Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

The next time the wall street journal editorial board speaks the truth will be the first.

We will not go quietly into the night; we will not vanish without a fight.

Republican speaker of the house Mike Johnson is the bland and smiling face of evil.

Anne Laurie is a fucking hero in so many ways. ~ Betty Cracker

There are a lot more evil idiots than evil geniuses.

It’s a good piece. click on over. but then come back!!

American history and black history cannot be separated.

Not loving this new fraud based economy.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

They are not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

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

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

Oppose, oppose, oppose. do not congratulate. this is not business as usual.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

“In the future, this lab will be a museum. do not touch it.”

It’s the corruption, stupid.

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

He seems like a smart guy, but JFC, what a dick!

You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 / COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Friday/Saturday, Dec. 4-5

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Friday/Saturday, Dec. 4-5

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65Comments

  2. 2.

    YY_Sima Qian

    Yesterday, China reported 2 new domestic confirmed (both previously asymptomatic) and 1 new domestic asymptomatic cases. All of the new positive cases are reported by Manzhouli in Inner Mongolia “Autonomous” Region, the new asymptomatic case is a traced close contacts already under quarantine. Currently there are 24 confirmed, 2 asymptomatic and 2 suspect cases in the city.

    Yesterday, China reported 15 new imported confirmed cases and 11 imported asymptomatic cases:

    • Shanghai Municipality – 3 confirmed cases, 1 Uzbek national coming from Uzbekistan, a North Macedonian national coming from North Macedonia (via Copenhagen), and a Kenyan national coming from Kenya (via Germany)
    • Zhengzhou in Henan Province – 3 confirmed and 2 asymptomatic cases, no information released
    • Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 2 confirmed cases, 1 Chinese national returning from Italy and and Iranian national coming from Iran; 1 asymptomatic case, a Kenyan national coming from Kenya
    • Zhuhai in Guangdong Province – 1 confirmed case, a Mainland Chinese resident returning from Hong Kong
    • Chengdu in Sichuan Province – 3 confirmed cases (1 previously asymptomatic), 1 Chinese national each returning from Germany, Ethiopia and Kenya (via Addis Ababa); 2 asymptomatic cases, both Chinese nationals returning from Ethiopia
    • Beijing Municipality – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Italy
    • Taiyuan in Shanxi Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Poland
    • Xiamen in Fujian Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from the US
    • Fuzhou in Fujian Province – 4 asymptomatic cases, all Chinese nationals returning from Indonesia
    • Xi’an in Shaanxi Province – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from the UAE, on flight diverted from Beijing
    • Chongqing Municipality – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Nepal

    Yesterday, Hong Kong reported 101 new cases, 9 imported (from the UK, Russian, Italy, Turkey, Pakistan, the US and Indonesia) and 92 local (29 of whom without clear sources of infection, and 18 related to the ballroom dancing clubs). There are additionally 50 cases who are preliminarily positive.

  3. 3.

    OzarkHillbilly

    New Jersey investigates Republican gala over Covid rule breaches

    The president of the New York Young Republican Club, Gavin Wax, scoffed at the criticism online, saying the group had done nothing wrong.

    “We embrace life and living while you all cower in your pods worried about a disease with a 99%+ survivability rate,” he said in one tweet, referring to a pandemic that has killed more than 24,000 people in New York City alone and more than 17,000 in New Jersey.

    A rather large part of me hopes that this asshat has a compound fracture of his leg and is denied surgery because they don’t have the time, the space, or the personnel to fix him up and that he then spends the rest of a very long life in constant pain with an inability to walk more than 25 feet at a time.

  4. 4.

    satby

    I got into it with an anti-masker yesterday at the market. She was substituting for the lady in the booth next to me, who sells food. So she had to be masked, and was complaining about having to wear it, then pulled it down off her face while she was a few feet away from me bagging an order. I asked her to pull it back up and she yelled that she was more than 6 feet away. She was about three feet away. Her comment to her customer was that she never wore them normally as she “wasn’t a believer”. Not a believer…just floors me, still.

