Smart vid on #COVID19 by country. Note that the scale keeps having to change to accomodate the USA?? https://t.co/GAYbljuUTk
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) April 29, 2020
You might remember S Korea had a national election on April 15. It had the turnout of 66.2%, highest in decades. Over 30m people voted in this election.
Two weeks since the election, S Korea is reporting zero case of COVID-19 infection traceable to polls. https://t.co/7y5qqdUNhb
— T.K. of AAK! (@AskAKorean) April 29, 2020
“I’ve had people asking me if I’m paid by Bill Gates. They think I’m a crisis actor. It shows me how easily people can be manipulated.” https://t.co/g428ARuVKe
— Melissa Ryan (@MelissaRyan) April 29, 2020
Since a couple of commentors have mentioned this, here’s the most ‘mainstream’ link I can find on ‘covid toes’…
The curious phenomenon of ‘frostbite’ toes has caught the interest of researchers in covid-19 hot zones. Some doctors are calling for people with the rashes to seek a medical consult and consider self-isolating.https://t.co/pLYL8N4uhe via @arianaeunjung
— Brady Dennis (@brady_dennis) April 29, 2020
… One theory is that it may be related to inflammation and blood-clotting complications, he said, which more and more doctors suspect are a cause of some covid-19 deaths.
“As you get away from the core of the body out to the periphery, the blood vessels get smaller, so they are more susceptible to inflammation and clotting,” Lautenbach explained…
In the case of the 23-year-old student in Belgium, researcher Curtis Thompson said a biopsy showed inflammation in the cells in the location of the rash that resulted in attacks to the surface of the skin’s dermis, the inner of the two main layers of skin. He said it looked nearly identical to what he’s seen in patients with lupus, an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and pain because the immune system attacks healthy tissue…
As a result, he believes the rashes are a sign that the body’s natural defense mechanisms are at work. But unlike lupus, for which there is no cure, the suspected covid-19 rashes have come and gone within days or weeks in the patients he’s seen…
The good news: It’ll probably resolve on its own. The bad news: Sufferers are probably contagious in the meantime.
Also tragically relevant to our interests:
Seniors with COVID-19 show unusual symptoms, doctors say https://t.co/hLQmVhNE9O
— Craig L. Ph.D. (@CL2Empower) April 29, 2020
If the US did 100 million #COVID19 tests today, it would still not be the best country in the world for testing, as wrongly asserted every day by @POTUS. It will never be. It essentially didn’t do any tests for 2 months after its 1st patient. Timing is everything. pic.twitter.com/nbzPWMXYy9
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) April 29, 2020
US performance against #COVID19 in perspective:
Its population is only 4.2% of the world
But it accounts for 33.2% of confirmed cases (>8X expected, based on population)
and 27.2% of deaths (>6X expected)US per cent of global deaths is rising, now >33% https://t.co/568QRBWkv2 pic.twitter.com/2shFp8g4Vs
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) April 29, 2020
Twitter opens up data for researchers to study COVID-19 tweets https://t.co/y0K3OzEixu pic.twitter.com/YnUqxmfJDg
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 29, 2020
fortunately, astronauts are already quarantined before getting shot into space, for exactly this sort of reason https://t.co/t8GYhXCL4P
— Gerry Doyle (@mgerrydoyle) April 30, 2020
Thread, if you want to read more about this assertion:
Vietnam, a country of 96 million bordering China, appears to have succeeded where many wealthier and more developed countries have not. It has contained COVID-19 to a relatively small 270 cases and zero deaths: https://t.co/yLXOnHk2dp
— James Pearson (@pearswick) April 29, 2020
Zero deaths.
As the virus rages everywhere, the numbers here might appear literally incredible. But Vietnam has been remarkably transparent, where it counts, and the public health experts we interviewed, independent from the government, have little reason to doubt that tally.
