The deadliest month of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. ended with signs of progress: cases and hospitalizations are down and vaccinations are picking up speed. The question now is whether the U.S. can stay ahead of the virus' fast-spreading mutations. https://t.co/DxGVCmGlMS
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 1, 2021
Dave Anderson already posted about this, but ICYMI:
for an entire year as 400K & counting americans died and tens of millions were infected the job of curating nationwide covid data for public consumption fell to a twitter account doing the work for free, because the president didn’t want it done https://t.co/XfEacUN9HU
— kilgore trout, back in some form (@KT_So_It_Goes) February 1, 2021
Tracking the pandemic in the U.S. Here are the latest figures on COVID-19 cases, deaths and vaccinations across the country. https://t.co/dP8s6LtPg6
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 2, 2021
SCOOP: The Biden admin and COVID-19 vaccine producers are discussing ways to ramp up manufacturing over the next several months, including partnering with additional pharmaceutical firms to help bottle the vaccine for distribution.https://t.co/g45Y2kaUkh
— Erin Banco (@ErinBanco) February 1, 2021
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We are tracking coronavirus vaccinations around the world. There is already a stark gap between vaccination programs in different countries, with most yet to give a single dose. See what the vaccine rollout looks like worldwide: https://t.co/CHy1Z9QM2o
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 31, 2021
World Health Organization experts visited an animal disease center in Wuhan, China, as part of their investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. https://t.co/cNVlkisOn9
— The Associated Press (@AP) February 2, 2021
Japan set to extend state of emergency for another month https://t.co/Tbu0FnjvtT pic.twitter.com/y0CXntz9J2
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 2, 2021
Japan says EU vaccine export curbs affecting its supplies – Kyodo https://t.co/xFWq28GG6W pic.twitter.com/5jCDtKlbuP
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 2, 2021
Japan urged to link up private, public testing to better grasp extent of pandemic https://t.co/az0Gac3Udp pic.twitter.com/hGSyh15p58
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 2, 2021
Vietnam confirms latest virus outbreak is more contagious UK variant https://t.co/k2vjOCf5gD pic.twitter.com/p3o8aJQ5Xi
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 2, 2021
Back on board the world's busiest trains in Mumbai amid the coronavirus pandemic https://t.co/4tjllT2ym5
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 1, 2021
Israel: We say with caution, the magic has started
Note blue lines, of 60+ years old (first to vaccinate), in the past 2 weeks:
~35% drop in cases
~30% drop in hospitalizations
~20% drop in critically illStronger than in younger people & not seen in previous lockdown
>>> pic.twitter.com/vzYFbVZ98K
— Eran Segal (@segal_eran) February 1, 2021
The Palestinians are to receive a first batch of 50,000 coronavirus vaccines by mid-February, when they will launch inoculations in the West Bank and Gaza, their prime minister says.https://t.co/wnl0mYqvzl
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) February 1, 2021
ICYMI: #SaudiArabia detected a 200 percent increase in #coronavirus cases during the past few weeks, the Kingdom’s Ministry of Health Spokesman says amid warnings by the authorities of a second lockdown if violations of precautionary measures persist.https://t.co/6sEOFZG7K2
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) February 2, 2021
“Finally we can breathe again after this long period of staying at home." Much of Italy has gingerly reopened from pre-Christmas coronavirus closures. https://t.co/qrKnW6sT9R
— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) February 1, 2021
“We all have responsibility and we are responsible above all for doing better." German officials are meeting with representatives of the pharmaceutical industry on ways to beef up the country's sluggish coronavirus vaccination campaign. https://t.co/OTOS0QTp0o
— AP Europe (@AP_Europe) February 1, 2021
Austrian police put 96 foreigners into quarantine after they were caught breaching Covid restrictions by taking a skiing holiday https://t.co/0IeSZFB4Ld
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 1, 2021
South Africa, where a worrisome variant emerged, gets its first vaccine supply https://t.co/1wJNq2rxns
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 1, 2021
A new variant from the Amazon is alarming scientists and overwhelming hospitals in northern Brazil. “The virus found a favorable home in Brazil—there is no real lockdown here, many people don’t respect social distancing measures or even wear masks.” https://t.co/nsUoJXfi8W
