1. BARREL, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT CORONAVIRUS COVID-19 VIRUS vs INFLUENZA VIRUS.
2. PORK, I know a few things. I know that it sure looks like the media panic cart is before the politicians’ panic horse. Consider these facts. In this coronavirus panic, we have @ 100 cases of “COVID-19” virus with 9 deaths in the U.S.
3. In the Coronavirus MERS panic we had 2 cases and 0 deaths in the U.S. in the year 2012. No deaths then and no deaths since.
4. In the Coronavirus SARS panic we had 27 cases and 0 deaths in the U.S. in the year 2017. No deaths then and no deaths since.
5. Now let’s stop and at the same time take a hard look at INFLUENZA virus in the U.S. CDC says there have been 18,000 to 46,000 deaths from influenza virus in the U.S. so far this influenza virus year.
6. INFLUENZA VIRUS IN U.S. 1,000,000+ sick with influenza virus in the U.S. this year.
7. INFLUENZA VIRUS IN U.S. 400,000+ hospitalized with influenza virus in the U.S. this year. A hospital administrator friend of mine says the hospitals are stressed because of the great number of influenza virus cases.
8. INFLUENZA VIRUS IN U.S. 60,000 deaths are expected from influenza virus in the U.S. this year.
9. Perhaps more precisely, the CDC estimates that since 2010 influenza virus has resulted in
10. between 9 million – 45 million illnesses,
11. between 140,000 – 810,000 hospitalizations and
12. between 12,000 – 61,000 deaths annually since 2010.
13. Hey, folks, and especially you politicians and those who run the CDC, that means between 120,000 to 600,000 will have died from INFLUENZA VIRUS SINCE 2010.
14. BARREL, it sure does looks like we have the media panic cart before the politicians’ panic horse.
15. My friend’s granddaughter has INFLUENZA B so I checked this out and I’m pretty sure the numbers are in the ballpark.
16. PORK, it sure looks like INFLUENZA has been and still is the “hidden” pandemic in the U.S., a pandemic not addressed on Obama’s watch or Bush’s watch. Why the reticence is a question that deserves research.
17. Sounds like those in charge of the CDC either a) need to be removed from office and someone appointed who will focus not just on media politician panic COVID-19 coronavirus but also on this “hidden pandemic” INFLUENZA VIRUS issue or b) those currently in charge at CDC need to be tasked with gathering real numbers and reporting to POTUS TRUMP and the nation and c) more importantly take serious steps to cut INFLUENZA deaths – beyond simply saying “get your flu shot.”
18. Yes, PORK, I talked to one local health official and she said they do not count deaths of adults from influenza which sounds bazaar to me.
19. You are right, BARREL. If you don’t have the precise numbers it makes it difficult to work on solving the problem.
20. And while we are at it, BARREL, it certainly looks like the stock market has been manipulated with this media politician driven coronavirus panic. Someone needs to take a hard look at that one for sure.
1. BARREL, it sure looks like we are being sold another fake news bill of goods? Do you think that is true? WE REPORT. YOU DECIDE.
Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and the anti-TRUMP lobby and media can’t let POTUS TRUMP alone and have again accused POTUS TRUMP this time of not timely responding to coronavirus COVID-19.
2. Yes, PORK, it sure looks like their do nothing failure to do their homework accusations have boomeranged again. POTUS TRUMP has assigned Mike Pence to give oversight to efforts to prevent COVID-19.
3. And it sure does look like the response from investors in the stock market is also ludicrous and overreaction. Do you think that is true?
Looks like investors have not done their homework either and it looks like the sell off was and still is totally unwarranted once you work past the Schumer Pelosi anti-TRUMP lobby and media negative hype and attempt to create a crisis where the numbers and facts dictate that there is none.
4. In my opinion, Schumer, Pelosi, and the anti-TRUMP lobby and media and the frightened investors haven’t done their homework and they clearly don’t know what they are talking about or doing.
5. Take a look at the following. Bottom line, it looks like the Wuhan coronavirus is just another coronavirus and that it originated in the Chinese Wuhan bioresearch/bioweapons lab and that it is not even close to the influenza sickness and deaths where our resources ought to be placed. So check this out. WE REPORT. YOU DECIDE.
6. What is a coronavirus?
7. Coronaviruses are a number of viruses that infect the respiratory system.
8. Note. They are viruses plural.
9. Coronaviruses are found in both animals and people.
10. Coronavirus infections in people are common throughout the world.
11. They don’t usually cause serious illness.
12. Sometimes a coronavirus that infects animals will change and turn into a new coronavirus that can infect people.
13. These coronaviruses can be more serious and sometimes lead to pneumonia which is a life-threatening condition in which fluid builds up in the lungs.
14. Three new coronaviruses have been discovered in recent years:
15. SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), a serious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness.
16. It was first discovered in China in 2002 and spread around the world.
17. An international effort helped quickly contain the spread of the SARS disease.
18. There were no deaths from SARS in the U.S.
19. There have been no new cases of SARS reported anywhere in world since 2004.
20. MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), a severe respiratory illness discovered in Saudi Arabia in 2012 which has spread to 27 countries.
21. Only two cases and no deaths there from have been reported in the United States.
22. All cases have been linked to travel or residence in or around the Arabian Peninsula.
23. COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) was discovered in late 2019 in Wuhan City, in the Hubei Province of China. Only a few cases have been found in the U.S. and no deaths.
24. Why was this coronavirus discovered in Wuhan City?
25. Because it looks like the Chinese were testing viruses at their bioresearch/bioweapons lab in Wuhan and the disease in all liklihood spread from the lab, that is why.
26. Think about the following analysis and see what you think.
27. “Don’t buy China’s story: The coronavirus may have leaked from a lab
30. “At an emergency meeting in Beijing held last Friday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke about the need to contain the coronavirus and set up a system to prevent similar epidemics in the future.
31. “A national system to control biosecurity risks must be put in place “to protect the people’s health,” Xi said, because lab safety is a “national security” issue.
32. “Xi didn’t actually admit that the coronavirus now devastating large swaths of China had escaped from one of the country’s bioresearch labs. But the very next day, evidence emerged suggesting that this is exactly what happened, as the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology released a new directive titled: “Instructions on strengthening biosecurity management in microbiology labs that handle advanced viruses like the novel coronavirus.”
