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You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 / COVID-19 Coronavirus Update: Thursday/Friday, Oct. 1-2

COVID-19 Coronavirus Update: Thursday/Friday, Oct. 1-2

by Anne Laurie|  October 2, 20204:57 am| 108 Comments

This post is in: COVID-19, Foreign Affairs, Trumpery

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LATEST: In light of Pres. Trump’s positive coronavirus test, the president has canceled Friday's rally. His only scheduled event is a closed press call on COVID-19 support to “vulnerable seniors.” https://t.co/uIzw65jLJg

— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) October 2, 2020

For a full dose of schadenfreude, read the whole thing:

News of the infection of the most powerful man in the world with the most notorious disease in the world drew instant reactions of shock, sympathy, undisguised glee and, of course, the ever-present outrage and curiosity that follow much of what Trump does. https://t.co/7A8ZqumolL

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 2, 2020


And just because correcting the president of the US is part of science journalists’ job these days:
He and the first lady are isolating. Quarantine is when you have been exposed but have not tested positive yet. https://t.co/SMaTgOmhz9

— Kai Kupferschmidt (@kakape) October 2, 2020

Notes from our own beloved microbiologist, LAMH:

Here's my thoughts on what's going on with Chump COVID testing, based on my own experience working in the lab daily where we did ALL in-house COVID testing and we also prepared specimens to be sent off to reference lab for sendout testing. (1/ 8)

— NB NOLA (@psddluva4evah) October 2, 2020

3 available test. 2 in current use, 1 validated for use as backup to when/if supplies for the other 2 were no longer available to us. Test 1 (AB) is a 10-15 min test (if you count tech prep of specimens). AB gives (+) result w/in 3 min, (-) results reported after 7+ min (2/ 8)

Test 2 (CP) is 50 min test, no matter (+) or (-). CP and AB have same basic PCR concept and target, except AB performs short cycles than CP. So in theory, a person w/active COVID19 will likely have (+) AB cause enough of target is available w/in those short cycles (3/8)

CP performs at least 3x the number of cycles as AB, so in theory a person without an active infection, but still w/present of COVID19 target DNA could replicate enough w/more cycles in the 50min CP test. (4/8)

Course if you have active COVID19, then CP will still be (+). AB had been known to have false (-) results in cases on non-active COVID19, so we considered CP more accurate as a way to confirm COVID19 “infection” even in asymptomatic patients. (5/8)

All of that to say, the AB “screen” would be done for someone who were exposed, but NOT symptomatic, and then sent off to our reference lab for CP (or equivalent testing) confirmation. (6/8)

All of this was done w/in 72hrs. I suspect the POTUS has a better chance for a quicker turnaround than some radom hospital patient. That’s why I say Chump’s already been tested and they already have results. (7/8)

That’s why they are self quarantining. (+) or (-) the Chump CDC recs if an true exposure has occurred that the individul self quarantines 14 days and then is retested to ensure a true result of being COVID free, and not just too early to tell.
(8/8)

Again this is only based on my own experience performing COVID19 testing since the beginning of the pandemic in NOLA. The protocol may be a bit different in some places, but the testing manufacturers are pretty much the same used across the country. (fin/fin)

======

Very interesting piece about how the International Health Regulations' opposition to closing borders during outbreaks failed the world in #Covid. Puzzlingly, it doesn't mention the US outbreak was seeded by Americans fleeing home as borders closed. https://t.co/bQUzthWWuo

— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) October 1, 2020

Paris poised for maximum Covid alert https://t.co/zllYrnKKSU

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) October 1, 2020

Sweden's daily COVID-19 cases hit highest level since June https://t.co/ocK5YFrpie pic.twitter.com/vFcT5V4Bfa

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 1, 2020

Liverpool is hit with tighter virus restrictions to counter a local surge while England as a whole sees infections quadruple in just a month. https://t.co/dnBAnjy67X

— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) October 1, 2020

The Czech Republic's health care system is under heavy strain due to rising COVID-19 infections, which have prompted authorities to declare a state of emergency. https://t.co/9RAkd6T4mh

— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) October 1, 2020

NEW: Moscow employers will be required to transfer 30% of their employees to remote work from Oct. 5-28 due to the city's "very dangerous" coronavirus situation, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced Thursdayhttps://t.co/JNs8eGFVsz

— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) October 1, 2020

Turkey’s government is being accused of hiding the extent of the country's coronavirus outbreak after the health minister revealed that the daily COVID-19 figures published by his ministry reflect only patients with symptoms and not all positive cases. https://t.co/rUFxRsKYb9

— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) October 1, 2020

India's coronavirus infections rise to 6.39 million https://t.co/XlmDJZ66CG pic.twitter.com/8LfNQi3md2

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 2, 2020

What the data tells us about coronavirus in India https://t.co/dTzAT18VOv

— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) October 2, 2020

The South Korean government has asked people to stay home during Chuseok, roughly the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, to avoid exacerbating the country’s latest coronavirus outbreak. https://t.co/nRrj9F8xaZ

— The New York Times (@nytimes) October 2, 2020

Millions of Chinese tourists who would normally spend the National Day holiday abroad will instead travel within China this year. https://t.co/LVXGfPXG9X

