Australian Reports of the Virus Spread

[Lynda2475]

Some interesting bits from the latest NSW Weekly survellance report endinfg 26th June:

Cases (noting this is over a week old), but already showing significant cases outside Eastern suburbs:



Testing (working age residents doin bulk of testing on a per 1k people basis):




"Eleven (2%) overseas acquired COVID-19 cases self-reported being fully vaccinated prior to arrival in Australia"

Positive arrivals From the USA continue to decline, unfortunately UK lost its 2 month zero streak.





Reminds us 70+ aree at greatest risk.

 

[Pushka]

Though yesterday Sydney had 26 in hospital and 6 in ICU including 2 on ventilators.During this outbreak 9 have been admitted to ICU.
And this highlights the problem.We should not presume that because the risk of covid has been small that it will remain so even if we had many more vaccinated.Just look at Israel's recent stats.Cases rising from a zero per day in early may to 496 (july 5th) a day now and 50% of them had been vaccinated with Pfizer.
And not all mild.
Active Cases

2,901
Currently Infected Patients
2,868 (99%)
in Mild Condition
33 (1%)
Serious or Critical

From worldometers.

So, a genuine question. If these people did not have Covid, but maybe, pneumonia or bronchiolitis for children or. for younger adults, a chest infection, would they still be in ICU?

 

[Cossie]

ACT built an extra hospital on on a sports oval. Then it was turned into a testing centre, now it is a vaccination hub. Never used as a Covid hospital, but it’s had heaps of use in its other 2 lives. It will all be dismantled and the oval restored one day. I think Aspen Medical built it.

Yep Garran oval, played many a game of cricket there in my (much) younger days. Across the road from Canberra Hospital, so far it’s worked out well.

 

[Lynda2475]

If these people did not have Covid, but maybe, pneumonia or bronchiolitis for children or. for younger adults, a chest infection, would they still be in ICU?

Quite possible.

We know 5 of the hospitalisations are from Aged Care, and at least 2 of those have multiple comorbidities (daughter mentioned them in multiple interviews yesterday) but they werent in ICU yesterday, not sure if that has changed cause didnt hear Dr Chant today. The bit I did hear said that all those in ICU were all over 50.

 

[drron]

So, a genuine question. If these people did not have Covid, but maybe, pneumonia or bronchiolitis for children or. for younger adults, a chest infection, would they still be in ICU?

If they had serious disease of course they would.
However the youngest of the 6 in ICU yesterday was in their early 50's.Today I got to look after 3 ICU stepdowns.2 of them were there for pneumonia.One is 91.So age is not necessarily a bar to ICU admission.

PS.None of the aged care patients have severe covid so not in ICU.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Yep Garran oval, played many a game of cricket there in my (much) younger days. Across the road from Canberra Hospital, so far it’s worked out well.

We had our first AZ jab there. It’s fairly Spartan in appearance, but the chairs for vaccination were really comfortable (and we got a lollipop )

 

[Pushka]

If they had serious disease of course they would.
However the youngest of the 6 in ICU yesterday was in their early 50's.Today I got to look after 3 ICU stepdowns.2 of them were there for pneumonia.One is 91.So age is not necessarily a bar to ICU admission.

Yes but isn't the relevant part is not so much they are in ICU for "any issue" but they are in ICU specifically for COVID.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Field hospitals in Victoria during the pandemic? No, but marquee structures for Covid Testing and Vaccinations are still quite common..

However, a more sophisticated form of a temporary ward was used though, was used, and yes did take Covid Patients.

Monash Health 360 m², double storey portable building with six new specialist ICU beds and staff areas, which took less than a month

Click below to watch time lapse video.

Monash Medical Centre Clayton - Temporary Resus Isolation Ward - NDY

ndy.com

That plus also back in early 2020 to increase specialised facilities including ICU beds:

• bringing forward the completion of a number hospitals/ hospital expansions that were already under construction and especially the ICU component
• in Geelong repurposing the old Geelong Private Hospital, which was decommissioned in May 2018, to become a dedicated 50 patient ward for patients suffering from COVID-19. The Geelong Covid Hospital I believe saw no patients at that time. It is opposite the new hospital and has since had theatres added and is now used for elective surgeries..
• recommissioning, a previously closed hospital, to gain quicker access to increased capacity. The former closed Peter McCallum cancer hospital (it already had moved to a brand new hospital) was transformed into St Vincent's on the Park which now operates for St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne’s lower-acuity patients. This includes some of our palliative care and rehabilitation services.

The new specialised ICU wards that were brought forward at all the various major hospitals that are still all very much in use.

