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You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 / COVID-19 Coronavirus Update: Tuesday-Wednesday, July 21-22

COVID-19 Coronavirus Update: Tuesday-Wednesday, July 21-22

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This is reassuring, in its own depressing way:


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The poors need to build up their herd immunity — *someone’s* gotta clean up after the tourists!

Walmart doesn’t think we’ll be over the coronavirus by the end of November…

Reader Interactions

37Comments

  1. 1.

    Amir Khalid

    Malaysia’s daily numbers. 16 new cases. Eight cases from local infection consisting of seven Malaysians, and one non-Malaysian screened ahead of travelling abroad. Eight cases from imported infection consisting of four Malaysians returning from South Korea, India, Russia and Saudi Arabia;  four non-Malaysians consisting of three from aboard the Hyde Park, a ship currently in Pelabuhan Kelang harbour, and a permnent resident returning from Indonesia. Cumulative total 8,831 cases.

    Four more patients recovered and were discharged, total 8,566 patients recovered or 97% of the cumulative total. 142 patients with active and contagious cases are in hospital for isolation/treatment; five are in ICU, one is on a respiratory device.

    No new deaths. Total 123 deaths or 1.39% of the cumulative total and 1.42% of resolved cases.

  2. 2.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Walmart says that it will be closing its namesake stores and Sam’s Clubs on Thanksgiving Day this year, saying that it wants to have its employees spend time with their families during the coronavirus.

    Because they’ll all be dead by Xmas?

  3. 3.

    raven

    @OzarkHillbilly: The first walmart I ever saw was when we were camped at Lake Wappapello and went into Poplar Bluff for supplies. They also had a Helpee Selfee Laundry and a Vida Blue car wash!

  5. 5.

    mrmoshpotato

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    spend time with their families during the coronavirus. 

    Did Walmart just make coronavirus a new holiday?

    Because they’ll all be dead by Xmas?

    This year they’re letting their massively-underpaid employees rest a day before Black Plague Friday!  (And, yes, Black Friday is a plague.)

  6. 6.

    Mary G

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    @Amir Khalid: Nobody will have any money because the GOP members of Congress are going to fuck around fighting amongst themselves, the unemployment supplement will run out, state unemployment will run out, and Trump’s stormtroopers will be running wild in the streets.

  7. 7.

    satby

    I have a ring side seat to the covidiots and their latest talking points. Now most of them are positive they already had it back in March, and also, too, the mortality reports are false. They’re all pushing the meme that if someone was in a motorcycle accident and dies and they tested positive for corona virus, that accident is counted as a covid death. Not sure why they’re so convinced we’re testing corpses after accidents to inflate numbers.

    I wish some country would take us as refugees. I’m willing to quarantine for a month if one would.

  8. 8.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Amir Khalid: from the AP story:

    Walmart Inc. said that it will be closing its namesake stores and Sam’s Clubs on Thanksgiving Day this year, saying that it wants to have its employees spend time with their families during the coronavirus.
    The move, announced Tuesday, marks the first major indication of how COVID will affect Black Friday store shopping, which for almost a decade kicked off with big crowds on the turkey feast and expanded into Friday. However, given safety concerns, stores are rethinking their plans for the kickoff.

  9. 9.

    JeanneT

    So, I just heard that 2 members of my extended family (in a different state) have been diagnosed with COVID19; their close family members now being are getting tested.

    But I also learned about a resource I’ve been wishing for – a map that shows what businesses are doing good and bad jobs at encouraging masking.  I haven’t joined yet because it’s through Google, but even without joining and reporting you can check your local businesses:  the Mask Map.

  10. 10.

    YY_Sima Qian

    Yesterday, China reported 9 new domestic confirmed cases and 14 new domestic asymptomatic cases, all at Urumqi in Xinjiang “Autonomous” Region. The Urumqi outbreak now has 64 confirmed cases (62 in Urumqi, 1 in Kashgar, 1 in Xinjiang Construction Corps) and 69 asymptomatic cases (all in Urumqi), plus 1 asymptomatic case exported to Shaoxing in Zhejiang Province. 1 case is critical, 3 are severe, and 1 severe case has improved to moderate conditions. 3119 individuals remain under quarantine and medical observation as traced close contacts. Still no case summaries published, and no information on the geographical distribution of cases.