— AP Business News (@APBusiness) October 1, 2020

Australia and New Zealand scheduled a partial opening of their borders. Passengers will be able to fly to the Australian cities of Sydney and Darwin without going into quarantine from Oct. 16 if they were recently in a non-hot spot area of New Zealand. https://t.co/5lLHpKC0EK

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 2, 2020

South Africa has reopened to international flights, ending a more than six-month ban on international travel that was part of its restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19. https://t.co/tTZJarPUJQ

— AP Africa (@AP_Africa) October 1, 2020

Argentina's coronavirus death toll leaps above 20,000 as new data added https://t.co/JXn3tlxu76 pic.twitter.com/kwSYWBJM77

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 2, 2020

Mexico's confirmed coronavirus cases up to 748,315, authorities say https://t.co/ip9DyfOhNs pic.twitter.com/Fd3XrWo6tr

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 2, 2020

======

Exclusive: New global lab network will compare COVID-19 vaccines head-to-head to compare them and speed up selection of the most effective shots. @kkelland reports https://t.co/4ztaoM3bFP

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 2, 2020

Effective coronavirus vaccine will 'not return life to normal in spring', leading scientists warn https://t.co/da8vd9WOaA

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) October 1, 2020

Moderna's messenger-RNA vaccine to prevent COVID19 will NOT be ready by the November election https://t.co/B8x9Jdapaw via @medical_xpress

— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) October 1, 2020

.@Dereklowe on the J&J #Covid19 vaccine data: Looks good, a few things to wonder about, but in the end — as with all Covid vaccines — we need to see how they actually work. https://t.co/jDlslCwBCW pic.twitter.com/Lgg7vcd0Ib

— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) October 1, 2020

Moscow could receive bulk shipments of Russia’s coronavirus vaccine by the end of 2020 while the vaccine continues to undergo final clinical trials, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said https://t.co/j3VdaHgunx

— The Moscow Times (@MoscowTimes) October 2, 2020

#Covid19 infection can cause an array of problems. Among them: heart damage in young and previously healthy people. It may be reversible, but it's going to take time to figure that out. https://t.co/nKqRj4h2L1

— Helen Branswell (@HelenBranswell) October 1, 2020

In memo obtained by @AP, Pfizer CEO tells employees he's disappointed that the coronavirus vaccine timeline was again politicized during this week's debate and pledges not to bow to political pressure. https://t.co/nxmXK5mfMF

— AP Health & Science (@APHealthScience) October 1, 2020

======

“You’re just sitting here minding your own business, and things start crumbling all around you." Amid race-related protests and COVID-19, the AP went to the hills of southeast Ohio, where we found suspicion, conspiracy theories and echoes of LBJ. https://t.co/2ZhToJrLXr

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 1, 2020

South Dakota reaches record high coronavirus death toll https://t.co/VJIrN35eHa pic.twitter.com/9wzweWiP9X

— The Hill (@thehill) October 2, 2020

Wisconsin is now an epicenter for a midwest surge in coronavirus. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that some hospitals are forced to wait-list.
https://t.co/V0HYqnams2

— The ReidOut (@thereidout) October 2, 2020

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Reader Interactions

108Comments

  1. 1.

    raven

    October 2, 2020 at 5:37 am

    Xin Loi asshole.

  2. 2.

    Baud

    October 2, 2020 at 5:39 am

    In this difficult time, I urge Trump to defeat despair.

  3. 3.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 5:57 am

    Thanks 2 lamh for info.

  4. 4.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 6:00 am

    @Baud: 2 mil be enough to end my despair.

  5. 5.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 6:03 am

    What a night..   Mr. Finch woke me a little before one to go out.   I started to dose off at 4:00 and he had to go out again.  He just went out again and is now conked out.

     

    CNN just said that Biden will be tested this morning.   He needs to release ads attacking trump’s handling of the virus and then stay in his basement.

  6. 6.

    Brachiator

    October 2, 2020 at 6:06 am

    Early on in the pandemic, there was a BBC News story noting that citizens of Bangladeshi origin had a higher rate of hospitalizations than some other groups. In addition to social and economic factors, there might also be a genetic twist. A very preliminary study:

    Risk of Severe Coronavirus Linked to Neanderthal Genes From 60,000 Years Ago

    A resulting stretch of Neanderthal DNA spread far through our populations as it was passed down through the generations, even while the Neanderthals themselves became extinct. Around 50 percent of the people in South Asia and 16 percent of people in Europe now carry this length of DNA, which scientists have now linked to the most severe form of COVID-19.

    I wonder if Trump has Neanderthal DNA.

  7. 7.

    TS (the original)

    October 2, 2020 at 6:06 am

    MJ & friends – so very concerned about the president*

    If this leads to a turnaround on the election I would really wonder if it is true.

  8. 8.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 6:10 am

    Except for Spain, I don’t think clear yet whether big resurgence in cases in W Europe will result in big resurgence in serious hospitalized cases and deaths. May be more due to good testing and outbreak control. Czech Republic is a serious resurgence that is stressing health care system and big 2nd wave of death. Several other countries doing worse than Czech, with 2nd waves as bad or worse than 1st, southward through E Europe and Balkans, but I don’t see those in the news.