  5. 5.

    YY_Sima Qian

    The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine candidate is referred to in the NYT tracker as Pfizer/BioNTech/Fosun vaccine, because the Shanghai based Fosun Pharma is a partner (though probably a junior partner) in the venture. Not sure about Fosun’s role exactly to date, other than possible financial contribution. The vaccine was developed by BioNTech, and Pfizer has been taking lead in the trials and distribution in the developed world. Fosun, at the very least, has distribution rights in China, though the vaccine need to pass a repeated Phase II trial in country to obtain approval, and may well take lead in distribution into Southeast Asia and other developing nations. My guess is Fosun was involved in Mar. when it was not clear whether China would be able to suppress and eradicate COVID-19. If China was not able to suppress the epidemic, and was instead a viable testing ground for vaccines, Fosun would have taken the lead on trials there.

  6. 6.

    mrmoshpotato

    From the Sun Sentinel article:

    The DeSantis administration’s approach to managing COVID-19 information carries costs. It supports a climate in which people proudly disdain masks, engage in dangerous group activities that could spread the disease, and brush aside information that conflicts with their political views. With partygoers packing Florida bars and holiday travelers filling hotels and guest rooms, the state faces a few difficult months before the possible relief of vaccines.

    Eat, drink and be merry, for in 2 weeks, you die of a preventable disease that ravaged the land because of Rethuglican arrogance and selfishness – as well as your own.

  7. 7.

    NeenerNeener

    Monroe County NY yesterday:

    671 new cases, 470 people hospitalized, 93 in the ICU and 350 dead. We’re at 6.6% of covid tests are positive.

  8. 8.

    Chyron HR

    I guess we’ll know that Trump has well and truly conceded when the White House messaging changes from “Beautiful Trump Vaccine” to “Jew plot to transgenderize white men”.

  9. 9.

    Mary G

    Very depressing and in the case of the Wall Streeters and Republicans enraging. We are going back into stricter stay at home rules in So. California Sunday, it appears, as ICU availability has gone down to 13.5%. Assholes are bitching about the choices made already.

  10. 10.

    mrmoshpotato

    @satby: What about a “belief” in the usefulness of seat belts?  Or not walking out into traffic?  Or not crossing railroad tracks when the gates are down?

    The assholish attitude over a cloth mask meant to protect you and others is astounding.

    No one likes wearing these masks when outside their homes!  But it’s what we do for now!

  12. 12.

    Amir Khalid

    Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 1,123 new cases today in his media statement, for a cumulative reported total of 71,359 cases. Dr Noor Hisham also reports four new deaths today, for a total of 380 deaths — 0.53% of the cumulative reported total, 0.63% of resolved cases.

    10,775 active and contagious cases are currently in hospital; 130 are in ICU, 54 of them on respirators. Meanwhile, 1,143 patients recovered and were discharged, for a total of 60,204 patients recovered — 84.4% of the cumulative reported total.

    Four new clusters were reported today: Batu Tiga and Jalan Domis in Sabah, Andalas in Selangor, and Bulatan building site in KL.

    1,118 new cases today are local infections. Sabah has 391 cases: 103 in older clusters, three in Batu Tiga and Jalan Domis clusters, 188 close-contact screenings, and 97 other screenings. KL has 265 cases: 66 in older clusters, 162 in Bulatan building site cluster, 18 close-contact screenings, and 19 other screenings. Selangor has 216 cases: 91 in older clusters, three in Andalas cluster, 58 close-contact screenings, and 64 other screenings.

    Johor has 66 cases: 51 in existing clusters, five close-contact screenings, and 10 other screenings. Penang has 44 cases: 32 in existing clusters, 10 close-contact screenings, and two other screenings. Perak has 39 cases: 28 in existing clusters, eight close-contact screenings, and three other screenings. Kelantan has 35 cases, all in existing clusters. Kedah has 30 cases: 27 in existing clusters, one close-contact screening, and two other screenings. Negeri Sembilan has 10 cases: eight in existing clusters, and two other screenings.

