COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Wednesday/Thursday, Jan. 13-14

16Comments

1. 1.

   YY_Sima Qian

   January 14, 2021 at 5:32 am

   On 1/13 China reported 124 new domestic confirmed, 75 new domestic asymptomatic cases.

   Liaoning Province did not report any new domestic positive cases:

   – At Dalian, 3 domestic confirmed cases recovered and 3 domestic asymptomatic cases were released from isolation. There are currently 12 domestic confirmed cases and 9 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. There are 13 communities, 2 residential compounds and a village currently at Medium Risk in the city. Medium Risk areas in Dalian will only be re-designated as Low Risk after 21 days of no community transmission.
   – At Shenyang, 4 domestic confirmed case recovered. There are currently 22 domestic confirmed and 1 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. 1 community and 1 residential compound were re-designated as Low Risk. There are 2 buildings and 7 residential compounds currently at Medium Risk in the city.

   In Beijing Municipality, 1 hotel was re-designated as Low Risk. There are still 7 villages at Medium Risk.

   Hebei Province:

   Hebei Provincial Health Commission reported 81 new domestic confirmed (9 previously asymptomatic) and 4 new domestic asymptomatic cases, plus 1 death. The first death attributed to COVID-19 since 5/17, a 68 year old man with hypertension, diabetes and myocarditis. 12 patients have recovered and 15 asymptomatic cases have been released from isolation. Since the outbreak was only discovered on 1/2, this is very fast recovery, perhaps suggesting some of the cases were relatively advanced by the time they were detected and treated. There are currently 463 domestic confirmed cases (16 serious, 410 moderate and 37 mild) and 195 domestic asymptomatic cases in the province:

   – Xingtai reported 6 new domestic confirmed and 1 new domestic asymptomatic cases. 2 of the confirmed cases are traced close contacts already under centralized quarantine since 1/3 and 1/8, respectively. The other 4 confirmed cases are found via the 2nd round of mass screening, including a family cluster of 3 and a teacher at a middle school. No information released for the asymptomatic case. There are currently 28 domestic confirmed and 6 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city. 2 communities were elevated to Medium Risk. 2 communities, 5 residential compounds, 2 offices and 1 village are at Medium Risk.
   – Gu’an County in Langfang did not report any new domestic positive cases. There is 1 domestic confirmed case there. 1 residential compound was elevated to Medium Risk.
   – Shijiazhuang reported 75 new domestic confirmed cases (9 previously asymptomatic) and 3 new domestic asymptomatic cases. 69 of the confirmed cases at Gaocheng District (8 previously asymptomatic already under isolation, 17 traced close contact already under centralized quarantine, 43 from mass screening already under home or centralized quarantines, and 1 at a fever clinic a nurse working at a hospital), including 57 at the epicenter township; 3 at Xinle District (1 previously asymptomatic, 2 traced close contact); 1 at Zhengding Country (from mass screening); 2 at Chang’an District (both traced close contacts). Based on published case summaries, at least half of the cases found via mass screening at Gaocheng District had attended 1 or more of a series of weddings around New Year that are suspected to be super spreading events. No information have been released for the asymptomatic cases. 12 confirmed cases recovered and 15 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation. Currently, there are 434 confirmed cases and 204 asymptomatic cases. There are 1 district, 14 residential compounds and 3 villages are at Medium Risk in the city, and 1 district at High Risk.

   Haining in Zhejiang Province reported 1 new domestic asymptomatic case on 1/13, which I mentioned in yesterday’s post, an imported case from Shijiazhuang.

   Heilongjiang Province:

   Heilongjiang Province reported 53 new domestic confirmed (2 previously asymptomatic) and 68 new domestic asymptomatic cases, all are F1 or F2 close contacts of previously reported positive cases:

   – Suihua reported 41 new domestic confirmed (2 previously asymptomatic) and 60 new domestic asymptomatic cases. Wangkui County reported 38 confirmed cases and 56 asymptomatic cases, Beilin District reported 3 confirmed cases (2 previously asymptomatic already under isolation), Suiling County reported 2 asymptomatic cases, and Hailun and Suiling reported 1 asymptomatic cases each. There are currently 70 domestic confirmed and 94 domestic asymptomatic cases there. The entire Wangkui County was elevated to Medium Risk, and the the epicenter township elevated to High Risk.
   – Harbin reported 2 new domestic confirmed cases, both at Xiangfang District, both had visited Wangkui County before 1/10. They were traced as close contacts and placed under centralized quarantine since 1/12, though they initially tested negative. There are 5 domestic confirmed cases there.
   – Qiqihar reported 4 new domestic asymptomtic cases, all at at the same village in Ang’angxi District. All are traced close contacts (immediate family members of the asymptomatic cases reported on 1/12), though 2 were staying at a hospital when they tested positive on 1/13, they had tested negative at in-patient stay intake. There are 11 domestic asymptomatic cases there. 1 village is at Medium Risk.
   – Yichun did not report any new domestic positive cases, there is 1 domestic asymptomatic case there.
   – Mudanjiang reported 4 new domestic asymptomatic cases, which I mentioned in yesterday’s post, all at Linkou County, all traced close contacts of cases at Wangkui County.
   – Heilongjiang Provincial CDC shared that the genomic sequencing analysis indicates the Wangkui outbreak has the identical sequence as that of the recent outbreak at Dalian, though the vector for transmission is yet to be determined (by person or by freight).

