Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

The revolution will be supervised.

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

Trump’s legal defense is going to be a dumpster fire inside a clown car on a derailing train.

… among the most cringeworthy communications in the history of the alphabet!

I’m sure you banged some questionable people yourself.

Putin dreamed of ending NATO, and now it’s Finnish-ed.

Bark louder, little dog.

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

We’ll be taking my thoughts and prayers to the ballot box.

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

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Every one of the “Roberts Six” lied to get on the court.

Usually wrong but never in doubt

You are here: Home / Healthcare / COVID-19 Coronavirus / COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Wednesday/Thursday, March 3-4

COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Wednesday/Thursday, March 3-4

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COVID-19 Coronavirus Updates: Wednesday/Thursday, March 3-4

(Drew Sheneman via GoComics.com)


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49Comments

  1. 1.

    NeenerNeener

    Monroe County, NY yesterday:

    109 new cases. Now at 1154 reported deaths, up from 1137

    1.8% positivity

    177 people in the hospital, 54 in the ICU

    40% of regular hospital beds available, 34% ICU beds available

  2. 2.

    OzarkHillbilly

    A Republican governor funneling money to her family while many citizens of her state unnecessarily suffer and die? I never could have seen that coming.

  4. 4.

    satby

    I put a comment in a thread last night recapping my latest struggle with the three tatooed morons who “don’t like needles” at work.  Two waited until I left yesterday to try to bully the doctor about requiring the covid vaccine last night. So now it’s war and they’re on a short ride to unemployment for cause (and the cause will be insubordination). I really don’t like bullies.

  5. 5.

    Gvg

    I wonder if some of the vaccine hesitancy comes from the fact that this shot hurts more than most shots. It’s a fact. Flu shots just don’t usually have anything other than maybe a sore arm for a little while. I get mine at work for 27 year and go back to work with no concern. I don’t recall any childhood shot being worse except for fear. Shingrix is an exception and I was going to get it eventually but not everyone was. This one hurts and some people have a stronger reaction. It’s worth it to me but a lot of people are really afraid of shots. In fact I wonder if some regular antivaxers might be deep down motivated by shot fear.

  7. 7.

    Amir Khalid

    Malaysia’s daily Covid-19 numbers. Director-General of Health Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah reports 2,063 new cases today at his media briefing, for a cumulative reported total of 307,943 cases. He also reports five new deaths today, for a cumulative total of 1,153 deaths — 0.38% of the cumulative reported total, 0.40% of resolved cases.

    There are currently 23,161 active and contagious cases; 193 are in ICU, 99 of them intubated. Meanwhile, 2,922 patients recovered and were discharged, for a cumulative total of 283,629 patients recovered – 92.1% of the cumulative reported total.Dr Noor Hisham notes that Malaysia’s nationwde R0 is currently at 0.81.

    14 new clusters were reported today: Jalan Maju Satu, Jalan Distripark B6, Persiaran Kempas Baru, Batu 21, Jalan Kabel Gemilang, and Jalan Limau Manis in Johor; Lagenda Suria, Jalan Bukit Tiga, Jalan Damansara, and Industri Subang in Selangor; Queens Waterfront building site and Jalan Kebun Nenas in Penang; and Nilam Sari building site in Negeri Sembilan.

    Jalan Limau Manis is a community cluster. Persiaran Kempas Baru is a high-risk group cluster. The rest are all workplace clusters.

    2,054 new cases today are local infections. Selangor reports 628 local cases: 61 in older clusters; 73 in Lagenda Suria, Jalan Bukit Tiga, Jalan Damansara, and Industri Subang clusters; 392 close-contact screenings; and 102 other screenings. Sarawak reports 361 cases: 84 in existing clusters, 111 close-contact screenings, and 166 other screenings. Penang reports 337 cases: 97 in older clusters, 177 in Queens Waterfront building site and Jalan Kebun Nenas clusters, 32 close-contact screenings; and 31 other screenings. Johor reports 254 local cases: 36 in older clusters; 75 in Jalan Maju Satu, Jalan Distripark B6, Persiaran Kempas Baru, Batu 21, Jalan Kabel Gemilang, and Jalan Limau Manis clusters; 83 close-contact screenings; and 60 other screenings.

