Coronavirus Global Health Emergency, 2019-nCoV

[JerseyGirl]

World health officials hesitated Wednesday to designate an outbreak of a flu-like coronavirus as a global emergency, trying to contain the fast-spreading illness without unnecessarily spooking global trade.

The World Health Organization is set to reconvene Thursday after an emergency committee of international health experts were split on deciding whether the virus should be classified as a “public health emergency of international concern,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists. That gives the organization the power to set temporary recommendations to coordinate a global health response with its 196 member countries, including the United States.

WHO officials try to contain China coronavirus — as well as public fears — as outbreak spreads

 

[margarita25]

I remembered something the other night—about how superior the Chinese media was in Elisa Lam’s case with some of their graphics, details, etc, etc.

Making a note to seek out some Chinese media - I’m not sure that all of them are fully operational atm, but I’d like to see if I/we can track down some local media reports.

 

[JerseyGirl]

The U.S. military said Wednesday that the Air Reserve Base in Southern California awaiting the arrival of about 200 evacuees from Wuhan, China, would keep service members clear of the passengers, who would be restricted to their temporary living quarters.

A federal government spokesperson said that the passengers on the flight would be quarantined and observed for at least three days in California. Depending on results, those showing symptoms could be quarantined for as long as two weeks.

Plans were in place for HHS to evacuate any passengers identified as possible cases of the new coronavirus to "a local civilian hospital."

Coronavirus spreads as U.S. evacuees return from Wuhan and U.S. mulls China travel ban

 

[Inthedetails]

Yesterday I watched some footage of citizens building barricades to protect their village.

Watched some night time footage , where the occupants of highrise buildings shouted out into the night sky and to their neighbours across the road.
"Stay Strong!" "We will be okay!"

Can see the best in humanity.
Sometimes you just need reassurance.

From everything I've seen online, spirits in the communities are high. People are taking it seriously, but are not downtrodden.

I agree, good to see the best come out in people.

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

World health officials hesitated Wednesday to designate an outbreak of a flu-like coronavirus as a global emergency, trying to contain the fast-spreading illness without unnecessarily spooking global trade.

The World Health Organization is set to reconvene Thursday after an emergency committee of international health experts were split on deciding whether the virus should be classified as a “public health emergency of international concern,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists. That gives the organization the power to set temporary recommendations to coordinate a global health response with its 196 member countries, including the United States.

WHO officials try to contain China coronavirus — as well as public fears — as outbreak spreads

Interesting. If this info was released today, what's with the press conference that will happen shortly? Seems like this would cover whatever that event would cover.

jmo

 

[JerseyGirl]

Australia and New Zealand were to work together to evacuate their vulnerable citizens from China's virus-hit Hubei province, and Australia said it would quarantine those people on a small island about 1,000 miles from its mainland for two weeks.

The evacuees were to spend 14 days at a quarantine center on Christmas Island.

Coronavirus spreads as U.S. evacuees return from Wuhan and U.S. mulls China travel ban

 

[Bravo]

Spirits may be high right now but I worry for these poor folk down the road in the hot spots. How long will services be shut down? How long until food sources run out. How are the sick suppose to get to medical aid?

 

[JerseyGirl]

Germany's Health Minister responded Wednesday to the country's first confirmed case of coronavirus by ordering hospitals to report any suspected cases of the deadly bug and German airlines to retain contact details of all passengers from China.

The Foreign Ministry has warned Germans against all travel to the central Chinese province of Hubei. A German military aircraft was sent to Hubei to begin the voluntary evacuation of German nationals from Wuhan, and the government was considering sending an Airbus with medical equipment on board for further evacuations.

The first confirmed case on German soil was a 33-year-old employee at an auto parts supplier in Bavaria, believed to have been infected by a Chinese guest speaker from Wuhan at a training seminar. Three more workers at the same site have since been diagnosed with coronavirus.

