wuhan - coronavirus

[mommyoffive]

9 hours ago, Arcadia said:

https://bnonews.com/index.php/2020/02/the-latest-coronavirus-cases/

 

Wonder why John Hopkins is not reporting it?

[prairiewindmomma]

4 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

 

Wasn't Zika a big deal when it was going on int South America?   I am sure it will impact, but I bet they will go one. 

 

Zika is still going on at very low levels in the world. There is currently an outbreak in India.

[prairiewindmomma]

I don’t buy into the conspiracy theory.

[Katy]

No I don't believe it's a biological weapon.  SARS and MERS were coronaviruses too, and MERS had a much greater fatality rate.  If it were a weapon people would have started with something fatal and made it more lethal, not less. 

As I said upthread, this rumor started because an american lab was working with a lab in Wuhan to research corona viruses.  When they found out that bat coronavirus strains don't need to be mutated to infect humans the American lab dropped out because of ethical reasons. That was in October. The Chinese lab continued research, but the fact remains that living wild bats were sold at the Wuhan market for eating.  It's extremely probable that this new wild virus came from the bats being sold at the market, even if the virus started spreading in the early fall rather than in the last 2 months.

What's that phrase, Hanlon's razor?  Never attribute malice when incompetence will do.   If bat viruses are that infectious to human's it's miraculous that we've only had infections from them every 10 years.

[Arcadia]

Bat meat is used as “folk medicine” for asthma in Asia.

Bat consumption in Thailand research https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4724787/

News article https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/features/2010/06/07/batty-food

[Renai]

Stop me if you've already heard this one...

The international school I follow on WeChat just put out that the Shanghai education department has ordered all schools to stay closed through February, with no date for reopening. 

[BeachGal]

2 hours ago, Arcadia said:

From Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-infant/mothers-may-pass-coronavirus-to-unborn-children-say-chinese-doctors-state-tv-idUSKBN1ZZ1C3

“SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Pregnant women infected with the new coronavirus may be able to pass it to their unborn children, doctors at the Wuhan Children Hospital said on Wednesday, according to state broadcaster CCTV. 

The doctors said it was possible after an infected coronavirus patient gave birth to a baby on Feb. 2. The newborn was given a test 30 hours later and confirmed to have the virus, the doctors said. 

Wuhan city is the epicenter of the outbreak that has since spread across China and overseas. In mainland China, it has killed 490 people and 24,324 infection cases have been confirmed. 

The newborn has stable vital signs and no fever or cough, but was experiencing shortness of breath, the doctors said. Chest x-rays showed signs of infection and there were some abnormalities in liver functions.

“This reminds us to pay attention to mother-to-child being a possible route of coronavirus transmission,” said the chief physician of Wuhan Children Hospital’s neonatal medicine department, Zeng Lingkong.”

 

I hope the baby and mother pull through but the liver abnormalities are not a good sign. 😔 They're seeing it in other patients, about 40%. It could be caused by something that the virus is doing to the liver or possibly the bile duct. Lower levels of oxygen might be making it worse.

It appears be affecting the heart in some people as well.

[prairiewindmomma]

If the virus is overstimulating a normal inflammatory response into a cytokine storm, it's totally expected that the liver and heart  and lungs could be affected. What the Lancet is pointing out in this: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext  is that the corticosteroids administered to kinda bring that storm down and reduce the likelihood of long-term lung injury didn't resolve the lung issue, it just delayed viral clearance from the body. 

It also appears that coronavirus is targeting the lower lungs (where you get pneumonia) rather than the upper respiratory system (like influenza). 

[Lanny]

3 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Zika is still going on at very low levels in the world. There is currently an outbreak in India.

 

We did have Zika here in Colombia. I believe that was 2 or 3 years ago. The last I heard about Zika, it was in Miami Beach and some other areas in South Florida. I also believe that was 2 or 3 years ago?

[prairiewindmomma]

A US friend of a friend and her family are in quarantine in Taiwan. They had been on the Mainland for CNY.  While media says that it's only a 2 week quarantine period, friend reports that they're being required to stay in for 22 days. 