    Kuala Lumpur reports 114 local cases: 48 in existing clusters, 36 close-contact screenings, and 30 other screenings. Perak reports 101 cases: 89 in existing clusters, and 12 close-contact screenings.

    Negeri Sembilan reports 91 cases: 41 in older clusters, 24 in Nilam Sari building site cluster, 21 close-contact screenings; and five other screenings. Sabah reports 78 cases: 24 in existing clusters, 40 close-contact screenings, and 14 other screenings. Kelantan reports 44 cases: 23 in existing clusters, 12 close-contact screenings, and nine other screenings.

    Pahang reports 13 cases: eight in existing clusters, and five close-contact screening. Kedah reports 12 cases: eight close-contact screenings, and four other screenings. Terengganu reports 10 cases: two in existing clusters, two close-contact screenings, and six other screenings. Putrajaya reports seven cases: one in an existing cluster, and six close-contact screenings. Melaka reports three cases: one in an existing cluster, and two close-contact screenings. And Perlis reports one case, found in other screening.

    Labuan reports no new cases today.

    Nine new cases today are imported: Six in Kuala Lumpur, two in Selangor, and one in Johor. They were returning from Indonesia, India, Singapore, Turkey, Qatar, Nigeria, Myanmar, Mexico, and Denmark.

    The deaths reported today are a 79-year-old woman in Pahang with hypertension; a 79-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease; a 78-year-old man in Kuala Lumpur with diabetes and hypertension; a 72-year-old man in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and chronic kidney disease; and a 70-year-old woman in Selangor with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and chronic kidney disease.

  8. 8.

    Bruce K in ATH-GR

    Greece is getting hammered now – Worldometer shows 2697 new cases in yesterday’s reporting period, and if we’re not at the peak, we’ll see the numbers exceed the 3300 dailies from the November spike. It looks like the British variant, B117,  might be part of the problem. They’re hardening the lockdown nationwide. Vaccines are still only available for health care workers, 75-and-up, and 60-64 for the Oxford vaccine (because of the contraindication for over-65 for that one).

    Doesn’t look too good at the moment. And this may be a harbinger of what Texas and like-minded states will be seeing soon.

  9. 9.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Gvg:Not just that, it makes you mildly ill for three days and a lot of companies are pushing people to put in 120% effort. because you are an essential worker, and the bosses are home isolating, so all this work can’t be that bad because they aren’t tried and people should stop being lazy.

  10. 10.

    Freemark

    @satby: Refusing vaccines while wanting to work at a doctor’s office should be grounds for termination. Just curious, what do you think are their real reasons for refusing?

  11. 11.

    AndoChronic

    So, Cook county is the highest vaccinated county in MN. Most likely due to an older population. Wanted to mention that I was up there last weekend at Lutsen doing some snowboarding. I saw only about 50% of folks wearing masks in the lift lines and on the lifts. Masking in those locations is mandatory per mountain rules. Although, most people on the mountain were most likely not from Cook county. I got into it with a guy I ended up riding with on a 6 person lift, one of us on each end. He was frustrated that the “kid” marshaling the lift line directed him to follow the rules regarding how to ride up as a single. He even delivered an f-bomb to the kid. This guy wasn’t wearing a mask, he didn’t believe Covid could survive at such cold temps., (while it was a warm 30 degrees), and has a brother who’s a bio-blahblahblah. He was wearing snow-camo pants I might add. I told him look, mountain rule are to wear a mask on the lift and in lift lines. I told him that I was wearing one even though I’m fully vaccinated and that I was jamming to some Van Halen, so yeah. I felt I shamed him just enough as not to be mean or jeopardize my own zen, and he left me alone. I think he just wanted his perspective validated by someone, which I didn’t give him. So there is a way to confront these folks and not feel icky or remiss that you didn’t. Just stay with the rules and the facts. And, do it in public but maybe not 100 ft off the ground. I am a 6’4 200+ lbs dude too though.