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) February 1, 2021
Mexico reports 5,448 new confirmed coronavirus cases, 564 more deaths https://t.co/btQdOy86DE pic.twitter.com/2rs1pOoJob
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 2, 2021
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Andy Slavitt announces there will be at home COVID-19 test kits that will be able to detect the virus through a self performed test in 15 mins & with 95% accuracy. The government is awarding the company $230M to scale up manufacturing with 8.5M tests guaranteed to U.S.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) February 1, 2021
Good Q from @tamarakeithNPR: How does a $30 at home test fit into WH's equity goal and for screening people regularly?@ASlavitt : The unit costs will come down only when we can get to mass production. Also it is unclear yet how many states and/or schools may be buying these.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) February 1, 2021
People who've had Covid19 may need only one dose of any two-dose vaccine regimen, according to new research https://t.co/DWtcAWeTP1
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 1, 2021
Covid vaccines: Those that work – and the others to come https://t.co/qCW1DBNTSt
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) February 1, 2021
Moderna proposes filling vials with additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine https://t.co/dxO7FC08Xo pic.twitter.com/DyREKpJPIl
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 2, 2021
New cases of diabetes linked to covid19. Researchers don’t understand exactly how the infection triggers Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or whether cases are temporary or permanent. But 14% of people w/ severe covid developed a form of the disorder https://t.co/3TOWM7WLTC
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 1, 2021
Chinese syringe producers under pressure as vaccination programmes drive order surge https://t.co/noeLF3SSs6 pic.twitter.com/xoSjR3HrPy
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 2, 2021
China cracks fake COVID-19 vaccine ring, confiscates 3,000 doses: Xinhua https://t.co/mA7USQt9Bn pic.twitter.com/OjHCzn79Ph
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 2, 2021
The dark web is loaded w/ questionable, unapproved, dubious & dangerous products aimed at shielding people from COVID19. An analysis of products hawked prior to the approval of vaccines, a data scientist spotted 851,199 including PPE & hydroxychloroquine https://t.co/S0Jqp6bMry
— delthia ricks ? (@DelthiaRicks) February 1, 2021
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More Black Americans have died of COVID-19 than there are names on the Vietnam Memorial. More Black or Latinx people have died than the number of people commemorated on the AIDS Memorial Quilt. And these are just the—incomplete—numbers we have. https://t.co/KyI1TAlQjy
— The COVID Tracking Project (@COVID19Tracking) February 1, 2021
In a slip of the tongue, DeSantis said they were expanding vaccinations at The Villages and other "like-minded" communities. He corrected himself to "similar situated" communities.
— Steven Lemongello (@SteveLemongello) February 1, 2021
on behalf of adults everywhere, do what you’re told or get grounded. good to see you shape up. now clean your fucking room. https://t.co/bfNoTV6a5C
— Peloton InfoSec Analyst (Incident Response) (@CalmSporting) February 1, 2021
OzarkHillbilly
The Villages is pretty much my definition of hell on earth. I can’t imagine living there and wonder at those who do.
NeenerNeener
Monroe County, NY yesterday:
165 new cases. 554 hospitalized, 128 in the ICU.
Still at 937 reported deaths. 35% of hospital beds available, 26% of ICU beds available. 3.6% positivity.
Heading downward again, but that could just be weekend numbers.
Baud
@OzarkHillbilly:
You are not like minded. No vaccine for you!
OzarkHillbilly
@Baud: I am a Miserian. I’m not sure getting vaccinated was ever an option for me.
eclare
@OzarkHillbilly: I feel that way in Tennessee.
CarolDuhart2
I wonder if the Feds will allow for a workaround for states who aren’t really vaccinating their people-say a mobile unit, working with individual counties or using Federal facilities. These states, including Florida, are textbook reasons for not really leaving this stuff to the states completely.
Been locked in for a year since 3/14.
Amir Khalid
Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 3,455 new cases today in his media statement, for a cumulative reported total of 222,628 cases. He also reports a record 21 new deaths today, for a cumulative total of 791 deaths — 0.36% of the cumulative reported total, 0.45% of resolved cases.
