Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak

[Dr. Gonzo]

1 hour ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I think it's the Deputy Health Minister... and he's a fucking idiot. So yeah, there's no way he's good at his job.

Last night he went onto PressTV to do an interview where he updates the public with the status of the virus in Iran. But overall he's telling people not to worry. The interviewer has a moment where she's like "you're coughing an awful lot" (and the guy is also sweating visibly on TV) and he makes a joke about how he should be covering his mouth with his arm when he coughs.

Then today he makes a statement that he's infected with the virus. He even states that he thinks his time on earth is coming to an end - so much for telling people not to worry...

Oh shit. Apparently Harirchi (the Deputy Health Minister) met with Rouhani (Iran's president) yesterday - the same day he was sweating and coughing on TV. If Khameini gets this disease, he's in the right age range to be killed by it.

Can't say I'd shed a single tear if he died.

[nudge]

Midnight's update for international cases outside of mainland China in the last 24 hours (00:00 to 24:00 CET Feb 25):

329 new cases and 11 deaths:

• South Korea - 144 new cases and 3 deaths;
• Italy - 93 new cases and 4 deaths;
• Iran - 34 new cases and 3 deaths;
• Bahrain - 21 new cases;
• USA (former Diamond Princess passengers), Hong Kong, Spain, Kuwait, Iraq - 4 cases each;
• Thailand, Japan, France, Germany, Oman, Austria - 2 cases each;
• Taiwan, Singapore, Croatia, Switzerland, Algeria - 1 case each;
• 1 death in the former passenger of the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

Four countries reported their first ever cases today (Austria, Croatia, Switzerland, Algeria). 

Current total (including two new cases in Kuwait that have been announced just past midnight): 2760 cases and 47 deaths in 41 countries.

 

Some graphs (click to enlarge):

 

 

[Kowabunga]

 

 

[El Profesor]

First case in Brazil has been just confirmed. A 61-year old man who returned from Italy.

[nudge]

1 minute ago, El Profesor said:

First case in Brazil has been just confirmed. A 61-year old man who returned from Italy.

Makes you wonder how widespread it is in Italy. Most of the cases in numerous countries in the last two days have been related to the outbreaks in either Italy or Iran...

[El Profesor]

7 minutes ago, nudge said:

Makes you wonder how widespread it is in Italy. Most of the cases in numerous countries in the last two days have been related to the outbreaks in either Italy or Iran...

It´s definitely worrisome. Especially considering the volume of passenger traffic between Brazil and Italy and also due to the fact Carnival is only ending today. Brazil could be a game-changer in this crisis. Add to this the risk of the virus somehow reaching Venezuela where a significant part of the population is malnourished.

EDIT: Apparently the man had been in São Paulo for 4 days before getting tested. During Carnival. Oh boy... 

Edited February 26, 2020 by El Profesor

[nudge]

3 minutes ago, El Profesor said:

It´s definitely worrisome. Especially considering the volume of passenger traffic between Brazil and Italy and also due to the fact Carnival is only ending today. Brazil could be a game-changer in this crisis. Add to this the risk of the virus somehow reaching Venezuela where a significant part of the population is malnourished.

The timing's been been pretty unlucky to be honest; first the Chinese New Year at the start of the outbreak, now Carnival. But I think the world is too connected nowadays for any fairly contagious virus to be contained in a short time anyway.

[El Profesor]

12 minutes ago, nudge said:

The timing's been been pretty unlucky to be honest; first the Chinese New Year at the start of the outbreak, now Carnival. But I think the world is too connected nowadays for any fairly contagious virus to be contained in a short time anyway.

I was listening to a Podcast with the author of the book  "Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How It Changed the World", Laura Spinney, and one thing she mentioned is that government transparency and the cooperation of the population is fundamental. She was somewhat optimistic. 

[Michael]

14 hours ago, Stan said:

Please stay away from the site. Even though you're not infected, we don't want to take the risk of losing our members. 

That's just the kind of attitude that some Ukrainians showed towards those returning to Ukraine from Wuhan a few days ago. A little more understanding and compassion are needed at these times.

 

[Stan]

1 hour ago, Michael said:

That's just the kind of attitude that some Ukrainians showed towards those returning to Ukraine from Wuhan a few days ago. A little more understanding and compassion are needed at these times.

 

I was joking

 

[Michael]

Just now, Stan said:

I was joking

 

I know you were mate.

