Coronavirus COVID-19 *Global Health Emergency* #9

[Strangeworld]

RACGP - How does the Wuhan coronavirus cause severe illness?

How does the Wuhan coronavirus cause severe illness?
There are four key ways the virus can cause severe disease, some of which can occur at the same time.

Of the first 99 people with severe infection, three-quarters had pneumonia involving both lungs. Around 14% appeared to have lung damage caused by the immune system, while 11% suffered from multi-organ system failure, or sepsis.

Others are at risk of complications from being treated in hospitals, such as acquiring other infections.

At this stage, we know some people develop only a mild infection, while others become critically ill, but the exact proportion of each is not yet clear.

Overall, there are four key ways the Wuhan coronavirus can cause severe disease – and some can occur at the same time.

....
Direct viral damage
For the SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) coronavirus, direct viral damage was probably the most common way the infection caused disease. This is likely the case with the Wuhan coronavirus.

Pneumonia
While we are still piecing together the relationship between the Wuhan coronavirus and pneumonia, there is much we can learn from influenza.

Influenza is a virus but it commonly leads to bacterial pneumonia – a secondary infection.

Sepsis
Sepsis is a serious condition that can be caused by many infections.

When we get an infection, we need to mount an immune response to fight off the pathogen. But an excessive immune response can cause damage and organ failure. This is what happens in the case of sepsis.

Although it can be difficult to determine whether organ damage from the Wuhan coronavirus is a result of direct viral infection or indirect ‘collateral damage’ from the immune system, initial reports suggested around 11% of people severely ill with the Wuhan coronavirus experienced sepsis with multi-organ failure.

So far, no drugs or interventions have been able to dampen this immune response. Although several treatments have been proposed for Wuhan coronavirus, none has yet been shown to work.

Complications of hospital care
Patients who require hospital care may have complications. These include infections from intravenous lines or urinary catheters, pneumonia, or non-infectious complications such as falls or pressure sores.

Studies have found 10% of patients in hospital have some sort of healthcare-acquired infection, and around 5% have a pressure sore.

Author:
Allen Cheng
Professor in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, Monash University

 

[margarita25]

Answers to 10 big questions about new coronavirus
Feb. 29, 2020

—-

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Widespread sustained (ongoing) transmission and restrictions on entry to the United States
CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to the following destinations. Entry of foreign nationals from these destinations has been suspended.

• China (Level 3 Travel Health Notice)
• Iran (Level 3 Travel Health Notice)

Widespread sustained (ongoing) transmission
CDC recommends that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to the following destinations:

• South Korea (Level 3 Travel Health Notice)
• Italy (Level 3 Travel Health Notice)

Sustained (ongoing) community transmission
CDC recommends that older adults or those who have chronic medical conditions consider postponing travel to the following destinations:

• Japan (Level 2 Travel Health Notice)

Limited community transmission
Travelers should practice usual precautions at the following destination:

• Hong Kong (Level 1 Travel Health Notice)

———

Re: Japan specifically:

Coronavirus in Japan - Alert - Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions - Travel Health Notices | Travelers' Health | CDC

• Japan is experiencing sustained community transmission of respiratory illness (COVID-19) caused by the novel coronavirus.
• The virus can spread from person to person.
• Older adults and those with chronic medical conditions should consider postponing nonessential travel.
• Travelers should avoid contact with sick people and clean their hands often by washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60%–95% alcohol.

 

[otto]

This doesn't look good

 

[margarita25]

• COVID-19 latest: Italian cases spike to 1,128, authorities say
  COVID-19 updates:The family of jailed British woman
  Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe...

  
  I need to educate myself on this woman. Why is she jailed, etc. Noting for new rabbit hole.

This doesn't look good

View attachment 235394

Yeah I was just noticing above from
@dotr ‘s link I just snipped above that France sure has taken a jump.

ETA:
“France confirms 100 cases of coronavirus in the country”

Source:
Coronavirus COVID-19 *Global Health Emergency* #9

ETA2:

And actually “seeing the visual” of Mexico, South America and Africa on the map now...(not to mention the other countries, their growth, etc.), but these were three big areas that I’ve/we’ve been monitoring/talking about since day 1 and to see it on the map now like that, wild...

Shudder.

ETA3:

That map speaks a thousand words. Wow just wow. Thanks for posting.

 

[MsMarple]

This doesn't look good

View attachment 235394

No it doesn't. We just had our first death here in Washington State in Kirkland. The man did have some health issues but it's believed he contracted the virus through "community transmission" meaning he hadn't traveled recently.

It's scary. My husband and I are at risk due to our ages. And also freaking me out is that my daughter lives and works in Osaka Japan where even more cases are popping up. She's also at risk as she has Hashimoto's Disease which is an autoimmune disease of her thyroid.

On top of everything else our stocks are tanking and as retired people we rely on them to supplement our monthly income.

I'm not looking for sympathy, just expressing concern about this virus and the impact it will ultimately have. A good friend is a supervisor at the county health department and she was telling me that the state is scrambling to prepare for a possible emergency. I won't share the details but it's looking a lot worse than I thought even a month ago.