Coronavirus spreads as U.S. evacuees return from Wuhan and U.S. mulls China travel ban

 

[margarita25]

BBM:

The U.S. military said Wednesday that the Air Reserve Base in Southern California awaiting the arrival of about 200 evacuees from Wuhan, China, would keep service members clear of the passengers, who would be restricted to their temporary living quarters.

A federal government spokesperson said that the passengers on the flight would be quarantined and observed for at least three days in California. Depending on results, those showing symptoms could be quarantined for as long as two weeks.

Plans were in place for HHS to evacuate any passengers identified as possible cases of the new coronavirus to "a local civilian hospital."

Coronavirus spreads as U.S. evacuees return from Wuhan and U.S. mulls China travel ban

So again, from this article also, it seems they’re only quarantining for the two week period those that don’t pass the screenings after three days. This is converse to the UK and Australia who seem to be quarantining all evacuees for two weeks, regardless.

This still bothers me. I’m not hearing that everyone is being quarantined for two weeks like the other nations. Sorry to keep beating this horse. I HOPE we do NOT have to refer back to these posts for reference saying “they should have quarantined them longer” - knock on wood. This would be catastrophic, to have gone to all these measures only to rush the quarantine. I know everyone is anxious to get home, but if they’re still unsure, I wish they’d err on the side of caution. Two weeks is nothing in the big scheme of things. If they don’t quarantine evacuees for as long as other nations, and as a result a breach occurs, well then it’s going to be a HUGE fault of the US for cutting this corner when everyone else took two weeks, moo, whether or not they exhibited symptoms or passed the screening.

As @dixiegirl1035 also mentioned, maybe the media is not accurate here.

 

[Taskforce88]

BBM:



So again, they’re only quarantining those that show symptoms for the two week period. This is converse to the UK and Australia who seem to be quarantining all evacuees.

This still bothers me. I’m not hearing that everyone is being quarantined for two weeks like the other nations. Sorry to keep beating this horse. I HOPE we do NOT have to refer back to these posts for reference saying “they should have quarantined them longer” - knock on wood. This would be catastrophic, to have gone to all these measures only to rush the quarantine. I know everyone is anxious to get home, but if they’re still unsure, I wish they’d err on the side of caution. Two weeks is nothing in the big scheme of things. If they don’t quarantine evacuees for as long as other nations, and as a result a breach occurs, well then it’s going to be a HUGE fault of the US for cutting this corner when everyone else took two weeks, moo, whether or not they exhibited symptoms or passed the screening.

As @dixiegirl1035 also mentioned, maybe the media is not accurate here.

So much we don't know, so much they are not telling us. As you say always better to be safe than sorry when dealing with a virus such as this.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Japan is not quarantining:

Japan evacuates approximately 200 people from Wuhan

A plane carrying Japanese nationals who were evacuated from Wuhan landed at a Tokyo airport on Tuesday.

The passengers underwent health checks, but officials said there weren't plans to quarantine them.

Coronavirus spreads as U.S. evacuees return from Wuhan and U.S. mulls China travel ban

 

[Inthedetails]

Spirits may be high right now but I worry for these poor folk down the road in the hot spots. How long will services be shut down? How long until food sources run out. How are the sick suppose to get to medical aid?

It's my understanding that grocery stores are on the list of essential services, so they are being stocked and remain open. Food is not at a shortage, from what I can tell.

Chinese homes likely don't have big fridges and storage space like American homes - they are used to grocery shopping frequently so it's my guess that neighborhoods have local stores so people who can walk likely have access. Might not be the same as usual, but I think people are getting food.

Medical care is more of a concern, I would think. Emergencies like heart attacks might not receive the attention they normally would because the system is clogged. I don't know that, just guessing.

jmo

 

[Taskforce88]

WHO emergency briefing called for tomorrow?

 

[Inthedetails]

BBM:



So again, from this article also, it seems they’re only quarantining for the two week period those that don’t pass the screenings after three days. This is converse to the UK and Australia who seem to be quarantining all evacuees for two weeks, regardless.

