Coronavirus Global Health Emergency, 2019-nCoV #2

[Inthedetails]

If anyone has info on the newest case in USA - the one in Massachusetts - can you please post? I'm currently using a rickety, slow internet connection and can barely load a page without crashing, so I'm limited in what I can search online for right now. Much appreciated!

 

[MJPeony]

Male in his 20’s that had recently traveled to Wuhan. Sought treatment “soon after arrival” (whatever that means). Mild case and “being monitored” but not in hospital from what I’ve seen. The family he has been in contact with are also “being monitored for symptoms”.

That’s about all I’ve been able to find out


ETA: argh, sorry, I can’t get my post to work properly. Inthedetails this was in response to your post above.

 

[margarita25]

@Inthedetails / reposting from above:

Massachusetts man has coronavirus, state health officials say; US cases rise to 8

“Officials said the man sought medical treatment soon after he returned to the U.S., although it was not immediately clear when this was. The patient has been isolated since and anyone who came in contact with him is also being monitored for symptoms.

“We are grateful that this young man is recovering and sought medical attention immediately,’’ Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel said in a news release. "Massachusetts has been preparing for a possible case of this new coronavirus, and we were fortunate that astute clinicians took appropriate action quickly. Again, the risk to the public from the 2019 novel coronavirus remains low in Massachusetts.””

—-

Man in Boston tests positive for coronavirus; 8th confirmed case in the U.S.

BBM:
“The man is in his 20s and lives in Boston, the state's Department of Health said in a press release on Saturday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified health officials about the case late Friday evening, the release stated, adding that the risk to the public is low.”

*will post more as it comes in.

Male in his 20’s that had recently traveled to Wuhan. Sought treatment “soon after arrival” (whatever that means). Mild case and “being monitored” but not in hospital from what I’ve seen. The family he has been in contact with are also “being monitored for symptoms”.

That’s about all I’ve been able to find out

What MJPeony said.

—-

ETA:

Coronavirus Confirmed in Boston Student Is First Case in Mass.

“He is currently quartantined at his home and will continue to be isolated until he is cleared by public health officials, according to Saturday's news release. His "few close contacts" have been identified and are being monitored for any sign of symptoms.”

—

First case of coronavirus confirmed in Massachusetts: DPH

““I want to let you know that a member of the UMass Boston community who recently returned from Wuhan, China has tested positive for the novel coronavirus,” the university said in a letter sent out to the school community on Saturday.

“We are working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) and the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) to ensure all guidelines and protocols are diligently followed. These agencies will continue to monitor the treatment and health of the affected person. State and city public health authorities have informed us that the risk to members of our community is low. For these reasons, we expect ‘business as usual’ on campus,” UMass added.”

—-

UMass Boston student tests positive for Wuhan coronavirus

“Public health officials announced that Massachusetts had its first confirmed case of the Wuhan coronavirus shortly after 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

The DPH and the BPHC were notified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the positive test results late Friday evening.

"Protecting public health is a top priority for our administration and while the risk remains low for Massachusetts, state public health officials are working hand-in-hand with the CDC, local boards of health and other local partners," Gov. Charlie Baker tweeted.”

—-

“Massachusetts has been preparing for a possible case of his new coronavirus and we were fortunate that astute clinicians took appropriate action quickly,” she said in a state health officials’ statement.

The man sought medical attention soon after arriving in the United States. All of his known contacts in the local area are being monitored for any signs or symptoms, officials said. Authorities did not indicate where the man is being treated.“

First coronavirus case reported in Massachusetts

—-

State’s first confirmed coronavirus case is ‘member of the UMass Boston community,’ school says

“”Our priority is not only to protect and inform the residents of Boston but also to help this man continue to recover. We are pleased that he is doing well,” said BPHC Executive Director Rita Nieves.”

[...]

“Right now, we are not asking Boston residents to do anything differently. The risk to the general public remains low. And we continue to be confident we are in a good position to respond to this developing situation.”


“A few close contacts of his have been identified and are being watched for any signs of symptoms.”

 

[Inthedetails]

Thanks for the info on the MA case! A bit reassuring - he has traveled from China, reported symptoms, complying with protocols.

