General Discussion/Q&A on Coronavirus (COVID-19)

[p--and--t]

Interesting

AI can detect coronavirus infections far faster than humans

New artificial intelligence systems can detect coronavirus infections far faster than human doctors and could help end the COVID-19 outbreak.

www.freethink.com

 

[serfty]

Saw this on the ABC - From Vietnam:

 

[p--and--t]

Saw this on the ABC - From Vietnam:

This is exactly the sort of thing the feds should have flooded our TV screens with all stations every hour from a month ago.

The lack of leadership call to arms for the general population to up its game on hand cleanliness and other actions is appalling.

 

[teammongo]

We know that the virus is more deadly to the elderly but the statistic I'ld like to know is:

What percentage of the fatalities are people who smoke or who used to smoke?

All patients
927/1085 (85.4%) Never Smoked
21/1085 (1.9%) Ex Smoker
137/1085 (12.6%) Current Smoker

Severe Disease
134/172 (77.9)
9/172 (5.2)
29/172 (16.9)

"Clinical characteristics of 2019 novel coronavirus infection in China"
Wei-jie Guan- China Medical Treatment Expert Group for 2019-nCoV

 

[burmans]

Especially as now it is likely that he has been in close contact with a known infected person in his cabinet.

Not really a surprise on form though.

 

[get me outta here]

I don’t understand why the PM doesn’t just take the test. In a meeting with Dutton on Tuesday and then Dutton is sick on Friday. That seems too close how can they be so confident that 24 hours is only the infectious period. I didn’t think it was that precise at this point.

Not really a surprise on form though.

 

[jakeseven7]

I don’t understand why the PM doesn’t just take the test. In a meeting with Dutton on Tuesday and then Dutton is sick on Friday. That seems too close how can they be so confident that 24 hours is only the infectious period. I didn’t think it was that precise at this point.

Because of the risk that he might actually have it. They have trotted out line he wasn’t in contact with Dutton at the right time window.

Also why is Trump is refusing to have the test despite being in very close contact with many infected people now and he is appearing ill on TV....

 

[Flashback]

Because of the risk that he might actually have it. They have trotted out line he wasn’t in contact with Dutton at the right time window.

Also why is Trump is refusing to have the test despite being in very close contact with many infected people now and he is appearing ill on TV....

No, he's always looked that orange!

 

[PineappleSkip]

The world needs to wake up and ban US travellers ASAP. Many instances now of US people carrying to other countries including now unfortunately Africa.

Stuff the political repercussions and band America now. Their slack and slow response is now hurting us all.

Why the USA? Why not Europe? Active cases per 100,000 people in the USA are almost exactly the same as in Australia, (about 0.5) Compare say Germany with 3.5 cases/100,000, and Norway with 7.6/100,000.

Cheers skip

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Why the USA? Why not Europe? Active cases per 100,000 people in the USA are almost exactly the same as in Australia, (about 0.5) Compare say Germany with 3.5 cases/100,000, and Norway with 7.6/100,000.

Cheers skip

Yes though the USA have not actively been testing. By their own official's admission they have botched their testing program including the test that they developed.

If you do not test then your case rate will be lower than it should be.

 

[burmans]

Because of the risk that he might actually have it. They have trotted out line he wasn’t in contact with Dutton at the right time window.

Also why is Trump is refusing to have the test despite being in very close contact with many infected people now and he is appearing ill on TV....

Well we all know Trumps theory that what he says is true, deny, deny and everything will be OK.

 

[Denali]

Panic stealing from a hospital

Woman charged with stealing face masks, hand sanitiser, antiseptic wipes from hospital

Woman charged with stealing face masks, hand sanitiser, antiseptic wipes from hospital

A 65-year-old woman is charged with stealing dozens of face masks and other medical supplies from a Perth hospital, for personal use.

www.abc.net.au

 

[RooFlyer]

The world needs to wake up and ban US travellers ASAP.

Why the obsession with the US? If its about the virus, surly you would be calling out Europe:

Coronavirus: Europe now epicentre of the pandemic, says WHO

 

[PineappleSkip]

Correction, just noted the deaths numbers. Madrid last reported with 1990 cases among 6.5m people. That makes it worse than most of Italy (the outbreak there is still largely in the North)...

