Covid 19 Updates Part 2

[LesPalenik]

The infection rate in New York is slowly coming down, but nationwide it is still growing and new hot nests are appearing.

1. U.S. cases are growing the fastest
“The U.S. [now has] the largest number of cases among all countries, while the growth rate of U.S. cases is now the highest among all countries we follow ... and is accelerating faster than Italy when adjusted for the start of the respective outbreaks.”

2. U.S. mortality is not slowing despite social distancing
“Mortality is increasing at an exponential rate in the U.S. at a slightly lower slope than Italy prior to its lockdown. While mortality will lag new cases, other countries have been able to slow from exponential growth after lockdowns.”

3. New cases are growing faster than testing capacity
“Rates of testing positivity continue to trend higher across the U.S. as testing rates lag other countries and cases are growing faster than tests, suggesting the U.S. continues to lack enough testing capacity.”

4. New ‘hot spots’ are exhibiting growth above other regions
“Case rates for emerging U.S. ‘hot spots’ are growing at rates faster than all countries or U.S. states. This suggests new U.S. cases could continue to accelerate.”

5. U.S. social-distancing measures remain less strict than those of other countries
“The U.S. has more limited quarantine measures compared to Italy or China.”

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-reasons-why-the-us-spread-of-covid-19-could-be-worse-than-italy-2020-03-30

[elliot_n]

The Covid patient's experience, written by a NY ICU doctor:

https://www.reddit.com/r/medicine/comments/fsfka7/3_days_of_inpatient_care_in_new_york_the_story_of/

[Robert Roaldi]

Just one more tidbit in the interests of flogging a dead horse. I asked a friend who regularly travels to China about the 48,000 urns thing. Turns out he had been reading up on these interweb stories himself a lot lately because he also has a lot of time on his hands these days, and since his wife is Chinese he has become more curious about the region. He replied that 57,000 people died in Wuhan province in 2019, so it may not be so unusual to have so many urns in inventory. I don't know how many died in 2018 or 2017. My only point here is that a couple of rumours and news stories do not the truth make.

As I said earlier, could China be fudging numbers, well sure, what could be easier to believe. And the abrupt decrease in cases/deaths is suspect. But it's precisely because it's easy to believe that they're lying that we should examine things a bit more closely.

Anyway, I'm sure there's someone at Langley who could clear this up.

[BobShaw]

Who in the hell would want to cross the border into the US these days?

They'll want to build a wall

[Craig Lamson]

I have two local friends who were flown to the ICU in Grand Junction and it's not looking very good for either of them.

I hope they recover fully.

Curious, how old?

[MattBurt]

I hope they recover fully.

Curious, how old?

Thanks. One in his mid 50s and one in his 70s.
The older guy used to have a younger wife my age who I knew from high school. She passed from cancer maybe 10 years ago.
I feel really bad for their daughter. She will probably be ok but she has had to face so many harsh realities already.

[chez]

They'll want to build a wall

A dome is more like it.

[JoeKitchen]

A dome is more like it.

Rough time in geometry? 

That would only work if the country is shaped like a circle. 

[MattBurt]

Yikes, my home county is #6 in the rate of confirmed cases. 

[chez]

Rough time in geometry? 

That would only work if the country is shaped like a circle.

Well unless you build a wall to 39,000 feet...it sure ain't stopping plane loads of people invading the US of A.

Surely you can stretch your imagination a tiny bit to see what I was saying.

[JoeKitchen]

Well unless you build a wall to 39,000 feet...it sure ain't stopping plane loads of people invading the US of A.

Surely you can stretch your imagination a tiny bit to see what I was saying.

Perhaps, yes in fantasy, but domes become structurally unstable if they are not circular.   

[chez]

Perhaps, yes in fantasy, but domes become structurally unstable if they are not circular.   

Well isn't that where the idea of building a wall to keep people out came from...someone's fantasy?

[JoeKitchen]

Well isn't that where the idea of building a wall to keep people out came from...someone's fantasy?

I always thought it was history.  How many cities in Europe still have their medieval walls? 

[chez]

I always thought it was history.  How many cities in Europe still have their medieval walls?

Surely today's society has progressed passed the medieval times. At least one hopes so...on second thought...maybe not all societies.

[JoeKitchen]

Surely today's society has progressed passed the medieval times. At least one hopes so...on second thought...maybe not all societies.

If the shutdown shuts down the food supply lines, you'll get to see exactly how far, or not at all, we have come. 

Fortunately I have about 85 lb. of cheese, so I should be good for a while in case. 

[JoeKitchen]

I guess if you want the press to take something seriously, you really need to get a Democrat to say it. 

People are stealing masks and other medical equipment from hospitals, New York Gov. Cuomo says

Meanwhile, yesterday's news.

De Blasio calls Trump’s claims of stolen hospital supplies ‘insulting’

[faberryman]

I guess if you want the press to take something seriously, you really need to get a Democrat to say it. 

People are stealing masks and other medical equipment from hospitals, New York Gov. Cuomo says

Meanwhile, yesterday's news.

De Blasio calls Trump’s claims of stolen hospital supplies ‘insulting’

I haven't been very impressed with De Blasio's handling of the situation. It is hard to move past an ill considered trip to the gym.

[JoeKitchen]

I haven't been very impressed with De Blasio's handling of the situation.

Well, yes, I would certainly agree.  I think most politicians at this moment do not warrant criticisms, including both Trump and Cuomo.  It is kind of hard to plan for something like this. 

De Blasio though, he deserves to be criticized in the moment. 

However, it was not just De Blasio.  Trump was beat up in the press yesterday for saying the same thing Cuomo said today.  Another example of their hypocrisy and why, since this started, the press is the sole institution people's trust in has decreased. 

[chez]

If the shutdown shuts down the food supply lines, you'll get to see exactly how far, or not at all, we have come. 

Fortunately I have about 85 lb. of cheese, so I should be good for a while in case.

Why do you feel the food supply will be shut down. I haven't seen any indications of any food supply problems. I've seen idiots buying toilet paper by the truck loads...that's not a supply problem...that's a stupidity problem.

[JoeKitchen]

Just one more tidbit in the interests of flogging a dead horse. I asked a friend who regularly travels to China about the 48,000 urns thing. Turns out he had been reading up on these interweb stories himself a lot lately because he also has a lot of time on his hands these days, and since his wife is Chinese he has become more curious about the region. He replied that 57,000 people died in Wuhan province in 2019, so it may not be so unusual to have so many urns in inventory. I don't know how many died in 2018 or 2017. My only point here is that a couple of rumours and news stories do not the truth make.

As I said earlier, could China be fudging numbers, well sure, what could be easier to believe. And the abrupt decrease in cases/deaths is suspect. But it's precisely because it's easy to believe that they're lying that we should examine things a bit more closely.

Anyway, I'm sure there's someone at Langley who could clear this up.

On another forum I belong to, a doctor in a fire prone area was commenting on how much difficulty they are having treating the respiratory aspect of this.  They have the training and the state of the art equipment for breathing issues, and treating COVID-19 victims is difficult for them.  He said that he just cant believe China only had 3000 death when they were just as unprepared with very old or antiquated equipment.