  9. 9.

    TS (the original)

    October 2, 2020 at 6:13 am

    The White House knew that Hope Hicks was positive on Thursday morning and the President still travelled to a campaign fundraiser on Thursday.

    Can the people at this event sue the president* or reckless something … if they get covid-19.

    And: The media is showing a video of Hope Hicks on the helicopter wearing a mask. MJ just said this film is from September 15 – not from  this week.

  10. 10.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 6:16 am

    @TS (the original): Really?   Dana Bash is now talking about what happens when our leaders don’t follow good behavior.   Earlier they showed clips of him mocking masks.

  11. 11.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 6:17 am

    @TS (the original):  They should cancel their checks.

  12. 12.

    Betty Cracker

    October 2, 2020 at 6:21 am

    Do y’all believe Trump really has COVID-19? He’s a liar who surrounds himself with liars, including doctors who lie on his behalf. I know this sounds paranoid, but the timing sure is convenient in some ways.

  13. 13.

    YY_Sima Qian

    October 2, 2020 at 6:22 am

    Yesterday, China reported 0 new domestic confirmed cases and 0 new domestic asymptomatic cases, 10 new imported confirmed cases and 33 imported asymptomatic cases:

    • Chengdu in Sichuan Province – 3 confirmed cases, 2 Chinese nationals returning from Nepal and 1 from the Philippines; 7 asymptomatic cases, 6 Chinese nationals returning from the Philippines and 1 from Turkmenistan
    • Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 2 confirmed cases, both Chinese nationals returning from the Philippines; 6 asymptomatic cases, 4 Chinese nationals returning from the Philippines and 1 each from Singapore and Indonesia
    • Xiamen in Fujian Province – 2 confirmed cases, both Chinese nationals returning from Nigeria; 3 asymptomatic cases, 2 Chinese nationals returning from Nigeria and 1 from Peru;
    • Fuzhou in Fujian Province – 6 asymptomatic cases, 4 Chinese nationals returning from the Philippines and 2 from Mexico
    • Shanghai Municipality – 1 confirmed case, a US national coming from the States
    • Chongqing Municipality – 1 confirmed (previously asymptomatic), a Chinese national returning from Nepal
    • Xi’an in Shaanxi Province – 1 confirmed and 3 asymptomatic cases, all Chinese nationals retuning from Uzbekistan
    • Zhengzhou in Henan Province – 4 asymptomatic cases, no information released
    • Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province- 2 asymptomatic cases, 1 Chinese national each returning from Russia and the Philippines
    • Changsha in Hunan Province – 2 asymptomatic cases, no information released

    Yesterday, Hong Kong reported 10 new cases, 1 from local transmission, source of infection unclear. Today, the city reported 7 new cases, 3 from local infection, 2 without clear source of infection identified.

  14. 14.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 6:23 am

    @JPL: News reports I hear keep saying ‘stunning’, ‘unexpected’. But the way WH has been acting, it was just a matter of timing.

  15. 15.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 2, 2020 at 6:27 am

    @JPL: Biden has to be really careful now, politically– he can’t be seen as attacking a sick man.

    If Trump plays this right, and he survives, he could ride it to reelection on a sympathy vote. But he won’t, so who knows.

  16. 16.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 2, 2020 at 6:29 am

    @Betty Cracker: I don’t believe he’s lying because he’s been terrified for months that getting the virus would make him look weak. It’s not the kind of lie he would tell.

  17. 17.

    TS (the original)

    October 2, 2020 at 6:29 am

    @Betty Cracker:

    Who would know? I would need a confirmation from 5 independent doctors who have examined him & administered tests and that sure isn’t going to happen. Why would he have gone to his fundraiser when he KNEW Hope Hicks was positive? Is he that stupid?

    If more people in the white house and/or reporters/campaign attendees get ill, then we can probably assume he does have the virus.

  18. 18.

    A Ghost to Most

    October 2, 2020 at 6:30 am

    Mecha-Ninny briefed the press knowing she had been exposed, per Jonathan Lemire.

  19. 19.

    Splitting Image

    October 2, 2020 at 6:30 am

    I’m feeling better this week than I have in ages. As Bethany Anne said in the other thread, thoughts and prayers to coronavirus in this difficult time.

    I do hope that the Bidens, Nancy Pelosi, and anyone else who had to deal with one of these assholes while they were spreading the disease turns out okay, but if the devil takes his own here, I’m fine with that.

  20. 20.

    Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism

    October 2, 2020 at 6:30 am

    @Brachiator: Most Euros have substantial amount of Neanderthal DNA. IIRC, quite a few diseases are linked to Neanderthal DNA, so I can hardly say I’m surprised.

  21. 21.

    Patricia Kayden

    October 2, 2020 at 6:32 am

    I want you to think about what Donald Trump would tweet if Joe Biden got Covid.— Aaron Eisenberg (@Eisentweet) October 2, 2020

  22. 22.