— James Pearson (@pearswick) April 29, 2020
Coronavirus: Japan’s low testing rate raises questions https://t.co/Bycj9d0Cvo
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) April 29, 2020
Under Japan’s coronavirus state of emergency, people have been asked to stay home. Many are not. Some still commute to their jobs, while others continue to dine out, picnic in parks and crowd into grocery stores with scant regard for social distancing. https://t.co/wjvGBiWLaN
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 30, 2020
Singapore famously does not mess around when it comes to rule-breaking by those who believe themselves special:
Roti prata worth a few dollars cost this Singaporean man $1,000 after he broke his coronavirus quarantine 30 minutes before it was to end https://t.co/TvbriWWvoe by @geddiejdk pic.twitter.com/ESJfvWWo5g
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 30, 2020
Israel seems to be setting a new standard for public protest amid the pandemic. Thousands have gathered in Tel Aviv, complying with social distancing rules while expressing anger over the continued rule of a prime minister charged with serious crimes. https://t.co/AFZMGASE6b
— AP Middle East (@APMiddleEast) April 30, 2020
russia has gone from “it’s not really here” to “it’s everywhere” real quick, hasn’t it https://t.co/AOJb4DfkZY
— Gerry Doyle (@mgerrydoyle) April 30, 2020
Germany reports 1,478 new coronavirus cases, 173 more deaths https://t.co/wpsnYrYEtE pic.twitter.com/jfra93GA9v
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 30, 2020
Coronavirus plunges French economy into worst post-war slump https://t.co/SByn4Yfyb8 pic.twitter.com/Qpt6vypnjE
— Reuters (@Reuters) April 30, 2020
“So what? I’m sorry. What do you want me to do?” – Bolsonaro https://t.co/zk9lRYvcJS
— COVID19 (@V2019N) April 30, 2020
A rapid, color-based assay has been designed and optimized for #SARSCoV2 detection by two independent groups (incl. @mason_lab). They are both based on LAMP – a 20 yo technique that amplifies DNA quickly. Learn more in my latest for @GENbio. https://t.co/1my2LlBsHC
— Julianna LeMieux (@julemieux1) April 29, 2020
The hunt for a coronavirus vaccine – a perilous and uncertain path. @hannahdev takes a look at the different approaches https://t.co/fRmRoqeAwp
— Julia Kollewe (@JuliaKollewe) April 29, 2020
A new NIH initiative will put scientists’ and inventors’ new Covid-19 tests through a “Shark Tank”-type competition, with the aim of producing millions of new tests per week by late summer. https://t.co/ZcnW0FgwQo
— STAT (@statnews) April 29, 2020
Is remdesivir the Tamiflu of #COVID19 ?
– You need to take it very early in the disease process to realize real benefit
– It is not curative
– It cuts off the length of illness
– It may also minimize severity
– It’s expensive & in short supply.
So yeah, like Tamiflu for flu. https://t.co/2dnLFZCE9O— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) April 29, 2020
Coronavirus patients who remain positive weeks after diagnosis may harbor dead virus particles that can’t be distinguished from infectious ones in standard tests, scientists discover https://t.co/6gN0CEaXIJ
— Bloomberg (@business) April 30, 2020
Listen back: Everything you need to know about contact tracing.
We heard from @ASlavitt, @cmyeaton and @a_greenberg.https://t.co/E6800gqUo6
— On Point – NPR (@OnPointRadio) April 29, 2020
Amir Khalid
Malaysia’s daily numbers: 57 new cases, total 6,002. Of the new cases, 32 are from local infection, 25 are repatriated Malaysians. 84 new recoveries, total 4,171 (69.5 of total cases). Two new deaths, total 102; case fatality rate 2.39%. Of 1,729 active cases, 36 are in ICU, of whom 17 are on respiratory aid.
Amir Khalid
A US$1,000 fine for breaking quarantine to eat that very ordinary roti pratha? It’s not worth it, especially when you’re paying high Singapore prices and getting only Singapore-quality food. (Yes, I know that’s petty.)
Baud
There are at least four tweets I can see with the ad blocker on that are lost when the ad blocker is off.
Pete Downunder
Australia has 6752 cases and 92 deaths. A full quarter of the cases were caused by one cruise ship which the government allowed to disembark passengers despite infections and without proper testing or contact tracing. Aside from some idiocy at the beaches, Australians have done really well and some states have had no new cases for several days. Some restrictions will be relaxed on Saturday but it will be a long time for pubs, restaurants and sporting events.
Edit: For reference our population is about 25 million.
terben
Australian Dept of Health bulletin (edited):
‘As at 3:00pm on 30 April 2020, a total of 6,753 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Australia, including 91 deaths and 5,714 have been reported as recovered from COVID-19.
Over the past week, there has been an average of 13 new cases reported each day. Of the newly reported cases, the majority have been from NSW.
There has been a steady decline in cases. However, it is too soon to tell whether this trend will be sustained.
Of cases with a reported place of acquisition, 64% have recent international travel history, including more than 1,200 cases associated with cruise ships.
The overall proportion of cases under investigation in each state and territory is relatively low, indicating that public health actions, including case identification and contact tracing, is occurring in a timely manner.
To date, more than 563,000 tests have been conducted nationally. Of those tests conducted 1.2% have been positive.’
The Australian Capital Territory has seen the recovery of its last active case and is free of the virus, having had 106 cases and 3 deaths.
The Northern Territory has not had a new case in weeks and has laid out a plan to return to a new version of normal.
