total number of Covid-19 cases has surpassed 10 million and the number of deaths from the virus is over 500,000.

Here are today’s Covid-19 main points:

• Phase Three kicks in today, here’s what’s allowed as Ireland enters the next stage of easing lockdown restrictions.
• One further death and three new cases of Covid-19 have been confirmed in Ireland, according to the latest figures.

• Crèches are reopening today and childcare facilities have to change the way they operate.
• Hairdressers and barbers will reopen today – some clients were queueing up after midnight- but customers should expect some changes.
• Non-essential travel abroad should be avoided to help prevent another surge of Covid-19 in Ireland, Professor Philip Nolan has warned.
• The use of face coverings on public transport is being made mandatory, but enforcement will not begin for a number of weeks with fines expected for non-compliance.
• Businesses that rely heavily on international tourists are still facing a very uncertain future, despite the easing of restrictions.
• Overseas travel to and from Ireland fell by 98% in May 2020, compared to May 2019, new figures from the CSO show.
• If you’re reopening your business today, here is the legal advice you need to know.
  
  
• Friday, 12 June, was the second busiest day for shopping (after Friday, 29 May) and the busiest for clothes retailers as stores reopened after lockdown, according to new figures from AIB.

 

[ilovewings]

Why are you assuming that getting the virus under control is impossible? They’ve done it in other nations. And have successfully reopened, with some modifications and safety precautions.

Again, if everyone had played their part, we could’ve succeeded in flattening the curve and then be able to target any outbreaks and isolate those.

But people screaming about masks and testing and tracing have made that difficult.

Great Post Gitana!!! other countries have gotten this virus under control because the people adhered to the guidelines- in this country we believe we are entitled - i mean how dare they close the bars or how dare they tell me i have to or should wear a mask or social distance- i am going to do what i damn well please- and this is what they did and now we are paying a price. It is clear that any gathering, be it church, a rally, a party, any where where lots of people gather and do not wear masks or adhere to social distancing, the virus will be transmitted to some of those people who will spread it. the virus does not care what the venue is-- any venue with lots of people breathing on each other, laughing, shouting, etc. will spread the virus. it is a given. you don't have to be a rocket scientist to get the message. As far as the protesters, which occurred outdoors, I don't know how much spread of the virus that caused. I initially thought it would result in great spread- i know some protesters did contract the virus but i don't know about how much spread occurred as a result. This was an outdoor event and lots of people wore masks. I still don't in any way condone the protests with the back drop of a pandemic.

 

[ilovewings]

Florida doctor John Little explains how the definition of a COVID-19 case differs from the typical way medical cases are defined, rendering the number of COVID-19 cases a useless statistic.

“During my career in family medicine, including several years as an Army physician, I have cared for patients with chickenpox, shingles, Lyme disease as well as measles, tuberculosis, malaria, and AIDS. The “case definition” established for all of these diseases by the CDC requires the presence of signs and symptoms of that disease. In other words, each case involved a SICK patient. Laboratory studies may be performed to “confirm” a diagnosis, but are not sufficient in the absence of clinical symptoms.

Having now been privileged to care for sick patients with COVID-19, both in and out of the hospital setting, I am happy to see the number of these sick patients dwindle almost to zero in my community – while the “case numbers” for COVID-19 continue to go up. Why is that?

In marked contrast to measles, shingles, and other infectious disease, “cases” of COVID-19 do NOT require the presence of ANY symptoms whatsoever. Health departments are encouraging everyone and anyone to come in for testing, and each positive test is reported as yet another “new” case of COVID-19!

. . .

Now perhaps you see why the increasing number of cases, and even deaths, due to COVID-19 is fraught with misinterpretation and is NOT in any way a measure of the ACTUAL morbidity and mortality FROM COVID-19. My patients who insist upon wearing masks, gloves and social distancing are citing these misleading statistics as justification for their decisions (and, of course, that they are following the “CDC guidelines”). I simply advise them, “COVID-19 is NOT in the atmosphere around us; it resides in the respiratory tracts of infected individuals and can only be transmitted to others by sick, infected persons after prolonged contact with others”.”

Much more here:
Letter to the Editor: Why Increasing Number of Cases of COVID-19 is NOT Bad News

I have a question- is the virus present in the atmosphere or is it only in the respiratory tracts of people and in this way transmits it to another person after prolonged contact, as this doctor suggests.

 

[ilovewings]

Could you link those stats please?

Common sense will tell anybody that where ever there is a gathering of lots of people the chances of contracting and spreading the virus increases. the virus does not care if it is a bar, a church, a party, a restaurant, a rally: this is especially true with people close together with no masks. You don't need stats to understand this. It is common sense.

 

[jjenny]

I have a question- is the virus present in the atmosphere or is it only in the respiratory tracts of people and in this way transmits it to another person after prolonged contact, as this doctor suggests.

Covid is airborne. In other words, it can stay floating in the air.

