Coronavirus News & Updates

[Khafee]

@Khafee Here their data also showed out of 265K patients 205 recovered (jang even reported 235K) i sincerely hope so and pray for it but for last 15 days test ratio is very low hope that's not the reason of recently less reported cases

THAT is even more dangerous. You have silent carriers running around.

 

[Zulu]

Yes my real fear as we hardly did under 2 lakh test in last 15 days still waiting for Fawad chaudry so called PAK made PRC test kits

THAT is even more dangerous. You have silent carriers running around.

 

[Khafee]

Yes my real fear as we hardly did under 2 lakh test in last 15 days still waiting for FAwad chaudry so called PAK made PRC test kits

On technical issues, you have to be careful. Translating from Chinese takes time.

 

[Zulu]

March ky month sy woh bakwas kiyee jaa raha haii aaj tak kiya kuch nahi .Locally they charge 7000RS for such test but many good PRC test kits available from abroad as production is at peak everywhere but i think nobody inform NDMA about it .They are as lazy and incompetent like ministry of health

On technical issues, you have to be careful. Translating from Chinese takes time.

 

[Zeeman]

I do t have access to the entire article. It was published yesterday.


Why Youthful, Conservative Pakistan Is a Coronavirus Bright Spot
Two months ago, Pakistan was drawing unfavorable Covid-19 comparisons with Brazil
By
Saeed Shah
Aug. 1, 2020 12:00 pm
ISLAMABAD—Two months ago, the coronavirus seemed to be spreading out of control in Pakistan, a poor, chaotic country of more than 200 million with a weak health-care system that was seemingly headed for disaster. It was being compared with Brazil, another developing country with a similar population size that has been ravaged by the disease.

Why Youthful, Conservative Pakistan Is a Coronavirus Bright Spot

Two months ago, the coronavirus seemed to be spreading out of control in Pakistan, a poor country of more than 200 million with a weak health-care system. But the country has dramatically reversed course.

www.wsj.com

SHARE

 

[space cadet]

Is herd immunity ahead of schedule?

Today, we’re turning this section over to our colleague Apoorva Mandavilli, who has been covering the pandemic for The Times’s Science desk.​

The pandemic will end only when enough people are protected against the coronavirus, whether by a vaccine or by already having been infected. Reaching this threshold, known as herd immunity, doesn’t mean the virus will disappear. But with fewer hosts to infect, it will make its way through a community much more slowly.​

In the early days of the crisis, scientists estimated that perhaps 70 percent of the population would need to be immune in this way to be free from large outbreaks. But over the past few weeks, more than a dozen scientists told me they now felt comfortable saying that herd immunity probably lies from 45 percent to 50 percent.​

If they’re right, then we may be a lot closer to turning back this virus than we initially thought.​

It may also mean that pockets of New York City, London, Mumbai and other cities may already have reached the threshold, and may be spared a devastating second wave.​

The initial calculations into herd immunity assumed that everyone in a community was equally susceptible to the virus and mixed randomly with everyone else.​

The new estimates are the product of more sophisticated statistical modeling. When scientists factor in variations in density, demographics and socialization patterns, the estimated threshold for herd immunity falls.​

In some clinics in hard-hit Brooklyn neighborhoods, up to 80 percent of people who were tested at the beginning of the summer had antibodies for the virus. Over the past eight weeks, fewer than 1 percent of people tested at those same neighborhood clinics have had the virus.​

Likewise in Mumbai, a randomized household survey found that about 57 percent of people who live in the poorest areas and share toilets had antibodies, compared with just 11 percent elsewhere in the city.​

It’s too early to say with certainty that those communities have reached herd immunity. We don’t know, for example, how long someone who was infected stays protected from the coronavirus. But the data suggests that the virus may move more slowly in those areas the next time around.​

For more on herd immunity, read Apoorva’s latest article.​

 

[Khafee]

What is the secret? How Pakistan defeated coronavirus

Pakistan’s COVID-19 victory has been described as 'a bit of a mystery'

gulfnews.com

 

[Khafee]

COVID-19 Cases In India Cross 4.2m Mark ​

September 09, 2020


New Delhi:
Coronavirus India Live Updates: With 75,809 cases has push India's coronavirus tally to 4,280,442 the Union Health Ministry data this morning showed. The death count has risen to 72,775 with 1,133 more fatalities.