Speedy recovery to him!

jmo

 

[margarita25]

The Pentagon is preparing to house up to 1,000 people at military sites who may need to be quarantined due to the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak

• The Pentagon is preparing military facilities to, if necessary, quarantine up to 1,000 people returning to the US from overseas to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China, the Department of Defense revealed Saturday.
• The Pentagon, acting on a request from the Department of Health and Human Services, will provide access to multiple facilities capable of housing at least 250 people through Feb. 29.

[...]

“The facilities selected are located at the 168th Regiment's Regional Training Institute in Fort Carson, Colorado, Travis Air Force Base and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California, and Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.

The Department of Defense is only providing housing support, and US military personnel will not come in direct contact with any quarantined individuals, who will not have access to any areas on base other than the quarantine facilities. The Department of Health and Human Services will handle care, transportation, and security issues.”

—-

"Under the request, DOD will only provide housing support, while HHS will be responsible for all care, transportation, and security of the evacuees. DOD personnel will not be directly in contact with the evacuees and evacuees will not have access to any base location other than their assigned housing. In accordance with CDC guidelines, all evacuees will be monitored for a period of 14 days. Should routine monitoring of the evacuees identify ill individuals, HHS has procedures in place to transport them to a local civilian hospital," the Pentagon said in the statement.”

Coronavirus outbreak: Latest news and live updates - CNN

 

[What if...]

Thats been the biggest plus for me as I have been conciously washing my hands more often to prevent any bugs like regular flu or colds.

And people were right about us touching our face with our hands. My goodness. I tried to slow that down but keep catching myself doing it.

I think this is what wearing masks would help with the most. Would be a constant reminder and barrier to keep our own hands off of our faces.

 

[KALI]

Boy. Do I agree. I can't get it out of my mind. I will not watch the pets being thrown off roofs. I am a big animal lover. Cannot abide cruelty to anyone.

Passenger wearing a GAS MASK because 'of coronavirus fears' is removed from an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Houston when he refuses to take it off

American Airlines removes passenger wearing GAS MASK after he panicked the other fliers | Daily Mail Online

View attachment 229166

The video of the poor dog was absolutely horrendous and disgusting @KALI I only saw a few seconds of it. The Daily Mail website should not be showing that as a pop up everyone has no choice to see. They should write about it but with a warning.

 

[margarita25]

“American Airlines, which canceled all flights to mainland China starting Friday, confirmed today that it had also scrubbed flights to Hong Kong through Monday.

The company "will make decisions about Hong Kong flights each day based on our operational situation," said American, the largest US carrier, in a statement.

Its pilots' union had taken issue with Hong Kong's proximity to China and potentially to the virus.

"While Hong Kong is a special administrative region, this virus does not recognize such a geopolitical wording," said Captain Dennis Tajer, spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, which represents 15,000 American Airlines pilots. "Just look at the map. Hong Kong geographically is a landmass that's part of China. The geopolitical issues, which we obviously respect, the virus doesn't."”

Coronavirus outbreak: Latest news and live updates - CNN

 

[Gardenista]

I have a bottle of hand sanitizer on my desk, people liberally help themselves to it.

I better go get some at Costco for next week.

The FDA Wants You to Know That Purell Does **Not** Prevent Against the Flu

 

[Inthedetails]

I think this is what wearing masks would help with the most. Would be a constant reminder and barrier to keep our own hands off of our faces.

I think so too. I'm noticing lately how often I touch my face, rub my eyes, etc. (I'm still not interested in wearing a mask, but I am working on the awareness of what I touch.)

jmo

 

[margarita25]

I agree!

I live in a large city with a big Asian population. I've seen masks on local Asians as well as on Asian tourists for a long time. It's not new to see that here, though I am paying closer attention to them now. I haven't seen any of the sturdier N95 (or whatever they are called. I am seeing either paper or what looks like thin fabric.

It is my understanding that they wear the masks as a courtesy to others when THEY are sick. They are covering their noses and mouths to avoid SPREADING illness, not really to prevent catching it. It's like how we consider it polite to sneeze into a tissue. I've heard the air is so dirty in China that everyone wears masks outside for that reason too. I'm sure some people wear them to prevent catching anything, but I'm not convinced that is effective, at least with the flimsier kind of mask.

