FYI two unique aspects related to quarantine in China:
(1) At each residential area, there is an HOA-like but full-time operational pseudo-government residents committee. Currently almost everywhere in China is in a quarantine / lockdown mode at the residential area level. Each residential area has set up check points to get in and out of the area. Only residents with a government issued ID, a pass issued by the residents committee, and showing no fever validated by the check point thermometer can pass.
(2) Moreover, an adult is required to let the RC check point personnel check where this adult has visited in the past 15 days based on his/her mobile locations record (using an mobile app). If this person has visited a place outside the city where the residential area belongs, a mandatory 14 day quarantine at home will be enforced. The major telecom companies in China are State owned and have enabled this function for authorized parties after certain security authentication.
If it didn’t feel so dang 1984, it is kind of cool how China is using technology to track people and movement to track cases, quarantines, etc. Its fascinating but certainly creepy - QR codes, drones, robots, etc.
Just wondering if any of you are feeling overwhelmed with this coronavirus stuff? Do any of you worry about it or feel depressed?
People around me seem to be in two camps - the bigger camp - totally unaware or don’t care and the smaller camp - stressed out.
4 coronavirus patients being transferred from California to Washington state
Four Americans who have tested positive for coronavirus are being transferred from a military base in Northern California to a hospital in Washington state, health officials said Thursday. Two patients arrived at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Washington, Thursday morning, according to Dr. Bob Lutz, the region’s health officer. The other two patients were expected to arrive at the hospital in the afternoon, Lutz told reporters at a press conference. The two patients who had already arrived were in stable condition…All four patients were coming from Travis Air Force Base in California, Lutz said. Late Sunday night, 171 passengers from the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan arrived at the base, but Arguinchona said she didn’t know where the four patients were before they came to the base." (CBS)
We had some talk awhile ago in this thread about national parks in the US and the impact on tourist numbers without Chinese tourists. This article talks about Yellowstone and Grand Teton.
Can’t say the concern I’ve felt over the last couple weeks was wasted. Learned things I never knew about virus transmission (in one instance, read an informal precis of post WWII studies by the British and Americans on the spread of colds), tried to form better habits about washing hands, etc.
Another month should tell how things will likely progress.
I have Korean, Chinese and Japanese colleagues and the topic always comes up at the beginning of the calls because our employees are directly impacted by the lack of mobility. No such thing is a normal cold any more, most will just self quarantined. Either that or be seen coughing. Who wants that? It’s sad all around.
"There has been a sharp jump in new cases of novel coronavirus in South Korea since Thursday…A total of 52 new cases were diagnosed in just one day, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 156.
Among the new cases, 39 are linked to the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in the southern city of Daegu. South Korean authorities said Thursday they were looking to test the entire congregation." (CNN)
New deaths: 118 bringing it to 2,236 total in China and 2,247 worldwide.
Newly confirmed cases: 889 for a total of 75,465 total in China and 76,716 +/- worldwide.
New confirmed cases of the disease are up from 349 cases the previous day, reversing three days of decline.
Chinese respiratory expert warns tests show people who have recovered may still be infectious
“a key Chinese respiratory disease expert described the situation of the epidemic as a “see-saw battle”, despite the drop in daily recorded cases in recent days.
“We should not be relaxed. The figure may go up again,” said Zhao Jianping, head of an expert team working to contain the outbreak in Hubei. Zhao told the magazine Southern People Weekly there were cases in China in which recovered patients continued to show traces of the virus through nucleic acid tests. There were similar results in Canada, where nose and throat swabs taken from a couple who had recovered from Covid-19 revealed they still had traces of the virus. “We also have such cases. This is dangerous. Where do you put these patients? You can’t send them home because they might infect others, but you can’t put them in hospital as resources are stretched,” he said.” (SCMP)
If they are still contagious should they be categorized as “recovered”? Still so many unknowns with Covid-19.
Looks like things in South Korea will be getting worse.
“As of Friday more than 400 members of the church were showing symptoms of the disease, Reuters reports, though tests were still ongoing, Daegu mayor, Kwon Young-jin, said at a briefing.” (Guardian)
“The Japanese media outlet, NHK, says a third group of passengers has left the stricken cruise ship in Yokohama. Some 700 people have disembarked since Wednesday and another 450 are expected to get off on Friday, NKH says. Only those who have tested negative are being allowed to leave, but “anyone who shared a cabin with an infected passenger is being asked to stay onboard for another 14 days after they separated – even if they have tested negative”, the report says.” (Guardian)
It seems prudent to be worried. The global financial implications are massive, and it could cause a recession, in addition to the health implications for many.