33. “Read that again. It sure sounds like China has a problem keeping dangerous pathogens in test tubes where they belong, doesn’t it? And just how many “microbiology labs” are there in China that handle “advanced viruses like the novel coronavirus”?
34. “It turns out that in all of China, there is only one. And this one is located in the Chinese city of Wuhan that just happens to be … the epicenter of the epidemic.
35. “That’s right. China’s only Level 4 microbiology lab that is equipped to handle deadly coronaviruses, called the National Biosafety Laboratory, is part of the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
36. “… What’s more, the People’s Liberation Army’s top expert in biological warfare, a Maj. Gen. Chen Wei, was dispatched to Wuhan at the end of January to help with the effort to contain the outbreak.
37. “According to the PLA Daily, Chen has been researching corona viruses since the SARS outbreak of 2003, as well as Ebola and anthrax.
38. “This would not be her first trip to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, either, since it is one of only two bioweapons research labs in all of China.
39. “Does that suggest to you that the novel coronavirus, now known as SARS-CoV-2, may have escaped from that very lab, and that Chen’s job is to try to put the genie back in the bottle, as it were? It does to me.
40. “Add to this China’s history of similar incidents. Even the deadly SARS virus has escaped — twice — from the Beijing lab where it was (and probably is) being used in experiments.
41. Both “man-made” epidemics were quickly contained, but neither would have happened at all if proper safety precautions had been taken.
42. “And then there is this little-known fact: Some Chinese researchers are in the habit of selling their laboratory animals to street vendors after they have finished experimenting on them.
43. “You heard me right.
44. “Instead of properly disposing of infected animals by cremation, as the law requires, they sell them on the side to make a little extra cash. Or, in some cases, a lot of extra cash.
45. “One Beijing researcher, now in jail, made a million dollars selling his monkeys and rats on the live animal market, where they eventually wound up in someone’s stomach.
46. “Enlarge Image Members of a police sanitation team spray disinfectant as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus.AFP via Getty Images
47. “Also fueling suspicions about SARS-CoV-2’s origins is the series of increasingly lame excuses offered by the Chinese authorities as people began to sicken and die.
48. “They first blamed a seafood market not far from the Institute of Virology, even though the first documented cases of Covid-19 (the illness caused by SARS-CoV-2) involved people who had never set foot there.
49. “Then they pointed to snakes, bats and even a cute little scaly anteater called a pangolin as the source of the virus.
50. “I don’t buy any of this. It turns out that snakes don’t carry coronaviruses and that bats aren’t sold at a seafood market.
51. Neither, for that matter, are pangolins, an endangered species valued for their scales as much as for their meat.
52. “The evidence points to SARS-CoV-2 research being carried out at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
53. “The virus may have been carried out of the lab by an infected worker or crossed over into humans when they unknowingly dined on a lab animal.
54. Whatever the vector, Beijing authorities are now clearly scrambling to correct the serious problems with the way their labs handle deadly pathogens.
55. “[It looks like] China has unleashed a plague on its own people.
56. “It’s too early to say how many in China and other countries will ultimately die for the failures of their country’s state-run microbiology labs, but the human cost will be high.
58. Knowing China’s penchant for “taking care of” those who cause difficulty for the regime, and while there is great effort to put the genie back in the bottle, it looks like heads may roll at the Wuhan Institute of Virology if they have not already done so.
59. Most infections have occurred in China or are related to travel from Hubei Province.
60. There have been some cases reported in United States. NO DEATHS IN THE U.S.
70. Symptoms of COVID-19 are usually milder than those of SARS and MERS.
71. The symptoms of COVID-19 include:
72. Fever
73. Cough
74. Shortness of breath
75. Parts of the world that may put you at risk for infection:
76. China, which has a high rate of COVID-19 infections.
77. Currently the CDC is recommending that people avoid all nonessential travel to China.
78. The Arabian Peninsula.
79. There are no known current cases of MERS in the United States.
80. But if you have symptoms and have recently traveled there, you should be tested for the infection.
81. If you have symptoms and have not traveled to one of these areas or been exposed to someone who has, it’s highly unlikely that you have one of these new coronaviruses.
82. You may have another type of virus, such as the flu.
83. The flu is much more common in the United States than the new coronaviruses.
84. Influenza (flu) Numbers?
85. 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 severe illnesses each year world-wide.
86. 290,000 to 650,000 deaths each year world-wide.
87. 20% of unvaccinated children catch the virus each year.
88. 10% of unvaccinated adults are infected each year.
96. Influenza activity in the United States during the 2018–2019 season began to increase in November and remained at high levels for several weeks during January–February5.
97. Influenza A viruses were the predominant circulating viruses last year.
98. While influenza A(H1N1pdm09) viruses predominated from October 2018 – mid February 2019, influenza A(H3N2) viruses were more commonly reported starting in late February 2019.
99. Influenza B viruses were not commonly reported among circulating viruses during the 2018–2019 season.
100. The season had moderate severity based on levels of outpatient influenza-like illness, hospitalizations rates, and proportions of pneumonia and influenza-associated deaths.
101. CDC estimates that the burden of illness during the 2018–2019 season included an estimated:
102. 35.5 million people getting sick with influenza,
103. 16.5 million people going to a health care provider for their illness,
104. 490,600 hospitalizations, and
105. 34,200 deaths from influenza (Table 1). [annual]
106. The number of influenza-associated illnesses that occurred last season was similar to the estimated number of influenza-associated illnesses during the 2012–2013 influenza season when an estimated:
107. 34 million people had symptomatic influenza illness6.
108. Peak activity during the 2018–2019 influenza season was classified as having moderate severity across ages in the population.
109. Compared with the 2017–2018 season , which was classified as high severity, the overall rates and burden of influenza were much lower during the 2018–2019 season (Table 2).
110. Among children, however, rates of influenza during the 2018–2019 season were similar to the 2017–2018 season.
111. In addition, the 2018–2019 season had two waves of activity, including a wave predominated by influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses and another wave of similar magnitude attributable to influenza A(H3N2) viruses5.
