Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Come on, media. you have one job. start doing it.

75% of people clapping liked the show!

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

Stamping your little feets and demanding that they see how important you are? Not working anymore.

The snowflake in chief appeared visibly frustrated when questioned by a reporter about egg prices.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

They punch you in the face and then start crying because their fist hurts.

We are aware of all internet traditions.

The “burn-it-down” people are good with that until they become part of the kindling.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

Our messy unity will be our strength.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

Republicans cannot even be trusted with their own money.

Reality always gets a vote in the end.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

“They all knew.”

It’s the corruption, stupid.

There are times when telling just part of the truth is effectively a lie.

Stand up, dammit!

If you still can’t see these things even now, maybe politics isn’t your forte and you should stop writing about it.

Museums are not America’s attic for its racist shit.

The Supreme Court cannot be allowed to become the ultimate, unaccountable arbiter of everything.

Not all heroes wear capes.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 / COVID-19 Coronavirus Update: Wednesday/Thursday, July 8-9

COVID-19 Coronavirus Update: Wednesday/Thursday, July 8-9

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The ‘potential wave of coronavirus-related brain damage’ is, quite reasonably, the Big News of the moment…


… A study by researchers at University College London described 43 cases of patients with COVID-19 who suffered either temporary brain dysfunction, strokes, nerve damage or other serious brain effects.

The research adds to recent studies which also found the disease can damage the brain.

“Whether we will see an epidemic on a large scale of brain damage linked to the pandemic – perhaps similar to the encephalitis lethargica outbreak in the 1920s and 1930s after the 1918 influenza pandemic — remains to be seen,” said Michael Zandi, from UCL’s Institute of Neurology, who co-led the study…

In the UCL study, published in the journal Brain, nine patients who had brain inflammation were diagnosed with a rare condition called acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) which is more usually seen in children and can be triggered by viral infections.

The team said it would normally see about one adult patient with ADEM per month at their specialist London clinic, but this had risen to at least one a week during the study period, something they described as “a concerning increase”.

“Given that the disease has only been around for a matter of months, we might not yet know what long-term damage COVID-19 can cause,” said Ross Paterson, who co-led the study. “Doctors need to be aware of possible neurological effects, as early diagnosis can improve patient outcomes.”

Owen said the emerging evidence underlined the need for large, detailed studies and global data collection to assess how common such neurological and psychiatric complications were.

He is running an international research project at covidbrainstudy.com where patients can sign up to complete a series of cognitive tests to see whether their brain functions have altered since getting COVID-19.

“This disease is affecting an enormous number of people,” Owen said. “That’s why it’s so important to collect this information now.”

It cannot be stressed enough, for the moment: This is, so far, still quite a rare side-effect. But it’s certainly one more reason (as if we needed it) to avoid getting it in the first place… and to discourage those idiots-cum-sociopaths who still pretend It’s no worse than the flu, really…

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Reader Interactions

62Comments

  2. 2.

    Amir Khalid

    Malaysia’s daily numbers. Six new cases: none from local infection, for the second day in a row and only the third time in all. It was mentioned in a previous media briefing that 28 days in a row without a case from local infection would be the threshold for declaring eradication, but Malaysia is clearly still some distance from that landmark. All six new cases are from imported infection. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Health’s Twitter has not posted a breakdown of today’s imported cases. Cumulative total 8,683 cases.

    13 more patients recovered and were discharged, total 8,499 patients recovered or 97.80% of the cumulative total. We are down to 63 active and contagious cases being isolated/treated in hospital: two are in ICU, one of them is receiving respiratory assistance.

    No new deaths. Malaysia marks a 25th consecutive day without a Covid-19 death. We’re still at 121 total deaths. Infection fatality rate is 1.39%, case fatality rate is 1.40%.

  5. 5.

    Mary G

    @Baud: Yep, it’s blowing UP here in the OC,  and we did so well for so long, until the astroturfed MAGAts were brought in to scream for FREEDUMB, iced tea refills, and the right to be horrible to low wage workers.

  6. 6.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Mary G: The media here really gave them a bullhorn, I’m completely disgusted with them

    ETA: I went out to move my car this evening, I was the only person wearing a mask.  People walking, folk at the gym and leaving the gym, no masks, NONE.

  7. 7.

    gkoutnik

    We have failed to highlight what is probably the most important public health message:  the long-term and permanent side effects may be staggering, in terms of personal suffering and impact on our healthcare system.  Psychosis? Really?  You want to risk that? The message should be:  “Don’t get it!”  It is not the case that it is safe for younger or healthier people.