    Urumqi is in its 6th day of lock down, starting from yesterday all residents are restricted to their apartment buildings and can no longer access the common greens of residential compounds. The free mass screening of Urumqi’s 3.5M population is ongoing (started the day before yesterday), sample collection from all residents of the populous Tianshan District has just completed, sample collection now moving to Saybag District. Business travelers and tourists who have been stuck at Urumqi when the city went into lock down now can leave with a negative RT-PCR test result. Urumqi government has been paying for the food and accommodation of business travelers who are stuck in the city, while arranging for food and accommodation for tourists (but they need to pay their own way).

    All Beijing districts, subdistricts and communities are now classified as Low Risk, 87 patients remain under treatment in hospital, and 9 asymptomatic cases remain under quarantine and medical observation

    China also reported 5 new imported confirmed and 8 new imported asymptomatic cases:

    Shanghai Municipality: 2 confirmed cases, Chinese nationals returning from Mexico and Singapore

    Guangzhou in Guangdong Province: 2 confirmed cases, both Chinese nationals returning from Bangladesh; 3 asymptomatic cases, Chinese nationals returning from Tanzania, Togo and Singapore

    Kunming in Yunnan Province: 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Bangladesh

    Fuzhou in Fujian Province: 2 asymptomatic cases, both Chinese nationals returning from Singapore

    Chengdu in Sichuan Province: 2 asymptomatic cases, both Chinese nationals returning from Egypt

    Chongqing Municipality: 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Singapore

    There seems to be a recent uptick in cases imported from Singapore.

    The Chinese government just published new regulations that all persons (regardless of nationality) entering China must furnish a negative RT-PCR report within 5 days prior to boarding. Foreign passport holders need to obtain a health certificate from a Chinese Consulate (not sure if this is done in person), with the negative test report. Chinese nationals need to submit a scanned copy of the negative test report to an APP. For any prospective American  visitors to China this will be a pain, especially if they have to visit the Chinese consulate in person (dangerous to get on a flight to a city with a Chinese consulate, too). A number of my American colleagues on expatriate assignment to China are still waiting for special visa to come back, after months of waiting. The US State Department also just ordered the Chinese consulate in Houston to close by Friday, with a 3 days notice. It is supposed to serve the entire southern quarter of the US. Expect China to retaliate by closing one of the US consulates in China, the one in Hong Kong if the Chinese government really wants to escalate and make it hurt for the US. Just another skirmish as two countries slide toward Cold War 2.0.

    For Chinese nationals overseas looking to return to China, the requirement could be problematic. Some countries still have very restrictive testing requirements (such as Japan), and some countries are suffering from a lack of testing capacity (such as large parts of the US). However, the policy has strong approval within China. It may also portend gradual loosening to foreign visitors from nations that has suppressed COVID-19. Mandatory 14 day quarantine and multiple RT-PCR and antibody tests are still in effect.

  11. 11.

    Sab

    And my utility bill will include an item to reimburse FirstEnergy for huge bribe to Larry Householder et al. I love living in Ohio, but increasingly hard to be proud of being an Ohioan.

  12. 12.

    p.a.

    @satby: TBH if the tests were as available as they SHOULD be, testing accident victims etc will be worthwhile for those handling the bodies.  But the thought we’re testing decedents to inflate numbers is Jonesish idiocy.

  13. 13.

    Mousebumples

    I have had a runny nose and congestion (and I lost my sense of smell in a car accident, years ago), so after talking with my doctor last week, I got tested.

    Tested Tuesday afternoon , results online (through MyChart) Saturday morning. I didn’t get the MD reviewed results until yesterday – probably because my doctor is off on Mondays? Not sure if the turnaround would have been any different on the MD review if the test had been positive.

    My nanny texted us in Sunday because a coworker of a friend had tested positive. The friend got tested Monday, and we’re still waiting on results. But the nanny and friend were outside over the weekend and masked up. We’re wearing masks inside this week, since her risk is/was low, but we’re hoping for a negative test for her friend. (and continued no symptoms from any of us)

    We’re going Up North this weekend to a family “cottage” and a lot of the usual stuff at do is off limits on my head. Not planning to eat out. Not planning to check out the cute little shops. It’ll be different.