    Labuan has 10 cases: three in existing clusters, two close-contact screenings, and five other screenings. Putrajaya has four cases: two close-contact screening, and two other screenings. Pahang has two cases, both other screenings. And Sarawak has one case found, in other screening.

    Perlis and Terengganu reported no new cases today.

    Five new cases are imported. They were all reported in Selangor.

    The four deaths today are a 75-year-old man in Sabah with hypertension; a 61-year-old man in Johor with asthma; a 64-year-old man in Sabah with diabetes, hypertension and stroke; and a 46-year-old non-Malaysian man in Selangor with diabetes and hypertension.

    Meanwhile, Senior Minister for Defence Ismail Sabri Yaakob has announced that the conditional movement control order in Selangor and KL is extended two weeks to 20th December, except in the districts of Kuala Selangor, Sabak Bernam and Hulu Selangor in Selangor. But the conditional movement control order in Putrajaya will end tomorrow, with the Federal territory reverting to recovery movement control orders.

    Restrictions on crossing district boundaries and state borders are now lifted, except for travel into or out of red zones.

  14. 14.

    Amir Khalid

    Aside from the management and leadership failures that have exacerbated the pandemic in the US, it is frustrating to see how Covid-19 has also exposed the inadequacy of the medical infrastructure in the self-styled world’s greatest nation.

  16. 16.

    WereBear

    1. Thank you AL, for the stellar round ups you bring, and not just on this vital subject :)
    2. THESE FUCKING PEOPLE

    I just got the latest podcast this morning from my favorite political podcast, The Professional Left. With Driftglass and BlueGal. They use a useful metaphor where they compare right wing media to an addicting drug.

    The more I think about it, the more appropriate that is. Right Wingers have developed tolerance for the lesser thrill of Faux News, and are moving to the harder stuff that is QAnon outlets. Like any addict, they can’t live without it.

    Even if, as we saw with Tucker Carlson, it just might kill them.

  17. 17.

    WereBear

    This is what comes of Cult Following, which covers Fundamentalist religions of any kind.

    What you believe IS what is real. Or, at least as the effort one puts into it.

  18. 18.

    fun with duct tape

    Here in Spain:

     

    Catalonia is the only region of Spain that has not counted Covid deaths restrictively.  For this reason, I pay little attention to what the national government reports for regions outside Catalonia.

    Catalonia stats as of Dec. 4:
    1487 people currently hospitalized
    400 currently in intensive care
    8.60% positive test rate over the last week
    348,404 confirmed cases since March 1
    16,089 total deaths (one out of every 480 people)

    Barcelona (city) stats as of Dec. 4:
    242 people currently hospitalized
    400 currently in intensive care
    9.26% positive test rate over the last week
    79,477 confirmed cases since March 1
    5,212 total deaths (one out of every 324 people)

  19. 19.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @fun with duct tape: Barcelona (city) stats as of Dec. 4:
    242 people currently hospitalized
    400 currently in intensive care

    The math seems a little off here, are the numbers reversed?

  20. 20.

    TS (the original)

    I still can’t believe this is happening in the US. After the GOP outcry at President Obama over ebola – they can turn around and ignore what is happening here. Although trump is a large part of the problem, the GOP in congress refusing to admit what a horror show this is – have much blame to carry.

  21. 21.

    Barbara

    Although people have some reservations, (mostly because of lack of transparency) Russia and China have both developed vaccines. England too.  Pence really is an idiot.

  23. 23.

    Martin

    This is going to get MUCH worse. The 3K fatalities got infected before we hit 100K per day. We may get as high as 10K fatalities a day at peak, assuming today is the peak for new infections.

  24. 24.

    Martin

    @satby: Call the county public health office and report her. They  can’t be shamed, but they can be fined and have their business license pulled.

  25. 25.

    mrmoshpotato

    @TS (the original):

    After the GOP outcry at President Obama over ebola – they can turn around and ignore what is happening here.