    Thanks to AL for keep us informed here at BJ.

  8. 8.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    Fast zombies, then. I’m not built for fast zombies….

  9. 9.

    YY_Sima Qian

    Yesterday, Beijing reported a single new domestic asymptomatic case, and no new confirmed or suspect cases. All of China reported 9 new imported confirmed cases and 5 new imported asymptomatic cases:

    Guangzhou, Guangdong Province: 2 confirmed and 3 asymptomatic cases, all Chinese construction workers returning from Indonesia

    Shanghai: 3 confirmed cases, one returning student from the UK and 2 returning Chinese nationals from the US

    Shenyang, Liaoning Province: 1 formerly asymptomatic case reclassified as confirmed

    Dalian, Liaoning Province: 2 confirmed and 1 asymptomatic cases, all Russian nationals (crew from a container ship)

    Chengdu, Sichuan Province: 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from the US (with lay overs in South Korea and Cambodia, the actually tested negative in the US on 7/3, did not show any symptoms upon landing, but tested positive on RT-PCR and showed abnormalities in chest CT scan as part of the standard entry screening)

    Xiamen, Fujian Province: 1 asymptomatic case, from Singapore

    My employers’ offices in Shenzhen and Shanghai have already removed the masking required when inside the office (I personally would have kept the mask on when in common area). Masking is still mandatory in the Beijing office. To support plant start up operations at several greenfield investments, our colleagues from around the world have been arriving in batches, undergoing the mandatory 14 day quarantines in resort hotels. It has been relatively easy for colleagues from Japan and South Korea to enter China on special business visas, Taiwanese colleagues can use existing documentation. However, visa applications from US colleagues are slow to be approved. Could be retaliation for the US tightening on visa approvals for Chinese nationals (due to a variety of reasons, COVID-19 being the latest), or could be due to concerns with the COVID-19 situation in the US.

    In Wuhan, I can clearly see the population becoming much more relaxed. At least 40% of the people taking strolls around the residential compound, or the neighborhood, are maskless. Guards at the compound gates are no longer checking temperatures or health code status, nor are most of the stores and shopping malls. Me, I still diligent put on a mask whenever I step outside of the door, no matter quick and menial the chore. I still clean my hands with sanitizers as soon as I walk in the door, and spray down the outside of any package with 70% alcohol. It has become a habit.

  10. 10.

    Geminid

    The small Baptist church a couple miles from me is still having parking lot services only. The sign says “Come as you are, stay in your car.” Greene County was one of many Virginia counties to declare itself a “Second Amendment Sanctuary” back in January, but I haven’t  seen much pushback against state imposed social distancing measures. Masking compliance seems to be slipping some, though.      Come to think of it, when new gun safety measures went into effect July 1 there was hardly a whimper of protest.

  11. 11.

    Mary G

    This story is on the front page of the physical LA Times, but the web version is dated June 26? If it’s been posted here before, I apologize for missing it or blanking it out in defense of sanity.

    Inside the body, the coronavirus is even more sinister than scientists had realized:

    The new coronavirus’ reputation for messing with scientists’ assumptions has taken a truly creepy turn.

    Researchers exploring the interaction between the coronavirus and its hosts have discovered that when the SARS-CoV-2 virus infects a human cell, it sets off a ghoulish transformation. Obeying instructions from the virus, the newly infected cell sprouts multi-pronged tentacles studded with viral particles.

    These disfigured zombie cells appear to be using those streaming filaments, or filopodia, to reach still-healthy neighboring cells. The protuberances appear to bore into the cells’ bodies and inject their viral venom directly into those cells’ genetic command centers — thus creating another zombie.

    Tentacles! Zombies! We’re getting too close to horror fiction here. They do say some existing drugs might help. Mostly chemo?

  12. 12.

    Mary G

    Here’s your #COVID19 update:

    ◽️Testing capacity is strained. Again.
    ◽️PPE in short supply throughout the country. Again.
    ◽️Today was another record high case count. Again.
    ◽️NOT ONE SINGLE STATE has a decreasing case count.
    It’s July, people. Not March.
    This is abject failure.
    — Craig Spencer MD MPH (@Craig_A_Spencer) July 9, 2020

  14. 14.

    Mary G

    Joy Reid got the 7 pm slot on MSNBC! Starts July 20. Huzzah!

