***NON-POLITICAL COVID-19 Discussion Thread***

[JakeF]

A couple of reminders...

Originally Posted by Bwana

Once again, don't come in this thread with some kind of political agenda, or you will be shown the door. If you want to go that route, there is a thread about this in DC.

Originally Posted by Dartgod

People, there is a lot of good information in this thread, let's try to keep the petty bickering to a minimum.

We all have varying opinions about the impact of this, the numbers, etc. We will all never agree with each other. But we can all keep it civil.

Thanks!

Click here for the original OP:

Spoiler!

Apparently the CoronaVirus can survive on a inanimate objects, such as door knobs, for 9 days.

California coronavirus case could be first spread within U.S. community, CDC says
By SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA, JACLYN COSGROVE
FEB. 26, 2020 8:04 PM

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating what could be the first case of novel coronavirus in the United States involving a patient in California who neither recently traveled out of the country nor was in contact with someone who did.

“At this time, the patient’s exposure is unknown. It’s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19, which would be the first time this has happened in the United States,” the CDC said in a statement. “Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. It’s also possible, however, that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.”

The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County, according to the state Department of Public Health.

The CDC said the “case was detected through the U.S. public health system — picked up by astute clinicians.”

Officials at UC Davis Medical Center expanded on what the federal agency might have meant by that in an email sent Wednesday, as reported by the Davis Enterprise newspaper.

The patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19 and “had already been intubated, was on a ventilator, and given droplet protection orders because of an undiagnosed and suspected viral condition,” according to an email sent by UC Davis officials that was obtained by the Davis Enterprise.

The staff at UC Davis requested COVID-19 testing by the CDC, but because the patient didn’t fit the CDC’s existing criteria for the virus, a test wasn’t immediately administered, according to the email. The CDC then ordered the test Sunday, and results were announced Wednesday. Hospital administrators reportedly said in the email that despite these issues, there has been minimal exposure at the hospital because of safety protocols they have in place.

A UC Davis Health spokesperson declined Wednesday evening to share the email with The Times.

Since Feb. 2, more than 8,400 returning travelers from China have entered California, according to the state health department. They have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days and limit interactions with others as much as possible, officials said.

“This is a new virus, and while we are still learning about it, there is a lot we already know,” Dr. Sonia Angell, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “We have been anticipating the potential for such a case in the U.S., and given our close familial, social and business relationships with China, it is not unexpected that the first case in the U.S. would be in California.”

It is not clear how the person became infected, but public health workers could not identify any contacts with people who had traveled to China or other areas where the virus is widespread. That raises concern that the virus is spreading in the United States, creating a challenge for public health officials, experts say.

“It’s the first signal that we could be having silent transmission in the community,” said Lawrence Gostin, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law. “It probably means there are many more cases out there, and it probably means this individual has infected others, and now it’s a race to try to find out who that person has infected.”

On Tuesday, the CDC offered its most serious warning to date that the United States should expect and prepare for the coronavirus to become a more widespread health issue.

“Ultimately, we expect we will see coronavirus spread in this country,” said Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “It’s not so much a question of if, but a question of when.”

According to the CDC’s latest count Wednesday morning, 59 U.S. residents have tested positive for the new strain of coronavirus — 42 of whom are repatriated citizens from a Diamond Princess cruise. That number has grown by two since Messonnier’s last count Tuesday, although the CDC was not immediately available to offer details on the additional cases.

More than 82,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported globally, and more than 2,700 people have died, with the majority in mainland China, the epicenter of the outbreak.

But public health leaders have repeatedly reminded residents that the health risk from the novel coronavirus to the general public remains low.

“While COVID-19 has a high transmission rate, it has a low mortality rate,” the state Department of Public Health said in a statement Wednesday. “From the international data we have, of those who have tested positive for COVID-19, approximately 80% do not exhibit symptoms that would require hospitalization. There have been no confirmed deaths related to COVID-19 in the United States to date.”

CDC officials have also warned that although the virus is likely to spread in U.S. communities, the flu still poses a greater risk.

Gostin said the news of potential silent transmission does not eliminate the possibility of containing the virus in the U.S. and preventing an outbreak.

“There are few enough cases that we should at least try,” he said. “Most of us are not optimistic that that will be successful, but we’re still in the position to try.”

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

To see their families moron.

They can still see their families. It says so in the article.

[philfree]

I think mask work some but they also give a false sense of security. I went to urgent care because I thought I was developing p-neumonia. I was in the little room by myself with a quality mask on and I felt a cough coming on so I also cover my mouth with my hands and when I coughed I could feel the air and moister hit my hands. I went for the sanitizer so I wouldn't spread my covid on everything I touched.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Fish

They're wheelchair bound and living in a full time assisted care facility. What freedom are they demanding?