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, BeachGal said:

I hope the baby and mother pull through but the liver abnormalities are not a good sign. 😔 They're seeing it in other patients, about 40%. It could be caused by something that the virus is doing to the liver or possibly the bile duct.

With the higher numbers of Asians suffering from hepatitis, I am staying optimistic that they have many medical staff in Asia experienced with patients with liver damage.

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, Renai said:

The international school I follow on WeChat just put out that the Shanghai education department has ordered all schools to stay closed through February, with no date for reopening. 

It is up to the local authorities when public schools will reopen, private schools of course decide for themselves.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-01/28/c_138738646.htm

From Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-tianjin/chinas-tianjin-closes-schools-firms-until-further-notice-to-curb-virus-state-media-idUSKBN1ZV37T

“SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The northern Chinese city of Tianjin has ordered schools and non-essential companies to remain closed until further notice to curb the spread of the coronavirus that has already infected thousands in the country, a local government-run newspaper said. 

Tianjin Daily, said the date when work and school could resume would be announced at a later stage, citing a local government committee responsible for controlling the epidemic. 

Tianjin, which has a population of around 15 million and borders capital Beijing, had 32 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of 10 p.m. local time on Jan. 31.”

[RootAnn]

I saw this article in the Taiwan News about some site or app called Tencent that sometimes shows much higher numbers than other times. That is one conspiracy I believe. I think there are more infected/dead in China than reported.

Also, I read yesterday that the CDC was going to get test kits out to individual states so testing could be turned around faster. I can't remember now if anyone here had posted about it yet. I've been reading too many places to remember.

ETA: the CDC shows 206 negative tests as of today, an increase of 39 from the 3rd. They show 6 less pending tests and 33 more total samples vs two days ago. I wonder if they will keep a master count once all the other states have their own test kits?

Edited February 5, 2020 by RootAnn
Added eta

[Slache]

1 hour ago, RootAnn said:

I saw this article in the Taiwan News about some site or app called Tencent that sometimes shows much higher numbers than other times. That is one conspiracy I believe. I think there are more infected/dead in China than reported.

Also, I read yesterday that the CDC was going to get test kits out to individual states so testing could be turned around faster. I can't remember now if anyone here had posted about it yet. I've been reading too many places to remember.

We know the numbers are way off. They don't have the resources for proper testing and are sending people home untested and not testing the bodies. Whether there's a cover-up is a different issue.

[RootAnn]

8 minutes ago, Slache said:

We know the numbers are way off. They don't have the resources for proper testing and are sending people home untested and not testing the bodies. Whether there's a cover-up is a different issue.

Right. I'm saying that I think they (Chinese government officials) are intentionally underreporting the numbers they do have records on. (Conspiracy theory) Are they purposefully lying about the number of deaths (that they know about) from coronavirus? 

I understand that there are way more infected than what have been treated or tested. I think there are enough leaks & news stories out now to substantiate that.

Edited February 5, 2020 by RootAnn

[Renai]

5 hours ago, Arcadia said:

It is up to the local authorities when public schools will reopen, private schools of course decide for themselves.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-01/28/c_138738646.htm

From Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-tianjin/chinas-tianjin-closes-schools-firms-until-further-notice-to-curb-virus-state-media-idUSKBN1ZV37T

“SHANGHAI (Reuters) - The northern Chinese city of Tianjin has ordered schools and non-essential companies to remain closed until further notice to curb the spread of the coronavirus that has already infected thousands in the country, a local government-run newspaper said. 

Tianjin Daily, said the date when work and school could resume would be announced at a later stage, citing a local government committee responsible for controlling the epidemic. 

Tianjin, which has a population of around 15 million and borders capital Beijing, had 32 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of 10 p.m. local time on Jan. 31.”

I think the Shanghai school I posted the attachment on is considered private? (it's an international school) If so, they're deciding to follow what Shanghai Education Committee put out.

