Coronavirus Global Health Emergency, 2019-nCoV #2

[JerseyGirl]

The US will send its last evacuation flights this week

Evacuations of Americans from Wuhan started last month, after one flight landed at a base in California with nearly 200 Americans aboard.

This Wednesday, two more flights out of Wuhan arrived in California carrying a total of 350 passengers. Both planes landed at Travis Air Force Base -- between San Francisco and Sacramento.

Of those, 178 passengers from one plane stayed at Travis while the other plane refueled before taking the others to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.

Last flights out: Two more evacuation flights are scheduled to arrive later this week -- one headed to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, and the other one to Eppley Airfield in Omaha.

This week's flights will likely be the last ones. The State Department does not anticipate chartering any planes after this week, an official said.

Americans in Wuhan: About 1,000 Americans live in Wuhan, and priority on chartered flights was given to US citizens at a higher risk of contracting coronavirus if they stay in the city.

Coronavirus news: Two babies infected in China, says CCTV - live updates - CNN

 

[dixiegirl1035]

DATE ---- Mainland ---- Outside Mainland China
2/5----27,400----227
2/4----23,700----212
2/3-----19,700----188
2/2-------17,200----183
2/1Fri -- 14,300 ---- 173
1/31 ---- 11,200 ---- 153
1/30 ---- 9,700 ---- 118
1/29 ---- 7,700 ---- 105
1/28 ---- 6,000 ---- 87
1/27 ---- 4,400 ---- 64
1/26 ---- 2,700 ---- 57
1/25Fri -- 2,000 ---- 40
1/24 ---- 916 ---- 25

Mainland up to 2-5



Outside of Mainland up to 2-5



Operations Dashboard for ArcGIS

As said by CDC yesterday, no signs of it slowing down in China.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Saudi Arabia suspends travel to China

Saudi Arabia has suspended travel to China for Saudi citizens and residents.

Non-Saudi permanent residents who visit China during this time will not be allowed to enter Saudi Arabia.

Coronavirus news: Two babies infected in China, says CCTV - live updates - CNN

 

[JerseyGirl]

Taiwan raises travel warning for Hong Kong and Macao

Under the new advisory, Hong Kong and Macao residents are required to self-quarantine themselves for 14 days after entering Taiwan.

Other foreign citizens who had been to China, Hong Kong and Macao in the past 14 days will be barred from entering Taiwan.

Foreign nationals who have been in those places, but who hold a Taiwan resident certificate, will be allowed into Taiwan but are also required to self-quarantine.

Stepping up measures: Taiwan announced other increased measures and travel restrictions today, including a ban on international cruise ships. Taiwan will prohibit international cruise ships from docking in its ports from today onward. It is unclear how long the ban will be in place.

Coronavirus news: Two babies infected in China, says CCTV - live updates - CNN

 

[Amonet]

A third case has been confirmed in the UK. Location not known.

Third coronavirus case confirmed in UK

 

[MajorHoople]

Chinese official: Suspending flights to China is "neither cool-headed nor rational"

“I must stress that certain countries’ ill-advised decisions to suspend flights to and from China are neither cool-headed nor rational," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.

"China is strongly concerned and dissatisfied. We hope relevant countries will bear in mind overall relations and people’s interests and resume normal operation of flights to guarantee normal people-to-people exchange and cooperation."

Coronavirus news: Two babies infected in China, says CCTV - live updates - CNN

Official statements like this from Hua Chunying are just another example of why the Chinese government cannot be trusted.

 

[dixiegirl1035]

I have a lot of questions about that. Do they have enough test kit capacity to have tested so many cases to return that number of confirmed infections given that some tests will return negative?

If that's the true death toll, why isn't that suspected cases far higher than even the elevated count on that screenshot?

If that's the true number of confirmed cases, then how many cases are out there that haven't been confirmed? That number of deceased would suggest a mortality rate up to 7%, which doesn't appear to be borne out by the figures from outside Hubei or outside China?

I would be interested to hear what epidemiologists are thinking about the numbers in general, and about these numbers in the screenshot.

Whether those numbers are correct or not, I am thinking it's more and more likely for a pandemic to be declared soon. The numbers on the cruise ship docked in Japan are terrible. There was a lot of spread just from one index case in Bavaria. We have no idea if many countries in Africa that have daily planes from China are even checking for the new Coronavirus.

On the other hand, current figures for places like the UK and US are very encouraging.