    Bruce K

    October 2, 2020 at 6:32 am

    @Betty Cracker: I, for one, don’t trust that he has it, but as with all things Trump, the responsible thing to do is assume the worst and plan accordingly.

    Biden has to assume he’s been exposed until tests show differently (FSM willing). And Pelosi has to be prepared to take over as Acting President under the 25th Amendment and the Presidential Succession Act if Pence also goes down.

    We’re living in a Tom Clancy novel now, except that it turns out the bad guys aren’t the Democrats and other assorted liberals.

  23. 23.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 6:32 am

    @Betty Cracker: I might not believe a lying brat who yells ‘Fire!’. But, if he’s been playing with matches by the drapes all day, need to take that into account.

    Anyway, negatives of just the news dwarfs any possible upside, IMHO.

  24. 24.

    Mary G

    October 2, 2020 at 6:33 am

    Orange County was not able to graduate to the next tier after all, because after a good stretch of cases per 100,000 being in the 3 range, we popped back up to 4.4. Hospitalizations still looking great. I don’t think this’ll be over or easy anytime soon anywhere in the world.

  25. 25.

    rikyrah

    October 2, 2020 at 6:33 am

    @Betty Cracker: 
    I don’t believe it

  26. 26.

    Betty Cracker

    October 2, 2020 at 6:33 am

    @Matt McIrvin: Maybe, but if he “beats” it, he probably thinks that makes him look strong, in his addled brain at least. Meanwhile, he gets sympathy from people who don’t already hate his guts, and he gets out of the debates, and he sidelines a surging Biden.

  27. 27.

    Cermet

    October 2, 2020 at 6:33 am

    @Betty Cracker: We will know for certain if any of the following occur this comming week: he remains at the WH; he shows no symptoms; he continues ‘meetings’ via computer. If he does not get ill at all, full on hoax.

  28. 28.

    Brachiator

    October 2, 2020 at 6:34 am

    @Betty Cracker: 

    Do y’all believe Trump really has COVID-19?

    It’s a hell of a way to get out of the next debate.

    I don’t trust anything that the Orange Doofus does. We shall see how this develops.

  29. 29.

    Gvg

    October 2, 2020 at 6:35 am

    @Betty Cracker: yes he is a liar, but this would seem to me to be demoralizing to his supporters. I think it could depress republican voting. He doesn’t have the best ideas so that isn’t proof, but also his administration leaks and he has no self control. I don’t think he can carry off a fraud.

  30. 30.

    Chyron HR

    October 2, 2020 at 6:35 am

    @Matt McIrvin: 

    Biden has to be really careful now, politically– he can’t be seen as attacking a sick man.

    Yes, imagine if Trump had attacked Secretary Clinton for allegedly having supercancer in 2016.

  31. 31.

    Baud

    October 2, 2020 at 6:40 am

    @Betty Cracker:

    and he sidelines a surging Biden.

    Biden built most of his lead before he started traveling.  It’s Trump that really needs to be out there whipping up his supporters, and now he can’t do it.

  32. 32.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 2, 2020 at 6:41 am

    @Betty Cracker: My first thought too.

    @Matt McIrvin: Which is preferable, to look weak or to look like a raging narcissistic ignorant 3 yr old who gets put into timeout?

  33. 33.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 6:42 am

    trump knows he is losing and this might give him a way out.   Resign in order to take care of himself and his family and turn the reins over to Pence.    Pence would pick Nikki Haley as his running mate.

  34. 34.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 6:42 am

    @TS (the original): Trump could be that stupid. From how he talks, I don’t think he has a clue how infectious disease epidemics work. None of his experts have been able to explain it to him.

    And Trump is a genius at denial and delusion.

    I don’t think much sympathy vote likely. I think by the time Johnson got sick he was taking the epidemic seriously, had shown evidence of a good faith effort.

  35. 35.

    Baud

    October 2, 2020 at 6:45 am

    @jl: IIRC, when the pandemic first hit, just about every world leader got a bump in approval except Trump.

  36. 36.

    Amir Khalid

    October 2, 2020 at 6:46 am

    Malaysia’s daily CoviD-19 numbers. 287 new cases were reported today — a new record, surpassing the 277 cases reported on 4th June. The cumulative reported total is up to 11,771 cases.

    Today’s new cases are all from local infection. 20 of them have recently travelled to Sabah from other states. Of the remaining 267 cases, 129 are in Kedah. 113 cases are in Sabah. 18 cases are in Selangor. Seven cases are from other states. I will update later when the Health Ministry issues a complete breakdown.

    81 more patients recovered and were discharged, for a total of 10,095 patients recovered — 85.76% of the cumulative reported total. 1,540 active and contagious cases are currently in hospital; 22 are in ICU, four of them on respirators.

    No new deaths were reported, and the total stands at 136 deaths — 1.16% of the cumulative reported total, 1.33% of resolved cases.

  37. 37.

    What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?

    October 2, 2020 at 6:47 am

    @Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: Yeah that’s my understanding too. I thought pretty much everyone of European descent had some Neanderthal DNA. People of African descent are the only humans without Neanderthal DNA. So…do we know anything about death rates in Africa? Are they substantially lower than everywhere else?