Most of my students that I'm teaching say they don't know when school is starting back; they are all over China. A couple have told me they got more homework packets from their schools (they already got some for the CNY holiday). The one family I was really worried about with parents in the medical field seem okay. The student is back on my schedule. A couple of the companies I work for are giving away millions of ESL classes so children are taking more classes during the time they would have been in school. Which means I'm burning the candle on both ends working both early mornings and nights. But, I get to keep up with my regular students and how they are doing...

Here, the Chinese school put out a survey asking if they should start back on February 9 or postpone. I mentioned that if their kids are already in regular school (we're in the United States), then there should be no harm going to school on Sunday. The director agreed. But, I also remember someone posting a couple of weeks ago, translated very loosely, about "Chinese solidarity" and wonder if that has something to do with it...

Edited February 6, 2020 by Renai

[Ausmumof3]

27,606 cases 564 fatalities

the numbers seem to be changing with a kind of regularity now that makes it seem like maybe they relate more to testing and reporting capacity rather than actual infections and deaths.  But maybe not.  Maybe that’s a natural pattern.

[Ausmumof3]

The international numbers are also over 200 now.  

[Arcadia]

38 minutes ago, Renai said:

I think the Shanghai school I posted the attachment on is considered private? (it's an international school) If so, they're deciding to follow what Shanghai Education Committee put out.

Here, the Chinese school put out a survey asking if they should start back on February 9 or postpone. I mentioned that if their kids are already in regular school (we're in the states), then there should be no harm going to school on Sunday. The director agreed. But, I also remember someone posting a couple of weeks ago, translated very loosely, about "Chinese solidarity" and wonder if that has something to do with it...

The private schools are unlikely to start back before the public schools. It’s a liability issue that they won’t want to undertake. Think that’s the same case with your child’s Chinese school. Public schools are already in session so there is no reason to not start back on Feb 9. 

[Ausmumof3]

Bno page are saying 10 more cases in the cruise ship raising the total for the ship to 20.  These are being counted in Japan’s numbers bringing their total to 45.

[Ausmumof3]

To add to the weird conspiracy theory lists. It was apparently designed by Bill Gates to depopulate the world, was predicted by both artificial intelligence and Nostradamus 

one of dhs coworkers apparently believes they already have the vaccine and deliberately released it.  Now they wait till enough people die that everyone wants the vaccine and then release it and make millions.

[Slache]

54 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

To add to the weird conspiracy theory lists. It was apparently designed by Bill Gates to depopulate the world, was predicted by both artificial intelligence and Nostradamus 

one of dhs coworkers apparently believes they already have the vaccine and deliberately released it.  Now they wait till enough people die that everyone wants the vaccine and then release it and make millions.

Ahh, yes. I knew the Gates must have been involved, just couldn't put it all together.

I jest.

This reminds me of the old conspiracy theory thread. It was discussed that some people are just prone to believe in conspiracy theories and believe in several. Some people believe that we've never landed on the moon and simultaneously believe we have a military base there.

Personally, I believe the Chinese developed this virus and it got out. No huge conspiracy, just a small cover-up of a massive screw-up.

[Pen]

20 minutes ago, Slache said:

Ahh, yes. I knew the Gates must have been involved, just couldn't put it all together.

I jest.

This reminds me of the old conspiracy theory thread. It was discussed that some people are just prone to believe in conspiracy theories and believe in several. Some people believe that we've never landed on the moon and simultaneously believe we have a military base there.

 

🙃

20 minutes ago, Slache said:

Personally, I believe the Chinese developed this virus and it got out. No huge conspiracy, just a small cover-up of a massive screw-up.

 

Whether or not they developed it, even if the illness was a natural mutation, or an unfamiliar but preexisting animal virus, the early attempts to cover up and suppress information, as with Dr Li,  about people getting sick were massively detrimental.  

I was in USSR at time of Chernobyl and information was a great deal different there than in US.

Conspiracy theories like the moon one you posted — didn’t land and also have military base 🤔 — imo are part of what exists with freer speech rights.  I’d rather have to sort through some conspiracy theories (some of which turn out to be right sometimes), than live in a place where people  can’t speak out, or where it’s terribly repressive and dangerous to do so. 