Be careful everyone!

 

[MsMarple]

More info on the Washington State death:
Washington state health officials are investigating a possible outbreak of coronavirus at a long-term nursing facility in which two people tested positive for the disease.

More than 50 residents and staff from the Life Care Center in Kirkland are experiencing symptoms, and will be tested for coronavirus, said Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, health officer for Seattle and King County.
The news comes the same day the first US death from coronavirus was reported in Washington state, health officials said Saturday. The man in his 50s, who had underlying health conditions, was not a resident at the care facility.
The two positive tests associated with the nursing facility include a 40-year-old female health care worker who has no known travel outside the US and is in satisfactory condition at a local hospital, officials said. The second one, a woman in her 70s, is hospitalized in serious condition.
Coronavirus: Washington state investigates possible outbreak at nursing facility - CNN

 

[Pi Thoughts]

A Perth man has become the first Australian to die from the coronavirus.

The 78-year-old, who was being treated in the intensive care unit at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, died this morning, the WA Department of Health has confirmed.
His wife, who is also in her 70s, was also diagnosed with the respiratory illness known as COVID-19. She is in a stable condition at the hospital.

Both contracted the virus onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship. WA's chief health officer Andrew Robertson said the man was diagnosed about 10 days ago while in isolation at Howard Springs after being quarantined aboard the cruise ship and then flown out of Japan.
Perth man becomes first Australian to die from coronavirus

 

[margarita25]

No it doesn't. We just had our first death here in Washington State in Kirkland. The man did have some health issues but it's believed he contracted the virus through "community transmission" meaning he hadn't traveled recently.

It's scary. My husband and I are at risk due to our ages. And also freaking me out is that my daughter lives and works in Osaka Japan where even more cases are popping up. She's also at risk as she has Hashimoto's Disease which is an autoimmune disease of her thyroid.

On top of everything else our stocks are tanking and as retired people we rely on them to supplement our monthly income.

I'm not looking for sympathy, just expressing concern about this virus and the impact it will ultimately have. A good friend is a supervisor at the county health department and she was telling me that the state is scrambling to prepare for a possible emergency. I won't share the details but it's looking a lot worse than I thought even a month ago.

Be careful everyone!

Welcome to the discussion, MsMarple. Great see you as always.

You’re in good company here. We share your concerns. We’ve been monitoring this INTENSELY since day 1. These have been highly academic discussions. Please keep us updated on your daughter.

 

[Pi Thoughts]

Posts on Twitter record stockpiling by panicked locals in North Sydney, the Perth suburb of Claremont, Auckland, New York, San Francisco and Silicon Valley.

Essential foodstuffs like bread, flour and rice, as well as canned beans and tomatoes, pasta, pasta sauce and water have flown off the shelves as both the COVID-19 pandemic and fears about it spread.

A Sydney North Shore supermarket said rice, flour and toilet paper were the “first to go” and “we can’t keep up with” supplies of the goods.

In one New Zealand supermarket, every type of bread was stripped from the shelves except gluten free options.
Coronavirus panic buying frenzy hits supermarkets

 

[margarita25]

Rsbm
In one New Zealand supermarket, every type of bread was stripped from the shelves except gluten free options.
Coronavirus panic buying frenzy hits supermarkets

Ha! In Colorado, the gluten free would’ve been the first bread to go! (Along with the quinoa, kale, anything else free range, non-GMO, non dairy...)

(ETA: this reminds me of the bear that raided our cabin: he got up on the counters and raided every kitchen cabinet and ate everything including the raman noodles, but he left one gluten free protein bar Ahahahahaha)

 

[Lilibet]

No it doesn't. We just had our first death here in Washington State in Kirkland. The man did have some health issues but it's believed he contracted the virus through "community transmission" meaning he hadn't traveled recently.

It's scary. My husband and I are at risk due to our ages. And also freaking me out is that my daughter lives and works in Osaka Japan where even more cases are popping up. She's also at risk as she has Hashimoto's Disease which is an autoimmune disease of her thyroid.

On top of everything else our stocks are tanking and as retired people we rely on them to supplement our monthly income.

I'm not looking for sympathy, just expressing concern about this virus and the impact it will ultimately have. A good friend is a supervisor at the county health department and she was telling me that the state is scrambling to prepare for a possible emergency. I won't share the details but it's looking a lot worse than I thought even a month ago.

Be careful everyone!

You have my sympathy, even though you’re not looking for it. I think there are a lot of seniors on the thread (74 and 75 here). My husband hides his eyes and goes “Lalalala” when the stock market report comes on TV! And we have our community transmission case in Oregon, causing @Oregonmama and family to get tested and isolate at home! It’s crazy! I hope your daughter fares OK. All we can do is prepare personally as well as possible and hope for the best. Hang in there.

 

[gregjrichards]

Posts on Twitter record stockpiling by panicked locals in North Sydney, the Perth suburb of Claremont, Auckland, New York, San Francisco and Silicon Valley.

Essential foodstuffs like bread, flour and rice, as well as canned beans and tomatoes, pasta, pasta sauce and water have flown off the shelves as both the COVID-19 pandemic and fears about it spread.