112. The dual waves resulted in a protracted season during 2018–2019 that was less severe when compared with peak activity in 2017–2018, but resulted in a similar burden of illness in children by the end of the season.
113. During the 2018–2019 season, 136 deaths in children with laboratory–confirmed influenza virus infection were reported in the United States8.
114. However, influenza-associated pediatric deaths are likely under-reported as not all children whose death was related to an influenza virus infection may have been tested for influenza9,10.
115. By combining data on hospitalization rates, influenza testing practices, and the frequency of death in and out of the hospital from death certificates, we estimate that there were approximately 480 deaths associated with influenza in children during 2018–2019.
116. Our estimates of hospitalizations and mortality associated with the 2018–2019 influenza season continue to demonstrate how serious influenza virus infection can be.
117. We estimate, overall, there were:
118. 490,600 hospitalizations and
119. 34,200 deaths during the 2018–2019 season.
120. More than:
121. 46,000 hospitalizations occurred in children (aged <18 years); however,
122. 57% of hospitalizations occurred in older adults aged ≥65 years.
123. Older adults also accounted for:
124. 75% of influenza-associated deaths,
125. highlighting that older adults are particularly vulnerable to severe outcomes resulting from an influenza virus infection.
126. An estimated:
127. 8,100 deaths occurred among working age adults (aged 18–64 years), an age group that often has low influenza vaccination uptake11.
128. Conclusion
129. CDC estimates that influenza was associated with
130. more than:
131. 35.5 million illnesses,
132. more than
133. 16.5 million medical visits,
134. 490,600 hospitalizations, and
135. 34,200 deaths
136. during the 2018–2019 influenza season.
137. This burden was similar to estimated burden during the 2012–2013 influenza season1.
140. This is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation and CDC will provide updated information as it becomes available, in addition to updated guidance.
141. Updated February 23, 2020
142. Background
143. CDC is responding to an outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and which has now been detected in 32 locations internationally, including cases in the United States.
144. The virus has been named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”).
146. On January 31, 2020, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency (PHE) for the United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to COVID-19.
147. Source and Spread of the Virus
148. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats.
149. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people such as with MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and now with this new virus (named SARS-CoV-2).
150. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a betacoronavirus, like MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV.
151. All three of these viruses have their origins in bats. [Probably a bogus conclusion if not a partial explanation as to origins given the Wuhan bioresearch/bioweapons connection!]
152. The sequences from U.S. patients are similar to the one that China initially posted, suggesting a likely single, recent emergence of this virus from an animal reservoir.
153. Early on, many of the patients in the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China had some link to a large seafood and live animal market, suggesting animal-to-person spread.
154. Later, a growing number of patients reportedly did not have exposure to animal markets, indicating person-to-person spread.
155. Person-to-person spread has been reported outside China, including in the United States and other locations.
156. Chinese officials report that sustained person-to-person spread in the community is occurring in China.
174. Person-to-person spread of COVID-19 also has been seen among close contacts of returned travelers from Wuhan, but at this time, this virus is NOT currently spreading in the community in the United States.
175. Illness Severity
176. Both MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV have been known to cause severe illness in people.
177. The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully understood.
178. Reported illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including illness resulting in death.
180. There are ongoing investigations to learn more.
181. This is a rapidly evolving situation
182. and information will be updated as it becomes available.
183. Risk Assessment
184. Outbreaks of novel virus infections among people are always of public health concern.
185. The risk from these outbreaks depends on characteristics of the virus, including how well it spreads between people, the severity of resulting illness, and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccine or treatment medications).
186. The fact that this disease has caused illness, including illness resulting in death, and sustained person-to-person spread is concerning.
187. These factors meet two of the criteria of a pandemic.
188. As community spread is detected in more and more countries, the world moves closer toward meeting the third criteria, worldwide spread of the new virus.
189. The potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 is high, both globally and to the United States.
190. But individual risk is dependent on exposure.
191. For the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus at this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low.
192. Under current circumstances, certain people will have an increased risk of infection, for example healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19 and other close contacts of persons with COVID-19.
207. Global efforts at this time are focused concurrently on containing spread of this virus and mitigating the impact of this virus.
208. The federal government is working closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, as well as public health partners, to respond to this public health threat.
209. The public health response is multi-layered, with the goal of detecting and minimizing introductions of this virus in the United States so as to reduce the spread and the impact of this virus.
210. CDC is operationalizing all of its pandemic preparedness and response plans, working on multiple fronts to meet these goals, including specific measures to prepare communities to respond local transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19.
211. There is an abundance of pandemic guidance developed in anticipation of an influenza pandemic that is being repurposed and adapted for a COVID-19 pandemic.
212. Highlights of CDC’s Response
213. CDC established a COVID-19 Incident Management System on January 7, 2020.
214. On January 21, 2020, CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center to better provide ongoing support to the COVID-19 response.
215. The U.S. government has taken unprecedented steps with respect to travel in response to the growing public health threat posed by this new coronavirus:
216. Effective February 2, 2020, at 5pm, the U.S. government suspended entry of foreign nationals who have been in China within the past 14 days.
217. U.S. citizens, residents, and their immediate family members who have been in Hubei province and other parts of mainland China are allowed to enter the United States, but they are subject to health monitoring and possible quarantine for up to 14 days.
218. CDC has issued the following travel guidance related to COVID-19:
225. An interim Health Alert Network (HAN) Update to inform state and local health departments and healthcare professionals about this outbreak on February 1, 2020.
228. CDC has deployed multidisciplinary teams to support state health departments with clinical management, contact tracing, and communications.
229. CDC has worked with the Department of State, supporting the safe return of Americans who have been stranded as a result of the ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19 and related travel restrictions.
230. CDC has worked to assess the health of passengers as they return to the United States and provided continued daily monitoring of people who are quarantined.
231. The article contains a picture of CDC’s laboratory test kit for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
232. CDC is shipping the test kits to laboratories CDC has designated as qualified, including U.S. state and local public health laboratories, Department of Defense (DOD) laboratories and select international laboratories.