    Yes, because the GOP are h-y-p-o-c-r-i-t-i-c-a-l s-h-i-t-s-t-a-i-n-s amongst many other garbage qualities.

  27. 27.

    Bruce K in ATH-GR

    Here in Greece, the new cases are … well, I’m not sure if they’re dropping or stabilizing. 1,648 new cases yesterday, and 98 dead. Viral load is still high, especially in northern Greece – Thessaloniki is still in bad shape, with ICUs 94% full, compared with 79% for Attica.

    On a more personal note, the island where my parents and my brother have been safe from the virus up until now just reported two new cases yesterday morning. The family’s in a panic, because medical facilities on small islands are limited, Mom and Dad are both very high-risk, and the regional travel restrictions mean they can’t easily get back to Athens where better medical care is more easily available. (Even if it would mean traveling to a higher-risk area, and taking the risk of traveling on a ferry boat.) They’re not sure yet what they’re going to do.

  28. 28.

    TS (the original)

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    I suppose it did, but with the resulting number of deaths it still remains difficult to understand that there are no limits to such a law. Maybe Biden/Harris need to tell everyone to party like there is no tomorrow.

  29. 29.

    Barbara

    @TS (the original): Political allegience for many people has become tribal. I have no doubt that there are more than a few who want certain kinds of people to become sick. We have not been in this “together” for a long time.

  30. 30.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @TS (the original): Also, IOKIYAR.

    ETA, as mentioned by others above, the hypocrisy of the supposedly “pro-life party” refusing to do even the simplest things to prevent unnecessary deaths is not unexpected.

  31. 31.

    Platonicspoof

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Good question.

    And as much as I appreciate everyone’s efforts, please include links to sources, if possible.

    One out of 324 people would be a horrific number.

  33. 33.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    Meanwhile, in Canada, where it’s a lot colder, its per capita death rate was 1/4 of the US rate.

  34. 34.

    Viva BrisVegas

    7 new cases, 0 deaths last 24 hours in Australia.

    27,956 total covid cases.

    25,439 total recovered.

    908 total deaths.

    67 cases acquired overseas in past 7 days.

    4 locally acquired cases in past 7 days.

  35. 35.

    Geminid

    @WereBear: I suspect that addiction to grievance is more than metaphorical. There are thrill junkies, and there are anger junkies, and both mental states affect and are reinforced by body chemistry. I’ve known people who like to complain about others who have mistreated them, and they’ll go on and on about it, gathering energy as they go. It’s almost like they take delight in their grievances. I see this as an anger addiction based on some sort of chemical feedback.

  36. 36.

    TS (the original)

    @Viva BrisVegas:

    Not sure if this is covid related but because of a referral from a private specialist to another who works at  RBH we have become involved with the Qld public health system. The hospital has been seriously quiet when we have had to visit, waiting times have been minimal, parking has been relatively easy.

    I’m wondering if everyone staying home during covid fears have stopped people going to doctors/hospitals? Perhaps because many of the winter ails were avoided? I’ve noticed no-one has been talking about ambulances “ramping” for the past many months.

  38. 38.

    RSA

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    Gavin Wax: “We embrace life and living while you all cower in your pods worried about a disease with a 99%+ survivability rate.”

    Translated into numbers: “We’re not worried about a disease that could kill up to 3.3 million Americans,” because that’s what “a 99%+ survivability rate” literally means. These innumerate fuckers.

  39. 39.

    Sloane Ranger

    Here in the UK we had 16,298 new cases yesterday. This is an increase of about 1400 from the day before but the trend is still down and the R rate has reduced to 0.8 to 1.0. So, good news – so far. New cases by nation,

    England – 13,412 (up @1400)

    Northern Ireland – 449 (down 7)

    Scotland – 966 (up 8)

    Wales – 1471 (down 2).

    Deaths – There were 504 deaths yesterday, 424 in England, 6 in Northern Ireland, 41 in Scotland and 33 in Wales.

    Testing – 389,476 tests were processed on Thursday, 3 December out of a capacity of 582,238. This is a reduction of 7.4 in the rolling 7-day average.