3,323,950 patients have recovered from the infection in the country, pushing the recovery rate to 77.6 per cent.

Maharashtra remains the state hit hardest by the pandemic, followed by Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. India is the country with the second-highest coronavirus caseload in the world after the United States.

 

[Khafee]

India's coronavirus infections surge to 6.23 million​

Reuters
Filed on September 30, 2020

Deaths from coronavirus infections rose by 1,179 in the last 24 hours to 97,497, the ministry said.​

India's coronavirus case tally surged to 6.23 million after it reported 80,472 new infections in the last 24 hours, data from the health ministry showed on Wednesday.

Deaths from coronavirus infections rose by 1,179 in the last 24 hours to 97,497, the ministry said.

The south Asian nation, which is second only to the United States in terms of total cases, has a scope for higher infections with a large chunk of the population still unexposed to the virus, a survey showed on Tuesday.

 

[Khafee]

New York City to close schools, non-essential business in nine 'hot spot' ZIP codes​

Oct. 4, 2020

New York City is set to close schools and non-essential businesses in nine "hot spot" ZIP codes as COVID-19 cases continue to rise throughout much of the United States. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 4 (UPI) -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday that non-essential businesses, public and private schools in areas most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic will close Wednesday pending state approval.

The mayor said the closures will affect nine ZIP codes in Brooklyn and Queens with above 3% COVID-19 positivity test rates for at least seven consecutive days, adding that 11 other ZIP codes in the city that have not yet reached 3% positivity rate could face their own restrictions.

"This was not an easy choice to make, and let me be clear: we haven't seen any issues in these schools. We must, however, be proactive about the safety and health of New Yorkers," said de Blasio. "This is out of an abundance of caution and in coordination with a larger strategy that mirrors what we did successfully in the spring of a larger shutdown to make sure we stopped the spread."

The announcement came as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that the state reported 1,222 positive cases, with 22% coming from 20 "hotspot ZIP codes," bringing its case total to 464,582 -- fourth-highest in the nation. The state also recorded 14 new deaths for the nation's highest death toll at 25,519 of confirmed cases and 33,205 including probable deaths.

Cuomo on Sunday said that the state would begin "aggressive enforcement" of COVID-19 restrictions beginning Monday.

"I'm concerned about the lack of testing in the schools. If the localities do not do testing immediately in the schools in those areas, the state will close them immediately," Cuomo wrote on Twitter.

Nationwide, the United States has reported world-leading a total of cases at 7,403,437 cases -- including President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and about a dozen people linked to events at the White House within the past week -- as well as a death toll of 209,668 deaths, according to data collected by John's Hopkins University.

Doctors on Sunday said Trump, who often downplayed the threat of the virus, was continuing to recover and could be discharged from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as early as Monday, despite acknowledging his blood oxygen levels dropped twice since Friday.

California reported 4,293 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing its nation-leading total to 823,729. The state also added 46 deaths, raising its death toll to 16,120 -- third in the nation, behind New Jersey's 16,135.

Texas reported 2,181 new cases on Sunday placing it second with a total of 765,984 and counted 33 new deaths for the nation's fourth-highest death toll at 16,025.

Florida added 1,868 COVID-19 cases on Sunday for the third-highest total in the United States at 716,459 and reported 42 more deaths for a death toll of 14,671.

Georgia tallied 880 new cases Sunday for the nation's fifth-highest total at 322,925, it also reported 28 new deaths and a death toll of 7,162 -- ninth in the United States.

Only Texas, Missouri and South Carolina had reported decreasing case totals compared to the previous week as of Saturday, while Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming all reported increases in new cases, according to CNN.