[Berserker]

7 hours ago, El Profesor said:

It´s definitely worrisome. Especially considering the volume of passenger traffic between Brazil and Italy and also due to the fact Carnival is only ending today. Brazil could be a game-changer in this crisis. Add to this the risk of the virus somehow reaching Venezuela where a significant part of the population is malnourished.

EDIT: Apparently the man had been in São Paulo for 4 days before getting tested. During Carnival. Oh boy... 

This makes me worry a little with all the people from here vacationing in Brasil as always.

[Harry]

9 hours ago, nudge said:

Makes you wonder how widespread it is in Italy. Most of the cases in numerous countries in the last two days have been related to the outbreaks in either Italy or Iran...

Other countries should have mobilised faster to take more precautions around Italy. Hopefully those other countries will be able to stamp out their outbreaks and stop them propogating.

I'd spare a thought for the people in Italy and South Korea too though. A week ago both countries were in comparable shape to others, but things have changed rapidly for the worse in less than a week. People must be reading the papers there every day and just getting more and more panicked feeling like the virus is bearing down on them.

 

[Mpache]

How is it looking in Africa out of curiousity?

For a continent that gets a lot of outbreaks (especially in Central Africa) they seemed to be isolated from this so far.

[Mpache]

Also I am a bit worried about this reaching Peru. My only grandmother left is in her 80's. 

[nudge]

2 hours ago, Inti Brian said:

How is it looking in Africa out of curiousity?

For a continent that gets a lot of outbreaks (especially in Central Africa) they seemed to be isolated from this so far.

Most of African countries lack testing capacity; if there's any spread then it's very likely to go undetected for a long time.

[Michael]

15 hours ago, nudge said:

Midnight's update for international cases outside of mainland China in the last 24 hours (00:00 to 24:00 CET Feb 25):

329 new cases and 11 deaths:

• South Korea - 144 new cases and 3 deaths;
• Italy - 93 new cases and 4 deaths;
• Iran - 34 new cases and 3 deaths;
• Bahrain - 21 new cases;
• USA (former Diamond Princess passengers), Hong Kong, Spain, Kuwait, Oman - 4 cases each;
• Thailand, Japan, France, Germany, Oman, Austria - 2 cases each;
• Taiwan, Singapore, Croatia, Switzerland, Algeria - 1 case each;
• 1 death in the former passenger of the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

Four countries reported their first ever cases today (Austria, Croatia, Switzerland, Algeria). 

Current total (including two new cases in Kuwait that have been announced just past midnight): 2760 cases and 47 deaths in 41 countries.

 

Some graphs (click to enlarge):

 

 

Worrying times Nudge and this disease is spreading like wildfire. 

Thanks for the much appreciated updates, but you have Oman down twice, under both 4 cases each and 2 cases each.

Northern Italy is the place to avoid in Europe, they seem to be getting it very bad.

[nudge]

2 minutes ago, Michael said:

Worrying times Nudge and this disease is spreading like wildfire. 

Thanks for the much appreciated updates, but you have Oman down twice, under both 4 cases each and 2 cases each.

Northern Italy is the place to avoid in Europe, they seem to be getting it very bad.

Cheers; corrected it  Should have been Iraq instead of Oman under 4 cases each. 

 

[Azeem]

Reports here that the first case has been confirmed in Karachi, man returned from Iran recently

[nudge]

25 minutes ago, Azeem said:

Reports here that the first case has been confirmed in Karachi, man returned from Iran recently

Two cases apparently - according to this: https://www.dawn.com/news/1536792. But then all other sources report one case only so I'm a bit confused.

EDIT: nevermind; two cases now confirmed by the Pakistan's Minister of Health.

 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Does anyone else just see the words "no need to panic" and immediately think "I'm feeling more panicked than I was before I read that" … or is that just me?

[DeadLinesman]

3 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Does anyone else just see the words "no need to panic" and immediately think "I'm feeling more panicked than I was before I read that" … or is that just me?

I see flying lawn mowers.

[Stan]

400 new cases in Italy  

 

[Tommy]

Having flu symptoms while this is going around is not a great feeling. Only because some Chinese asshole had to eat a bat or some shit. 

[Stan]

8 minutes ago, Tommy said:

Having flu symptoms while this is going around is not a great feeling. Only because some Chinese asshole had to eat a bat or some shit. 

Yeah I've been ill since Thurs and the missus for a couple weeks before that. Both all good now! Pretty sure we didn't have coronavirus mind.