 

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

To add to the weird conspiracy theory lists. It was apparently designed by Bill Gates to depopulate the world, was predicted by both artificial intelligence and Nostradamus 

 

54 minutes ago, Slache said:

Ahh, yes. I knew the Gates must have been involved, just couldn't put it all together.

 

From Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2020/02/05/bill-and-melinda-gates-donate-100-million-to-coronavirus-vaccine-research/#24f4f1136e9e

“(Updated: 12:35 p.m. EST, Feb. 5 2020)

Topline: Bill and Melinda Gates are donating $100 million to coronavirus vaccine research and treatment efforts, which was announced as part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) request for $675 million in global contributions to fight the spread of the disease.”

[Ausmumof3]

37 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

 

 

From Forbes https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisettevoytko/2020/02/05/bill-and-melinda-gates-donate-100-million-to-coronavirus-vaccine-research/#24f4f1136e9e

“(Updated: 12:35 p.m. EST, Feb. 5 2020)

Topline: Bill and Melinda Gates are donating $100 million to coronavirus vaccine research and treatment efforts, which was announced as part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) request for $675 million in global contributions to fight the spread of the disease.”

Kind of tragic when you are doing everything possible to help and people blame you for the problem you had nothing to do with 

[Ausmumof3]

1 hour ago, Pen said:

 

🙃

 

Whether or not they developed it, even if the illness was a natural mutation, or an unfamiliar but preexisting animal virus, the early attempts to cover up and suppress information, as with Dr Li,  about people getting sick were massively detrimental.  

I was in USSR at time of Chernobyl and information was a great deal different there than in US.

Conspiracy theories like the moon one you posted — didn’t land and also have military base 🤔 — imo are part of what exists with freer speech rights.  I’d rather have to sort through some conspiracy theories (some of which turn out to be right sometimes), than live in a place where people  can’t speak out, or where it’s terribly repressive and dangerous to do so. 

 

Yes.  Best solution is free open debate and access to information.  

[mathnerd]

1 hour ago, Slache said:

Personally, I believe the Chinese developed this virus and it got out. No huge conspiracy, just a small cover-up of a massive screw-up.

This is what I believe as well. Some people believe that there apparently was a joint project between France and China in Wuhan which resulted in this virus development and screw-ups or sabotage made the virus get out and massive cover ups ensued because China is afraid of losing its control and power over its people as there is too much discontent already. 

[Ausmumof3]

Did you read about the doctor who dropped dead of heart failure at 27 after working 10 days straight with coronavirus patients.  I must admit I wonder if they tested him for the virus.

[Ausmumof3]

56 minutes ago, mathnerd said:

This is what I believe as well. Some people believe that there apparently was a joint project between France and China in Wuhan which resulted in this virus development and screw-ups or sabotage made the virus get out and massive cover ups ensued because China is afraid of losing its control and power over its people as there is too much discontent already. 

I don’t think it’s crazily far fetched that it came out with someone from the lab by mistake but maybe not a weaponised version just whatever they had there.

however I think nasty bugs do get going without any human engineering or whatever plenty of time so it could just be coincidence. 

I know pretty much nothing about what biosecurity measures they have there.

i also wonder what the disinfectant is that seems to be being sprayed around the place everywhere and why it’s necessary if it’s so short lived on surfaces.
 

I wonder what the normal hospital capacity is.  I know people are saying it must be bigger to overwhelm the hospitals but it think our hospital system would be easily overwhelmed if it suddenly had 20,000 cases of something like pneumonia.

[Pen]

9 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Did you read about the doctor who dropped dead of heart failure at 27 after working 10 days straight with coronavirus patients.  I must admit I wonder if they tested him for the virus.