    Hospitalisations – There were 14,917 people in hospital on Wednesday, 2 December and 1261 on ventilators on Thursday, 3rd. Both metrics are going down and the rolling 7-day average for admissions shows a reduction of 14.1%.

    General – nothing really. Lockdown has ended and the Tier system has kicked in. Non-essential shops are open in my area and I am off to the hairdresser in a little while.

    In case anyone is interested, the government’s response to Dr Fauci’s statement about the speed in authorising the vaccine is that our authorising authority has been liaising with Pfizer from the get-go and analysing the data as things went along, while the US has waited to the end and has to analyse everything in one go. Anyway, we start vaccinating on Tuesday. first up – the over 80’s. The plan (in England) is for GP surgeries to form hubs and get their patients to go to a central location to get their shots. This has been given top priority, with all non emergency medical work to be put to one side. I don’t know how long that can be sustained.

  40. 40.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Geminid:

    and there are anger junkies 

    You mean assholes who need a square punch in the face and to be told to stop being such walking shitstains?

  41. 41.

    EmbraceYourInnerCrone

    @OzarkHillbilly: they are not or-life they are pro-forced birth. They couldn’t care less what happens to those kids once they are born.  “Pro-life” politicians are usually the same ones that vote against programs that help children.

  42. 42.

    Gvg

    @mrmoshpotato: wrong analogy because the behavior is actually more likely to kill someone else. I think of them as drunk drivers and I think they should get jail sentences. Maybe 30 days or something. They make me furious.

  43. 43.

    Viva BrisVegas

    @TS (the original): Entirely anecdotally, last winter was the healthiest I’ve had in years. No colds, no flu, no sore throats and usually I’m a magnet for that sort of seasonal lurgy. I put it down to distancing, but that is now disappearing as restrictions wind down.

    As for people staying away from hospitals, I suppose it is possible but I don’t think anything in the mortality statistics yet suggests it.

  44. 44.

    charon

    @RSA:

    About 0.85% is about  how many fellow Americans die per (normal) year.

    Survivability may be a bit less than 99%, and even less if hospitals are overwhelmed.  Plus, long lasting aftereffects for many of the 99% or so.

  45. 45.

    TS (the original)

    @OzarkHillbilly:  Same thing has happened to Mr TS which is why we have been visiting  a hospital that is part of our free hospital system. The parking and road tolls are the only costs.

  48. 48.

    sab

    @Viva BrisVegas: I think I will be wearing masks in winter for the rest of my life. They are in the gloves, boots, scarf, coat category now. Flu season? Wear a mask, which also keeps your nose warm.

    Different issue in Australia, but Ohio winters are cold. Cover your mouth and nose to keep warm. I put a coat on my cocker spaniel, so why wouldn’t I wear a mask.

  49. 49.

    fun with duct tape

    @OzarkHilbilly, it does seem strange, but those are the reported numbers and Barcelona is not the only area in which the reported numbers look like that, so I’m assuming that the category of “people hospitalized” doesn’t include the additional category of “people in the ICU.”

     

    https://dadescovid.cat

  51. 51.

    fun with duct tape

    @OzarkHillbilly, it does seem strange, but those are the numbers reported, and other areas in Catalonia report similarly, so I’m assuming that the category of “people hospitalized” doesn’t include the additional category of “people in the ICU.” https://dadescovid.cat

  52. 52.

    Shalimar

    @RSA: Good time to bring up the number of abortions per year in the US: 850-900k.  Number of births is roughly 3.7 million, so good news, 80% of fetuses survive.

  53. 53.

    sab

    My stepkids and their fiancees are all essential workers. Employers are taking risks they wouldn’t have taken three months ago just get work out.

    One of my stepsons works for McMaster Carr, which has a stellar reputation for safety. They are making sick folks come to work, and those who should be quarantining come to work, in order to meet deadlines.

    And they are 5 star on safety.

    Scary times.

  54. 54.

    charon

    Gavin Wax: “We embrace life and living while you all cower in your pods worried about a disease with a 99%+ survivability rate.