    FTFNYT link, well worth using one of my freebies. Major upgrade from Tweety! I may have to start watching TV again.

    via @NYTimes t.co/Zly9Ww7tjV
    — julie k. brown (@jkbjournalist) July 9, 2020

    Ms. Reid’s promotion is a significant programming move by Cesar Conde, the new chairman of NBC’s news networks. Black women, including Gayle King of CBS and Robin Roberts of ABC, hold leading roles in morning and daytime television, but none currently host a nightly evening show on a major network. The last to do so was Gwen Ifill, who co-anchored “PBS NewsHour” until shortly before her death in 2016.

    In an interview on Wednesday, Ms. Reid cited Ms. Ifill and two other Black anchors, Deborah Roberts and Carole Simpson, as role models.

  16. 16.

    Amir Khalid

    @Amir Khalid:

    The Ministry has finally tweeted some information about today’s six imported cases: five Malaysians and a permanent resident, but no mention of which countries they returned from.

  17. 17.

    Mary G

    ???

    NEW: GOP leaders underestimate the base at their peril. In GA and AZ, many grassroots Rs are holding their nose at Senate incumbents they think were force fed to them by business and consultant class. There is no guarantee they come around. From NE Georgiat.co/0ZAjxlvSsh— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) July 9, 2020

    The Deplorables think their incumbent Senators are RINOs and don’t want to vote for them~
    Link goes to FTFNYT.

  18. 18.

    gkoutnik

    @raven: Sorry – I wasn’t quite careful enough about pronouns.  But “You want to risk that?” was meant to emphasize the point about public health messaging, not meant to point at any particular reader(s).  “We?”  I believe that democracy provides us all with opportunity – and responsibility.  To some extent, at least.

    So much of the pain is wrapped up in my responsibility as a citizen of a democracy.  I feel powerless, even as horrible things are being done in my name.

  19. 19.

    low-tech cyclist

    Churches Were Eager to Reopen. Now They Are a Major Source of Coronavirus Cases.

    [Vader] I find their lack of faith disturbing.  [/Vader]

    Because of course they figured that if they had faith, God would protect them.

    Maybe they should have paid attention to this old story:

    A fellow was stuck on his rooftop in a flood. He was praying to God for help.

    Soon a man in a rowboat came by and the fellow shouted to the man on the roof, “Jump in, I can save you.”

    The stranded fellow shouted back, “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me.”

    So the rowboat went on.

    Then a motorboat came by. “The fellow in the motorboat shouted, “Jump in, I can save you.”

    To this the stranded man said, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”

    So the motorboat went on.

    Then a helicopter came by and the pilot shouted down, “Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety.”

    To this the stranded man again replied, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”

    So the helicopter reluctantly flew away.

    Soon the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned. He went to Heaven. He finally got his chance to discuss this whole situation with God, at which point he exclaimed, “I had faith in you but you didn’t save me, you let me drown. I don’t understand why!”

    To this God replied, “I sent you a rowboat and a motorboat and a helicopter, what more did you expect?”

    God sent them masks and social distancing guidance and all the rest, what more did they expect?

  23. 23.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @raven: Yep, if their choice is a DEM or a “Senate incumbent they think were force fed to them by business and consultant class,” those grassroots Rs are gonna hold their noses and vote for the morally bankrupt R every time.

  24. 24.

    Mary G

    @raven: Yeah, that was my thought, too Republicans always fall in line. They certainly won’t vote for the Democrats. Maybe they’ll stay home?

  25. 25.

    low-tech cyclist

    “In the past few days, we’ve seen almost 500 new cases, and we had several large events just over two weeks ago, so I guess we just connect the dots,” Tulsa health director said.

    ‘Several,’ huh?

    We know about one.  Enlighten us about the others.

  26. 26.

    Baud

    @Mary G:

    They are better than we are at falling in line, but they’re not machines.  Enough of them can get disillusioned enough to be beneficial to us.

  27. 27.

    Geminid

    @OzarkHillbilly: Some of these ultra conservative republicans will vote for trump and leave the senate line blank. To them, the Democrats  are the adversary; the Rinos are the enemy.

  28. 28.

    Anne Laurie

    @Amir Khalid: No new deaths. Malaysia marks a 25th consecutive day without a Covid-19 death. We’re still at 121 total deaths. Infection fatality rate is 1.39%, case fatality rate is 1.40%.

    Have I ever told you how much I envy your reports, sir?

  29. 29.

    Anne Laurie

    @low-tech cyclist: Enlighten us about the others.