233. The test kits are bolstering global laboratory capacity for detecting SARS-CoV-2.
234. CDC laboratories have supported the COVID-19 response, including:
235. CDC has developed a real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) test that can diagnose COVID-19 in respiratory samples from clinical specimens.
241. While the immediate risk of this new virus to the American public is believed to be low at this time, everyone can do their part to help us respond to this emerging public health threat:
242. It’s currently flu and respiratory disease season and CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine, taking everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed.
243. If you are a healthcare provider, be on the look-out for people who recently traveled from China and have fever and respiratory symptoms.
244. If you are a healthcare provider caring for a COVID-19 patient or a public health responder, please take care of yourself and follow recommended infection control procedures.
245. If you have been in China or have been exposed to someone sick with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, you will face some limitations on your movement and activity.
246. Please follow instructions during this time.
247. Your cooperation is integral to the ongoing public health response to try to slow spread of this virus.
248. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, contact your healthcare provider, and tell them about your symptoms and your travel or exposure to a COVID-19 patient.
256. The novel coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 37 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the “Diamond Princess” cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan).
257. The bulk of China’s new cases and deaths are reported after 22:00 GMT (5:00 PM ET) for Hubei (lately with delays of up to 2 hours), and after 00:00 GMT (7:00 PM ET) for the rest of China (lately with delays of up to 9 hours).
258. Search:
Country,Other
Total Cases
NewCases
TotalDeaths
NewDeaths
TotalRecovered
Serious,Critical
China
77,345
+409
2,593
+151
25,036
11,477
S. Korea
833
+231
8
+2
22
6
Diamond Princess
691
3
2
36
Italy
229
+72
7
+4
1
23
Japan
159
+13
1
23
7
Singapore
90
+1
49
7
Hong Kong
81
+7
2
12
6
Iran
61
+18
12
+4
3
USA
53
+18
0
5
Thailand
35
15
2
Taiwan
30
+2
1
2
1
Australia
22
11
Malaysia
22
17
Germany
16
14
Vietnam
16
15
U.K.
13
8
U.A.E.
13
3
2
France
12
1
11
Canada
11
+1
3
Macao
10
5
Kuwait
5
+5
Philippines
3
1
2
India
3
3
Bahrain
2
+2
Israel
2
Oman
2
+2
Russia
2
2
Spain
2
2
Afghanistan
1
+1
Belgium
1
1
Cambodia
1
1
Egypt
1
1
Finland
1
1
Iraq
1
Lebanon
1
Nepal
1
1
Sri Lanka
1
1
Sweden
1
259. Highlighted in green
260. = all cases have recovered from the infection.
261. Highlighted in grey
262. = all cases have had an outcome (there are no active cases).
284. If your provider thinks you may have COVID-19, he or she will contact the CDC or your local health department for instructions on testing.
285. You may be told to go to a special lab for your test.
286. Only certain labs have been allowed to do tests for COVID-19.
287. There are a few ways that a lab may get a sample for testing.
288. Swab test. A health care provider will use a special swab to take a sample from your nose or throat.
289. Nasal aspirate. A health care provider will inject a saline solution into your nose, then remove the sample with gentle suction.
290. Tracheal aspirate. A health care provider will put a thin, lighted tube called a bronchoscope down your mouth and into your lungs, where a sample will be collected.
291. Sputum test. Sputum is a thick mucus that is coughed up from the lungs. You may be asked to cough up sputum into a special cup, or a special swab may be used to take a sample from your nose.
292. Blood. A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm.
293. The FDA has approved more widespread use of a rapid test for COVID-19.
294. The test, which was developed by the CDC, uses samples from the nose, throat, or lungs.
295. It enables fast, accurate diagnosis of the virus.
296. The test is now allowed to be used at any CDC-approved lab across the country.
297. Will I need to do anything to prepare for this test?
298. Your health care provider may ask you to wear a facemask to your appointment.
299. Your provider will let you know if you should take other steps to prevent the spread of infection.
300. Are there any risks to the test?
301. You may feel a tickle or a gagging sensation when your nose or throat is swabbed.
302. The nasal aspirate may feel uncomfortable.
303. These effects are temporary.
304. There is a minor risk of bleeding or infection from a tracheal aspiration.
305. There is very little risk to having a blood test.
306. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.
307. What do the results mean?
308. If your results were positive, it means you probably have a coronavirus infection.
309. There is no specific treatment for these infections, but your health care provider may recommend steps to relieve your symptoms.
341. The medical information provided is for informational purposes only, and is not to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
342. Please contact your health care provider with questions you may have regarding medical conditions or the interpretation of test results.
343. In the event of a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.
351. In a study of more than 1,000 patients published in the journal Radiology, chest CT outperformed lab testing in the diagnosis of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The researchers concluded that CT should be used as the primary screening tool for COVID-19.
352. FULL STORY
353.
354. In a study of more than 1,000 patients published in the journal Radiology, chest CT outperformed lab testing in the diagnosis of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
355. The researchers concluded that CT should be used as the primary screening tool for COVID-19.
356. In the absence of specific therapeutic drugs or vaccines for COVID-19, it is essential to detect the disease at an early stage and immediately isolate an infected patient from the healthy population.
357. According to the latest guidelines published by the Chinese government, the diagnosis of COVID-19 must be confirmed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or gene sequencing for respiratory or blood specimens, as the key indicator for hospitalization.
358. However, with limitations of sample collection and transportation, as well as kit performance, the total positive rate of RT-PCR for throat swab samples has been reported to be about 30% to 60% at initial presentation.
359. In the current public health emergency, the low sensitivity of RT-PCR implies that a large number of COVID-19 patients won’t be identified quickly and may not receive appropriate treatment.
360. In addition, given the highly contagious nature of the virus, they carry a risk of infecting a larger population.
361. “Early diagnosis of COVID-19 is crucial for disease treatment and control.
362. Compared to RT-PCR, chest CT imaging may be a more reliable, practical and rapid method to diagnose and assess COVID-19, especially in the epidemic area,” the authors wrote.
363. Chest CT, a routine imaging tool for pneumonia diagnosis, is fast and relatively easy to perform.
364. Recent research found that the sensitivity of CT for COVID-19 infection was 98% compared to RT-PCR sensitivity of 71%.
