General Coronavirus chit chat thread - non-travel specific

[drron]

..and yet the 7day moving average is firmly back in an uptrend...

And from the official UK Government Covid website.
Cases

People tested positive​

Latest data provided on 8 March 2021


Daily

4,712

Last 7 days

41,225
-14,634 (-26.2%)
Rate per 100k resident population: 65.1

---

Virus tests conducted​

Latest data provided on 7 March 2021
Daily
805,744
Last 7 days
5,472,150
1,219,464 (28.7%)

Not sure where those arrows come from but the case numbers definitely negative and test numbers positive.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

And from the official UK Government Covid website.
Cases

People tested positive​

Latest data provided on 8 March 2021


Daily

4,712

Last 7 days

41,225
-14,634 (-26.2%)
Rate per 100k resident population: 65.1

---

Virus tests conducted​

Latest data provided on 7 March 2021
Daily
805,744
Last 7 days
5,472,150
1,219,464 (28.7%)

Not sure where those arrows come from but the case numbers definitely negative and test numbers positive.

So all the important indicators trended down. Testing went up, but without being a local to know the reasons behind it that could be a good or a bad indicator.

 

[drron]

Increased testing might be due to testing school kids and their families on schools reopening yesterday.

Covid-19: Free rapid testing for pupils' families in England

Schoolchildren's household and bubble members will be offered Covid tests to take at home twice a week.

www.bbc.com

 

[Pushka]

Increased testing might be due to testing school kids and their families on schools reopening yesterday.

Covid-19: Free rapid testing for pupils' families in England

Schoolchildren's household and bubble members will be offered Covid tests to take at home twice a week.

www.bbc.com

Yep. I expect to hear about this in a webchat later tonight.

 

[drron]

And the CDC figures show a drop in the US stats as well.
"In recent weeks during 2021, there has been an overall decline of 43.1% of the COVID-19 fatality 7-day moving average since January 13th. The current 7-day average of related deaths is a 6.7% decrease from the previous 7-day average of 2,060 daily deaths.

Hospital admissions of patients with confirmed COVID-19 decreased 67% from the national 7-day average peak on January 9, 2021, to a 7-day average of 5,490 admissions on March 2, 2021.

The percent of COVID-19 RT-PCR tests that were positive continued to decline as well. The 7-day average of percent positivity from tests is now 4.5%. In January 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 virus positivity rate exceeded 10%."

Welcome to Precision Vaccinations News

Precision Vaccinations News publishes vaccine news patients can trust to make informed immunization decisions in partnership with doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.

www.coronavirustoday.com

 

[Lynda2475]

It's 'very likely' that COVID-19 first spread to humans from bats via another animal, WHO report finds

The WHO study into the origins of COVID-19 finds transmission of the virus from bats to humans through another animal is most likely scenario, but many questions are left unanswered.

www.abc.net.au

 

[JessicaTam]

Well I am back in Melbourne. I had to queue up to have my temperature checked, then have my permit out and be subjected to a grilling about where I had been. It took forever, but good to see they are being thorough.

Oh wait, none of the above happened because the only person to meet the plane was a cleaner! We all just walked off.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Well I am back in Melbourne. I had to queue up to have my temperature checked, then have my permit out and be subjected to a grilling about where I had been. It took forever, but good to see they are being thorough.

Oh wait, none of the above happened because the only person to meet the plane was a cleaner! We all just walked off.

No reason to be surprised at the ineptitude of the state governments. It has been evident enough over the last 12 months...

 

[N860CR]

Oh wait, none of the above happened because the only person to meet the plane was a cleaner! We all just walked off.

Same coming into Sydney from the GC tonight. Cabin crew remarked that the flight had only been booked about 50% when they started in the morning and ended up beyond packed.

Adjacent gate in Sydney had full North Korea happening for the Brisbane arrival.

 

[Must...Fly!]

Same coming into Sydney from the GC tonight. Cabin crew remarked that the flight had only been booked about 50% when they started in the morning and ended up beyond packed.

Adjacent gate in Sydney had full North Korea happening for the Brisbane arrival.

So people cheating the system. Understandable. I never understood why the Gold Coast escapes the catchment of greater Brisbane. They are extremely well connected by both roads and public transport, and across various places with lots of common attendees such as the theme parks.

(Well I do understand the reason, but it seems inconsistent with the apparently super high risk in Brisbane necessitating a lockdown)

 

[drron]

And for contrast when BNE was locked down in early January this is how Victoria welcomed a flight from CBR..The ACTs last confirmed locally acquired case was in July 2020.Since then all confirmed cases have been from OS.
..