  38. 38.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 6:47 am

    Outbreaks been popping up through executive branch,  staff, secret service, for months, lends weight to news being true.

  39. 39.

    MomSense

    October 2, 2020 at 6:48 am

    @Betty Cracker:

    I don’t know what to think

  40. 40.

    rikyrah

    October 2, 2020 at 6:48 am

    @A Ghost to Most:

    Of course ??

  41. 41.

    snoey

    October 2, 2020 at 6:48 am

    @Betty Cracker: No rallies and no golf?  Unless he really didn’t think this through – even by his standards of  “thought” – having to adult all day is a loser.

  42. 42.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 2, 2020 at 6:49 am

    @Chyron HR: IOKIYAR. The rules are different for them.

  43. 43.

    rikyrah

    October 2, 2020 at 6:50 am

    @TS (the original):

    Stupid… well…

    Callous.. absolutely

  44. 44.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 6:50 am

    @Matt McIrvin: I do.    trump knows he is going to lose and needs a way out of the race.   He might stay in for a few days to see if his “illness” causes his numbers to go up.   If they don’t, he will leave in order to take care of his health and his family.

    Yesterday was bad for him.   McMasters accused him of aiding and abetting the enemy.    His campaign finance officer Kimberly, was ousted from Fox News for sexual harassment,  and his wife said fuck the kids at the border and fuck Christmas.

  45. 45.

    rikyrah

    October 2, 2020 at 6:51 am

    @Gvg:

    The entire Administration is a fraud

  46. 46.

    TS (the original)

    October 2, 2020 at 6:52 am

    @jl:

    I don’t think much sympathy vote likely.

    I agree with you. MJ & Co started their show as very serious sympathetic people, but as they hear/repeat more about when trump found out, who went where when, no-one was wearing masks nor physically distancing, no care was given to Pence, the media, VP Biden & his family, the mood seems to be changing.

    Just now talking about the risk to Biden. Everyone in the debate room was at risk. Everyone in the room should quarantine & get tested.

  47. 47.

    MJS

    October 2, 2020 at 6:52 am

    @JPL: While I don’t think this is going to happen, I find it more plausible than any “this is going to help Trump” takes which, frankly, remind me of “this is good news – for John McCain”. Trump’s supporters believe he is strong, and many also believe that the entire pandemic is a hoax. So, he just made the “hoaxers” look like fools, and he has previously mocked Biden for social distancing, which he will now have to do, making him look weak in the eyes of some of his supporters. If he gets actually sick, he’s done, because he will not get better before the election, given his age and the state of his physical condition. If he doesn’t get sick, he will have to wear a mask for the remainder of the campaign, or him not wearing a mask will be the story for the rest of the campaign. There is no silver lining for Trump in this. None.

  48. 48.

    Baud

    October 2, 2020 at 6:53 am

    @JPL:

    He might stay in for a few day to see if his “illness” causes his numbers to go up.

    If they do, I wonder if he’ll start coming down with even more diseases. My money’s on gonorrhea.

  49. 49.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 6:54 am

    @What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?: Some African countries doing far better than US, others are a mess. Hard to compare because of big differences in age structure. Senegal, per cap gdp around $4K, has great control program, great results, next to Togo, a disaster.

    I’m biased, but I think good execution of standard disease control practice is most important factor, maybe all that really matters.

  50. 50.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 6:55 am

    @Baud: That was already his personal VietNam .    Yesterday was a horrible news day for him, the virus was the best thing that happened to him.

  51. 51.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 6:56 am

    If other close associates, do not test positive, then it’s a hoax.

  52. 52.

    Amir Khalid

    October 2, 2020 at 6:57 am

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    How can you tell when Trump is lying? His lips move. But I don’t think the lie here is that he and Melania are coronavirus positive. That story makes him look weak and vulnerable, which he hates. I think it might be that The White House was simply not as thorough as it claimed to be in protecting POTUS and FLOTUS.

  53. 53.

    Baud

    October 2, 2020 at 6:57 am

    @JPL: 
    Every day these days is a horrible news day for him. Today will be as well, because he and his people were so reckless at the debate and afterwards.

  54. 54.

    Betty Cracker

    October 2, 2020 at 6:58 am

    @Baud: Hahaha!

  55. 55.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 7:01 am

    @Baud: Well at least now we can say Merry f.king Christmas.   It’s allowed now.

  56. 56.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 7:01 am

    @MJS: Given Trump’s age and health, if he has any symptoms at all, almost certainly down for three weeks. For high risk symptomatic cases, sudden worsening or relapse after 10 or 14 days is extremely dangerous. Unless completely asymptomatic, they’ll watch him like a hawk for several weeks.

  57. 57.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 2, 2020 at 7:01 am

    @JPL: I just don’t think the psychology of Trump is such that he would assent to that particular type of hoax. He’d be more likely to cover up that he was infected, or hide his symptoms (I would not be at all surprised if he’s already quite sick and hiding it). Anything to make him look strong and virile.

  58. 58.