 

[Khafee]

Doctors: Trump could be discharged from hospital as early as Monday​

President Donald Trump made a "surprise" motorcade visit to supporters outside of Walter Reed hospital on Sunday.

Doctors treating President Donald Trump after he tested positive for COVID-19 said Sunday that he could be discharged from the hospital and return to the Whtie House as early as Monday. Photo by Michael Reynolds/UPI | License Photo

Oct. 4 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump made a "surprise" visit to supporters outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Sunday, hours after doctors said Sunday the president could be discharged as early as Monday despite acknowledging his blood oxygen levels dropped twice since Friday.

Trump wore a cloth mask while sitting in the back seat and waving as the motorcade drove by supporters near the hospital in Maryland.

"President Trump took a short, last-minute motorcade ride to wave to his supporters outside and has now returned to the Presidential Suite inside Walter Reed," White Hosue Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere said in a statement.

Secret Service agents riding in the car wore N95 masks, protective eyewear and protective gowns.

The president hinted at the appearance in a video shared to his Twitter account on Sunday evening, in which he said he was able to meet "soldiers and first responders" at Walter Reed, but did not elaborate on the nature of those meetings.

"I also think we're going to pay a little surprise to some of the great patriots that we have out on the street," he said.

In the video, Trump also said that he was "getting great reports from the doctors" and that he has "learned a lot about COVID" since arriving at the hospital.

"I learned it by really going to school. This is the real school. This isn't the 'let's read the book' school and I get it. And I understand it. And it's a very interesting thing. I'm gonna be letting you know about it. In the meantime, we love the USA and we love what's happening," said Trump.


During a morning briefing, doctors treating Trump following his positive COVID-19 test late Thursday said the president has "continued to improve" and responded to treatment after he was transported to Walter Reed on Friday.

"If he continues to look and feel as well as he does today, our hope is that we can plan for a discharge as early as tomorrow to the White House where he can continue his treatment course," said Dr. Brian Garibaldi of Johns Hopkins University.

White House physician Dr. Sean Conley also said that doctors will begin discharge plans if "everything continues to go well."

The president, and first lady Melania Trump, tested positive for and doctors aid he had experienced symptoms including a mild cough, nasal congestion and fatigue beginning Thursday, but that those conditions have since improved.

As of Saturday, Conley said Trump had been fever free for more than 24 hours and had been walking around and tending to work.

Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, told Fox News on Saturday night that Trump's oxygen levels fell rapidly on Friday.

Conley, after previously declining to state whether Trump had been administered oxygen since the start of his treatment, said Sunday the president had two episodes of falling oxygen saturation levels and was administered supplemental oxygen Friday at the White House despite saying Trump was "fairly adamant" he did not need it.

Trump received the steroid dexamethasone to the president in response to his two drops in oxygen saturation, with Garibaldi saying the first dose was administered on Saturday.

The National Institutes of Health recommends only giving dexamethasone to Covid-19 patients who need oxygen, including those on ventilators, saying patients with severe Covid-19 can develop a systemic [all-of-body] inflammatory response that can lead to lung injury and multisystem organ dysfunction."

He also received two doses of the antiviral drug remdesivir that was authorized for emergency use in May for treating hospitalized patients with the coronavirus.

Conley said he did not initially disclose that Trump had received supplemental oxygen "to reflect the upbeat attitude of the team."

In a video shared to his Twitter account Saturday night Trump said he "wasn't feeling so well" when he arrived at Walter Reed but assured he would "be back soon" to finish his re-election campaign.

Trump's assistant Nicholas Luna tested positive for COVID-19, CNN reported Sunday. Luna was described as one of the president's "body men" tasked with accompanying him throughout the day and night.

He joins about a dozen people linked to events attended by Trump at the White House over the past week who have also tested positive for the coronavirus.