This still bothers me. I’m not hearing that everyone is being quarantined for two weeks like the other nations. Sorry to keep beating this horse. I HOPE we do NOT have to refer back to these posts for reference saying “they should have quarantined them longer” - knock on wood. This would be catastrophic, to have gone to all these measures only to rush the quarantine. I know everyone is anxious to get home, but if they’re still unsure, I wish they’d err on the side of caution. Two weeks is nothing in the big scheme of things. If they don’t quarantine evacuees for as long as other nations, and as a result a breach occurs, well then it’s going to be a HUGE fault of the US for cutting this corner when everyone else took two weeks, moo, whether or not they exhibited symptoms or passed the screening.

As @dixiegirl1035 also mentioned, maybe the media is not accurate here.

Perhaps they are "self-quarantining" within their own homes? IDK.

 

[Inthedetails]

WHO presser to start soon:

 

[Inthedetails]

WHO presser to start soon:

Brief recap (based on highlights that interested me, but nothing particularly new)

* Emergency committee meeting tomorrow. Will have another press conference tomorrow evening (Geneva time).
* Dr. Ryan from WHO was in China, met with health authorities in China.
* Evidence of increasing number of cases, and human-t0-human transmission. Of great concern. Spurring countries into action.
* Overwhelming number of cases in China.
* 71 cases in 15 other countries. Most associated with travel to China.
* Many experience minor ailments. 2% of patients died.
* Transmitted via close contact, droplets.
* Prevention - keep distance, good hand hygiene.
* Sick people should seek health care, especially if trouble breathing.
* Impressed with Chinese government at all levels. Have never seen the scale of such a response. Highly organized.
* Lab in China contacted Germany about a case - China is actively reaching out with info.
* International experts are in China to work with Chinese.
* Chinese contributing to international knowledge about the disease.
* Best minds in the world working on this.
* WHO is helping countries with response plans.
* All 15 countries with cases are taking action, some with assistance from WHO.
* Whole world needs to be ready and WHO is supplying information.
* Challenge for countries with weaker public health system.
* Disease spreading, but possible to interrupt the transmission chains.
* Emergency committee will consider declaring global health emergency, to coordinate response.

I didn't listen to the questions from journalists. Event is still live, or replay later if you want to hear questions.

jmo

 

[dotr]

CAUGHT ON CAMERA: Cabbie kicks out arriving Wuhan passenger
•Jan 28, 2020

 

[JerseyGirl]

Finland confirms first coronavirus case

Finland on Wednesday confirmed its first coronavirus case on a Chinese traveler from Wuhan, China.

The traveler is in isolation in Lapland’s central hospital in northern Finland, adding some 15 other people may have been exposed.

Coronavirus live updates: Coronavirus outbreak tops 6,000 cases in China, exceeding SARS epidemic

 

[JerseyGirl]

GM extends manufacturing shutdown in China through Feb. 9

General Motors, the largest U.S. automaker in China, told employees there that it will keep its Chinese factories shut down through Feb. 9.

GM’s decision follows on Honda’s announcement late Tuesday that it was keep motorcycle factories in China closed to Feb. 9.

Automakers across the globe have been evacuating employees and restricting travel to China.

Coronavirus live updates: Coronavirus outbreak tops 6,000 cases in China, exceeding SARS epidemic

 

[margarita25]

Japan is not quarantining:

Japan evacuates approximately 200 people from Wuhan

A plane carrying Japanese nationals who were evacuated from Wuhan landed at a Tokyo airport on Tuesday.

The passengers underwent health checks, but officials said there weren't plans to quarantine them.

Coronavirus spreads as U.S. evacuees return from Wuhan and U.S. mulls China travel ban

I am beating a dead horse again (need that old emoji we used to have :beatingadwadhorse: Not a good move, IMO. Of course I’m no expert but considering over 50 million people are on lockdown in China. I’m afraid this could be a huge mistake. Pray I am very, very wrong.