    (((CassandraLeo)))

    October 2, 2020 at 7:02 am

    @TS (the original):

    Why would he have gone to his fundraiser when he KNEW Hope Hicks was positive? Is he that stupid?

    Yes. SATSQ.

    Cēterum cēnseō factiōnem Rēpūblicānam esse dēlendam.

  59. 59.

    sanjeevs

    October 2, 2020 at 7:02 am

    Wonder how Manafort feels now. His pardon is dependent on an overweight 74 year old surviving a dose of corona.

  60. 60.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 7:05 am

    They were careless people, and they smashed things up.     sad

  61. 61.

    Betty Cracker

    October 2, 2020 at 7:05 am

    @Matt McIrvin: He did look like a sick, sweaty pig at the debate. But he always does, so…  :::shruggies:::

  62. 62.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 7:07 am

    @Matt McIrvin:  Lack of sleep is adding to my paranoia.   Earlier this morning I thought it was possible that he was sick Tuesday, and possibly on a heavy dose of steroids.

    Good news though.   With his staff at the White House, there will probably be leaks.

  63. 63.

    Amir Khalid

    October 2, 2020 at 7:08 am

    @Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism:

    Pretty much everyone descended from those in the ancient human diaspora out of Africa has some Neanderthal DNA. Not just Europeans, but also Asians, Pacific islanders, the peoples now considered indigenous to places like Australia and the Americas. The only humans devoid of Neanderthal DNA are those whose ancestors never left humanity’s birthplace.

  64. 64.

    MagdaInBlack

    October 2, 2020 at 7:10 am

    @MJS: Yesterday I had a conversation with one of those who believe its fake. They know it exists, they just don’t think it’s all that bad. It’s the other health issues people have that are killing them, not Covid. So Trump getting it isn’t an issue. If he shows no symptoms, there ya go>> fake. And they all know he is ” strong like bull” so there are no other health issues ( in their minds) ……..I haven’t quite worked out their response if he ends on a ventilator, but since the conversation I had was with one of my trumpy body techs, Im sure Ill have that answer by the end of day

    Eta: my question to my tech was ” is the rest of the world faking this too?”  Didn’t get an answer, just deflection

    EEta: He also told me his police friends claim theyre afraid to go on domestic disturbance calls now, they’re afraid of being ambushed……

  65. 65.

    OzarkHillbilly

    October 2, 2020 at 7:11 am

    @Amir Khalid: There is always a lie. Even when he tells the truth it is in service to a lie.

    FTR: I suspect he has it and was forced to admit it by circumstances, BUT… One can never be 100% certain.

  66. 66.

    joel hanes

    October 2, 2020 at 7:12 am

    @Betty Cracker:

    Yes, he really has it.

    Hick’s diagnosis was leaked, not announced, and she’s symptomatic.  Tested negative before the debate, fell sick, tested again: positive.

    IMHO, this completely kills any chance Trump had of re-election, even with the Russians and Barr both cheating for him.  He fecklessly (no mask) exposed a bunch of donors on Thurs, and much of his leadership team has met with Hicks in the last three days.   I think we’ll be seeing others revealing positive test results over the coming week.

    Amy Coney Barrett has been in and out of the White House repeatedly over the last few days; she’ll need to quarantine and get repeatedly tested.

    If I were a theist, I’d be praying that none of the Bidens or Harrises get it.

    I hope the contact-and-trace people get a chance to tease out the pattern of infection in the maladministration.

  67. 67.

    joel hanes

    October 2, 2020 at 7:13 am

    @TS (the original):

    Is he that stupid?

    He’s that convinced of his own impunity.

    So yes.

  68. 68.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 7:14 am

    Has he called into Fox and Friends yet?

  69. 69.

    joel hanes

    October 2, 2020 at 7:16 am

    @Matt McIrvin:

    DC press is reporting that the maladministration spent a day trying to suppress the news of Hope Hicks’s symptomatic case and positive test result, but someone leaked.

  70. 70.

    Geo Wilcox

    October 2, 2020 at 7:17 am

    @Betty Cracker: Easy way to get Pence out of his debate, easy way to get himself out of the rest of his debates AND an easy way to get out of the office of president without losing the vote. He is too ill to be president anymore so it goes to Pence, provided he stays healthy.

  71. 71.

    WereBear

    October 2, 2020 at 7:20 am

    @What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?: 

    So…do we know anything about death rates in Africa? Are they substantially lower than everywhere else?

    Yes.

  72. 72.

    Starfish

    October 2, 2020 at 7:20 am

    @Matt McIrvin:

    I saw this video of Biden this morning. I don’t know if it came out before or after the Trump news, but I love it either way.

  73. 73.

    Amir Khalid

    October 2, 2020 at 7:21 am

    My reaction to Trump testing positive can be summed up in three words: “serves”, “him”, and “right”.

  74. 74.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 7:22 am

    I’ve read that evidence is accumulating that severity is more sensitive to initial viral dose than expected with respiratory viruses. Something else to consider. Any precautions at all will help reduce initial viral dose.

  75. 75.