365. For the current study, researchers at Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China, set out to investigate the diagnostic value and consistency of chest CT imaging in comparison to RT-PCR assay in COVID-19.
366. Included in the study were 1,014 patients who underwent both chest CT and RT-PCR tests between January 6 and February 6, 2020.
367. With RT-PCR as reference standard, the performance of chest CT in diagnosing COVID-19 was assessed.
368. For patients with multiple RT-PCR assays, the dynamic conversion of RT-PCR test results (negative to positive, and positive to negative, respectively) was also analyzed as compared with serial chest CT scans.
369. The results showed that 601 patients (59%) had positive RT-PCR results, and 888 (88%) had positive chest CT scans.
370. The sensitivity of chest CT in suggesting COVID-19 was 97%, based on positive RT-PCR results.
371. In patients with negative RT-PCR results, 75% (308 of 413 patients) had positive chest CT findings. Of these, 48% were considered as highly likely cases, with 33% as probable cases.
372. By analysis of serial RT-PCR assays and CT scans, the interval between the initial negative to positive RT-PCR results was 4 to 8 days.
373. “About 81% of the patients with negative RT-PCR results but positive chest CT scans were re-classified as highly likely or probable cases with COVID-19, by the comprehensive analysis of clinical symptoms, typical CT manifestations and dynamic CT follow-ups,” the authors wrote.
385. Radiological Society of North America. “CT provides best diagnosis for COVID-19.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 February 2020. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200226151951.htm>.
387. New compounds thwart multiple viruses, including coronavirus
388. Date:
389. February 26, 2020
390. Source:
391. American Chemical Society
392. Summary:
393. According to a Feb. 13 report from the World Health Organization, the Wuhan coronavirus has stricken more than 46,000 people and has caused over 1,300 deaths [world-wide with few in the U.S. and no deaths in the U.S. – Compared to flu this is a no brainer.] since the first cases in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. [How do they know when the testing is so problematical?]
394. Now, researchers have designed compounds that block the replication of similar coronaviruses, as well as other disease-causing viruses, in the lab.
395. The compounds have not yet been tested in people.
396. FULL STORY
397.
398. According to a February 13 report from the World Health Organization, the Wuhan coronavirus has stricken more than 46,000 people and has caused over 1,300 deaths since the first cases in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Journal of Medicinal Chemistry have designed compounds that block the replication of similar coronaviruses, as well as other disease-causing viruses, in the lab. The compounds have not yet been tested in people.
399. The Wuhan coronavirus, also known as SARS-CoV-2 or 2019-nCoV, is a close relative to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus that caused an outbreak in 2003 (SARS-CoV-1), as well as the Middle-East respiratory disease virus (MERS-CoV) that emerged in 2012.
400. All of these viruses cause flu-like symptoms and, frequently, pneumonia.
401. However, no effective treatments have been developed, in part because the relatively small number of cases have not warranted large expenditures by pharmaceutical companies.
402. Hong Liu, Rolf Hilgenfeld and colleagues envisioned a possible solution in the form of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs that target all coronaviruses, as well as enteroviruses — some of which cause conditions like the common cold; hand, foot and mouth disease; and the “summer flu.”
403. All of these viruses share a similar protein-cutting enzyme, called the “main protease” in coronaviruses and the “3C protease” in enteroviruses, that is essential for viral replication.
404. The researchers examined X-ray crystal structures of the proteases and then made a series of α-ketoamide compounds that were predicted to fit snugly in the enzymes’ active sites, interfering with their function.
405. By testing the molecules in the test tube and in human cells in petri dishes, they identified one versatile inhibitor that blocked multiple coronaviruses and enteroviruses, including SARS-CoV-1.
406. Another molecule showed very strong activity against MERS-CoV, with moderate activity against the other viruses.
407. Because the main proteases of SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-1 are very similar, the inhibitors will most likely show good antiviral activity against the Wuhan coronavirus, the researchers say.
408. Their next step will be to test the inhibitors in small-animal models of disease.
1. BARREL, it sure looks like we are being sold another fake news bill of goods? WE REPORT. YOU DECIDE.
Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi and the anti-TRUMP lobby and media can’t let POTUS TRUMP alone and have again accused POTUS TRUMP this time of not timely responding to coronavirus COVID-19.
2. Yes, PORK, it sure looks like their do nothing failure to do their homework accusations have boomeranged again.
3. And it looks like the response from investors in the stock market is also ludicrous and overreaction.
They too have not done their homework and it looks like the sell off was and still is totally unwarranted once you work past the Schumer Pelosi anti-TRUMP lobby and media negative hype and attempt to create a crisis where the facts dictate that there is none.
4. In my opinion, Schumer, Pelosi, and the anti-TRUMP lobby and media and the frightened investors haven’t done their homework and they clearly don’t know what they are talking about or doing.
5. Take a look at the following. Bottom line, it looks like the Wuhan coronavirus is just another coronavirus and that it originated in the Chinese Wuhan bioresearch/bioweapons lab and that it is not even close to the influenza sickness and deaths where our resources ought to be placed. So check this out. WE REPORT. YOU DECIDE.
6. What is a coronavirus?
7. Coronaviruses are a number of viruses that infect the respiratory system.
8. Note. They are viruses plural.
9. Coronaviruses are found in both animals and people.
10. Coronavirus infections in people are common throughout the world.
11. They don’t usually cause serious illness.
12. Sometimes a coronavirus that infects animals will change and turn into a new coronavirus that can infect people.
13. These coronaviruses can be more serious and sometimes lead to pneumonia which is a life-threatening condition in which fluid builds up in the lungs.
14. Three new coronaviruses have been discovered in recent years:
15. SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), a serious and sometimes fatal respiratory illness.
16. It was first discovered in China in 2002 and spread around the world.
17. An international effort helped quickly contain the spread of the SARS disease.
18. There were no deaths from SARS in the U.S.
19. There have been no new cases of SARS reported anywhere in world since 2004.
20. MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome), a severe respiratory illness discovered in Saudi Arabia in 2012 which has spread to 27 countries.