Sloane Ranger
Reposting from previous thread as more apposite here –
Happy 100th Birthday, Captain (now Colonel) Tom Moore!!!!!!
Sorry for Facebook link.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Not-a-Business/Captain-Tom-Moore-107795834233486/
mrmoshpotato
@Amir Khalid:
Yup. And he could’ve waited 30 minutes – 30 minutes – and been in the clear.
I want to investigate downtown steakhouse prices for wagyu and lobster now. Probably still well under a grand.
Starfish
@Amir Khalid: Making fun of Singaporean food seems to be a regular thing Malaysians do. Do Sigaporeans not use seasoning? Why is their food such a joke to Malaysians?
R-Jud
Hooray, both the countries I pay tax to are leading the world in deaths.
Hooray.
mrmoshpotato
@R-Jud: Well, someone’s in a sarcastic mood! :)
R-Jud
@mrmoshpotato: I suppose I should rejoice that the PM’s consort has been safely delivered of his sixth or possibly seventh or eighth child. Somehow, I’m not feeling it.
I made bread-and-butter pudding with chocolate chips, though.
YY_Sima Qian
No new domestic confirmed cases in China yesterday, and four imported confirmed cases. It appears that the clusters at Harbin and Mudanjiang in Heilongjiang Province, as well as the limited community spread centered among the African immigrants in and around Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, really are under control. In the past couple of days, a handful of confirmed and asymptomatic cases (including one at Mudanjiang yesterday) have been added to the Harbin and Mudanjiang clusters. Most importantly, the confirmed and asymptomatic cases tested positive while already under quarantine for several days, as traced close contacts. So the authorities still appears to be ahead of the outbreak. No new domestic cases (confirmed or asymptomatic) in Guangzhou yesterday, and no new cases from the nosocomial cluster at Qingdao in Shandong Province for two weeks.
The Mudanjiang cluster is caused by nosocomial spread at a hospital that has one wing designated to treat the imported confirmed and asymptomatic cases found at the Suifenhe border crossing with Russia. I have not seen the transmission chain map published, but someone (staff or patient) was infected by one of the imported cases, which then created a cluster in one of the wards. The cluster expanded when two of the later confirmed cases joined a family gathering and infected a few of their relatives.
Morals of the above: first, hospital administrators everywhere will have to think long and hard about how to prevent nosocomial transmission at social distancing start to ease and people with other illnesses start to visit hospitals again; second, everyone should put off gatherings for a long while.
Between the 20 days from lifting the lock down on Apr. 8 to Apr. 27, Wuhan tested 890K people with nasopharyngeal swab PCRs, no confirmed cases, 457 asymptomatic cases, or 0.05% rate. Interestingly, all of the asymptomatic cases proved to be true asymptomatic (as opposed to pre-symptomatic), and none of the their 1855 close contacts ever developed symptoms to become confirmed cases. This suggests that the truly asymptomatic is not very infectious at all, while the pre-symptomatic is quite contagious in the few days before onset of symptoms. The fact that 457 asymptomatic cases only produced 1855 close contacts is also indirect evidence of how extreme the social distancing at Wuhan was during the lock down, and how it remains the case post-lock down. Of the 7 asymptomatic cases found outside of Hubei yesterday, three had traveled from Hubei and one from Guangzhou.
i hope a lot of research is being done with the true asymptomatic cases. How infectious are they? Why have they not developed symptoms, is it their strong immune system or low viral inoculum? Do they develop strong immunity? Are they even shedding live virus, versus viral fragments? If these people do not develop symptoms and do not infect others, then perhaps the China National Health Commission was right to categorize them separately. Then the question is do they meaningfully contribute to herd immunity, or reduced demand for vaccines, if they have develop strong immunity themselves to ward off a second infection for a period.
Amir Khalid
@Starfish:
Are you by any chance Singaporean? It’s just that to us, Singaporean food seems vaguely like our own; but blander, and with less oomph.
YY_Sima Qian
@Starfish: I really enjoy the Baba-Nyonya cuisine at Singapore and Penang in Malaysia! It is an eclectic mix of Southern Chinese roots/concepts/inspirations and local (meaning Malay/Indonesian) ingredients and seasoning, the unique contribution of the centuries old Chinese diaspora community in the Malacca Strait region, who have widely intermarried with locals.
YY_Sima Qian
@Amir Khalid: Ha! That sounds like the attitude many Mainland Chinese have toward the Taiwanese variation of the different regional Chinese cuisines. I don’t even bother to try the Sichuanese and Hunanese restaurants in Taiwan (or Hong Kong).