    Well, there was the crowd of advance guys & security consultants setting up the event proper… and then the crowd of MAGAt groupies congregating for ‘a good spot’… and the hordes of media people  helicoptering in to share the big show with the world… and the protestors who *didn’t* get highlighted by that same media, for reasons… not to mention the healthcare workers forced to deal with the infected staffers left behind in the wake of the fiasco…

  33. 33.

    rikyrah

    @gkoutnik:

    We don’t hear enough about:

    Long term health effects

    From those who had it and didn’t wind up in the hospital.

     

    The MSM IS NOT TELLING THE ENTIRE STORY ABOUT COVID-19

  35. 35.

    Balconesfault

    @gkoutnik: I keep telling people … the risk of death for a 22 year old who contracts Covid is about 10% the risk of death for a 22 year old sent to Vietnam in 1967.

     

    Very small?   Really?

  37. 37.

    Ohio Mom

    The City of Cincinnati is now requiring masks. The handful of exceptions includes…wait for it…Religious Services.

    So dumb and self-defeating.

  38. 38.

    artem1s

    I’ve been doing that for four months if they need lessons

    Oh!  That’s what that noise is!

  40. 40.

    terben

    From the Australian Dept of Health:

    ‘As at 3pm on 9 July 2020, a total of 9,059 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Australia, including 106 deaths, and 7,575 have been reported as recovered from COVID-19.

    • Over the past week, there has been an average of 125 new cases reported each day. Of the newly reported cases, the majority have been from Victoria.
    • Following the peak of cases at the end of March, there have been a relatively low number of new cases reported daily between mid-April and early-June 2020. Cases have increased since mid-June however they remain below the March peak of daily cases.
    • Of cases with a reported place of acquisition, 55% have recent international travel history, including over 1,300 cases associated with cruise ships.
    • To date, over 2,910,500 tests have been conducted nationally. Of those tests conducted 0.3% have been positive.
    • On 3 July, 189 historic cases reported in crew members on board a ship were classified as Australian cases and included in New South Wales totals.’

    182 new cases today, 9 reclassified for a net increase of 173. There were 165 new cases in Victoria.

  42. 42.

    YY_Sima Qian

    My parents live in upstate NY. Although the state is doing well, and where they are has not been severely affected (other than from lock down measures). Nevertheless, I reminded them again and again that they need to maintain the same routine they have developed over the past several months: only going out for grocery shopping every 7 – 10 days, always wear masks/gloves/hair cover when they do go out, sanitize the outside of all packages and grocery bags before taking them inside, do not socialize with friends and acquaintances in person. The isolation has been tougher on my mother, who enjoys company, but both of them have been good troopers so far. It also helps that their social circle, the small Chinese immigrant community there, are all distancing, too.

    I told them it is only a matter of time before the surging epidemic in the Sun Belt spills over to the Northeast again. There is little chance of them coming back to China by the end of this year.

    They finally received the box of surgical and KN95 masks I sent them, it only took a couple of months…

  43. 43.

    Amir Khalid

    In the After Time, I predict that studying the myriad aspects of post-Covid-19 syndrome will be a new and growing field of medical science.

  47. 47.

    Skepticat

    The Bahamas has two new cases, both on Grand Bahama (quite a way from us in Abaco, for which I’m grateful), but the influx here for the Fourth of July was unnerving. All from Floriduh, no masks, big party—which I know only secondhand because there was no way I was even going outside. I’m worried about what we’ll see here in the next two weeks, but if there are any more cases, I expect the Bahamas to slam shut the gates again. At least one country has some sense.

  48. 48.

    YY_Sima Qian

    @terben: How is the mass screening in Melbourne suburbs going? I read reports that thousands (tens of thousands?) refuse to be tested?

  51. 51.

    Soprano2

    We had our 9th death here in Greene County MO, an 80-year-old. I heard that 13 people in a nursing home in Joplin died from it. Our county reported 35 news cases on Monday, and City Council is going to consider a mask ordinance next Monday. I hope they aren’t too late. I feel fortunate that our City Council is good on COVID, this is huge MAGA country but honestly they haven’t gotten much pushback so far. I guess we’ll see at the meeting next week.

    I’m so, so angry that so many of our leaders couldn’t muster the backbone to get the people to do what was necessary in order to crush the virus. Everything we’re facing now, including trouble opening schools, is a direct result of this poor leadership. Some people will never be compliant, but if the leaders set the example most people will go along. I figure if we pass a mask requirement here lots of people will grumble but most of them will do it.

  52. 52.