  14. 14.

    mrmoshpotato

    @satby:

    I wish some country would take us as refugees. I’m willing to quarantine for a month if one would. 

    Well, a US passport will still allow you entry into 24!, count ’em, 24! countries!

  15. 15.

    Sab

    @mrmoshpotato: Good luck getting a passport if you don’t already have one. State dept not processing anything. For that alone I want Pompeo behind bars. He gets his, we get nada.

  16. 16.

    TS (the original)

    Victoria had its largest number of new cases ever yesterday with 484. The Australian total was 502. This is after 2 weeks of shutdown in Melbourne & on the day wearing masks became compulsory. The Victorian premier said major issues were

    • people not getting tested as soon as they had symptoms
    • people going out and about after being tested & before they received their results.

    Not sure how you can ever get through to some folks.

  18. 18.

    YY_Sima Qian

    @TS (the original): What is the average turn around time from sample collection to results in Victoria? Case count should peak ~ 2 weeks after strict social distancing measures. We will have to see if today represents the peak (or close to it).

  19. 19.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    Speaking as someone who works in medical devices the Vaccine makers are right; the EU, Brazil, China and even Russia have their own regulators you have to get approval from and all of them are more than happy to denounce evil American corporations.

  20. 20.

    Sloane Ranger

    @satby: Funnily enough, it’s been recently reported, here in dear old Blighty, that Public Health England has been counting every death of anyone who ever tested positive at any time as a COVID-19 death, even if that person tested positive in March and died in a car accident or got murdered in June. The Government got quite excited about this as they initially thought it would bring our highest in Europe death figures down substantially. Unfortunately for them, a subsequent check showed that the actual reduction would be a couple of thousand at best since most causes of death aren’t so clear cut.

    The idea that mortality rates are being inflated is over here as well. I first heard it from a member of my U3A committee but didn’t pay it much attention as she’s a bit of a right wing conspiracy theorist, but I’ve just heard the same thing from a member of my Social History Group. According to her, the Death Certificate of an elderly relative who tested negative twice while in hospital, had COVID-19 down as one of the causes of death.

    I don’t understand this. It doesn’t make any sense.

  21. 21.

    Skepticat

    The Bahamas has stopped commercial air and sea traffic between the Bahamas and the States. We had a “yuge” surge of cases (20)—all involved with travel to/from the States, and all isolated at home—bringing the national total to 194. The epicenter, Grand Bahama, is back under curfew.

  22. 22.

    TS (the original)

    @YY_Sima Qian:

    I think it’s about 2 days – so the comments  were 2-3 days before people went to a test & another 2 days to get results, hence folks were active in the community for 4-5 days when they may have had COVID-19. On the official web site it says 1-3 days, but could be longer.

    If “hope” is the right word, everyone is hoping we are near the peak.

  23. 23.

    Robert Sneddon

    @Sloane Ranger: During the worst times of April and May in the UK there were about 25,000 people dying each week from all causes. The only big difference between this year and the previous years when about 10,000 people died each week was COVID-19 which officially was claiming about 11,000 to 12,000 lives each week at that time. A rough estimate is there have been about 60,000 “excess” deaths over a three-month period, about 25% more than the official count attributed to COVID-19.

     

    If COVID-19 isn’t that bad then where did all those dead bodies come from? is the question you should be asking your “friends”.

  24. 24.

    Jinchi

    Press sec just said potus is tested for Covid “multiple times a day.” – Maggie Haberman

    Isn’t that excessive? I didn’t think these tests would give a positive result an hour after you’re exposed to the virus.

  25. 25.

    StringOnAStick

    @Sab: You are correct, anything involving passports is barely functioning.  Thanks to the heads up I got here about Covid, I sent mine in for renewal in early February; I got the new one three days ago and the cancelled one yesterday.  I know someone here got a letter about ‘slow processing times’ while they waited but I didn’t receive one.  I was trying to be proactive since we had tickets to go see friends in Canada this fall; cancelled now.  Maybe next year but I have my doubts.

  26. 26.