 

[space cadet]

Vilified Early Over Lax Virus Strategy, Sweden Seems to Have Scourge Controlled (Published 2020)

After having weathered high death rates when it resisted a lockdown in the spring, Sweden now has one of Europe’s lowest rates of daily new cases. Whether that is an aberration remains to be seen.

www.nytimes.com

 

[BATMAN]

India's coronavirus infections surge to 6.23 million​

Reuters
Filed on September 30, 2020

View attachment 16642

Deaths from coronavirus infections rose by 1,179 in the last 24 hours to 97,497, the ministry said.​

India's coronavirus case tally surged to 6.23 million after it reported 80,472 new infections in the last 24 hours, data from the health ministry showed on Wednesday.

Deaths from coronavirus infections rose by 1,179 in the last 24 hours to 97,497, the ministry said.

The south Asian nation, which is second only to the United States in terms of total cases, has a scope for higher infections with a large chunk of the population still unexposed to the virus, a survey showed on Tuesday.

Pakistanis should demand closure of borders with India and Iran.

 

[BATMAN]

Yes my real fear as we hardly did under 2 lakh test in last 15 days still waiting for Fawad chaudry so called PAK made PRC test kits

There must be audit of all the COVID aid received, including test kits.

 

[Gripen9]

@mtime, hope you are safe. I find the last paragraph absolutely astounding.

Incarcerated Texans enlisted to work in county morgue as COVID-19 deaths overwhelm El Paso​

The inmates working in the morgue will earn $2 an hour. They are low-level offenders that are part of the detention facility's trustee program.
BY ALANA ROCHA NOV. 15, 20203 PM

El Paso County detention inmates, also known as “trustees” who are low-level offenders, help move bodies to mobile morgue units outside the Medical Examiner's Office in El Paso on Nov. 14, 2020. Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune

Need to stay updated on coronavirus news in Texas? Our evening roundup will help you stay on top of the day's latest updates. Sign up here.
The morgue in El Paso is so overwhelmed by the number of people dying from COVID-19 that inmates from the county’s detention facility are being brought in to assist with the overflow of bodies awaiting autopsy.
While the work these inmates do in the community typically goes unpaid, Chris Acosta, a spokesperson for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, said “trustees refused to work unless they were compensated.” They’re making $2 per hour.
Between four and eight inmates from the detention facility’s trustee program are volunteering daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The inmates doing the work are misdemeanor offenders and those in minimum custody. The shifts started Monday, Acosta said.
The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one.

Acosta said she couldn’t speak to the exact nature of the work the inmates are doing at the morgues, but she said that the inmates, one deputy and two detention officers are given personal protective equipment and are required to wear it.
Images and video show the trustees moving bodies to the eight, soon to be 10, mobile morgues set up outside the medical examiner’s office.
It’s a temporary assignment, Acosta said, while the county awaits the arrival of the National Guard.

Due to the recent COVID-19 surge in El Paso in recent weeks, the Medical Examiner's Office has asked the county jail for help. Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune
The number of hospitalized coronavirus patients in the far West Texas city has shot up nearly tenfold since the start of September. Earlier this month, the Department of Defense sent medical teams to help and local funeral homes are readying extra refrigerated storage space.

​

El Paso County recorded a total of 45 new deaths Thursday and Friday caused by the virus. About 1,105 people are hospitalized, including 319 in intensive care, according to the latest city statistics.
Attempts by city and county officials to shut down nonessential businesses to try to slow the spread of the virus have bounced around in the courts, sowing confusion, Acosta said.
“A lot of the businesses have been calling my office, 'Do I shutdown or not shutdown?' The people are very confused. We're just trying to follow the judge's ruling and follow the law,” she said.

El Paso County inmates help move bodies to mobile morgue units outside the Medical Examiner's Office on Nov. 14, 2020. Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre for The Texas Tribune
Late Friday, a state appeals court again blocked El Paso County’s shutdown of nonessential businesses that was scheduled to last until Dec. 1. El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego issued the shutdown order Oct. 29 in an effort to slow the latest outbreak of COVID-19 here, but a group of local restaurants and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton quickly sued to block it.

Incarcerated Texans enlisted to work in county morgue as COVID-19 deaths overwhelm El Paso

The inmates working in the morgue will earn $2 an hour. They are low-level offenders that are part of the detention facility's trustee program.

www.texastribune.org