There are currently 47,847 active and contagious cases; 327 are in ICU, 145 of them intubated. Meanwhile, 3,661 patients recovered and were discharged, for a cumulative total of 173,990 patients recovered – 78.2% of the cumulative reported total.
Sevrn new clusters were reported today: Jalan Ragum and Bukit Rahman in Selangor; Parit Jamil Darat in Johor; Jalan Cheras building site in KL; Taman Muhibbah in Pahang; Industri Serkam in Melaka; and Semarak Bersia in Perak.
Semarak Bersia is a community cluster. The rest are all workplace clusters.
3,450 new cases today are local infections. Selangor reports 1,144 local cases: 46 in older clusters, 252 in Jalan Ragum and Bukit Rahman clusters, 565 close-contact screenings, and 281 other screenings. Johor has 707 local cases: 280 in older clusters, 24 in Parit Jamil Darat cluster, 264 close-contact screenings, and 139 other screenings. KL reports 616 local cases: 74 in older clusters, 332 in Jalan Cheras building site cluster, 108 close-contact screenings, and 102 other screenings. Sabah reports 276 cases: 50 in existing clusters, 172 close-contact screenings, and 54 other screenings.
Sarawak reports 121 cases: 36 in existing clusters, 44 close-contact screenings, and 41 other screenings. Terengganu reports 115 cases: 14 in existing clusters, 20 close-contact screenings, and 81 other screenings.
Penang reports 85 cases: 14 in existing clusters, 13 close-contact screenings, and 58 other screenings. Perak reports 84 cases: 30 in older clusters, four in Semarak Bersia cluster, 26 close-contact screenings, and 24 other screenings. Negeri Sembilan reports 79 cases: two in existing clusters, 28 close-contact screenings, and 49 other screenings. Pahang reports 63 cases: 25 in older clusters, one in Taman Muhibbah cluster, 26 close-contact screenings, and 11 other screenings. Melaka reports 62 cases: 40 in older clusters, four in Industri Serkam cluster, 11 close-contact screenings, and seven other screenings. Kedah reports 59 cases: 23 in existing clusters, 20 close-contact screenings, and 16 other screenings.
Kelantan reports 31 cases: 22 close-contact screenings, and nine other screenings. Putrajaya reports six cases: one in an existing cluster, two close-contact screenings, and three other screenings. Labuan reports one case, in an existing cluster. And Perlis reports one case, a close-contact screening.
Five new cases are imported. Three are in KL, one in Selangor, and one in Johor.
The 21 deaths reported today are a 67-year-old woman in Sabah with diabetes and hypertension; a 78-year-old man in Sabah with diabetes and hypertension; a 64-year-old man in Kedah with diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease; a 55-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, dyslipidaemia, heart disease, and obesity; an 83-year-old woman in Sabsh with diabetes and hypertension; a 65-year-old man in KL with diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease; a 79-year-old man in KL with hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and dyslipidaemia; a 61-year-old man in Sabah with diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease; a 48-year-old man in Selangor with stroke; a 73-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease; a 36-year-old woman in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and heart disease; an 81-year-old man in Selangor with hypertension; a 49-year-old woman in Selangor with hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and stroke; a 57-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidaemia; an 82-year-old woman in Selangor with diabetes and hypertension; an 81-year-old man in Johor with diabetes, hypertension, and stroke; a 64-year-old woman in Johor with diabetes, hypertension, and liver cancer; a 61-year-old woman in Selangor with diabetes; a 50-year-old man in Selangor with hypertension and chronic kidney disease; a 53-year-old man in Selangor with no co-morbidities listed; and a 68-year-old non-Malaysian woman in Selangor with hypertension.
In other news, the current movement control order in force everywhere except Sarawak is extended two weeks to 18th February. Sarawak remains under the less restrictive conditional movement control order.
NotMax
Falling through the digital divide.
YY_Sima Qian
On 2/1 China reported 12 new domestic confirmed, 7 new domestic asymptomatic cases.
Beijing Municipality did not report any new domestic positive cases. 1 community (at Daxing District) remains at High Risk.