   Jilin Province reported 2 new domestic asymptomatic cases:

   – Changchun did not report any new domestic positive cases. There are currently 6 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city
   – Tonghua reported 2 new domestic asymptomatic cases, 1 of whom I had mentioned in yesterday’s post, both traced close contacts of an asymptomatic case that had ridden the same train carriage car (adjacent seats) as other cases that boarded from Wangkui. There are currently 7 domestic asymptomatic cases in the city.

   On 1/13, China reported 14 new imported confirmed cases, 3 imported asymptomatic cases:

   * Shanghai Municipality – 8 confirmed cases, 3 Chinese nationals returning from the US, 1 each from Italy (via Amsterdam Schipol), the UAE, Belarus (via Helsinki) and Nigeria (via Paris CdG), and a Mexican national coming from Mexico (via the US)
   * Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 2 confirmed cases, 1 Chinese national each returning from Malaysia and Iran; 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning fro Malaysia
   * Zhaoqing in Guangdong Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Malaysia
   * Beijing Municipality – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Serbia (via Copenhagen)
   * Zhengzhou in Henan Province – 1 confirmed and 1 asymptomatic cases, no information released
   * Nanning in Guangxi “Autonomous” Region – 1 confirmed and 1 asymptomatic cases, both Chinese nationals returning from overaseas, no further information released

   Overall in China, 1 patient died, 36 confirmed cases recovered, 25 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation and 10 were reclassified as confirmed case, and 895 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 885 active confirmed cases in the country (284 imported), 24 are in serious condition (3 imported), 599 asymptomatic cases (252 imported) and 1 suspect case (imported). 30,963 traced contacts are currently under quarantine.

   On 1/14, Hong Kong reported 29 new cases, 3 imported and 26 domestic (13 of whom do not have sources of infection identified).

2. 2.

   NeenerNeener

   January 14, 2021 at 5:38 am

   Monroe County, NY yesterday:

   343 new cases, which is a nice drop from mid-December daily numbers. 874 hospitalized, 156 in the ICU. Now at 723 reported dead. 32% of hospital beds available, 24% of ICU beds available.
   The “high rolling” age groups were 20s, 30s and 50s.

3. 3.

   Amir Khalid

   January 14, 2021 at 6:50 am

   Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 3,337 new cases today in his media statement, yet another new record, for a cumulative reported total of 147,855 cases. Dr Noor Hisham also reports 15 new deaths today, also a record number of fatalities, for a total of 578 deaths — 0.39% of the cumulative reported total, 0.51% of resolved cases.

   32,377 active and contagious cases are currently in hospital; 195 are in ICU, 86 of them on respirators. Meanwhile, 1,710 patients recovered and were discharged, for a total of 113,288 patients recovered – 76.6% of the cumulative reported total.

   Seven new clusters were reported today: Jalan Selayang in Selangor; Tropika and Pasir Barat in Johor; Dutamas building site and Jalan Pahang in KL; Jalan Rantau-Siliau in Negeri Sembilan; and Intan Mas in Perak.

   3,330 new cases today are local infections. Selangor has 1,034 local cases: 458 in older clusters, 13 in Jalan Selayang cluster, 324 close-contact screenings, and 239 other screenings. Johor has 460 cases: 149 in older clusters, 55 in Tropika and Pasir Barat clusters, 101 close-contact screenings, and 155 other screenings. Sabah has 389 cases: 10 in existing clusters, 279 close-contact screenings, and 100 other screenings. KL has 253 local cases: 14 in older clusters, 18 in Dutamas building site and Jalan Pahang clusters, 129 close-contact screenings, and 95 other screenings. Penang has 234 cases: 166 in existing clusters, 39 close-contact screenings, and 29 other screenings. Sarawak has 179 local cases: 170 in existing clusters, and nine other screenings. Negeri Sembilan has 169 cases: eight in older clusters, 88 in Jalan Rantau-Siliau cluster, 52 close-contact screenings, and 21 other screenings. Pahang has 113 cases: 65 in existing clusters, 29 close-contact screenings, and 19 other screenings.