I check the Wuhan airport about every two hours, every single day when I'm awake. For the longest time, I've only seen daily in/out from the Soviet Union, 1-3 daily intraChina flights, and evacuations planes. A couple of exceptions to places I wasn't familiar with, but none direct to Africa since I started checking.

As an epidimiologist, (IANAE), I would think they would look at the Mainland China graph I just posted and say "Wow, that's a beautiful example of a natural progression, what a perfectly beautiful uninterupted curve" ... and then say oh chit... this is bad.

As to the screenshot, I'm taking the position it was a blip that happened 3 times MOO and focusing on the John Hopkins AI page, WHO page, CDC page and the Netherlands page for numbers as my source.

As sad as this situation is with so many quarantined on this ship, I believe this controlled environment will end up producing invaluable data regarding this virus. Hopefully the researchers can use the data in such a way that this terrible event will provide some enlightenment.

Or perhaps I’m just looking for a “silver lining” amongst the multitude of heartbreaking stories.

Yep, again, the epidimiologiest would say "ooooh, great study case on this ship" and then say, oh chit, this is bad. MOO

 

[Amonet]

According to the Guardian, the third UK case is in Brighton. The person did not acquire the infection within the UK, and is being transferred to a specialist treatment centre, probably one of the ones in London.

Coronavirus: third UK case confirmed as death toll in China passes 560 – latest news

Additional link to a standalone article in the Guardian about the new case in the UK.

Third person in UK confirmed as having coronavirus

 

[What if...]

I think the WHO is afraid of announcing a pandemic because it could result in social disorder

I agree!

MOO - The longer they can wait to officially designate this outbreak as a pandemic, the more time they have to gather data, educate people on the subject, and have the world more mentally prepared for such an announcement. The WHO, CDC, etc,... are trying to navigate a balancing act of providing information without causing mass panic.

I imagine there’s an element of psychology integrated into the timing of various announcements.

All MOO

 

[What if...]

We probably have a month or more of food in our house, hazard of shopping at Costco.

LOL - Ditto !

 

[dixiegirl1035]

I agree!

MOO - The longer they can wait to officially designate this outbreak as a pandemic, the more time they have to gather data, educate people on the subject, and have the world more mentally prepared for such an announcement. The WHO, CDC, etc,... are trying to navigate a balancing act of providing information without causing mass panic.

I imagine there’s an element of psychology integrated into the timing of various announcements.

All MOO

Perhaps, as just yesterday in the media call I posted, the CDC did say "we are treating this as a pandemic"

3 Americans on quarantined cruise ship test positive for coronavirus

Three people from the United States are among 20 cases of the Wuhan coronavirus that have been confirmed in passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship quarantined off Japan.

Their cases were identified through health screenings of all guests and crew by the Japanese Ministry of Health. They have been taken off the vessel and transported to local hospitals.

The Diamond Princess is anchored off the coast of Yokohama, near Tokyo, with 1,045 crew and 2,666 passengers on board -- including 428 Americans.

Officials are still waiting for the results of 171 tests.

Coronavirus news: Two babies infected in China, says CCTV - live updates - CNN

Dream Cruises has said it is attempting to contact passengers who had previously been on board the World Dream "to inform them of the situation and seek professional health assistance."

Wow, that itenerary is just scary. The cruise ship just sailed along giving gifts along the way to Kagoshina Japan, Hong Kong, Chan May and Cai Rang Vietnam, Taiwan, Okinawa Japan and Yokoham Japan. So folks exposed will have no idea that they had contact perhaps with someone infected from China as a screening tool if questioned. That, from an epidiological viewpoint is not good (moo, IAMAE)

Chinese official: Suspending flights to China is "neither cool-headed nor rational"

“I must stress that certain countries’ ill-advised decisions to suspend flights to and from China are neither cool-headed nor rational," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.

"China is strongly concerned and dissatisfied. We hope relevant countries will bear in mind overall relations and people’s interests and resume normal operation of flights to guarantee normal people-to-people exchange and cooperation."

Coronavirus news: Two babies infected in China, says CCTV - live updates - CNN

More and more countries are tone deaf to this now. Especially with the information on the cruise ship shocking them into reality.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Vietnam confirms two new cases of the coronavirus, bringing total to 12

Vietnam confirmed two new cases of the coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the country’s total to 12. The two new cases are both Vietnamese nationals from the northern province of Vinh Phuc.