It's different for medical workers as they are literally in the face of their sick patients and the masks do serve a vital prevention purpose. Imagine dentists - you want to make sure people in close contact like that are covered!

But for the public, the masks generally are to contain our own coughs and sneezes, not really to prevent catching germs.

That's my understanding, at any rate. To me, as a general person, the thought of wearing something on my face that will get hot and damp from my own breath seems less healthy than simply avoiding contact and keeping my hands off my face.

But....as has become our motto on this page, perhaps....to each their own.

jmo

IMO there have been discrepant reports from different outlets re: the effectiveness of masks.

In a nutshell, some say they help. Others have outlined reasons why they can actually have the opposite of a helpful effect sometimes.

It has been on my list to summarize and compare this information, perhaps later.

—-

Jumping off this:

What about the proper disposal of all these masks? There are probably dirty masks everywhere.

ETA:

I think this is what wearing masks would help with the most. Would be a constant reminder and barrier to keep our own hands off of our faces.

This is what was said in the White House Briefing, iirc—but in the Canadian conference, iirc, it was mentioned that a mask may cause someone to touch their face more it they’re constantly adjusted it.

 

[What if...]

I saw a link to an article or a website a few days ago that had a breakdown of confirmed cases by severity. (I’m pretty sure it was posted on this thread somewhere)

Has anyone seen an updated version? Or know of a link where that information is being tracked?

TIA

 

[dotr]

I saw a link to an article or a website a few days ago that had a breakdown of confirmed cases by severity. (I’m pretty sure it was posted on this thread somewhere)

Has anyone seen an updated version? Or know of a link where that information is being tracked?

TIA

Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS

 

[dotr]

By Julia Belluz Feb 1, 2020
8 questions about the coronavirus outbreak, answered
''Some of the best research on that question comes from Bogoch and his colleagues. They’ve done great studies in the past couple of weeks on the cities most vulnerable to novel coronavirus infections. What’s the big takeaway?

It’s really East Asia and Southeast Asia that are most at risk. The researchers — from the University of Oxford, University of Toronto, and London School of Medicine and Tropical Hygiene — used 2019 data from the International Air Transport Association to find all the cities in China that received at least 100,000 airline passengers from Wuhan during February through April.

They then modeled how the disease could spread from those cities if they experienced local outbreaks. Here are 15 of the top 50 destinations that might see outbreaks (also pay attention to the IDVI — the Infectious Disease Vulnerability Index — number. It’s a measure of a country’s ability to manage an infectious disease. Scores closer to zero mean they’re less prepared.)

Oxford Journal of Travel Medicine
“By no means would anybody be surprised if there are more cases exported to Europe and the US,” said Bogoch. “But the places that are going to have the greatest volume and number of infections exported would be to East Asian and Southeast Asian centers.”

8) When will this end?
There are a few ways this outbreak could end, as my colleague Brian Resnick explained. Perhaps public health measures — identifying cases fast, putting infected people in isolation — will stop the spread of this coronavirus. (That’s what stopped the spread of SARS in 2003.)

Because this is a zoonotic disease, which came from an animal, finding and eliminating that source would also help. Or maybe a vaccine or antiviral will be invented quickly to help curb a broader epidemic (but that’d likely take years).

Finally, there’s the possibility the virus will simply die out. “Disease outbreaks are a bit like fires,” Resnick wrote. “The virus is the flame. Susceptible people are the fuel. Eventually a fire burns itself out if it runs out of kindling. A virus outbreak will end when it stops finding susceptible people to infect.”

 

[MJPeony]

https://news.google.com/articles/CAIiEFnD58jdf0IVR6-BhobX34cqFwgEKg8IACoHCAowjuuKAzCWrzww5oEY?hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en



Crossing my fingers the results will be negative.... NYC with a case could quickly become a disaster.


“Coronavirus: New York City Eyes First Suspected Case, Officials Say
A sample was being sent to the federal authorities for confirmation, the city Health Department said.”