  12. 12.

    NotMax

    Italy on the cusp of becoming the 8th country to surpass 3 million reported cases.

    Meanwhile, amongst the asinine,

    In a decision that’s raising eyebrows, Hawaii’s Catholic churches are urging their parishioners not to take the new one-dose Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine ― if they have an option ― because the shot includes so-called “abortion-derived” cells.
    [snip]
    Other bishops across the US have taken a similar stance. Source

  13. 13.

    Chris T.

    (from the Dana Houle tweet) Last year just about everything shut down by by March 15th. On March 15th, 2020 total US deaths from COVID had just passed 100.

    Yeah, but at that time, powerful Republicans believed it killed rich white men. Now they think it only kills the poors and POC….

  14. 14.

    satby

    @Freemark: One of them is a fundy religious asshole who has been a problem for five years but the previous manager never even wrote her up. She’s on the edge of being fired anyway, because she’s pitched a battle about every single rule or change ever proposed. I’m pretty sure she’s the ringleader.

    One is a former junkie on probation (no lie, in recovery and she’s an excellent worker) and it’s possible that “shots” have bad connotations, but then the tatoos show we can get past that when we want; she was already looking for a full time job anyway.

    The third is a puzzle, she initially was very excited at the thought of getting a bonus for getting the vaccine. She never mentioned any “bad reactions” and we’ve been encouraging getting the vaccine since it became available to non-hospital healthcare workers in late January. Now it’s suddenly all about her bodily autonomy and right to refuse. Which is not in dispute, but her right to be employed by this doctor in spite of what the doctor wants for her practice doesn’t actually exist.

  17. 17.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @NotMax: That headline cracks me up:

    Johnson & Johnson vaccine causes moral dilemma for Catholic community

    There’s no dilemma, it’s all about the wholly pure and innocent unborn. After they take their first breath they are stamped with original sin and at that point who cares if they live or die?

    To quote my truck, “Pro life my ass.”

  19. 19.

    Central Planning

    @Enhanced Voting Techniques: I have not heard 3 days for recovery. My experience (and those I have talked to – I know, anecdotes, not data) is maybe a day of not feeling good. 36 hours for me and I was back to normal. The first shot didn’t bother me. It was the second (Moderna).

    I guess the point is lots of anecdotes out there and not hard data, and people tend to believe the former.

  21. 21.

    sab

    Dropped in at work to drop off and pick up my files on an off day last week.

    Whole office maskless. I have had shot one ! so okayish. Very plump very upper sixties coworker also there maskless. Extremely religious Catholic. When did they become snake handlers? She wants her shot but her faith will protect her meanwhile.

    Sigh.

  22. 22.

    Freemark

    @satby: Sorry you have to deal with that. I get frustrated with people like that because it makes no logical sense especially if they work in a doctor’s office. Curious if it an office where they don’t see the consequences of actual sick people too often.ie Dermatologist, orthopedist, etc.

  23. 23.

    satby

    @OzarkHillbilly: They’re better Catholics than the Pope, who has already stated that the moral good of the vaccination protecting others and helping to end the pandemic outweighs the moral ambiguity of cells derived from an abortion almost 50 years ago.

  27. 27.

    satby

    @Freemark: It is, an optometrist’s office. And about 40% of the patients are older, diabetic, obese, or have other risk factors. Hence the doctor’s concern for her patients (and staff) and her insistence on vaccinating. But she’s very conflict averse (it’s why she asked me to come back, I’m her anger translater), and she got the impression last night that they want the requirement in writing to sue her.

    edit: during the shut down last year, the doctor kept them on the payroll with the intent that they work from home learning the new system, which is cloud based. I audited who logged in, almost none, and certainly not for the amount of hours they claimed. Fraud is a cause for dismissal too.

  29. 29.

    sab

    So some whackjob bishop in Nawlins La wants people to not get vaccinated becaise fetal tissue. Live people worth less than fetuses. 176 + bishops disagree. So press covers the one nut job.