   Perak has 92 cases: 21 in older clusters, one in Intan Mas cluster, 44 close-contact screenings, and 26 other screenings. Terengganu has 89 cases: 62 in existing clusters, 21 close-contact screenings, and six other screenings. Kedah has 86 cases: 16 in existing clusters, 45 close-contact screenings, and 25 other screenings. Melaka has 85 cases: four in existing clusters, 47 close-contact screenings, and 34 other screenings. Kelantan has 85 cases: 26 in existing clusters, 38 close-contact screenings, and 21 other screenings. Labuan has 34 cases: 26 close-contact screenings, and eight other screenings. Putrajaya has 24 cases: three in existing clusters, 12 close-contact screenings, and nine other screenings. And Perlis has four cases: three close-contact screenings, and one other screening.

   Only Labuan reported no new cases today.

   Seven new cases are imported. Four were reported in KL, two in Selangor, and one in Sarawak.

   The 15 deaths today are a 67-year-old man in Sabah with diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidaemia; a 27-year-old woman in Sabah with systemic lupus erythmatosus; a 64-year-old man in Sabah with diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and heart disease; a 62-year-old woman in Sabah with no comorbidities listed; a 61-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, heart disease, and osteoarthritis; an 81-year-old man in Putrajaya with diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and heart disease; a 34-year-old woman in Selangor with obesity; a 60-year-old man in Negeri Sembilan with diabetes and hypertension; a 60-year-old man in Sabah, DOA with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity; a 66-year-old man in Sabah, DOA with diabetes; a 91-year-old woman in Sabah with diabetes, hypertension, chronic lung disease, and blindness; a 61-year-old man in Johor with diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and stroke; a 53-year-old man in Johor with diabetes and hypertension; a 37-year-old non-Malaysian woman in Selangor with diabetes; and an 88-year-old woman in Sabah with dementia.

4. 4.

   YY_Sima Qian

   January 14, 2021 at 6:53 am

   The WHO team to China actually had 2 members stuck at Singapore. They had tested negative on RT-PCR but positive for IgM antibodies. They will be retested on RT-PCR and IgM antibodies at Singapore, and will only join the team in China if they test negative.

5. 5.

   Geo Wilcox

   January 14, 2021 at 7:01 am

   Sorry but most Indiana Americans CANNOT get the vaccine. Only those over 70 or in a first responder type job can access it.

   https://wrbiradio.com/2021/01/13/hoosiers-over-70-can-now-register-for-the-covid-19-vaccine/

6. 6.

   satby

   January 14, 2021 at 7:07 am

   @Geo Wilcox: I registered two weeks ago as a health care (doctor’s office) worker and the first available opening was next Monday. If it lets you register, I would do it even if the appointment is weeks away.

   Sorry, misread and thought you were able to register because you’re in the right age group. I’m confident that in another couple of weeks after Biden is in that it will become easier.

7. 7.

   Amir Khalid

   January 14, 2021 at 7:34 am

   @Amir Khalid:

   Please, everyone to ignore the paragraph that says Labuan reported no cases today. That should have been deleted.

8. 8.

   Sloane Ranger

   January 14, 2021 at 7:41 am

   Yesterday in the UK we had 47,525 new cases. Up about 2000 from the day before but a reduction of 7.2% in the rolling 7-day average. New cases by home nation,

   England – 42,898 (up @1700)

   Northern Ireland – 1145 (down @900)

   Scotland – 1949 (up @70)

   Wales – 1533 (up @200).

   Deaths – There were 1564 deaths yesterday. An increase of 54.7% in the rolling 7-day average. 1400 deaths were in England, 19 in Northern Ireland, 79 in Scotland and 66 in Wales.

   Testing – 584,760 tests were processed on 12 January out of a capacity of 799,814. This is an increase in the rolling 7-day average of 28.9%

   Hospitalisations – 36,489 people were in hospital on Monday, 11 January and 3496 were on ventilators on Tuesday, 12th. The 7-day rolling average for hospital admissions has increased by 34.8%.

   Vaccinations – 2,639,309 people had received the 1st dose of the vaccine by 12 January and 428,232 had received their 2nd dose by the same date.