 

[Tadpole12]

Coronavirus Lurking in Feces May Reveal Hidden Risk of Spread

May Reveal Hidden Risk of Spread
‎February‎ ‎1‎, ‎2020‎

"Squat latrines, common in China, may be a virus source
2019-nCoV virus was found in loose stool of case in Washington"

https://www.cbc.ca/news/investigate...ring-worsening-coronavirus-outbreak-1.5448946

No running water on Air Canada flight from China during worsening coronavirus outbreak
Air Canada says it will no longer operate international flights with water issues
Feb 01, 2020

"The flight lasted 13 hours and a passenger on board told CBC News the washrooms ran out of antiseptic wipes, meant to replace traditional handwashing, after about four hours.
…

"Faced with a public health situation in which thorough handwashing with soap and water have [sic] been repeatedly cited as the most important and effective way to protect oneself and others from contracting the 2019-nCov (Coronavirus), it is categorically unacceptable for any aircraft to be dispatched without a fully functional water system.

"It is the union's position that any aircraft without a fully functional water system ought to be immediately removed and not positioned for operations until such a time as the issue can be corrected — regardless of aircraft type," the memo said.

The union also strongly discouraged members from accepting shifts on flights experiencing water issues in exchange for supplemental compensation, such as a bump in pay."

 

[What if...]

Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS

@dotr thanks for the response, but if this site has the info I’m looking for, I’m at a loss as to where it is.
The one I’m referring to has the confirmed cases broken down by severity of symptoms.
X number in serious condition
X number with mild symptoms
Etc,...

 

[Tadpole12]

The real number of coronavirus cases is more than 75,000, according to a scientific model that says the outbreak will double in size every 6.4 days

"lag time" doesn't necessarily reassure the inevitable.

 

[margarita25]

What’s to say there’s only that one market in Wuhan that presents the potential to transmit to humans. If there’s one, maybe there are others. Obviously the situation has created awareness about these markets, but my point is, if infection from one market do this much damage...

Coronavirus Lurking in Feces May Reveal Hidden Risk of Spread

May Reveal Hidden Risk of Spread
‎February‎ ‎1‎, ‎2020‎

"Squat latrines, common in China, may be a virus source
2019-nCoV virus was found in loose stool of case in Washington"

https://www.cbc.ca/news/investigate...ring-worsening-coronavirus-outbreak-1.5448946

No running water on Air Canada flight from China during worsening coronavirus outbreak
Air Canada says it will no longer operate international flights with water issues
Feb 01, 2020

"The flight lasted 13 hours and a passenger on board told CBC News the washrooms ran out of antiseptic wipes, meant to replace traditional handwashing, after about four hours.
…

"Faced with a public health situation in which thorough handwashing with soap and water have [sic] been repeatedly cited as the most important and effective way to protect oneself and others from contracting the 2019-nCov (Coronavirus), it is categorically unacceptable for any aircraft to be dispatched without a fully functional water system.

"It is the union's position that any aircraft without a fully functional water system ought to be immediately removed and not positioned for operations until such a time as the issue can be corrected — regardless of aircraft type," the memo said.

The union also strongly discouraged members from accepting shifts on flights experiencing water issues in exchange for supplemental compensation, such as a bump in pay."

If there are other sources, latrines, the. this is significant, and what I was referring to above when I mentioned the possibility of other sources.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

There is soooooooooooo much information in this article, I can't begin to take out 10% here. A Must read for those that are following this thread closely as to new information and background MOO.

Also, political stuff would like to comment on as it answers many questions we have had here and posted concerns about, but since I aspire to be a good WSer... I won't start as I wouldn't be able to stop iykwim

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...ly-allowed-coronavirus-spread-farther-faster/

• After city hospitals were overwhelmed by patients who sought coronavirus tests, local authorities this week announced hospitals would only give tests to those who showed severe symptoms and obtained a referral from smaller neighborhood clinics. (e.d. should we expect to see less of an increase since they aren't testing all folks now?)
  
• Some patients died in waiting areas before spots open up, said Chen Qiushi, a well-known Chinese video blogger who has been roaming and filming inside Wuhan’s hospitals. (e.d. if you google his name, you can follow him and his youtubes etc, they are good, I'm following them but I don't think I can post them here due to TOS) ETA-If you do watch his you tubes, go into settings and turn on subtitles as he speaks Chinese

...so much more at the link