 

I saw the lead blurb, not details

[Ausmumof3]

31 minutes ago, Pen said:

 

I saw the lead blurb, not details

https://7news.com.au/travel/coronavirus/coronavirus-kills-again-chinese-medic-drops-dead-from-exhaustion-after-working-10-days-straight-c-683643

[Ausmumof3]

https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-06/has-china-been-covering-up-the-coronavirus/11932982?pfmredir=sm
 

This is a fairly detailed analysis on whether or not information coming out is reliable.  

[Pen]

This doesn’t answer whether the virus was lab grown or a natural animal pathogen, and I realize mainstream press is listing idea that it came from a Canadian lab as “conspiracy theory.”

But I am wondering if a story behind the “conspiracy theory “ is true or false.  

**Were** a group of scientists working on very deadly diseases like Ebola evicted from top level Winnipeg biohazards lab in July 2019?   Was the following made up? 

“Four months prior to the Chinese team’s eviction, a shipment containing two exceptionally virulent viruses—Ebola and Nipah—was sent from the NML to China. When the shipment was traced, it was held to be improper and a “possible policy breach.”

[Bambam]

A friend shared this. Any idea if this is a reliable news source?
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3871594

[alewife]

54 minutes ago, Bambam said:

A friend shared this. Any idea if this is a reliable news source?
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3871594

I had read about this on another site as well.  Here is a review of the newspaper that ran the article:

Factual Reporting: HIGH
World Press Freedom Rank: Taiwan 45/180

Notes: Taiwan News was founded June 6, 1949, as China News. In 1976, the paper was renamed Taiwan News and is published by Luis Ko and in 2015, Taiwan News switched to an all digital format. Taiwan News publishes topics including World News, Business, Editorials, Sports and Entertainment, New Immigrants and more.

According to Reporters Without Borders, media independence in Taiwan is on hold as they claim the main threat to media freedom comes from China, which has been exerting growing economic and political pressure on the Taiwanese media.  However, freedomhouse.org indicates Taiwan’s media environment as one of the freest in Asia by 2016.  Taiwan News reports international news with low bias as they use sources such as AP and maintain factual reporting and neutral words such as: The Latest: Trump says Harvey has ‘profoundly’ affected US. Overall, we rate Taiwan News HIGH for factual reporting and a least biased news source. (M. Huitsing 9/2/2017)

[Pen]

2 hours ago, Bambam said:

A friend shared this. Any idea if this is a reliable news source?
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3871594

 

The number dead sounds closer in order of magnitude to reports from people that have leaked out.  But did they ever have the quantity of testing kits to be able to confirm that many cases?

(Even if they had wanted to test as many sick /dead people with suspected cases as possible, versus reports that doctors are pressured to report something else.) 

Edited February 6, 2020 by Pen

[beaners]

The doctor who leaked the information has also died.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/06/asia/li-wenliang-coronavirus-whistleblower-doctor-dies-intl/index.html

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, Pen said:

 

The number dead sounds closer in order of magnitude to reports from people that have leaked out.  But did they ever have the quantity of testing kits to be able to confirm that many cases?

(Even if they had wanted to test as many sick /dead people with suspected cases as possible, versus reports that doctors are pressured to report something else.) 

People in my social circles think it’s clickbait. The numbers are definitely higher but the very high numbers reported by TaiwanNews based on social media posting is assuming that there are that many test kits and that all the municipal government bodies actually reported correct numbers. It feels more like hyperbole given the current ability for China to test and report the epidemic. I don’t think China has  (24,589 + 154,023) test kits to use. Think of the US flu and strep situation, both are underreported and under-tested. 

From International Business Times https://www.ibtimes.sg/did-25000-people-die-coronavirus-tencent-reveals-real-numbers-then-retracts-38921

“One of the most prominent experts who raised the doubt in recent days was David Hui Shu-cheong, a respiratory medicine expert from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The professor said the official numbers relating to Wuhan virus could be "just the tip of the iceberg", the South China Morning Post reported. He underlined that the official data only reflects the acute cases attended to in hospitals.