    Gin & Tonic

    My son is going to find travel challenging. I suspect, when he comes back to the US in August, as a US passport holder going via Europe. Despite the fact that he hasn’t set foot in the US since the Before Times. Quarantine measures were very strong for a time in Ukraine, but with warm weather they are decreasing, and the number of cases is starting to rise slowly.

  53. 53.

    Tazj

    The number of cases in Erie County in NY had been decreasing steadily over the past couple of months. However, in the past few days there has been a slight uptick in cases. The Erie County health commissioner said the highest percentage of cases were people in the 20-30 age range and that the people had attended large parties or had visited states with a surge in cases and then returned to the area.

    I’m really hoping this isn’t a major trend, but with the reopening here and things being bad in other states it’s hard to be optimistic.

  55. 55.

    Fraud Guy

    “Scientists warn of a potential wave of coronavirus-related brain damage as new evidence suggests COVID-19 can lead to severe neurological complications, including inflammation, psychosis and delirium.”

    Is this why we didn’t notice that Trump already got COVID-19?

  56. 56.

    ExpatDanBKK

    Thailand status summary:
    Population: ~65m.
    Cases: 3,302, +5 this week, all Thai nationals returning from abroad.
    Recovered: 3,085, +11 this week.
    In hospital currently: 59
    Deaths: 58
    Youngest patient: 1 month
    Oldest patient: 97 years
    Average age: 37 years

    We’re doing pretty well here. Two weeks ago most everything reopened with masks and social distancing required. Some contract tracing but it’s mostly voluntary. Domestic flights operating, but no incoming international flights except for Thai citizen repatriation flights. Very limited departing international flights. All land borders closed except for returning Thai nationals.

  57. 57.

    frosty

    I just finished The Great Influenza. There were long-term neurological effects for many people from the 1918 flu virus, even after recovery. There is a good case to be made that Wilson caught it in Paris in 1919, and suffered cognitive problems which led him to abandon many of his goals and give in to Clemenceau’s desire for retribution for Germany. And possibly a cause for the stroke that followed later that incapacitated him.

    This is not a disease to screw around with.

  58. 58.

    Robert Sneddon

    Scotland’s health services reports six new confirmed cases and no deaths since yesterday. Nine people are in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID-19, down two from yesterday. There are about 350 people in hospital with suspected or confirmed COVID-19.

     

    The Scottish government has announced more openings and reduced restrictions on gatherings, religious services etc. but hedged with a lot of warnings that if things change they may be reimposed rapidly and repeatedly telling people to take care even in the new situation. They’re under a lot of pressure from various commercial bodies to open up faster and wider which they’re, thankfully, resisting.

     

    Schools in Scotland should open in August for the new term with a lot of equipment and procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This planned opening is again totally subject to the current low levels of disease transmission being seen at the moment continuing.

  59. 59.

    Ruckus

    Scientists warn of a potential wave of coronavirus-related brain damage as new evidence suggests COVID-19 can lead to severe neurological complications, including inflammation, psychosis and delirium.

    So shitforbrains does have it.

  60. 60.

    glc

    We’ve known for at least a couple of months that the virus attacks multiple organs including lungs, kidneys, brain, heart, and affects blood coagulation – but with the effects varying widely among individuals (including the huge asymptomatic group). I don’t see anything new in the latest reporting except that they’ve looked closely at a few cases where one set of effects manifested.

    We’d like to know some actual numbers. It sounds like it will be quite some time before we do.

    (Just reading the news, like everyone else – if someone actually follows the literature I’d love to know more.)

    In terms of the mechanisms involved, effect on the immune system, I have the impression that comes mainly from a Weizmann Institute press release (or their linked article) and is informative on a scientific level  but doesn’t convey any information about the expected effects, and what factors are relevant to their appearance in specific cases.

    As we all know, some people take 3 months to die and some people take one month to not die but live with the effects for an indeterminate period – most likely the remainder of their natural lives, but conceivably some further slow recovery takes place.

    One of the things we will do this fall is build up a large population of infected children, most with no obvious problems (a few will die of MIS-C) and then we will have ample time to work out how what proportion of them have actually been damaged for life. Perhaps it will not be very many. Or perhaps it will.  A great deal of uncertainty, but we have chosen to throw the dice.

  61. 61.

    Skepticat

    @rikyrah: WHY are you letting in Americans????

    Like me (who’s an American but loathe to admit it and really Halfahamian), they own property here, and Americans—especially second homeowners—really are the economic engine of the Bahamas. However, right now they’re also the ones endangering the excellent job the Bahamas has done with this pandemic. I expect the Bahamas to lock down again soon.

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