BBC just reported these EU travel restrictions...

• Denmark: Bans all foreigners from entering without a valid purpose (such as residency or emergency family visit)
• Poland: Foreigners banned from entering from Sunday
• Czech Republic: Bans all foreigners from entering the country, except those with residence permits. Bans its own nationals from leaving
• Slovakia: Closes borders to all foreigners except Poles and those with a residence permit
• Austria: Closes three land border crossings with Italy to all foreigners, except those with a medical certificate issued within four days. No restriction on Austrian nationals
• Ukraine: Closes border crossings to foreigners (except diplomats) for two weeks
• Hungary: Closes land borders with Austria and Slovenia
• Slovenia: Closes six border crossings with Italy. Bus and train travel suspended. Foreigners may only enter with a medical certificate issued within three days
• Serbia: Closes border crossings with Romania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Croatia
• Romania: Closes borders with Hungary, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Moldova
• Albania: Closes borders with Montenegro, Kosovo and North Macedonia

 

[amaroo]

Yes though the USA have not actively been testing. By their own official's admission they have botched their testing program including the test that they developed.

If you do not test then your case rate will be lower than it should be.

The same testing tactics Japan is using according to reports on other threads.

 

[dajop]

Why the obsession with the US? If its about the virus, surly you would be calling out Europe

RooFlyer, I think a lot of the concern from an Australian perspective (and I say this as an “outside” observer based in SIN) is the emergence of the US as a source of imported cases into Australia. If you look at the history of imported cases, it started with China, then Iran emerged, then Europe and more recently cases from the US (with cases from SE Asia peppered throughout).

I suspect the plethora of non stop flights, and the absence of connections through Asia (and let’s face it from the get go people wanted to avoid Asia travel - even if just connecting through an Asian airport) has amplified Australian concerns about the impact of US air traffic, which seemed to have been resilient in face of air traffic from/through Asia being absolutely gutted.

Now, overlay that with general question marks about the overall US health system (being in large measure private), I think has given rise to concerns. I have definitely seen some criticism of the US centred around a certain polarising figure, but TBH the majority of what I’ve read was in relation to concerns about the ability of their overall system - state based and private -to respond (particularly peoples reluctance to seek treatment for illnesses due to cost). That’s something that is what it is and predates that certain figure by generations.

 

[Denali]

My chiropractor feeling saucy this morning...

 

[drron]

Yes though the USA have not actively been testing. By their own official's admission they have botched their testing program including the test that they developed.

If you do not test then your case rate will be lower than it should be.

The original CDC test was thought to have needed 3 components.Didn't work properly and they soon found out only 2 components needed.That is why tests,drugs,vaccines etc need testing prior to widespread use.
The original testing was done by the CDC itself.It asked other public health labs to start testing and to develop their own tests if need be early in Feb.At the end of feb the CDC authorised private labs to be able to develop their own tests and distribute them-at least 1 private lab had already developed a test and was ready to ramp up production.

The NYT and related publications said at the end of last week they could only confirm less than 2000 tests had been done across the USA.Yet they only had to look at the CDC website to know that was wrong.
.

By the end of last week the public Health labs were doing 1500 tests per day-but that means 750 patients.By 12/3 ~16500 tests had been done by the public health labs.But there are now private path labs testing.They do not have to report those numbers to the CDC.The CDC by the 7/3 had shipped 800,000 tests out to the public health labs.

They have also copped flack for originally not using the German test kits distributed by WHO.Though yesterday's news suggests that could have been a problem.

Global shortage of Covid-19 test kits hits Australia as other nations limit exports

Australia’s chief medical officer says supply problems are a ‘temporary issue’ but one that is hampering testing in Australia and across the globe

www.theguardian.com

So please don't let politics take over the discussion of this virus.As was said upthread Europe is now the epicentre of the virus at present though it is likely that will change in coming days or weeks.

 

[JessicaTam]

By the end of last week the public Health labs were doing 1500 tests per day-but that means 750 patients.By 12/4 ~16500 tests had been done by the public health labs.But there are now private path labs testing.They do not have to report those numbers to the CDC.The CDC by the 7/4 had shipped 800,000 tests out to the public health labs.

I take it you mean 12/3 and 7/3 respectively?

 

[Denali]

I admit to laughing