21. Only two cases and no deaths there from have been reported in the United States.
22. All cases have been linked to travel or residence in or around the Arabian Peninsula.
23. COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) was discovered in late 2019 in Wuhan City, in the Hubei Province of China. Only a few cases have been found in the U.S. and no deaths.
24. Why was this coronavirus discovered in Wuhan City?
25. Because it looks like the Chinese were testing viruses at their bioresearch/bioweapons lab in Wuhan and the disease in all liklihood spread from the lab, that is why.
26. Think about the following analysis and see what you think.
27. “Don’t buy China’s story: The coronavirus may have leaked from a lab
30. “At an emergency meeting in Beijing held last Friday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke about the need to contain the coronavirus and set up a system to prevent similar epidemics in the future.
31. “A national system to control biosecurity risks must be put in place “to protect the people’s health,” Xi said, because lab safety is a “national security” issue.
32. “Xi didn’t actually admit that the coronavirus now devastating large swaths of China had escaped from one of the country’s bioresearch labs. But the very next day, evidence emerged suggesting that this is exactly what happened, as the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology released a new directive titled: “Instructions on strengthening biosecurity management in microbiology labs that handle advanced viruses like the novel coronavirus.”
33. “Read that again. It sure sounds like China has a problem keeping dangerous pathogens in test tubes where they belong, doesn’t it? And just how many “microbiology labs” are there in China that handle “advanced viruses like the novel coronavirus”?
34. “It turns out that in all of China, there is only one. And this one is located in the Chinese city of Wuhan that just happens to be … the epicenter of the epidemic.
35. “That’s right. China’s only Level 4 microbiology lab that is equipped to handle deadly coronaviruses, called the National Biosafety Laboratory, is part of the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
36. “… What’s more, the People’s Liberation Army’s top expert in biological warfare, a Maj. Gen. Chen Wei, was dispatched to Wuhan at the end of January to help with the effort to contain the outbreak.
37. “According to the PLA Daily, Chen has been researching corona viruses since the SARS outbreak of 2003, as well as Ebola and anthrax.
38. “This would not be her first trip to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, either, since it is one of only two bioweapons research labs in all of China.
39. “Does that suggest to you that the novel coronavirus, now known as SARS-CoV-2, may have escaped from that very lab, and that Chen’s job is to try to put the genie back in the bottle, as it were? It does to me.
40. “Add to this China’s history of similar incidents. Even the deadly SARS virus has escaped — twice — from the Beijing lab where it was (and probably is) being used in experiments.
41. Both “man-made” epidemics were quickly contained, but neither would have happened at all if proper safety precautions had been taken.
42. “And then there is this little-known fact: Some Chinese researchers are in the habit of selling their laboratory animals to street vendors after they have finished experimenting on them.
43. “You heard me right.
44. “Instead of properly disposing of infected animals by cremation, as the law requires, they sell them on the side to make a little extra cash. Or, in some cases, a lot of extra cash.
45. “One Beijing researcher, now in jail, made a million dollars selling his monkeys and rats on the live animal market, where they eventually wound up in someone’s stomach.
46. “Enlarge Image Members of a police sanitation team spray disinfectant as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus.AFP via Getty Images
47. “Also fueling suspicions about SARS-CoV-2’s origins is the series of increasingly lame excuses offered by the Chinese authorities as people began to sicken and die.
48. “They first blamed a seafood market not far from the Institute of Virology, even though the first documented cases of Covid-19 (the illness caused by SARS-CoV-2) involved people who had never set foot there.
49. “Then they pointed to snakes, bats and even a cute little scaly anteater called a pangolin as the source of the virus.
50. “I don’t buy any of this. It turns out that snakes don’t carry coronaviruses and that bats aren’t sold at a seafood market.
51. Neither, for that matter, are pangolins, an endangered species valued for their scales as much as for their meat.
52. “The evidence points to SARS-CoV-2 research being carried out at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
53. “The virus may have been carried out of the lab by an infected worker or crossed over into humans when they unknowingly dined on a lab animal.
54. Whatever the vector, Beijing authorities are now clearly scrambling to correct the serious problems with the way their labs handle deadly pathogens.
55. “[It looks like] China has unleashed a plague on its own people.
56. “It’s too early to say how many in China and other countries will ultimately die for the failures of their country’s state-run microbiology labs, but the human cost will be high.
58. Knowing China’s penchant for “taking care of” those who cause difficulty for the regime, and while there is great effort to put the genie back in the bottle, it looks like heads may roll at the Wuhan Institute of Virology if they have not already done so.
59. Most infections have occurred in China or are related to travel from Hubei Province.
60. There have been some cases reported in United States. NO DEATHS IN THE U.S.
70. Symptoms of COVID-19 are usually milder than those of SARS and MERS.
71. The symptoms of COVID-19 include:
72. Fever
73. Cough
74. Shortness of breath
75. Parts of the world that may put you at risk for infection:
76. China, which has a high rate of COVID-19 infections.
77. Currently the CDC is recommending that people avoid all nonessential travel to China.
78. The Arabian Peninsula.
79. There are no known current cases of MERS in the United States.
80. But if you have symptoms and have recently traveled there, you should be tested for the infection.
81. If you have symptoms and have not traveled to one of these areas or been exposed to someone who has, it’s highly unlikely that you have one of these new coronaviruses.
82. You may have another type of virus, such as the flu.
83. The flu is much more common in the United States than the new coronaviruses.
84. Influenza (flu) Numbers?
85. 3,000,000 to 5,000,000 severe illnesses each year world-wide.
86. 290,000 to 650,000 deaths each year world-wide.
87. 20% of unvaccinated children catch the virus each year.
88. 10% of unvaccinated adults are infected each year.
96. Influenza activity in the United States during the 2018–2019 season began to increase in November and remained at high levels for several weeks during January–February5.
97. Influenza A viruses were the predominant circulating viruses last year.
98. While influenza A(H1N1pdm09) viruses predominated from October 2018 – mid February 2019, influenza A(H3N2) viruses were more commonly reported starting in late February 2019.
99. Influenza B viruses were not commonly reported among circulating viruses during the 2018–2019 season.
100. The season had moderate severity based on levels of outpatient influenza-like illness, hospitalizations rates, and proportions of pneumonia and influenza-associated deaths.