Another expert, Joseph Tsang Kay-yan, said the shortage of test kits could also play a part in the underreporting of the number of cases. "There have also been many patients who died of undifferentiated respiratory and undiagnosed pneumonia symptoms in Wuhan since December – before the virus testing kits were made available," the Hong Kong-based infectious disease specialist told SCMP. He also added that doctors were facing a shortage of testing kits and that this reduces the state's ability to determine the real number of cases.”

From Bloomberg https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-02-04/china-will-soon-find-out-if-mass-quarantine-worked-virus-update

“The Chinese medical technology firm BGI Group said it has opened a lab in Wuhan, where the outbreak is centered, that can test 10,000 samples a day to diagnose the coronavirus there.

Reports from Wuhan portray a health-care system overrun by the virus, potentially leading to significant underdiagnosis of patients. The new 2,000-square-meter (21,528-square-foot) Huo-Yan, or “Fire Eye” laboratory, promises to greatly accelerate testing cases to eliminate or confirm suspected infections as soon as possible, the Shenzhen, China-based company said Thursday in a statement.”

[Katy]

1 hour ago, Pen said:

 

The number dead sounds closer in order of magnitude to reports from people that have leaked out.  But did they ever have the quantity of testing kits to be able to confirm that many cases?

(Even if they had wanted to test as many sick /dead people with suspected cases as possible, versus reports that doctors are pressured to report something else.) 

 

No, I don't think they had tests for the early suspected victims at all.

[Arcadia]

2 hours ago, beaners said:

The doctor who leaked the information has also died.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/06/asia/li-wenliang-coronavirus-whistleblower-doctor-dies-intl/index.html

 

critical, not dead.

From BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51403795

“How did the confusion occur?

Global Times and other Chinese media initially sent out reports that Dr Li, 34, had died from coronavirus.

It was then picked up by international news organisations. The World Health Organization sent out a tweet expressing sorrow at his death.

But Global Times then carried a report from Wuhan Central Hospital saying that Dr Li's heart had stopped beating at 21:30 local time (13:30 GMT) and he was given resuscitation treatment. Dr Li was currently in a critical condition, it said.

The news of his death had triggered a huge wave of popular reaction on Weibo - China's equivalent of Twitter.

Most of the coronavirus victims have been over the age of 60 or have suffered from other medical conditions, according to China's health authorities. Dr Li's medical history is not known.”

[beaners]

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

 

critical, not dead.

From BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51403795

“How did the confusion occur?

Global Times and other Chinese media initially sent out reports that Dr Li, 34, had died from coronavirus.

It was then picked up by international news organisations. The World Health Organization sent out a tweet expressing sorrow at his death.

But Global Times then carried a report from Wuhan Central Hospital saying that Dr Li's heart had stopped beating at 21:30 local time (13:30 GMT) and he was given resuscitation treatment. Dr Li was currently in a critical condition, it said.

The news of his death had triggered a huge wave of popular reaction on Weibo - China's equivalent of Twitter.

Most of the coronavirus victims have been over the age of 60 or have suffered from other medical conditions, according to China's health authorities. Dr Li's medical history is not known.”

 

Isn't it strange that something like that could have been "accidentally" announced by Chinese media? My first reaction is that they didn't want him to be made into a martyr after people started responding to the news. That's my own cynicism. 

[prairiewindmomma]

So, I got asked for the first time if I had been in China in the last 14 days or if I had been in close contact with someone who had been.

This is a good question to ask. During the measles outbreak last year, everyone medical was screening everyone...

The problem is that I was asked this question in an outpatient lab after I had entered the hospital, traversed the whole thing, been in the elevators, waited in the wait room, “contaminated” a lab area, and had been taking to an ungowned-unmasked tech.

And, the only thing that would change would be that they would use droplet precaution for the lab draw.

Dude, that’s like locking the stable securely after the horses are long gone.

I have 0% confidence in our local healthcare precautions right now. If they are truly at all wanting to keep a handle on this, they need to be screening at the entrances to the facility. I was at the best hospital in my metro....the one people would triage to. 😞 Beds are already at 95-100% capacity anyway on a good day in flu season, so.... 