    TS (the original)

    October 2, 2020 at 7:23 am

    @Baud:

    Yep. Every day forward will be bad news. If people from his administration and, please no, anyone connected with Biden, have this virus, trump will have nowhere to hide. he has been reckless about the health of every American & he is about to pay the price. He needs to hope it is only a political price.

  76. 76.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    October 2, 2020 at 7:24 am

    @(((CassandraLeo))):

    Hopefully, he infected several wealthy white donors, killing off some of them.

  77. 77.

    Betty Cracker

    October 2, 2020 at 7:25 am

    @Starfish: Retweeted! :)

  78. 78.

    Starfish

    October 2, 2020 at 7:25 am

    @What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?: Fewer people are dying in Africa. Some people are suggesting that this is because the people are more spread out, but it could be something else.

  79. 79.

    Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes

    October 2, 2020 at 7:26 am

    @TS (the original):

    Although I’m really OK with him dying on a ventilator.

    Maybe they can shoot video and put it up on pay per click, proceeds to go toward worker and small business relief.

  80. 80.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 7:26 am

    @WereBear: Need to adjust for big differences in age structure. I think some lower than US, some higher, after adjustment. Not enough data to do the most reliable age adjustments.

  81. 81.

    JPL

    October 2, 2020 at 7:30 am

    If Melania’s tape was at the top of the news, I think he would start losing evangelicals.

  82. 82.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 2, 2020 at 7:31 am

    @TS (the original): If Trump gets sick the Republicans are going to put his neglect of COVID down the memory hole and go for a full sympathy play to put him over the line. It’ll be the day he finally became sick President. At least it might get some people to take the pandemic seriously.

  83. 83.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 7:32 am

    @Starfish: You are trying to compare US and Europe to countries with half of pop under 25 and only 5 percent over 65, very few ‘very old’ elderly in 70s and 80s.

  84. 84.

    Starfish

    October 2, 2020 at 7:32 am

    @Amir Khalid: How could it be when they were unwilling to take basic safety measures because those measures would make them look weak?

  85. 85.

    Betty Cracker

    October 2, 2020 at 7:33 am

    @JPL: Wild that it won’t even be a big story that the Third Lady basically said fuck Christmas, and fuck those little brats separated from their parents at the border. This year, man…

  86. 86.

    WereBear

    October 2, 2020 at 7:34 am

    @WereBear: in addition, Africa handled it better than other continents. Moved faster with a sensible populace.

  87. 87.

    KM in NS

    October 2, 2020 at 7:42 am

    I agree. His lips are moving therefore he’s lying. It seems like October surprise stuff to me.

    Meanwhile in Nova Scotia we have 2 active cases of COVID. The March-July lockdown has paid off.

  88. 88.

    Starfish

    October 2, 2020 at 7:47 am

    @jl: There are so many possible factors at play, right?

  89. 89.

    Chris T.

    October 2, 2020 at 7:50 am

    @What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?: So…do we know anything about death rates in Africa? Are they substantially lower than everywhere else?

    From what I last read (days ago, so, way out of date), yes, they are. Nobody knows precisely why although the average ages there tend to be much lower as well. This new item might be significant, or not.

  90. 90.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 7:50 am

    @WereBear: Excellent point. Regions with recent experience controlling serious epidemics have tended to do much better: have practical expertise, people have sense to take it seriously.

  91. 91.

    Chris T.

    October 2, 2020 at 7:52 am

    @jl: I’m biased, but I think good execution of standard disease control practice is most important factor, maybe all that really matters.

    It usually is.

  92. 92.

    jl

    October 2, 2020 at 7:55 am

    @Starfish: yes. I’ve messed around with the data, with and without adjustment. Some great successes, some disasters, some suspect manipulated data. Some very poor countries have been recognized for world class very successful control programs.

  93. 93.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 2, 2020 at 8:08 am

    @jl: The interesting case is Japan. They have a rapidly aging, high-risk population and in some ways their approach to COVID hasn’t been as draconian as other East Asian countries, but they’re doing pretty well with it. Zeynep Tufecki’s recent artcle (which I think I saw via someone here) suggested that their strategy of backward tracing and attacking superspreading clusters is the reason. It’s something you can’t do unless you can find your ass with both hands, which means it’ll never work here until we get better national leadership.

  94. 94.

    Geminid

    October 2, 2020 at 8:10 am

    @Starfish: I suspect that the relatively low incidence of Covid-19 in Africa can be credited to good and well-distributed public health systems.

  95. 95.

    Amir Khalid

    October 2, 2020 at 8:26 am

    Malaysia’s new cases breakdown. 20 of 287 new cases have a recent history of travel to high-risk zones in Sabah. Of the remaining 267 cases, 129 are in Kedah, comprising 128 cases from the Tembok Prison cluster and one close contact of another case. 113 cases are in Sabah, comprising 52 symptomatic persons, 35 are from the Benteng Lahad Datu police lockup cluster, 15 are from the Bangau-Bangau cluster, one is from the Pulau cluster, two are hospital referrals, two are hospital admissions, one has severe acute respiratory infection, one is a senior citizen, one was screened before returning to Peninsular Malaysia, and one was screened in the community. 18 cases are in Selangor, comprising eight from the Seri Anggerik cluster, three from the Jalan Meru cluster, one from the Seri Setia cluster, two close contacts of other cases, one person with severe acute respiratory infection, one person in police detention, one person screened before travelling abroad, and one person screened before returning to their home country. One case in Perak, from the Tembok Prison cluster. Two cases in Teregggnu, close contacts of other cases. One case in Kelantan, from the Jalan Meru cluster in Selangor. One case in KL, a person screened before returning to their home country. One case in Johore, from the Jalan Meru cluster in Selangor. And one case in Pahang, from the Jalan Meru cluster.