101. CDC estimates that the burden of illness during the 2018–2019 season included an estimated:
102. 35.5 million people getting sick with influenza,
103. 16.5 million people going to a health care provider for their illness,
104. 490,600 hospitalizations, and
105. 34,200 deaths from influenza (Table 1). [annual]
106. The number of influenza-associated illnesses that occurred last season was similar to the estimated number of influenza-associated illnesses during the 2012–2013 influenza season when an estimated:
107. 34 million people had symptomatic influenza illness6.
108. Peak activity during the 2018–2019 influenza season was classified as having moderate severity across ages in the population.
109. Compared with the 2017–2018 season , which was classified as high severity, the overall rates and burden of influenza were much lower during the 2018–2019 season (Table 2).
110. Among children, however, rates of influenza during the 2018–2019 season were similar to the 2017–2018 season.
111. In addition, the 2018–2019 season had two waves of activity, including a wave predominated by influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses and another wave of similar magnitude attributable to influenza A(H3N2) viruses5.
112. The dual waves resulted in a protracted season during 2018–2019 that was less severe when compared with peak activity in 2017–2018, but resulted in a similar burden of illness in children by the end of the season.
113. During the 2018–2019 season, 136 deaths in children with laboratory–confirmed influenza virus infection were reported in the United States8.
114. However, influenza-associated pediatric deaths are likely under-reported as not all children whose death was related to an influenza virus infection may have been tested for influenza9,10.
115. By combining data on hospitalization rates, influenza testing practices, and the frequency of death in and out of the hospital from death certificates, we estimate that there were approximately 480 deaths associated with influenza in children during 2018–2019.
116. Our estimates of hospitalizations and mortality associated with the 2018–2019 influenza season continue to demonstrate how serious influenza virus infection can be.
117. We estimate, overall, there were:
118. 490,600 hospitalizations and
119. 34,200 deaths during the 2018–2019 season.
120. More than:
121. 46,000 hospitalizations occurred in children (aged <18 years); however,
122. 57% of hospitalizations occurred in older adults aged ≥65 years.
123. Older adults also accounted for:
124. 75% of influenza-associated deaths,
125. highlighting that older adults are particularly vulnerable to severe outcomes resulting from an influenza virus infection.
126. An estimated:
127. 8,100 deaths occurred among working age adults (aged 18–64 years), an age group that often has low influenza vaccination uptake11.
128. Conclusion
129. CDC estimates that influenza was associated with
130. more than:
131. 35.5 million illnesses,
132. more than
133. 16.5 million medical visits,
134. 490,600 hospitalizations, and
135. 34,200 deaths
136. during the 2018–2019 influenza season.
137. This burden was similar to estimated burden during the 2012–2013 influenza season1.
140. This is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation and CDC will provide updated information as it becomes available, in addition to updated guidance.
141. Updated February 23, 2020
142. Background
143. CDC is responding to an outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and which has now been detected in 32 locations internationally, including cases in the United States.
144. The virus has been named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”).
146. On January 31, 2020, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency (PHE) for the United States to aid the nation’s healthcare community in responding to COVID-19.
147. Source and Spread of the Virus
148. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats.
149. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people such as with MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and now with this new virus (named SARS-CoV-2).
150. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a betacoronavirus, like MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV.
151. All three of these viruses have their origins in bats. [Probably a bogus conclusion if not a partial explanation as to origins given the Wuhan bioresearch/bioweapons connection!]
152. The sequences from U.S. patients are similar to the one that China initially posted, suggesting a likely single, recent emergence of this virus from an animal reservoir.
153. Early on, many of the patients in the COVID-19 outbreak in Wuhan, China had some link to a large seafood and live animal market, suggesting animal-to-person spread.
154. Later, a growing number of patients reportedly did not have exposure to animal markets, indicating person-to-person spread.
155. Person-to-person spread has been reported outside China, including in the United States and other locations.
156. Chinese officials report that sustained person-to-person spread in the community is occurring in China.
174. Person-to-person spread of COVID-19 also has been seen among close contacts of returned travelers from Wuhan, but at this time, this virus is NOT currently spreading in the community in the United States.
175. Illness Severity
176. Both MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV have been known to cause severe illness in people.
177. The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully understood.
178. Reported illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including illness resulting in death.
180. There are ongoing investigations to learn more.
181. This is a rapidly evolving situation
182. and information will be updated as it becomes available.
183. Risk Assessment
184. Outbreaks of novel virus infections among people are always of public health concern.
185. The risk from these outbreaks depends on characteristics of the virus, including how well it spreads between people, the severity of resulting illness, and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccine or treatment medications).
186. The fact that this disease has caused illness, including illness resulting in death, and sustained person-to-person spread is concerning.
187. These factors meet two of the criteria of a pandemic.
188. As community spread is detected in more and more countries, the world moves closer toward meeting the third criteria, worldwide spread of the new virus.
189. The potential public health threat posed by COVID-19 is high, both globally and to the United States.
190. But individual risk is dependent on exposure.
191. For the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus at this time, the immediate health risk from COVID-19 is considered low.
192. Under current circumstances, certain people will have an increased risk of infection, for example healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19 and other close contacts of persons with COVID-19.
207. Global efforts at this time are focused concurrently on containing spread of this virus and mitigating the impact of this virus.
208. The federal government is working closely with state, local, tribal, and territorial partners, as well as public health partners, to respond to this public health threat.
209. The public health response is multi-layered, with the goal of detecting and minimizing introductions of this virus in the United States so as to reduce the spread and the impact of this virus.
210. CDC is operationalizing all of its pandemic preparedness and response plans, working on multiple fronts to meet these goals, including specific measures to prepare communities to respond local transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19.
211. There is an abundance of pandemic guidance developed in anticipation of an influenza pandemic that is being repurposed and adapted for a COVID-19 pandemic.
212. Highlights of CDC’s Response
213. CDC established a COVID-19 Incident Management System on January 7, 2020.
214. On January 21, 2020, CDC activated its Emergency Operations Center to better provide ongoing support to the COVID-19 response.