"In a study published by the City and Environment Interaction journal, scientists from Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), together with partners from Australia’s Queensland University and Technology, argue that the lack of adequate ventilation in many indoor environments – from the workplace to the home – increases the risk of airborne transmission of COVID-19."

Experts explore COVID-19 airborne transmission

 

[ilovewings]

EEK! That’s gonna be a solid no from me, dawg.

that would be a no and if they persisted, i would have to slam the door in their faces.

 

[ilovewings]

Covid is airborne. In other words, it can stay floating in the air.

"In a study published by the City and Environment Interaction journal, scientists from Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE), together with partners from Australia’s Queensland University and Technology, argue that the lack of adequate ventilation in many indoor environments – from the workplace to the home – increases the risk of airborne transmission of COVID-19."

Experts explore COVID-19 airborne transmission

That is what i thought

 

[jjenny]

that would be a no and if they persisted, i would have to slam the door in their faces.

I wouldn't open it to begin with.

 

[ilovewings]

I wouldn't open it to begin with.

i wouldn't either but my husband opens the door to anybody who knocks on it: i keep telling him we are going to get killed one day by burglars!!!

 

[tresir2012]

Common sense will tell anybody that where ever there is a gathering of lots of people the chances of contracting and spreading the virus increases. the virus does not care if it is a bar, a church, a party, a restaurant, a rally: this is especially true with people close together with no masks. You don't need stats to understand this. It is common sense.

Well @Trino stated a fact so I asked for a link, as we are entitled to do. I don't need the link but TOS does and allows me to ask for it.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Eric Feigl-Ding [URL='https://twitter.com/DrEricDing']@DrEricDing [/URL]
59m
Whoa- China has skipped Phase 3 trials and now APPROVED a COVID vaccine directly for use by its military. Same vaccine being tested in Canada. But China just skipped ahead and approved it for 1 year for its soldiers without full long term data. #covid19

CanSino's COVID-19 vaccine candidate approved for military use in China

 

[ilovewings]

How coronavirus spread from East Lansing bar to the Grosse Pointes

How the virus spread from a bar in East Lansing to Grosse Pointe

 

[jjenny]

Eric Feigl-Ding @DrEricDing
59m
Whoa- China has skipped Phase 3 trials and now APPROVED a COVID vaccine directly for use by its military. Same vaccine being tested in Canada. But China just skipped ahead and approved it for 1 year for its soldiers without full long term data. #covid19

CanSino's COVID-19 vaccine candidate approved for military use in China

I guess those soldiers are being used as test subjects instead of recruiting people for phase 3 trial. The vaccine is old school (old technology), the question is-how effective is it?

 

[ilovewings]

Well @Trino stated a fact so I asked for a link, as we are entitled to do. I don't need the link but TOS does and allows me to ask for it.

I am sorry if i came across in a rude manner- I didn't mean to do that.

 

[CharlestonGal]

Europeans' trust in US as world leader collapses during pandemic

The coronavirus crisis has caused a dramatic deterioration in the European public perception of the US, extensive new polling reveals.

More than 60% of respondents in Germany, France, Spain, Denmark and Portugal said they had lost trust in the United States as a global leader.

A report based on the survey’s findings argues that the shock of the pandemic has “traumatised” European citizens, leaving them feeling “alone and vulnerable”.

In almost every country surveyed, a majority of people said their perception of the US had deteriorated since the outbreak. Negative attitudes of the US were most marked in Denmark (71%) Portugal (70%), France (68%), Germany (65%) and Spain (64%). In France, 46% and in Germany 42% said their view of the US had worsened “a lot” during the pandemic.

 

[jjenny]

Fauci didn't seem very optimistic we can get a highly efficient vaccine. This guy has a lot of experience with infectious diseases. But can we even get to 70-75% effective vaccine? With flu vaccine, in recent years vaccine was hovering below 50%. Add to that, a lot of people in US apparently are going to refuse to be vaccinated. So doesn't look like covid is going anywhere any time soon.
"The best we've ever done is measles, which is 97 to 98 percent effective," said Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "That would be wonderful if we get there. I don't think we will. I would settle for [a] 70, 75% effective vaccine."
Covid-19 vaccine might not get us the herd immunity if too many people refuse to get it, Fauci says - CNN

 

[astheworldfallsdown]

Coronavirus: Scotland records no deaths for fourth day running

Scotland has recorded no new deaths from coronavirus for the fourth day running, Nicola Sturgeon has said.

During a Scottish Government briefing, Ms Sturgeon announced the total number of people who have died after contracting the virus remains at 2,482.

She added five more people tested positive for the virus since Sunday, taking the total to 18,241.

A total of 740 patients were in Scottish hospitals with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, down 38 in 24 hours.

Of these, 10 were intensive care, which is a fall of three.

Speaking about the figures, she said: "In the past 24 hours, I'm pleased to report no deaths were registered from a patient confirmed through a test of having COVID-19.

"The total number of deaths in Scotland under that measurement therefore remains at 2,482. This is the fourth day in a row where no deaths of patients confirmed through a test have been recorded in Scotland.