    My Catholic husband is trying to follow. The sheep have no idea who the current shepherd is. Politics is complicated. Best left out of religion.

  32. 32.

    Amir Khalid

    @sab:

    But they say she (wink, wink) didn’t actually know officially, so it’s okay.

    I think that’s what they were really saying.

     ​

  33. 33.

    sab

    @satby: I postponed my eye exam and both my dental visits because of your posts. Can’t trust the staff even if you trust the doctor.

    My son caught Covid at work because some of his coworkers were idiots. Mild case, but he is young.

    It is cutting into your boss’s business if your workers are idiots. Your boss needs to know that this is an issue with patients, especially old and vulnverable ones.

  35. 35.

    YY_Sima Qian

    On 3/3 China reported 0 new domestic confirmed & 0 new domestic asymptomatic cases.

    Hebei Province

    Hebei Provincial Health Commission reported that the last 5 domestic confirmed cases recovered.:

    • At Shijiazhuang, the last 5 domestic confirmed cases recovered.

     

    Jilin Province 

    Jilin Provincial Heath Commission reported that the last 3 domestic confirmed cases recovered.:

    • At Tonghua, the last 3 domestic confirmed cases recovered.

     

    Imported Cases

    On 3/3 China reported 10 new imported confirmed cases, 14 imported asymptomatic cases, 1 imported suspect case:

    • Shanghai Municipality – 5 confirmed cases, all Chinese nationals returning from the UAE; 1 suspect case, no information released
    • Guangzhou in Guangdong Province – 2 confirmed cases, 1 Chinese national each returning from Mexico (via Paris CdG) & the DRC (via Nairobi); 4 asymptomatic cases, 1 Chinese national each returning from the UAE (via Tehran), Saudi Arabia, Jordan (via Kathmandu) & Bangladesh 
    • Foshan in Guangdong Province – 1 confirmed case, a Chinese national returning from Saudi Arabia, off a flight that landed at Guangzhou
    • Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province – 1 confirmed case, coming from Egypt
    • Changshan in Quzhou, Zhejiang Province – 1 asymptomatic case, a Chinese national returning from Algeria; the case arrived at Chengdu on 2/11, passed through the 14 days of centrally quarantine and tested negative on RT-PCR & antibodies multiple times, upon release from quarantine on 2/26 the case flew to Quzhou (via Taiyuan) and re-entered centralized quarantine, and tested positive for RT-PCR & IgG antibodies on 3/3
    • Yiwu in Jinhua, Zhejiang Province – 1 asymptomatic case, an Iranian coming from Iran; the case arrived at Guangzhou on 2/15, passed through the 14 days of centrally quarantine and tested negative on RT-PCR 3 times, upon release from quarantine on 3/1 the case flew to Yiwu on 3/2 and re-entered centralized quarantine, and tested positive on 3/3
    • Chengdu in Sichuan Province – 1 confirmed (previously asymptomatic) & 1 asymptomatic cases, both Chinese nationals returning from Nigeria
    • Tianjin Municipality – 4 asymptomatic cases, all Russian crew members off a cargo ship from Russia 
    • Yunnan Province (location not specified) – 1 asymptomatic case, coming from Myanmar via land border crossing
    • Dalian in Liaoning Province – 1 asymptomatic case, no information released
    • Xiamen in Fujian Province – 1 asymptomatic case, a Russian cargo pilot coming from Russia

    Overall in China, 19 confirmed cases recovered, 14 asymptomatic cases were released from isolation & 2 were reclassified as confirmed cases, and 112 individuals were released from quarantine. Currently, there are 177 active confirmed cases in the country (165 imported), 1 in critical/serious condition (imported), 247 asymptomatic cases (244 imported), 2 suspect cases (both imported). 5,043 traced contacts are currently under centralized quarantine.

    On 3/4 Hong Kong reported 9 new cases, 3 imported & 6 domestic (1 of whom does not yet have source of infection identified).

