Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #40

[margarita25]

“FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's health system could face strains similar to those in Italy if the coronavirus outbreak in the country worsens, the head of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the federal agency responsible for disease control, told a newspaper.

Lothar Wieler's comments came as RKI data on Sunday showed the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany had risen to 52,547 and 389 people had died of the disease there.

"We cannot rule out that we will have more patients than ventilators in this country ... Of course, we must expect that the capacities will not be sufficient," Wieler told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.”

German health institute warns pandemic could overstretch system -paper

 

[CoverMeCagney]

German state finance minister Thomas Schäfer found dead | DW | 29.03.2020

“Police suspect Thomas Schäfer died by suicide after his body was found on train tracks near Wiesbaden. He was the finance minister for the state of Hesse, where Germany's financial center Frankfurt lies.”

[...]

“Bouffier also said that Schäfer had been living under considerable worry and stress because of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

"His main concern was whether he could manage to fulfill the huge expectations of the population, especially in terms of financial aid," Bouffier said on Sunday. "For him, there was clearly no way out. He was disappointed and so he had to leave us. That has shocked us, has shocked me."”

Oh my word, that's really sad news. I feel quite sure that Germany will be as efficient as ever at getting the country back on its feet.

 

[CocoChanel]

HOUSTON - First hospital to try corona blood transfusion therapy.

Houston Methodist first in the nation to try coronavirus blood transfusion therapy

 

[oceanblueeyes]

‘Explosive spread’ of coronavirus in Georgia likely to worsen

Officials confirm 10 deaths in seven hours after Kemp aide decries ‘doomsday’ projections.

“The media and some in the medical profession are peddling these doomsday models and projections,” Kemp’s top aide, Tim Fleming, wrote Saturday. “This has in turn resulted in people panicking and local governments across our state overreacting. As a result of their overreach, many small businesses will struggle and some will not reopen.”

Fleming’s remarks appear to conflict with the position of the state’s own public health officials, who say the outbreak is likely to worsen without aggressive social distancing measures.

Morning all!

It terrifies almost all of us who live in the Albany, Dougherty, Lee county areas since it's the hotspot for the entire state of Georgia.

The ones who refuses to stay home will be the ones who continue to spread it with many being spring breakers who flooded the beaches, and now have returned to their families.

One of our grandsons is a RN at Phoebe. He told us yesterday they had a 48 year old man with no underlying conditions who was diagnosed with the virus. They were able to stabilize him. Then yesterday morning he all of a sudden took a turn for the worse, and passed away.

Phoebe is thinking about making temporary hospital rooms in the parking garage areas since they are filled with patients who have the virus. Many are being life flighted out to other areas.

One of our granddaughters is also a cardiologist PA at Phoebe, and all department healthcare workers are having to pitch in trying to take care of the major influx of patients.

One of our best friends lost one of his workers who died from the virus last week.

We have been self isolating the past couple of weeks or more getting out only when it's absolutely necessary, but constantly worrying if we will be among those who may have it.

My hubby went, and bought groceries this morning, and to be extra safe we wiped each item down before putting them away.

Please be safe everyone. We are all in this together. It's going to take every one of us to survive this pandemic. Not just 85% doing everything they can to protect themselves, and all others but 100%.

It's the 15%, etc., I worry about the most. Those who refuse to stay at home as much as possible. 15% of 330 million people is a huge amount of people that will keep the virus spreading.

Jmho

 

[Trudie]

Michigan coronavirus (COVID-19) cases total 4,658; Death toll rises to 111

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Good morning from West Texas, I hope you UK folks and nightowls are all safe and happy. Did yall leave me some nice hot coffee ?..........Thank you and please turn on the TV...........We are still out of do-nuts, I see. Oh well..............moo

wow..you are a nightowl. !!

CHINA

(Reuters) - The rising number of imported coronavirus cases in China have raised the possibility that the country will undergo a second wave of infections, a spokesman of the country's health authority said on Sunday.

"China already has an accumulated total of 693 cases entering from overseas, which means the possibility of a new round of infections remains relatively big," said Mi Feng of the National Health Commission.

China reported 45 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday, all but one of which were patients diagnosed after entering the country from overseas.