 

[Ausmumof3]

https://chinadigitaltimes.net/2020/02/minitrue-control-temperature-on-death-of-coronavirus-whistleblower/
 

in relation to Dr Li.  Concerning.

i did check on the source from wiki and it sounds like they are based in California and typically publicise stuff relating to censorship in China.  
 

 

[mathnerd]

42 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said:

So, I got asked for the first time if I had been in China in the last 14 days or if I had been in close contact with someone who had been.

This is a good question to ask. During the measles outbreak last year, everyone medical was screening everyone...

The problem is that I was asked this question in an outpatient lab after I had entered the hospital, traversed the whole thing, been in the elevators, waited in the wait room, “contaminated” a lab area, and had been taking to an ungowned-unmasked tech.

And, the only thing that would change would be that they would use droplet precaution for the lab draw.

Dude, that’s like locking the stable securely after the horses are long gone.

I have 0% confidence in our local healthcare precautions right now. If they are truly at all wanting to keep a handle on this, they need to be screening at the entrances to the facility. I was at the best hospital in my metro....the one people would triage to. 😞 Beds are already at 95-100% capacity anyway on a good day in flu season, so.... 

 

My husband works in a huge blue chip tech company with thousands of employees. The HR informed all the employees who had traveled to china recently to work from home for 14 days after their return. One employee who came back from china walks into the building, picks up his laptop and other belongings that he left in his desk before the trip and walks out of the building to work from home! I am not sure what anyone can do when such is the level of caution being observed even when my county health department and the employers are requesting self-isolation. I have zero confidence that we have any control over how this virus might spread in the future. BTW/ my county has the highest number of recorded coronavirus patients in the US.  (I am not even going to complain about people who cough, and are out wearing masks and take them off to answer their phones in public places and cough all over the other people waiting at the cashier or in the elevator).

[Ausmumof3]

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/02/06/asia/li-wenliang-coronavirus-whistleblower-doctor-dies-intl/index.html?__twitter_impression=true
 

and he is now officially dead.  Poor man.

 

[Ausmumof3]

The timeline of dr Lis case is odd.  He was hospitalised on 12th Jan, tested positive on 1st of Feb (that is over two weeks later) and finally died today.  There was a long delay before testing someone who was sick enough to be hospitalised.  And the length of time from hospitalisation till death again is not reassuring for the long term outcome with this virus.

[Ausmumof3]

30,811 confirmed 635 fatalities.

one thing I think may have played into the lack of precautions internationally is a lot of people saying “it’s just like SARS”. SARS was a big story that to many people just died out by itself and they expected this to do the same.

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by Ausmumof3

[beaners]

1 hour ago, beaners said:

 

Isn't it strange that something like that could have been "accidentally" announced by Chinese media? My first reaction is that they didn't want him to be made into a martyr after people started responding to the news. That's my own cynicism. 

 

Quoting myself because it looks like this was exactly the case.

Where is China going to go from here? There is a lot of anger about government control and they are struggling in their attempts to let some of that pressure vent.

[Ausmumof3]

3rd UK case was acquired in Singapore so uk have now extended travel warnings to 7 regions.

Thailand

Japan

Republic of Korea 

Taiwan 

Singapore

Malaysia

Hong Kong

Macau

the warning is anyone returning from those regions in the last 14 days needs to be aware of the symptoms and if they have any should stay indoors and call the health service.

[Ausmumof3]

11 hours ago, Pen said:

This doesn’t answer whether the virus was lab grown or a natural animal pathogen, and I realize mainstream press is listing idea that it came from a Canadian lab as “conspiracy theory.”

But I am wondering if a story behind the “conspiracy theory “ is true or false.  

**Were** a group of scientists working on very deadly diseases like Ebola evicted from top level Winnipeg biohazards lab in July 2019?   Was the following made up? 

“Four months prior to the Chinese team’s eviction, a shipment containing two exceptionally virulent viruses—Ebola and Nipah—was sent from the NML to China. When the shipment was traced, it was held to be improper and a “possible policy breach.”

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5232674?__twitter_impression=true