Perhaps you think they should just roll themselves off a cliff?

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

To see their families moron.

Someone didn't bother to read the article before mouthing off...

[jdubya]

My friends 20 year old son had a high fever last Sunday night. Woke up with no fever but felt “crummy” for a day or 2 and then tested positive for Covid. The day he got the results of Covid test back (Wednesday) he already felt completely normal.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Fish

They can still see their families. It says so in the article.

I'm sorry, I mean "touch". I mean as YOU stated, the info was in the article, you read it, and still asked a stupid question.

“They want to be able to hug their grandchildren, they want to be able to hold the hands of their loved ones,” Gonzales said.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Donger

Someone didn't bother to read the article before mouthing off...

No Donger its just that only people like you would count the act of physically being able to see their families with their eyes from 6ft away as actually getting to see their families.

When you say I am going to see my friends or see my family this is not what you are talking about and no I am not getting into another semantics debate with you.

And Fish was apparently the one who couldn't comprehend the words in the article as he appeared to have no idea what freedom they wanted.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

No Donger its just that only people like you would count the act of physically being able to see their families with their eyes from 6ft away as actually getting to see their families.

When you say I am going to see my friends or see my family this is not what you are talking about and no I am not getting into another semantics debate with you.

And Fish was apparently the one who couldn't comprehend the words in the article as he appeared to have no idea what freedom they wanted.

Actually, my mother is 78 and has a few health issues. I haven't touched her since March but I have seen her plenty.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Perhaps you think they should just roll themselves off a cliff?

Nah. Just saying that elderly wheelchair bound patients requiring 24hr dependency care protesting for freedom seems a little counterintuitive. Especially when they're still able to see their family and friends, they just have to ditance 6ft. Care facilities like these are where the virus breakouts are causing the most deaths. These are all people with the highest risk factors.

I mean, I'm sure before the whole coronavirus stuff, a lot of seniors in nursing homes wanted more freedom for other things as well. Maybe to go out fishing for a day, or ride a motorcycle again. That doesn't mean the nursing homes should let them put themselves in danger.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

No Donger its just that only people like you would count the act of physically being able to see their families with their eyes from 6ft away as actually getting to see their families.

When you say I am going to see my friends or see my family this is not what you are talking about and no I am not getting into another semantics debate with you.

And Fish was apparently the one who couldn't comprehend the words in the article as he appeared to have no idea what freedom they wanted.

I comprehended the words just fine. You didn't type what you meant.

[suzzer99]

https://www.kctv5.com/coronavirus/ka...9d14a.amp.html

Kansas City-area hospitals overwhelmed, turn away ambulances

Associated Press
Updated 32 min ago
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The surge in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations is so severe in the Kansas City area that some hospitals were forced to refuse ambulances due to a lack of space, according to officials with one of the region's largest health care providers.

Eight hospitals, in both Missouri and Kansas, reported such high volumes of patients Wednesday night that they temporarily stopped accepting ambulances, said Dr. Marc Larson, operations director of St. Luke's Health System's COVID Response Team. A St. Luke's spokeswoman added that two of the hospitals were part of the St. Luke's system. She did not identify the others.

“We’re bursting at the seams in the metropolitan area, and really across the state and the region,” Larson told the Kansas City Star in a phone interview.

Missouri has reached record hospitalization levels several times over the past few weeks, with the latest record of 1,443 being set Wednesday. Data has not yet been released for Thursday or Friday. Among the regions setting new records was the Kansas City area.

“I worry that if we don’t start taking this seriously as a metropolitan area, we’re going to be the next New York,” Larsen said. “We’re going to be the next hot spot, because though we have a lot of hospitals, we have a lot of capacity in the area, we are filling up fast.”

Missouri is among several states seeing a surge in new virus cases. On Friday, the state reported 2,017 new cases and 17 additional deaths. Missouri has reported 152,571 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 2,459 deaths since the onset of the pandemic.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

https://www.kctv5.com/coronavirus/ka...9d14a.amp.html

Pete is pretty plugged in with the KC hospital system. Would like to hear what he has to say on this

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Donger

Actually, my mother is 78 and has a few health issues. I haven't touched her since March but I have seen her plenty.

****ing pussy. The day is going to come you're going to wish you had.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by petegz28

****ing pussy. The day is going to come you're going to wish you had.

Wow. It's actually her choice and decision, pete. I'm honoring her wishes.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by TLO

Pete is pretty plugged in with the KC hospital system. Would like to hear what he has to say on this

It's BS. I have not heard any of that. There are beds available for both regular and ICU. I mean are we busy? Yes. Do we have more Covid patients now than initially? Yes. Are we in jeopardy of people dying in the halls? Not even close.

I think the region's bed availability is still well over 30%+. Neither regular nor ICU beds are over 10% Covid.