***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.”

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Eh, there's also not a lot evidence that there ARE long-term impacts either. Plenty of people have had major short-term impacts and generally feel fine a month or two later.

That's not to say that there AREN'T long-term issues, but we just haven't seen enough to say one way or the other.

True but I am just saying we shouldn't be happy to say just the young people are getting this. No one has any idea the long term effects of Covid.

You can read up on people that say they feel "fine" but their blood work is all messed up and their lungs have ground glass opacities.

[Pants]

Young people are just as contagious as old people.

[Donger]

https://www.newsweek.com/houston-icu...ecords-1513077

Almost all intensive care unit beds at Houston hospitals were occupied on Wednesday as Texas reported a record number of statewide patient admissions related to the novel coronavirus.

During a City Council meeting Wednesday morning, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said 97 percent of the city's ICU beds were filled. A report from the Texas Medical Center (TMC) said 27 percent of those beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients.

According to data published earlier this week by the TMC, a network of health care and research institutions based in Houston, 90 percent of the city's ICU beds were filled as of Monday. Virus patients accounted for more than one-quarter of those occupancies.

The TMC's latest report incorporated ICU admission numbers from seven affiliate hospitals in the Houston area: CHI St. Luke's Health, Harris Health System, Houston Methodist, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Hermann, Texas Children's Hospital and University of Texas Medical Branch. The hospitals can collectively admit 1,330 ICU patients at regular capacity, when 70 to 80 percent of total beds are typically occupied, according to the TMC.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

True but I am just saying we shouldn't be happy to say just the young people are getting this. No one has any idea the long term effects of Covid.

You can read up on people that say they feel "fine" but their blood work is all messed up and their lungs have ground glass opacities.

To be fair, we would likely find a lot of that in cases of pneumonia and other bacterial issues. Body takes time to get back to normal

[Pasta Little Brioni]

10 times as many people as reported have had the shit anyway. Yeah more people are getting tested raising the number, but the death rate isn't going crazy or anything

[kgrund]

Originally Posted by Donger

https://www.newsweek.com/houston-icu...ecords-1513077

Almost all intensive care unit beds at Houston hospitals were occupied on Wednesday as Texas reported a record number of statewide patient admissions related to the novel coronavirus.

During a City Council meeting Wednesday morning, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said 97 percent of the city's ICU beds were filled. A report from the Texas Medical Center (TMC) said 27 percent of those beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients.

According to data published earlier this week by the TMC, a network of health care and research institutions based in Houston, 90 percent of the city's ICU beds were filled as of Monday. Virus patients accounted for more than one-quarter of those occupancies.

The TMC's latest report incorporated ICU admission numbers from seven affiliate hospitals in the Houston area: CHI St. Luke's Health, Harris Health System, Houston Methodist, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Hermann, Texas Children's Hospital and University of Texas Medical Branch. The hospitals can collectively admit 1,330 ICU patients at regular capacity, when 70 to 80 percent of total beds are typically occupied, according to the TMC.

For perspective the above is citing 90% ICU beds filled in Houston metro while here in the KC metro area the percentage of ICU beds filled is 84%.

[TLO]

CDC says today that for every case diagnosed, 10 go undiagnosed.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by TLO

CDC says today that for every case diagnosed, 10 go undiagnosed.

Then considering those people are not in the hospital they are either very mild or asymptomatic......

[Pablo]

Turns out you can mess with Texas.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Donger

The governor of Texas hit the brakes on reopening his state Thursday as hospitals were inundated with “an explosion” of new COVID-19 cases and officials warned there might not be enough beds available.

“The last thing we want to do as a state is go backwards and close down businesses," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. "This temporary pause will help our state corral the spread until we can safely enter the next phase of opening our state for business."

Abbott urged "all Texans to do their part to slow the spread of COVID-19 by wearing a mask, washing their hands regularly and socially distancing from others."

Hit the breaks on reopening what? Everything here IS open. Life is normal except for the recent mask-wearing orders for my county.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by TLO

CDC says today that for every case diagnosed, 10 go undiagnosed.

AND THEY'RE ALL DEAD!

[Donger]

Originally Posted by loochy

Hit the breaks on reopening what? Everything here IS open. Life is normal except for the recent mask-wearing orders for my county.

Moving to Phase 4 of the reopening plan.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by loochy

Hit the breaks on reopening what? Everything here IS open. Life is normal except for the recent mask-wearing orders for my county.

Movie theaters?

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Donger

Moving to Phase 4 of the reopening plan.

Which is? Like I said, I can't think of anything that isn't up and running now except for pro baseball and basketball.


In other words, what he said is just lip service and means absolutely nothing. To make an impact, things need to be rolled BACK - I'd think the best candidates would be bars, restaurants, indoor rec sports, and (it pains me to say this) gyms. Do everything we can to keep factories and schools open.

[Donger]

Originally Posted by loochy

Which is? Like I said, I can't think of anything that isn't up and running now except for pro baseball and basketball.

From what I've read, Phase III is 75% occupancy in most places. I presume Phase IV is 100%