  36. 36.

    marklar

    @Central Planning:

    Oh come now…doesn’t everybody know that “the plural of anecdote is data?*”

    This is all the more true when you use artisanal anecdotes, carefully curated to support one’s favorite pet theory!

    * BTW, if you want to understand why anecdotes are so persuasive, read up on “availability heuristic”, which refers to our tendency to use information that comes to mind quickly and easily when making decisions about the future. Anecdotes are much more easily accessible to our ‘story-telling minds’ than is actuarial data.

  37. 37.

    satby

    @sab: Red State, at least once a day we have to insist on some moron putting on a mask or wearing it correctly. Non-compliance has always been at about 30% here, and South Bend is a fairly blue city. Lots of the most at risk patients are Foxbots who think it’s a hoax.

  38. 38.

    Central Planning

    @marklar: I’m in sales, and telling (true!) stories is one of the best parts of my job. I’ll take a look at “availability heuristic”. It sounds interesting. Thanks!

  40. 40.

    Geminid

    @sab: The late Jonathan Sacks, former chief rabbi of England:

    “When you start to mix politics with religion, you get terrible politics, and even worse religion.”

  41. 41.

    Sloane Ranger

    Yesterday in the UK we had 6385 new cases. This is a decrease of 6 from the day before and a reduction of 31.6% in the rolling 7-day average. New cases by nation,

    England – 5408 (down @120)

    Northern Ireland – 226 (up @70)

    Scotland – 543 (up 1)

    Wales – 208 (up @38).

    Deaths – There were 315 deaths within 28 days of a positive test yesterday. This is decrease of 33.8% in the rolling 7-day average. New deaths by nation, England – 264, Northern Ireland – 4, Scotland – 35 and Wales – 12.

    Testing – On Tuesday, 2 March, 675,543 tests were conducted out of a capacity of 750,326. This is an increase of 11.9% in the rolling 7-day average.

    Hospitalisations – On Monday, 1 March, 12,849 people were in hospital and 1709 people were on ventilators on Tuesday, 2nd. The rolling 7-day average for hospital admissions is down by 27.9%.

    Vaccinations – As of 2nd March, a total of 20,703,615 people had received the 1st shot of a vaccine and 895,412 had received both shots.

    General – I note the extract AL posted above but I’m not currently seeing any increase in cases but the number does seem to be levelling off somewhat.

  42. 42.

    The Fat White Duchess

    @satby: I’m sorry you have to deal with people like that.

    ETA: Tattooed, and they’re claiming they don’t like needles? Oy. (Missed that initially.)

  43. 43.

    YY_Sima Qian

    On the subject of China requiring anal swabs be performed on all foreign arrivals (the vast majority of whom are returning Chinese nationals), I think substituting it with stool samples would not only reduce diplomatic tensions with other countries, it would also reduce the psychological impact on the medical staff performing anal swabs. Within the country anal swabs are reserved for active cases (confirmed and asymptomatic) and close contacts under medical observation. I am sure the motivation for implementing such  sample collection protocol is the small number of imported cases that only tested positive after 2 weeks of quarantine at port of entry and multiple negative results from naso- or oropharyngeal swabs, and traveled from port of entry to final destination on mass transportation. Most of those are asymptomatic, and possibly recovered cases shedding dead vita fragments. Chinese bureaucrats charged with minimizing risk of outbreaks will take any and all measures to that end. Their careers depend on it. The feelings of individuals being subjected to anal swabs are not part of the consideration, and there isn’t (and won’t be) any push back from the domestic population.

    On the subject of vaccination in China, it appears Beijing has by far the highest vaccination rate in the country, with 3.6M individuals vaccinated as of early this week. Enrollment is open to anyone 18 – 59, sign up either through places of employment or local community, shots are readily available. The authorities must be prioritizing the capital, especially with the all important national Congresses meetings starting today. Some of my colleagues there have already taken at least the 1st shot.