China says imported virus cases raise risk of new infection wave

Good morning Henry, thank you sooo much for your international coverage!

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Good morning from West Texas, I hope you UK folks and nightowls are all safe and happy. Did yall leave me some nice hot coffee ?..........Thank you and please turn on the TV...........We are still out of do-nuts, I see. Oh well..............moo

Good morning from West Yorkshire, Cody! I've made you a nice cup of Yorkshire tea and a Full English, enjoy

Our clocks went forward last night so it's now nearly 3pm, I thought I had put them forward to July but sadly it doesn't seem to have worked.

 

[Henry2326]

NEXTSTRAIN

Senegalese seqs (thx to Institut Pasteur de Dakar) largely join with European samples. 10 seqs form 2 tight clusters of 4 & 6 seqs, while 2 fall separately in the tree.
1 of these is attached to a diverse cluster dominated by Spanish & Chilean sequences.
Nextstrain on Twitter

New seqs from France, Senegal & Algeria spread among primarily European samples.
The two Algerian samples cluster among French seqs, but are distinct from each other & the French seqs nearby
(thanks to @institutpasteur @Pasteur_Algerie Institut Pasteur de Dakar)
3/4 Nextstrain on Twitter

2/4 Nextstrain on Twitter

Nextstrain on Twitter

 

[MimosaMornings]

Stranded Holland America cruise ship where 4 died amid coronavirus outbreak granted Panama Canal passage — Fox News

So I guess it’s heading to FLL.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Morning all!

It terrifies almost all of us who live in the Albany, Dougherty, Lee county areas since it's the hotspot for the entire state of Georgia.

The ones who refuses to stay home will be the ones who continue to spread it with many being spring breakers who flooded the beaches, and now have returned to their families.

One of our grandsons is a RN at Phoebe. He told us yesterday they had a 48 year old man with no underlying conditions who was diagnosed with the virus. They were able to stabilize him. Then yesterday morning he all of a sudden took a turn for the worse, and passed away.

Phoebe is thinking about making temporary hospital rooms in the parking garage areas since they are filled with patients who have the virus. Many are being life flighted out to other areas.

One of our granddaughters is also a cardiologist PA at Phoebe, and all department healthcare workers are having to pitch in trying to take care of the major influx of patients.

One of our best friends lost one of his workers who died from the virus last week.

We have been self isolating the past couple of weeks or more getting out only when it's absolutely necessary, but constantly worrying if we will be among those who may have it.

My hubby went, and bought groceries this morning, and to be extra safe we wiped each item down before putting them away.

Please be safe everyone. We are all in this together. It's going to take every one of us to survive this pandemic. Not just 85% doing everything they can to protect themselves, and all others but 100%.

It's the 15%, etc., I worry about the most. Those who refuse to stay at home as much as possible. 15% of 330 million people is a huge amount of people that will keep the virus spreading.

Jmho

I am south of the border from you......... so far we are pretty lucky, only 7 cases as of this morning in our FL county... but I am so nervous about what we still don't know. I guess that is fear of fear itself... so be it.

 

[zecats]

I want to be sure to keep the positive stories coming too.

Metro Detroit group helps local restaurants by buying food for hospital workers

“DETROIT – An estimated 400 meals were donated to heath care workers Saturday at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital.”

Even the children have big hearts during this stay-at-home.

MEDFORD LAKES, N.J. -- Nora H is a young girl of many talents. The 6-year-old is somewhat of an entrepreneur, making jewelry to sell to neighbors. That's how she funded her latest big idea in the face of COVID-19.

When she found out the annual community Easter Egg hunt may be canceled, she started to share her other talent with the community: painting rocks.


It's a hobby she has loved for "years and years and years," she said, which is roughly half of her life so far.

On her Facebook page, Nora's Rocks, she announced that she would organize a "rock hunt" around town and invited everyone to participate.

6-year-old creates social distance substitute for Easter egg hunt

 

[gregjrichards]

Pennsylvania woman, 35, who coughed on $35K of groceries is arrested and charged with making terror threat

Woman who coughed on $35K of groceries arrested and charged with making terror threat | Daily Mail Online

Good.

