***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.”

[BigCatDaddy]

Breakdown of the 177 that have passed away in MO

Of the deaths, 67 have been people 80 years of age or older; 48 were in their 70s; 38 were in their 60s and 16 were in their 50s. Eight of the deaths were patients under the age of 50.

[limested]

Originally Posted by tk13

Albany is one of the largest cities in Georgia outside of the Atlanta area. Of course it's not New York, but nowhere is. Of course the numbers are going to look smaller compared to a place like that. I think you're just trolling at this point because everything you post is basically the opposite of what the actual facts are.

I think he is just that stupid.

[unlurking]

Originally Posted by O.city

For sure

But damn you’d think with social media and our intelligence community we’d have some idea

Censorship on one side, politics on the other.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Yeah. I cant ever get anyone to answer that question. They don't know when, just not now.

Wait for a vaccine?

That's right. There is a lot we don't know about the virus. Pretending otherwise isn't going to make it better.

We still don't know when testing will get ramped up to the level needed for accurate tracking.

Putting it in the context of when are we going to open is a mistake.

Going back to a business as usual any time soon would be a mistake.

What should be the discussion is what should be opened first under what conditions.

I still think it would be useful to select some locations and experimentally open things with enough random testing to gather data.

[Titty Meat]

I'm thinking for many states the stay in place should go til the end of may ideally

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

I'm thinking for many states the stay in place should go til the end of may ideally

I can’t imagine CA opening up before June but I’ll definitely welcome the opening of the trails and parks as soon as possible.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

That's right. There is a lot we don't know about the virus. Pretending otherwise isn't going to make it better.

We still don't know when testing will get ramped up to the level needed for accurate tracking.

Putting it in the context of when are we going to open is a mistake.

Going back to a business as usual any time soon would be a mistake.

What should be the discussion is what should be opened first under what conditions.


I still think it would be useful to select some locations and experimentally open things with enough random testing to gather data.

I agree with this and it's basically what is happening now. People are still crying about it though. Until there is vaccine or readily available treatments it will always be too soon for some.

[jerryaldini]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I don't recall seeing any discussion about this recently, but apparently a group of economists from the University of Wyoming have argued that social distancing will result in economic savings of $5.2 trillion. The information was published here, and the PDF of the full study is available at that link. I'm not an economist, but if anyone wants to parse the numbers, feel free.

Problem with economists, unlike doctors in the hard sciences (usually), can take the same data and be all over the place with their estimates. There's just so much BS in that discipline.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I can’t imagine CA opening up before June but I’ll definitely welcome the opening of the trails and parks as soon as possible.

That's one I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around...how much community transfer could possibly be going on in them?

[Indian Chief]

Some good news, albeit small scale -- we took 3 more people off ventilators today. Breathing on their own.

[LiveSteam]

Fox just reported. NKs Kim is near death at the moment.

Hes fat and probably has the Virus.

[LiveSteam]

Originally Posted by Indian Chief

Some good news, albeit small scale -- we took 3 more people off ventilators today. Breathing on their own.

Excellent

[petegz28]

Webster House in KC closing for good......

[Demonpenz]

Alabama opening? Rona tide!

[crayzkirk]

Originally Posted by O.city

Something I’ve been wondering, why did this not blow up in any city in China other than Wuhan?

From what I've heard, China restricted travel within it's country yet let international travel continue.