    The prioritization of protecting the capital has been a consistent part of the COVID-19 response since the beginning. Even at the height of the initial wave in Feb. 2020, the CCP regime declared the central fronts of the battle to be Wuhan, the surrounding Hubei Province, and Beijing. Beijing only had a few hundred cases during the 1st wave. When the city of Langfang in Hebei Province found a single case during the latest outbreak in the Province, several counties in the city immediately went into full lock down, despite (or perhaps because of) these counties servicing as bedroom communities of people who work in the southern part of Beijing. All to protect the capital, but the measures caused great disruption to people’s lives and operators of many businesses. OTOH, during Beijing’s outbreaks in Jun., Dec. & Jan., lock downs were much more targeted to residential compounds and communities, and movement restrictions imposed at district level at the highest.

    Local authorities across China also appear to be making preparations for mass vaccinations of the general population. Admin staff at the university my wife works at have been task to survey staff who are willing to take the vaccine shots. The shots are free and vaccination is not compulsory. There is a surprising amount of nonchalance among her coworkers and friends. There is a common belief that the inactivated virus vaccines only have 6 months of effectiveness (based on what data I do not know), combined with the very low risk of infection, some people do not feel it is worth it. My wife signed up for vaccination, and I would do so as soon as it is available. Booster shots are likely required for the “more advanced” mRNA/molecular protein/viral vector vaccines, anyway, due to the new variants.

  44. 44.

    VOR

    @sab: Extremely religious Catholic. When did they become snake handlers?

    Catholics used to be the devil incarnate to some protestant congregations, notably Southern Baptist. There supposedly was concern JFK would take orders from the Pope. Bob Jones III, of the famous Bob Jones University, once reposted a letter on the university’s web page referring to Mormons and Catholics as being members of “cults which call themselves Christian”.

    But then the Right found Catholics to be companions in the culture wars. Catholics like Antonio Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, William Barr, and John Roberts became acceptable. Of course Catholics like Joe Biden and Sonia Sotomayor are still bad.

    Abortion gave the US Church hierarchy a reason to informally ally with Republicans. I remember a sermon at my local Catholic church during the 2012 election praising the faith of Mitt Romney, who was a Mormon Bishop.

  45. 45.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Baud: ​American Exceptionalism!

    Um, no – American Conceptionalism.

    (You’re very welcome!)

    Pope Frankie needs to smack down his asshole bishops hard.

  46. 46.

    Uncle Cosmo

    Day 38 of eligibility for vaccination. Text msg at 09:53 from CVS: COVID19 vaccine appointments available in the next 2 days for qualified patients! Click on…

    So I clicked on as quick as I could, and there were in fact appointments available.

    In Ocean City. About as far away from Baltimore as one can get & still be in MD – 3 hours’ drive (longer if you bypass the Bay Bridge tolls). Everything else booked up solid.

    The FUBAR continues. :^(

  47. 47.

    JustRuss

    @Gvg:I wonder if some of the vaccine hesitancy comes from the fact that this shot hurts more than most shots. I

    That wasn’t my experience.  I got the Pfizer last week, barely felt it at all.  Now if you’re talking about the after effects, sure, I hear the second one can be a bear.  But the shot itself was nearly painless.

  48. 48.

    JAFD

    @Gvg: I’ve had a bunch at needles stuck into me, past ten years.
    On scale where 9 was “We need a couple of vials of blood for testing… there’s got to be a vein here somewhere…”, my first covid was a 0.5, the second a 1.
    (OK. the two days after Shot #2 were cold damp dreary, whether weather or shot made feel down ???)
    Regardless, it’s March Fourth, y’all should at least take walk around block. ;-)

  49. 49.

    Bill Arnold

    Re

    Houston: 1st city to have almost all major coronavirus variants in circulation. The as yet unpublished findings arrive as public health measures are lifted in Texas.

    Expect recombined variants of vaccine-resistant SARS-CoV-2 possibly emerging from Texas due to high levels of infection combined with selective pressure from antibodies (from vaccines and natural from previous infection); these variants, if they happen, will spread and kill beyond Texas. There is now enough tracking of variants in the US that Texas could be pinned as the source.

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