    Robert Sneddon

    @Jinchi: In-house testing for COVID-19 can turn around a nasal swab sample in an hour or less if the test is prioritised. It’s the “take a sample, label it, package it, ship it in a bundle picked up from the testing station twice a day, put the test sample in a lengthy queue at the overworked lab, get the test done, collate the results, send out emails at a convenient time” procedure that can take days or even weeks.

     

    Big-buck sportsball teams can use in-house labs and technicians to do this sort of testing on a daily basis for their million-dollar assets, Joe and Jill Schmuck have to wait at the end of a long pipeline.

  27. 27.

    StringOnAStick

    @Jinchi: I think we can be sure that the mango moron applies his usual magical thinking to this, meaning he thinks getting tested constantly means he can’t get it.  Like somehow the testing process confers immunity, which is one reason why I really hope he gets it; take his scientific illiteracy and slap him hard with it.

  28. 28.

    Jinchi

    @Robert Sneddon: I understand daily tests. But doesn’t a positive result require that the virus has had enough time to build up its numbers?  If Trump got infected at breakfast, would a lunchtime test even come back positive?

  29. 29.

    Ruckus

    @Jinchi:

    Please don’t use logic on a absolutely, completely illogical person. All it will do is confuse, amaze, and piss you off more. He is mentally a 4 yr old, and not in any way a 4 yr old genius.

  30. 30.

    Jerzy Russian

    @Jinchi:   Also too, does early detection do any good In terms of outcomes for treatment?    I am not sure.  In any event it seems obvious that the focus should be on prevention, like wearing a mask, avoiding large groups, social distancing, no nose picking, etc.

  31. 31.

    Sloane Ranger

    @Robert Sneddon:

     

    If COVID-19 isn’t that bad then where did all those dead bodies come from? is the question you should be asking your “friends”.

    Yes, I know. That’s what, in effect, another member of the Group pointed out while another asked who could possibly benefit from inflating the mortality rates? Certainly not the Government or a hospital or doctor.

  32. 32.

    J R in WV

    @TS (the original):

     

    The Victorian premier said major issues were

    • people not getting tested as soon as they had symptoms
    • people going out and about after being tested & before they received their results.

    Not sure how you can ever get through to some folks.

    By arresting everyone who breaks the rules. Once a few hundred were fined, fitted with GPS bracelets, and put in a guarded cheap motel with beans 3 times a day for 3 weeks, folks would pay attention.

  33. 33.

    VOR

    @Jinchi: Define test. I doubt Trump is getting a nasal swap multiple times a day. But I could see a contactless temperature reading on a regular basis. That counts as a test. It’s pretty useless for COVID, but could count.

    The West Wing isn’t connected to the Residence, you have to go outside. So they might be testing everyone who enters the West Wing. If Trump entered/exited multiple times a day, then he might get multiple tests per day. Assumes POTUS is subject to the rules.

  34. 34.

    VOR

    @Sloane Ranger: The claim is the Government (Medicare???) pays better for a COVID death than other causes. So hospitals and doctors have financial incentives to exaggerate. I think this is BS, but my understanding this is the claim.

  35. 35.

    Searcher

    Worth noting that while antibodies disappearing quickly after the infection cleared isn’t necessarily a problem for vaccine development or even the mythical “herd immunity”, it does make it harder to determine who is currently (probably) immune (for “immunity passports”) or what fraction of a population had it months or years after the outbreak.

  36. 36.

    Searcher

    @Sloane Ranger:

    According to her, the Death Certificate of an elderly relative who tested negative twice while in hospital, had COVID-19 down as one of the causes of death.

    This is one of those things that sounds damning if you don’t know how tests and diagnoses work.  It also showed up in the video of that quack nurse from a month or two back.

  37. 37.

    Robert Sneddon

    @Searcher: 

    It’s a real thing in the UK — someone who, for example has terminal cancer and also catches COVID-19 soon before dying will have COVID-19 mentioned on their death certificate. However that death is not necessarily counted as being due to COVID-19 or complications thereof.

    Scotland has had, I think, a single confirmed death from COVID-19 over the past calendar week (Monday through Sunday). The National Records of Scotland (NRS) which collates births and deaths data reported six deaths over that period where COVID-19 is mentioned on the death certificate. Those other five deaths are not counted as COVID-19 deaths.

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