Coronavirus live updates: Britain and Vietnam confirm new cases, death toll tops 500

 

[JerseyGirl]

The U.S. pushed for the World Health Organization (WHO) to “engage directly” with Taiwan in the fight against the coronavirus, prompting a swift rebuke from Beijing’s ambassador to the United Nations health agency.

Andrew Bremberg, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, said it is a “technical imperative that WHO present visible public health data on Taiwan as an affected area and engage directly with Taiwan public health authorities on actions,” Reuters reported.

In response, China’s delegation expressed “strong dissatisfaction” that some countries had raised the issue of Taiwan’s participation at WHO.

Taiwan is not a member of the WHO due to China’s objections. Beijing considers self-governing Taiwan a wayward province to be brought under its control.

Separately, Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Joanne Ou, slammed China and the WHO for providing inaccurate information about the number of coronavirus cases in Taiwan. The WHO reported Tuesday that the island had 13 cases, when there were only 10 at that time.

Taiwan has temporarily suspended entry for all Chinese citizens who live in mainland China.

Coronavirus live updates: Britain and Vietnam confirm new cases, death toll tops 500

 

[JerseyGirl]

Beijing city bans group meals

The city of Beijing said that caterers and individuals are not allowed to organize group gatherings, and that previous arrangement should be canceled or postponed. Rural collectives are also prohibited from organizing banquets, whether for festivals, birthdays or school promotions.

Millions of chickens in China could be wiped out

Hundreds of millions of chickens in China are at risk of being wiped out as the shutdowns have hit supply chains. Transport restrictions are preventing much-needed animal feed such as soybean meal from getting delivered to poultry farms. There are over 300 million chickens in the virus epicenter of Hubei alone putting farmers in a dire situation.


Coronavirus live updates: Britain and Vietnam confirm new cases, death toll tops 500

 

[JerseyGirl]

Germany confirms more cases of coronavirus

One more person has tested positive for coronavirus in the German state of Bavaria, bringing the total of cases in Germany to 13.

Coronavirus news: Two babies infected in China, says CCTV - live updates - CNN

 

[dixiegirl1035]

As of February 5, 2020, the FDA has sent the template to 35 diagnostic developers. So that's step #1 "Create a diagnostic test" for their stated priorities. Now that they have turned over how to make the diagnostic test to private companies and others, I don't think there will be a shortage in the future of diagnostic tests.

#2 priority is for treatments. First they are just anecdotally treating patients with existing drugs. But the way to do such is to obtain the actual virus and work in the lab with the virus vs. different cocktails and dosages of different drugs. All MOO. I have seen nothing from CDC or WHO that they are growing the virus to share or to do such. If anyone comes along an article talking about such, can you post here TIA. Perhaps they are trying to first figure out if it is mutating so much, that one type of treatment vs. another would be required?

Also, day before yesterday they named the virus. It will no longer be called 2019-nCoV MOO. I've read it will by an acronym that is easily remembered, and will not have the name of country origin, (e.g. like MERS was) will not have the name of an animal etc. (e.g. like SARS is, and swine flu is not). I think that the name is supposed to be announced today.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Vietnam confirms two new coronavirus cases, as all schools stay shut

Vietnam has confirmed two additional cases of the Wuhan coronavirus, bringing the country's total confirmed cases to 12.

The two latest cases -- a 16-year-old and a 49-year-old -- are family members of a worker who recently tested positive for the virus after returning from Wuhan. Both patients are in a stable condition and in quarantine.

Three out of the 12 patients in Vietnam have been cleared and discharged from the hospital.

Local authorities across all 63 cities and provinces in Vietnam announced that schools will continue to stay shut to allow schools to have time to disinfect classrooms.

Coronavirus news: Two babies infected in China, says CCTV - live updates - CNN

 

[Bravo]

Airlift now en route to Wuhan to repatriate 211 Canadians

 

[Bravo]

Two Canadians aboard a cruise ship off Japan test positive for new coronavirus

 

[155etta]

Chinese official: Suspending flights to China is "neither cool-headed nor rational"

“I must stress that certain countries’ ill-advised decisions to suspend flights to and from China are neither cool-headed nor rational," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.

"China is strongly concerned and dissatisfied. We hope relevant countries will bear in mind overall relations and people’s interests and resume normal operation of flights to guarantee normal people-to-people exchange and cooperation."

Coronavirus news: Two babies infected in China, says CCTV - live updates - CNN

Not to sound like a third grader but "China has cooties".