 

[SouthAussie]

HOUSTON - First hospital to try corona blood transfusion therapy.

Houston Methodist first in the nation to try coronavirus blood transfusion therapy

I was just reading about this. They are going to use plasma collected from patients who have recovered from the virus, give it to patients with the virus, and hope that the antibodies in the plasma will help the patient to recover (and have some form of immunity).

Several countries are trying it. USA, UK and China .........

Coronavirus survivors’ blood plasma could be used to fight infection

 

[margarita25]

Patients wait for coronavirus testing outside Elmhurst Hospital Center in New York on Friday.

“More than two thirds of the US population face restrictions
As of Saturday, at least 215 million Americans were under various stay at home or shelter in place orders, according to a CNN count based on census data. By Monday, that number will reach 225 million, meaning more than two thirds of the country's population will be facing those restrictions.”

US coronavirus deaths double to over 2,000 people - CNN

 

[cody22]

Good morning from West Yorkshire, Cody! I've made you a nice cup of Yorkshire tea and a Full English, enjoy

View attachment 240822

Our clocks went forward last night so it's now nearly 3pm, I thought I had put them forward to July but sadly it doesn't seem to have worked.

Thank you !.......moo

 

[MimosaMornings]

Armed vigilantes in Maine chop down tree, block driveway to force neighbor to self-quarantine amid coronavirus pandemic — Fox News

 

[JerseyGirl]

Stranded Holland America cruise ship where 4 died amid coronavirus outbreak granted Panama Canal passage — Fox News

So I guess it’s heading to FLL.

Has the governor of Florida addressed this or explain how he is planning on handling over 1,000 of the affected, infected, sick and deceased? Did he or the federal government explain why they are accepting this South American cruise ship?

 

[cass523]

Updated 9:40 a.m. ET March 29, 2020

President Donald Trump on Saturday night pulled back on a suggestion he made hours earlier that he might order a two-week quarantine for New Jersey, New York and parts of Connecticut besieged by the coronavirus.

The decision comes after state officials and some scholars said Trump lacked the authority to impose any such quarantine on entire states regardless of the pandemic.

Instead, Trump said in a tweet that the Centers for Disease Control would issue a "strong travel advisory" but offered no details.

A quarantine will not be necessary," Trump wrote. "Full details will be released by CDC tonight."

A statement on the CDC website late Saturday night recommended that residents of the three states refrain from travel for 14 days.

"The CDC urges residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to refrain from non-essential domestic travel for 14 days effective immediately. This Domestic Travel Advisory does not apply to employees of critical infrastructure industries, including but not limited to trucking, public health professionals, financial services, and food supply."

CDC on Twitter

Trump pulls back coronavirus quarantine idea for New Jersey, New York, Connecticut

 

[JerseyGirl]

Updated 9:40 a.m. ET March 29, 2020

President Donald Trump on Saturday night pulled back on a suggestion he made hours earlier that he might order a two-week quarantine for New Jersey, New York and parts of Connecticut besieged by the coronavirus.

The decision comes after state officials and some scholars said Trump lacked the authority to impose any such quarantine on entire states regardless of the pandemic.

Instead, Trump said in a tweet that the Centers for Disease Control would issue a "strong travel advisory" but offered no details.

A quarantine will not be necessary," Trump wrote. "Full details will be released by CDC tonight."

A statement on the CDC website late Saturday night recommended that residents of the three states refrain from travel for 14 days.

"The CDC urges residents of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to refrain from non-essential domestic travel for 14 days effective immediately. This Domestic Travel Advisory does not apply to employees of critical infrastructure industries, including but not limited to trucking, public health professionals, financial services, and food supply."

CDC on Twitter

Trump pulls back coronavirus quarantine idea for New Jersey, New York, Connecticut

It's a non-issue. We have been on non-essential domestic travel restrictions for a week now.

 

[jjenny]

Armed vigilantes in Maine chop down tree, block driveway to force neighbor to self-quarantine amid coronavirus pandemic — Fox News

The man has been living there for 30 days after coming from out of state. Incubation period is up to 14 days, so if he presumably is as covid free as the rest of the population in Maine.