.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Interesting study into Coronavirus infection from surfaces.

COVID-19 rarely spreads through surfaces. So why are we still deep cleaning?

The coronavirus behind the pandemic can linger on doorknobs and other surfaces, but these aren’t a major source of infection.

www.nature.com

Essentially very low risk.

 

[oz_mark]

Some interesting stats from the US looking at the death rates last year

Between March 1, 2020, and January 2, 2021, the US experienced 2 801 439 deaths, 22.9% more than expected, representing 522 368 excess deaths

...

Deaths attributed to COVID-19 accounted for 72.4% of US excess deaths.

Excess Deaths From COVID-19 and Other Causes in the US, March 2020 to January 2021

This study updates an analysis of US mortality in 2020, including deaths due to COVID-19 as well as all other causes.

jamanetwork.com

 

[drron]

Parts of Asia not doing well at the moment with Covid surging.
.

And some of the ways it is effecting India.
.

And the huge demand for Oxygen.
.

 

[drron]

Covid patients who aren't hospitalised have a low risk of delayed symptoms.

Non-hospitalised patients with COVID-19 have low risk of delayed acute complications after infection: Study

The risk of delayed acute complications after infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that did not require hospitalisation is low, but persistent symptoms could lead to increased visits to general practitioners or outpatient clinics in the 6 months following...

dgalerts.docguide.com

An interesting new and simple treatment to hasten recovery from Covid being trialled in India.

Welcome to Precision Vaccinations News

Precision Vaccinations News publishes vaccine news patients can trust to make informed immunization decisions in partnership with doctors, nurses, and pharmacists.

www.coronavirustoday.com

 

[drron]

Another paper suggesting those with mild covid are unlikely to have ongoing problems.This time with the heart.

NTK Institute

 

[OZDUCK]

Taiwan, which has been doing so well, has had a sudden rise in infections. They recorded 180 new cases on Saturday - that is more than half of all the infections they have recorded in total since the pandemic began.

Taiwan hits a daily case record. (Published 2021)

The self-governing island, which has had striking success with the virus, ramped up restrictions in Taipei after reporting 180 locally transmitted infections.

www.nytimes.com

 

[drron]

Taiwan passed 1000 cases on March 19 so well less than half the previous cases.
.

But they are raiding supermarkets.

Taiwan reports a record 29 new domestic coronavirus cases in one day

A Facebook post by Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng-chang said the next two weeks would be crucial for controlling transmission.

www.scmp.com

It will be interesting to see the genomics.It appears the recent increase in cases in the UK may be due to the Indian B1617 variant.

Four die from Indian variant as COVID expert warns cases could be 'huge' by June

Nadhim Zahawi said there is no evidence that the Indian variant of coronavirus 'escapes the vaccines' or impacts people more seriously.

news.yahoo.com

As well as the Changi outbreak.

Covid-19: Four cleaners at Singapore’s Changi Airport T3 among new cases as cluster grows to 46

SINGAPORE, May 14 — Four more cleaners at Changi Airport Terminal 3, aged between 33 and 80, were among 34 new Covid-19 cases reported yesterday (May 13), the Ministry of...

www.malaymail.com

19of the 22 Changi workers had been fully vaccinated with either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.The outbreak there was picked up when they started mandatory testing of workers.Most had no symptoms.The worry is there have been 24 contacts who have tested positive.

 

[OZDUCK]

Taiwan passed 1000 cases on March 19 so well less than half the previous cases.
View attachment 248111.

Oops - I should have been a bit more precise in my quoting of the NY Times article - the more than half figure was for "locally transmitted infections". I assume the higher figure incudes those who tested positive after arriving from overseas.

 

[pagingjoan]

Taiwan passed 1000 cases on March 19 so well less than half the previous cases.
View attachment 248111.

Perhaps a difference in definitions.
I make no claim on expert information but, as reported:
“Taiwan reported a record rise in domestic (my bolding) Covid-19cases on Friday with 29 new cases, as community transmissions in part of central Taipei spread and the government called for people to be tested.

While Taiwan, with a population of some 24 million, has reported just 1,291 cases, mostly imported from abroad, a recent rise in domestic infections has spooked Taiwan’s people and the stock market, long used to the island’s relative safety.“

Also:
“Taiwan’s current outbreak — its worst yet by far — began in late April with a cluster in airline workers. Saturday’s caseload represented more than half of the 344 locally transmitted cases that the self-governing island has recorded during the entire pandemic.” (My bolding.)