Ironically, most of the best chefs fled Mainland China to Taiwan and Hong Kong after the CCP won the civil war in 1949, and for a long time the best expression of Chinese cuisine was to be found at Taipei or Hong Kong. Then the tastes chanced toward less salty/spicy/oily. As late as the mid to late Aughts, food scene in Taipei and Hong Kong far outpaced those in Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou. That table has turned in the past ten years. Now many Taiwanese entrepreneurs have been moving to the Mainland to open restaurant, coffee/tea shop, and confectionery chains.
arrieve
I just had the first person I know die from Covid; up until now it’s been someone’s father or another friend’s brother-in-law. His best friend called me distraught and there was little I could offer for comfort except to listen and share a few funny stories.
The most haunting detail was that he had to say goodbye to his wife by FaceTime before they intubated him, because of course she couldn’t be with him.
Fuck this virus, and fuck everyone who let it get this far out of control.
zzyzx
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/30/south-korea-records-no-new-domestic-cases-of-covid-19-for-first-time-since-february
WaterGirl
@Baud: That is very strange. What ad blocker do you use? Which tweets do you see, and which ones don’t you see?
WereBear
@YY_Sima Qian:
I think a lot of people still haven’t grasped the essential nature of this emergency: that everything has changed.
I used to watch the show, The Strain, about a vampire virus. (The books were better.) However, despite the erratic patches, I found one thing rang so true and was beautifully done: people confronted with what was clearly a vampire, and utterly dangerous, would not believe it.
Until it was too late.
WereBear
@arrieve:
I’m so sorry. That sounds like a way to make an already horrible situation: worse.
Obvious Russian Troll
@WereBear: I never watched it but they did some filming for The Strain right across the street from me on the roof of a bakery that had shut down.
I am in the middle of a work call and one of my colleagues has a sister who just went home after being on a ventilator for three weeks. One of his friends in Montreal recently died, too.
WereBear
@Obvious Russian Troll: A good friend and her husband seemed to have suffered through it the past few weeks. But… no testing, and deemed not bad enough to go into the hospital.
This was highly relieving news for me, who was in terrible suspense since they both have health conditions.
This thing keeps defying a real pattern!
a thousand flouncing lurkers was fidelio
According to the state health department’s COVID-19 page (https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/health/cedep/ncov/data.html ), we’ve passed 10,000 confirmed cases, and are still just under 200 known deaths. Looking over the county-by-county numbers, we have 239 cases in 19 of the 20 counties without hospitals. Two of those have 53 cases each. One, Fayette County, is right next to Memphis and may reflect people picking up the disease working or doing business in Memphis. The other is Lake County, and I couldn’t figure out why they were so high, as Lake County is based around Reelfoot Lake & is otherwise mostly farmland. News reports tie it to a prison, however. (https://www.kfvs12.com/2020/04/23/lake-county-covid-cases-double-one-day/ )
I’m almost afraid to check the counties with meat processors.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
And this guy thinks Russia and China aren’t lying about their numbers, no to mention Japan and Sweden who just don’t give a shit. If we had the death rate of Beligum there would 180,000 dead right now. The US government’s response is pathetic, but apparently the public is taking this seriously.
Another Scott
@Baud: My uBlock Origin on Chrome doesn’t seem to block any tweets, but blocks ads very well. On Winders. YMMV.
Cheers,
Scott.
Amir Khalid
@YY_Sima Qian:
People from Penang, or Melaka, or Johor, or whichever state, never hesitate to tell us KL-ites that our capital-city imitations of their home-state specialties are just not as good as the real thing. So, you know, it evens out.
Peale
@Amir Khalid: Yep. When I was in Singapore I was going to try to take a trip to KL to meet a long time friend. Just add a few days onto the trip. He told me that he’d meet me in Penang instead because the KL food wasn’t up to standard. He also felt sorry for me for having to eat Singaporean cuisine. As for me, I like kaya toast and coffee so I don’t know what I was supposed to be missing out on by eating the local cuisine.
Emma
@Amir Khalid: hehehe the prices, yes, but the quality definitely depends on where you go. Little India, the non-touristy parts of the Arab St. area, random little spots around the island… those are what I dream of when I think of prata…
@Starfish: part of it is different flavor profiles (for example, there’s Singapore laksa, Penang laksa, Ipoh laksa, etc.), part of it is that as the cost of living skyrocketed in Singapore, hawkers had to cut back on the amount of ingredients they use to keep their plates at $3 or $4 SGD (at least nowadays you can pay more to get the “normal” amount of stuff), and part of it is good old nationalism hehehehe. Amir can talk about how much better Malaysian food is, and I can make a Malaysia boleh joke, so it’s all good :D