Australia | AECOM

How we are delivering a better world in Australia As Australia prepares for a rapidly growing population and the challenges of climate change, infrastructure will play a vital role in connecting communities, transitioning to renewable energy, reducing carbon, and enhancing climate resilience...

aecom.com

 

[Lynda2475]

Yes but isn't the relevant part is not so much they are in ICU for "any issue" but they are in ICU specifically for COVID.

Unfortunately if someone is admitted to ICU or dies with Covid, it is reportred as Covid related even though the primary reason maybe some other condition.

 

[Pushka]

Unfortunately if someone is admitted to ICU or dies with Covid, it is reportred as Covid related even though the primary reason maybe some other condition.

Yes. That was actually mentioned in relation to the UK death rate tonight. They didn't report 'died from Covid' but rather that the cause had noted Covid was present. Or words to that effect.

 

[drron]

Yes but isn't the relevant part is not so much they are in ICU for "any issue" but they are in ICU specifically for COVID.

Yes.Without covid they would not be there.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Yes. That was actually mentioned in relation to the UK death rate tonight. They didn't report 'died from Covid' but rather that the cause had noted Covid was present. Or words to that effect.

Unfortunately if someone is admitted to ICU or dies with Covid, it is reportred as Covid related even though the primary reason maybe some other condition.

This is actually important to address.
If someone has covid and is hit by a car and dies in ICU they are not recorded as having died with COVID. They don’t add onto the global death stats.

 

[Lynda2475]

Late news reporting 1 week extension for NSW lockdown

 

[Lynda2475]

If someone has covid and is hit by a car and dies in ICU they are not recorded as having died with COVID

In the case or a car crash or shooting fwirly obvious not a covid death,, however the below article implies it isnt always so clear cut and that there are differences between way states and commonwealth report deaths with vs from covid. Although its from last year so maybe new rules were introduced since?

Have victims 'died of' coronavirus or 'died with' coronavirus? Here's why that matters

If we know who is susceptible to dying with COVID-19 because of pre-existing conditions, public health responses could more effectively target and protect potentially vulnerable people and communities, writes Marc Trabsky and Courtney Hempton.

www.abc.net.au

I wonder if someone who had lung cancer who got covid, would be listed as a cancer or covid death?

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Tomorrow's newspapers:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1412395784008437763

 

[justinbrett]

You always leak bad news, everybody knows that.

Remember during the big Melbourne outbreak last year? Most days the media had the numbers before anyone else.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

You always leak bad news, everybody knows that.

Remember during the big Melbourne outbreak last year? Most days the media had the numbers before anyone else.

I think Glady's last presser made it quite obvious that the lockdown would be extended. So opening the door to the probability earlier today, the leak tonight and then confirmation tomorrow.

 

[drron]

In the case or a car crash or shooting fwirly obvious not a covid death,, however the below article implies it isnt always so clear cut and that there are differences between way states and commonwealth report deaths with vs from covid. Although its from last year so maybe new rules were introduced since?

Have victims 'died of' coronavirus or 'died with' coronavirus? Here's why that matters

If we know who is susceptible to dying with COVID-19 because of pre-existing conditions, public health responses could more effectively target and protect potentially vulnerable people and communities, writes Marc Trabsky and Courtney Hempton.

www.abc.net.au

I wonder if someone who had lung cancer who got covid, would be listed as a cancer or covid death?

Well someone who has lung cancer and has a large heart attack and dies is officially recorded as dying from the heart attack with lung cancer a contributing cause.So why should it be different for covid.

 

[Lynda2475]

So why should it be different for covid

that article claims that the states count anyone who is positive at death in the covid death count, which would therefore likely overstate death rates, even if death certificate claims another leading cause. So in Vic second wave where majority of deaths were in over 80s in residential care with comorbodities, its not inconceivable some of those would have died in same time period even without covid.

 

[drron]

As I said though with heart attacks many would have died anyway of their co morbidities such as a cancer anyway However they are officially counted as a death from a heart attack and their are some who will say the official stats on cause of death overstate the number of cardiac deaths.And from experience it can be just assumed the death is cardiac as it was a sudden death.So as I said why should it be different for Covid.Australia's standards are very different from the USA where even people dying from gunshots were counted as covid deaths if they happened to have covid as well.Or places like Sweden where anyone who died within a month of testing positive were counted as a covid death.

As well in Australia we have morbidity and mortality meetings and I can state in Tasmania covid deaths were discussed at those meetings as I commenced working in Tasmania just as the NWRH cluster started which was responsible for most of Tasmania's covid
deaths.
But you do like to have the last word so I will be interested to see what you will com up with next.