   General – In regard to the Reuters extract AL posted about the UK allowing hospitals to return people to care homes without testing, I can confirm this. A friend’s mothers was taken to hospital after a fall. She remained there for a few days and the hospital tried to discharge her. Fortunately, her care home’s policy is not to accept hospital discharges unless they have a negative test. Even then, she was placed in quarantine for a fortnight upon arrival at the home. I spoke to her Monday. She is in their recuperation section and the only people she sees are the nurses when they bring her medications and food. She is climbing the walls with boredom!

   Also, yesterday there was a big hoo ha over free school meals. Marcus Rashford MBE (Man U and England) has embarrassed the government again by revealing that a weeks supply of free school meals for those eligible during lockdown consists of a couple of potatoes, a few carrots and items of fruit, a tin of baked beans, a loaf of bread, a bag of pasta, some energy bars and a handful of processed cheese squares. Boris agreed this was “unacceptable” during a Commons debate and vowed a review. He was instantly pounced on by Sir Keir Starmer, who pointed out that what was delivered were fully compliant with government guidelines. Another issue is that the government is paying the contractors £30 per parcel but the cost of this particular parcel was closer to £10. Looks like someone is making a mint off this.

9. 9.

   Wag

   January 14, 2021 at 7:44 am

   I participated in a Zoom town hall for my University’s Department of Medicine last night regarding genomic mutations and COVID. it was simultaneously fascinating and frightening.  Once again, I am struck by how seriously the Trump administration has failed us. As a nation, we continue to fly blind due the their refusal to collect important data. Wi regard to viral mutations, the British government is performing genetic sequencing on about 10% of viral samples, giving them a clear idea of clinically important shifts of viral behavior.  This has allowed them to respond appropriately to increasing risk. In contrast, the US government is testing about 0.03% of samples for genomic shifts, meaning that we have no idea how widespread the the, more contagious variants are.  Looking at epidemiological data, I suspect that the explosion of cases in previously well controlled regions is, at least in part, due to unrecognized mutations.

10. 10.

    NotMax

    January 14, 2021 at 9:37 am

    So far this month Israel, Sweden, Pakistan and Portugal have become the latest nations to surpass 500k reported total cases, bringing the number of such countries to 31.

11. 11.

    gwangung

    January 14, 2021 at 10:26 am

    Rare case of bipartisanship—Republicans sharing the virus with Democrats.

12. 12.

    Kelly

    January 14, 2021 at 10:28 am

    Derek Lowe, drug researcher and very good drug research blogger is reluctantly in favor of the get as many people as possible their first shot, hope the second shots show up on time.

    https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2021/01/04/variants-and-vaccines

13. 13.

    Scout211

    January 14, 2021 at 10:36 am

    My rural county in California’s public health department released a statement yesterday in response to the state public health department approving the CDC’s recommendation to move 65 and over up to 1b, tier 1.

    This was their message, (loosely translated by me):  So it’s totally cool that the state told us to add 65 and over to our vaccination plans for the next group.  In our county, that adds about 10,000 residents to the vaccination list.  We currently have about 200 doses left with 100 doses coming next week.  So, yeah, this next week is gonna be lots of fun for us.

14. 14.

    Platonicspoof

    January 14, 2021 at 11:57 am

    A blending of political and health news here from the Rice University Baker Institute for Public Policy.

    Recent (01/12/21) blog post on Public Mistrust, Partisanship and Public Health:

    “Partisan division is still severely inhibiting the United States’ COVID-19 response 10 months after the pandemic began.”

15. 15.

    Platonicspoof

    January 14, 2021 at 1:55 pm

    I’d like to re-post rikyrah’s (#11) comment from the When I’m Finished, Bring the Yellow Tape thread. Hope that’s ok:

     

    “Lord, have mercy ??????”

    It’s fine to open schools they said.Kids don’t get sick they said.Meanwhile a study published in JAMA indicates Utah had a 5,000% raise in pediatric coronavirus hospitalizations since schools opened.Yes. 5,000% is not a typo.https://t.co/UIJu6lq6Nt— Kaz Weida (@kazweida) January 14, 2021

16. 16.

    Skepticat

    January 14, 2021 at 4:54 pm

    My provider in Maine emailed today saying that they’re lowering the age for vaccine eligibility from 75 to 70.

    It’s nice that the U.S. caught up with the procedures long in place in this other superpower, The Bahamas—which today has seven cases, the first in several days, and no deaths—and now will require negative tests for entry (though who the hell wants to go to the States?). However, on this little island, we’re going crazy trying to get as much in from the States as possible before Jan. 26, when that takes effect. We have an airstrip on the island, so a neighbor here who lives in Florida has been flying back and forth a few times a week bringing all sorts of things—including my Chewy and Amazon orders. This may put paid to those quick turnarounds. Nevertheless, it’s at least a small step, no matter how belated.