  96. 96.

    Uncle Cosmo

    October 2, 2020 at 8:48 am

    @Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: Don’t be ragging on Neanderthal moms. The ones who watched Needy Amin’s “debate” performance exclaimed,

    Where are his manners? Was he raised by Ramapithecuses or what?

  97. 97.

    TriassicSands

    October 2, 2020 at 9:03 am

    @Betty Cracker:

    I think the important thing here is that you would even doubt the veracity of such a report. And you are not alone. On the WaPo website last night, there were numerous comments doubting the truth of the report.

    The fact that Trump’s constant lying infects virtually everthing, everyday in this country is one of the most compelling reasons why he must go.

  98. 98.

    Matt McIrvin

    October 2, 2020 at 9:06 am

    @jl: @WereBear: I do think it’s a lot of things. Africans are younger on average, they’re just doing better with this because they take pandemics seriously there, and they’re poorer so they don’t travel around a lot and create so many superspreading events.

  99. 99.

    Sloane Ranger

    October 2, 2020 at 9:08 am

    Don’t suppose anyone’s really interested in the light of recent developments but here are yesterday’s numbers from the UK.

    There were 6914 new cases, nearly 200 less than the day before, which was, in turn, fewer than the day before that. Hopefully this is the start of a downward trend. Fingers crossed.

    Of the new cases,

    5589 were in England (down by @50)

    259 were in Northern Ireland (down by @160)

    668 were in Scotland (up by @30)

    398 were in Wales (up by @10).

    Deaths – There were 59 new deaths. Down from Wednesday. 48 were in England; 2 in Northern Ireland; 3 in Scotland and 6 in Wales.

    Testing – 255,915 tests were processed out of a capacity of 323,425. According to the BBC 1:500 people in England were infected with the virus in the week ending 24 September. This is an average with some areas having a higher incidence of the virus than others. The South West continues to be hardle affected at all.

    Hospitalisations – Over 2000 people were in hospital as of Tuesday, 29th September. On Wednesday, 332 were in ventilators.

  100. 100.

    Sloane Ranger

    October 2, 2020 at 9:16 am

    @Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism: I understood that all non sub-Saharan African populations had between 1 – 10% Neanderthal DNA.

    Trump certainly LOOKS like he’s at the upper end of that percentage.

  101. 101.

    TriassicSands

    October 2, 2020 at 9:18 am

    No matter how people feel about Trump (not a lotta love here amazingly) it is hard to deny that no one deserves to be infected more than Trump.

    As I wrote in an earlier thread, in the US when presidents have become seriously ill, it is not unheard of for administration officials to lie to the public about the president’s health. Now, this being the most upright and honest administration ever, I’m sure we can expect nothing but the truth.

  102. 102.

    Sloane Ranger

    October 2, 2020 at 9:23 am

    @What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?: Actually, outside of South Africa, which has a large population of people of European and Asian descent, Africa seems to have got off relatively lightly. Up to this breaking, they’ve been attributing it to not having the same access to drugs so having more experience in dealing with infectious diseases through basic hygiene measures.

  103. 103.

    mrmoshpotato

    October 2, 2020 at 9:24 am

    @Matt McIrvin:

    If Trump plays this right, and he survives, he could ride it to reelection on a sympathy vote. 

    This mass-murdering motherfucker won’t be getting my sympathy vote.

    Maybe a sympathy card – Sorry you didn’t jump into an active volcano back in the 80s.

  104. 104.

    mrmoshpotato

    October 2, 2020 at 9:39 am

    @TS (the original):

    I agree with you. MJ & Co started their show as very serious sympathetic people…the mood seems to be changing. 

    Maybe Joe and Mika could call up Dump and verbally slobber all over his orange cock to cheer everyone up and for old times sake.

  105. 105.

    SW

    October 2, 2020 at 10:02 am

    He’s going to quit.

  106. 106.

    mrmoshpotato

    October 2, 2020 at 10:08 am

    @SW: “I’m resigning because you’re all total losers who let this fake virus get out of control, and you don’t deserve me as your awesome, bestest-ever prezinint!  SAD!”

  107. 107.

    bluefoot

    October 2, 2020 at 10:13 am

    @Chyron HR:

    Or mocked a disabled person during a rally.

  108. 108.

    Cermet

    October 2, 2020 at 10:16 am

    He’ll NEVER quit – first, no “Get out of Jail Free” card 2) The statute of limitations will run out for most his crimes after his second term 3) The thugs have a massive operation already running to get him back by bypassing the vote (which they all know he will lose and by big numbers; this is something he knows and has been aiding in all his speeches.

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