nudge

Hope for Italy.

I just miss travelling. Made the mistake of watching BBC's Race Across the World a few days ago and it made me feel like crap Other than that, I'm rarely ever bored... So many things to do! Wish I had the time.

We've been in lockdown for a week. I mostly don't give a fuck.

On snow!

Nobody knows.

German state already suspended the decree that prohibited the export of masks and is expected to send a million masks to Italy. https://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2020/03/13/news/coronavirus_la_germania_invia_un_milione_di_mascherine_all_italia-251219227/

More ICU beds than anywhere else in the EU (click to enlarge). Why Germany has fewer serious/critical cases is unclear. I like to think it's all because of beer

Germany is set to take in some Italian patients from Lombardy for treatment. The European Union will send €20 million in humanitarian aid to Iran.

A man in Taiwan has been fined US$33,000 for breaking quarantine rule https://www.hongkongfp.com/2020/03/23/coronavirus-taiwan-fines-man-us33000-breaking-quarantine-rule/

4517 new cases and 462 new deaths in Spain - bringing their total to 33089 cases and 2182 deaths. Also 2355 patients in ICU

Wrong thread?

Nah. It is still most likely to have started in China; just much earlier than it was discovered allowing it to circulate and spread throughout the world undetected. I believe most of the research seems to agree that China's actual patient zero got sick in November and hasn't even visited the infamous Wuhan wet market.

This is not the Chinese making it up though. They are quoting what Dr. Giuseppe Remuzzi - a respected medical expert and Italy's leading clinical researcher - said during an interview with the NPR (American media) originally. "And it's now emerging that the virus had been spreading for months before it was detective. I talked to Dr. Giuseppe Remuzzi, who's been talking to family doctors. They told him they saw cases that looked like severe pneumonia already last November and December. That's before the world even became aware of the COVID-19 outbreak in China. GIUSEPPE REMUZZI: That they remember having seen very strange pneumonias, very severe, particularly in old people, in December and even in November. It means that the virus was circulating at least in Lombardy before we were aware of this outbreak occurring in China." https://www.npr.org/2020/03/20/818797687/morning-news-brief https://www.npr.org/2020/03/19/817974987/every-single-individual-must-stay-home-italy-s-coronavirus-deaths-pass-china-s It's also not the only source and not the first time it's suggested either. Phylogenetic analysis shows the same thing and it seems to be widely agreed upon in the medical circles in Italy. This is what Maria Rita Gismondo, Italy's virologist from Sacco di Milano hospital said in an Italian interview in early March: "Is it true that the virus had already arrived in Italy in November last year and therefore before the first atypical cases of pneumonia were discovered in China? "This is well established, it clearly emerges from our studies at the University of Milan and from those of other groups of scientists." How was it possible to trace the presence of the virus before it was discovered? “These studies are based on genotyping, which is the photograph of the core of the virus. The comparison with the viruses circulated in China and in the rest of the world has made us understand that it is a single virus. We have genotyped many of them, starting the mapping of the virus path in Italy: from here we discovered that it was already present in our country since November last year, giving an explanation to many atypical cases of pneumonia "." https://www.lanazione.it/firenze/cronaca/coronavirus-virologa-gismondo-1.5062536 It is not claiming that Italy is the source by the way; it suggests that the virus - regardless of its real origin - has most likely been circulating undetectable for much longer than first thought and then likely mutated into a much aggressive strain we're dealing with now. The Chinese definitely were complacent and made mistakes (local authorities silencing doctors who were first reporting it and not taking them seriously) and very likely weren't completely transparent for sure - but the leaders of other countries are equally to blame; in fact even more so - they knew about the existence of the new virus since the end of December and took absolutely no action to do anything about it while the Chinese were already quarantining millions of people in its cities. In fact many still don't do anything about it so go figure... They took it even less serious than the Chinese authorities at the start so I don't get it why people are not blaming their local authorities if they so badly need someone to blame for the situation we all find ourselves in at this moment. Pointing the finger at someone is absolutely not a top priority but I guess it makes people feel better about themselves and their own lack of action (not directed at you personally haha).

Just finished it! A very enjoyable series. There will be Season 2 for sure, right? The way it ended makes me think it's not over...

Good to hear... I'll keep on watching then. That crazy monastery scared me a bit

Just watched Episode 3... Really enjoying it so I'm a bit struggling to understand the poor ratings. How far ahead are you now and how do you like it so far?

Well it's not speculation considering that's what NHS England reported... “All the 37 people aged between 18 and 102 who died in England after testing positive for coronavirus were in vulnerable groups including with underlying conditions.”

Would anyone be interested in a weekly German Football Pub Quiz while everything else is on hold anyway? I'm thinking something along the lines of 10 questions with everyone submitting their answers via PM. I'd try to make it difficult enough. No Google of course. Thoughts? @Tommy @Faithcore @Rucksackfranzose @Viva la FCB @Relling @God is Haaland @Relling @SchalkeUK anyone else?

Wow. So it's being reported that a Chinese shipment of masks and respirators has apparently been confiscated by Poland and the Czech Republic. Two independent transports were stopped and seized at the respective borders. Reportedly 680,000 masks and thousands of respirators. https://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2020/03/21/news/coronavirus_cosi_la_repubblica_ceca_ha_sequestrato_680_mila_mascherine_inviate_dalla_cina_all_italia-251883320/ https://kurier.at/politik/ausland/corona-lieferung-fuer-italien-polen-und-tschechien-kassieren-masken-und-beatmungsgeraete-ein/400789163?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook#Echobox=1584870985 The Czech authorities are now trying to claim they thought the masks and equipment were stolen but they story is being refuted by the leaked pics that clearly show Italian and Chinese flags on the packages.

But I only watched the first episode... So you're actually in the lead!

Just started watching The Letter for the King - looks pretty good so far...