Hebei Province:
Hebei Provincial Health Commission did report any new domestic positive cases. 44 domestic confirmed case recovered & 6 domestic asymptomatic cases were released from isolation. There are currently 330 domestic confirmed cases (5 serious, 265 moderate and 60 mild) & 28 domestic asymptomatic cases in the province:
Heilongjiang Province
Heilongjiang Province reported 8 new domestic confirmed (2 previously asymptomatic) & 4 new domestic asymptomatic cases. 1 domestic confirmed cases recovered & 4 domestic asymptomatic cases were released from isolation. There are currently 522 domestic confirmed (3 critical, 24 serious, 342 moderate and 153 mild) & 529 domestic asymptomatic cases in the province.:
Jilin Province
Jilin Province reported 4 new domestic confirmed (3 previously asymptomatic) & 3 domestic asymptomatic cases. 6 domestic confirmed cases recovered & 1 domestic asymptomatic case was released from isolation. There are currently 348 confirmed (8 critical, 26 serious, 237 moderate and 77 mild) & 15 asymptomatic.:
Shanghai Municipality did not report new domestic positive cases. Currently there are 18 confirmed cases in the city. 2 residential compounds, 1 residential area and 1 hotel are currently at Medium Risk.
Imported Cases:
On 2/1 China reported 18 new imported confirmed cases, 8 imported asymptomatic cases:
Overall in China, 62 confirmed cases recovered, 28 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation and 6 were reclassified as confirmed cases, and 1,630 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 1,582 active confirmed cases in the country (309 imported), 72 are in critical/serious condition (5 imported), 872 asymptomatic cases (287 imported). 37,319 traced contacts are currently under centralized quarantine.
On 2/2, Hong Kong reported 25 new cases, 1 imported and 24 domestic (4 of whom do not have sources of infection identified).
Mousebumples
Interesting thing i learned yesterday, from the This Week In Virology podcast – the 50ish% vaccine efficacy for Novovax in South Africa was not because of the variant but because that number included a significant number of HIV-positive subjects.
Without including those individuals, the numbers look much better with like 80-90% efficacy, if i recall.
I’m in Category 1b, with an estimated availability date of 3/1 per Wisconsin DHS. (essential health care worker, but not front line as i can work from home without patient contact) Just waiting my turn… Not super patiently, but still waiting…
YY_Sima Qian
@Mousebumples: I believe Novavax had ~ 60% efficacy in South Africa, after excluding the HIV+ people. It was < 50% including HIV+. Still protected against severe illness, though.
Sloane Ranger
Yesterday in the UK we had 18,607 new cases. This is a decrease of around 2400 from the day before and a reduction of 29.7% in the rolling 7-day average. Weekend delays may, however, still be affecting these and subsequent figures. New cases by nation,
England – 16,815 (down @2200)
Northern Ireland – 314 (down @110)
Scotland – 848 (down @150)
Wales – 630 (up 25).
Deaths – There were 406 deaths within 28 days of a positive test yesterday. This is a reduction of 7.4% in the rolling 7-day average. Deaths by nation, England – 368, Northern Ireland – 11, Scotland – 6 and Wales – 21.
Testing – 574,012 tests were conducted on Sunday, 31st January out of a capacity of 796,690. This is an increase of 9.4% in the rolling 7-day average.
Hospitalisations – There were 34,783 people in hospital on Thursday, 28th January and 3832 people on ventilators as of Friday, 29th. The rolling 7-day average for hospital admissions has decreased by 20.6%.
Vaccinations – 9,296,367 people had received the 1st dose of a vaccine by 31 January and 494,209 had received their 2nd dose by the same date.
General – Government scientists have announced that the UK variant (we call it the Kent variant over here), has mutated and is now showing characteristics similar to the South African mutation. Also, the South African mutation has now been identified in people with no recent direct connection with South Africa. The Government is urging people living in areas where this mutation has been identified to exercise even more caution, shop less, exercise indoors if at all possible. They are also organising a door to door in those areas to offer testing kits to all households.
Geminid
I read that there is article just published in Lancet analysing phase three trial results for the Russian Sputnik 5 vaccine, and describing a 91.6% effectiveness. Commentary by two British scientists says that despite criticisms of corner cutting in the development of the vaccine, the Russians seem to have delivered the goods. I hope they are right. Vaccination of Russians are ongoing.