A Sydney North Shore supermarket said rice, flour and toilet paper were the “first to go” and “we can’t keep up with” supplies of the goods.

In one New Zealand supermarket, every type of bread was stripped from the shelves except gluten free options.
Coronavirus panic buying frenzy hits supermarkets

I really worry about the elderly and low income families who are not able to afford to stockpile or afford inflated prices for food, fuel etc. We have food banks here in the U.K for people in need but they sometimes run out of supplies and need to make emergency requests for donations.

 

[MsMarple]

Welcome to the discussion, MsMarple. Great see you as always.

You’re in good company here. We share your concerns. We’ve been monitoring this INTENSELY since day 1. These have been highly academic discussions. Please keep us updated on your daughter.

Thanks, Margarita! (hugs).

It's funny, I remember my mom talking about the 1918 Influenza Outbreak where over a half of million people died. She was a toddler and had it and came near to death but survived. Other relatives on both sides of my family weren't as lucky.

Anyway, I tended to pooh pooh her stories because now days we have much better medical treatment but the corona virus almost throws us back to the old Spanish Flu days.

Luckily we have better ways to deal with the pneumonia which is so deadly with this virus but clearly it's still killing people.

 

[margarita25]

You have my sympathy, even though you’re not looking for it. I think there are a lot of seniors on the thread (74 and 75 here). My husband hides his eyes and goes “Lalalala” when the stock market report comes on TV! And we have our community transmission case in Oregon, causing @Oregonmama and family to get tested and isolate at home! It’s crazy! I hope your daughter fares OK. All we can do is prepare personally as well as possible and hope for the best. Hang in there.

Yes and @MJPeony has had community transmission in her area as well.

—-

But we’re not panicking - see video

(Yes, I know it’s the third time but since we have more members joining us...one more time pleeeeease LoL I just love it)

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ETA:

We also decided it’s a bad week to quit sniffing glue!

 

[Lilibet]

Ha! In Colorado, the gluten free would’ve been the first bread to go! (Along with the quinoa, kale, anything else free range, non-GMO, non dairy...)

(ETA: this reminds me of the bear that raided our cabin: he got up on the counters and raided every kitchen cabinet and ate everything including the raman noodles, but he left one gluten free protein bar Ahahahahaha)

Same exact products would be gone in my town. My DH and I call it “glutton free” bread...we don’t eat much of it.

 

[gregjrichards]

Ha! In Colorado, the gluten free would’ve been the first bread to go! (Along with the quinoa, kale, anything else free range, non-GMO, non dairy...)

(ETA: this reminds me of the bear that raided our cabin: he got up on the counters and raided every kitchen cabinet and ate everything including the raman noodles, but he left one gluten free protein bar Ahahahahaha)

That’s hilarious about the bear that robbed your cabin and left the gluten free protein bar @margarita25

 

[MsMarple]

You have my sympathy, even though you’re not looking for it. I think there are a lot of seniors on the thread (74 and 75 here). My husband hides his eyes and goes “Lalalala” when the stock market report comes on TV! And we have our community transmission case in Oregon, causing @Oregonmama and family to get tested and isolate at home! It’s crazy! I hope your daughter fares OK. All we can do is prepare personally as well as possible and hope for the best. Hang in there.

Thanks, @Lilibet! Hubby and I are in our 60's and honestly, it's been hard for me to think of myself as an "at risk aka elderly" person, lol! Where did the years go?

My husband is a cynical old bear and tonight for the first time expressed concern over this damn virus. That scared me more than anything else as he's always been my voice of reason.

My daughter is a clean freak and in Japan it's common for people to wear masks so I think she'll be okay. She's thinking of shutting down her company's office hours and going to remote work for now.

 

[LaborDayRN]

Riverside County...(near Los Angeles)
I wasn't aware of this

54 people in Riverside County self-quarantine as concerns over outbreak grow

I hadn't heard about this either! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Lilibet]

I really worry about the elderly and low income families who are not able to afford to stockpile or afford inflated prices for food, fuel etc. We have food banks here in the U.K for people in need but they sometimes run out of supplies and need to make emergency requests for donations.

Yes, that’s a huge concern. Our food banks run out too. I have some low income senior friends I can share with, but we all need to make Plans A, B and C with our friends. I also worry about the homeless who are attracted to our community. What if this starts to spread among them? At least my town is partnering with the county and other communities to plan for handling an outbreak here. But those of us who can need to gather what we need, without hoarding, so we won’t be a burden to the government.

 

[margarita25]

lol! That was 20 years so I don't recall but pretty sure I wore a mask. Hantavirus is nasty and folks have died from it. It merited bleach! And I'm sure a mask too...

oops that was reply to @margarita25

Speaking of hantavirus, considering the “fecal matter aspects” re: to CV, and that it’s a respiratory illness, this came up in early discussions. Re: Wuhan and other possible sources, I was thinking about poop in the groundwater, vegetable contaminations we see here, etc, but since then I’ve learned more about this live animal host business (unfortunately).