    If someone goes rock climbing or spelunking or mountain climbing, they are mostly putting themselves at risk, not so much others. I don’t mind the risk to asshats like Gavin Wax, (to the contrary, I being a bad person), but he is putting other people at risk as well.

  55. 55.

    NorthLeft12

    @David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch: Our performance wrt Covid is nothing to brag about. I really dislike comparing different countries/provinces/states results for reasons other than to learn and improve your own response.

    I am still pissed at the initial discouraging of mask wearing by all Canadian Public Health authorities in the spring. That is part of the reason there is so much resistance now.

  56. 56.

    fun with duct tape

    @OzarkHillbilly:  It does seem strange, but those are the reported numbers, and other areas within Catalonia report numbers similarly, so I’m assuming that the category of “people hospitalized” does not include the additional category of “people in the ICU.”
    @Platonicspoof:  No problem, links are as follows:

  57. 57.

    StringOnAStick

    @Geminid: Addiction to anger is a thing and it goes with the authoritarian mindset.  My dad has been a rage beast his whole life, he loves to get his rage on.  I know a R massage therapist fellow who seems like just a huge teddy bear but in reality he struggles mightily with anger, and his FOX addiction reinforces it and helps it grow.  He keeps talking about getting therapy for it but knows it means giving up his tribal identity of “righteously angry R” so be never does what he knows will improve his life

  58. 58.

    bluefoot

    My sister got a threatening letter in the mail after she asked people to wear a mask in a letter to her city’s paper. Wtf is wrong with people?  If only the covid denialists would only infect each other and then not take up healthcare resources from everyone else.

    also: hackers targeting healthcare institutions? Freaking sociopaths. I guess people really want to burn everything down? My mind is just boggled – who in the middle of a worldwide crisis decides to actively make things worse for shits and giggles?

    speaking of sociopaths – these finance and big banking assholes should stay in their retreats and leave the rest of us alone. If they jump the line, they should expect guillotines and pitchforks.

    Yes, I am angry. This was all avoidable. Instead tens and hundreds of thousands will die and suffer for nothing.

  60. 60.

    Ruckus

    @Mary G:

    At least they are outright showing their distain for anything other than money. Health, democracy, governance, hell – life itself takes a very far backseat to money. The conservative side of politics is strictly a grifting operation, absolutely nothing more because nothing other than money is important to them.

  62. 62.

    Ruckus

    @Geminid:

    @StringOnAStick:

    The adrenaline from the anger is what you are talking about, they are adrenaline junkies, who can get off any time any where. They don’t have to climb mountains, ride motorcycles, piss of others, get drunk in a bar to have their high. They force their bodies to create adrenaline because it feels good to them, by getting angry. They may not have any idea why but they like the feeling because adrenaline can mask other feelings as long as it’s active in the body.

  63. 63.

    Ruckus

    @EmbraceYourInnerCrone:

    I wonder why those politicians are wanting more births and fewer programs to help people? Could it be because more people mean more opportunities to acquire more money for them and their benefactors? I never like to assign more complex rational to people who prove that their motivation is never actually complex. The complexity is about trying to find something more meaningful for bad assholes. Their cover stories may be real for them but they are still cover stories for a simple rational.

  64. 64.

    glc

    @mrmoshpotato:

    What about a “belief” in the usefulness of seat belts?

    Even having them included as standard equipment was a major battle and a major change in perspective. The manufacturers certainly were not going to do that without a legal mandate since it put them at a slight competitive disadvantage – the customers didn’t want to pay for them.

  65. 65.

    Dan B

    @satby:  Sorry you had an encounter with a denier. All our friends are mask wearing and social distancing but my partner’s brother and sister in law are skeptical. And our next door neighbors, an extended black family, seem unconcerned. There are two guys with young sons. One guy is the most loving dad I’ve ever encountered. I’m afraid his son, who just learned to walk a couple months ago, might grow up without his dad.
    It’s people who are suffering now and who will in the future that give me courage to speak out.

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