215. The U.S. government has taken unprecedented steps with respect to travel in response to the growing public health threat posed by this new coronavirus:
216. Effective February 2, 2020, at 5pm, the U.S. government suspended entry of foreign nationals who have been in China within the past 14 days.
217. U.S. citizens, residents, and their immediate family members who have been in Hubei province and other parts of mainland China are allowed to enter the United States, but they are subject to health monitoring and possible quarantine for up to 14 days.
218. CDC has issued the following travel guidance related to COVID-19:
225. An interim Health Alert Network (HAN) Update to inform state and local health departments and healthcare professionals about this outbreak on February 1, 2020.
228. CDC has deployed multidisciplinary teams to support state health departments with clinical management, contact tracing, and communications.
229. CDC has worked with the Department of State, supporting the safe return of Americans who have been stranded as a result of the ongoing outbreaks of COVID-19 and related travel restrictions.
230. CDC has worked to assess the health of passengers as they return to the United States and provided continued daily monitoring of people who are quarantined.
231. The article contains a picture of CDC’s laboratory test kit for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
232. CDC is shipping the test kits to laboratories CDC has designated as qualified, including U.S. state and local public health laboratories, Department of Defense (DOD) laboratories and select international laboratories.
233. The test kits are bolstering global laboratory capacity for detecting SARS-CoV-2.
234. CDC laboratories have supported the COVID-19 response, including:
235. CDC has developed a real time Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (rRT-PCR) test that can diagnose COVID-19 in respiratory samples from clinical specimens.
241. While the immediate risk of this new virus to the American public is believed to be low at this time, everyone can do their part to help us respond to this emerging public health threat:
242. It’s currently flu and respiratory disease season and CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine, taking everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed.
243. If you are a healthcare provider, be on the look-out for people who recently traveled from China and have fever and respiratory symptoms.
244. If you are a healthcare provider caring for a COVID-19 patient or a public health responder, please take care of yourself and follow recommended infection control procedures.
245. If you have been in China or have been exposed to someone sick with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, you will face some limitations on your movement and activity.
246. Please follow instructions during this time.
247. Your cooperation is integral to the ongoing public health response to try to slow spread of this virus.
248. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, contact your healthcare provider, and tell them about your symptoms and your travel or exposure to a COVID-19 patient.
256. The novel coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 37 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the “Diamond Princess” cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan).
257. The bulk of China’s new cases and deaths are reported after 22:00 GMT (5:00 PM ET) for Hubei (lately with delays of up to 2 hours), and after 00:00 GMT (7:00 PM ET) for the rest of China (lately with delays of up to 9 hours).
258. Search:
Country,Other
Total Cases
NewCases
TotalDeaths
NewDeaths
TotalRecovered
Serious,Critical
China
77,345
+409
2,593
+151
25,036
11,477
S. Korea
833
+231
8
+2
22
6
Diamond Princess
691
3
2
36
Italy
229
+72
7
+4
1
23
Japan
159
+13
1
23
7
Singapore
90
+1
49
7
Hong Kong
81
+7
2
12
6
Iran
61
+18
12
+4
3
USA
53
+18
0
5
Thailand
35
15
2
Taiwan
30
+2
1
2
1
Australia
22
11
Malaysia
22
17
Germany
16
14
Vietnam
16
15
U.K.
13
8
U.A.E.
13
3
2
France
12
1
11
Canada
11
+1
3
Macao
10
5
Kuwait
5
+5
Philippines
3
1
2
India
3
3
Bahrain
2
+2
Israel
2
Oman
2
+2
Russia
2
2
Spain
2
2
Afghanistan
1
+1
Belgium
1
1
Cambodia
1
1
Egypt
1
1
Finland
1
1
Iraq
1
Lebanon
1
Nepal
1
1
Sri Lanka
1
1
Sweden
1
259. Highlighted in green
260. = all cases have recovered from the infection.
261. Highlighted in grey
262. = all cases have had an outcome (there are no active cases).
284. If your provider thinks you may have COVID-19, he or she will contact the CDC or your local health department for instructions on testing.
285. You may be told to go to a special lab for your test.
286. Only certain labs have been allowed to do tests for COVID-19.
287. There are a few ways that a lab may get a sample for testing.
288. Swab test. A health care provider will use a special swab to take a sample from your nose or throat.
289. Nasal aspirate. A health care provider will inject a saline solution into your nose, then remove the sample with gentle suction.
290. Tracheal aspirate. A health care provider will put a thin, lighted tube called a bronchoscope down your mouth and into your lungs, where a sample will be collected.
291. Sputum test. Sputum is a thick mucus that is coughed up from the lungs. You may be asked to cough up sputum into a special cup, or a special swab may be used to take a sample from your nose.
292. Blood. A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm.
293. The FDA has approved more widespread use of a rapid test for COVID-19.
294. The test, which was developed by the CDC, uses samples from the nose, throat, or lungs.
295. It enables fast, accurate diagnosis of the virus.
296. The test is now allowed to be used at any CDC-approved lab across the country.
297. Will I need to do anything to prepare for this test?
298. Your health care provider may ask you to wear a facemask to your appointment.
299. Your provider will let you know if you should take other steps to prevent the spread of infection.
300. Are there any risks to the test?
301. You may feel a tickle or a gagging sensation when your nose or throat is swabbed.
302. The nasal aspirate may feel uncomfortable.
303. These effects are temporary.
304. There is a minor risk of bleeding or infection from a tracheal aspiration.
305. There is very little risk to having a blood test.
306. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly.
307. What do the results mean?
308. If your results were positive, it means you probably have a coronavirus infection.
309. There is no specific treatment for these infections, but your health care provider may recommend steps to relieve your symptoms.
341. The medical information provided is for informational purposes only, and is not to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
342. Please contact your health care provider with questions you may have regarding medical conditions or the interpretation of test results.
343. In the event of a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.
351. In a study of more than 1,000 patients published in the journal Radiology, chest CT outperformed lab testing in the diagnosis of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The researchers concluded that CT should be used as the primary screening tool for COVID-19.
352. FULL STORY
353.
354. In a study of more than 1,000 patients published in the journal Radiology, chest CT outperformed lab testing in the diagnosis of 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
355. The researchers concluded that CT should be used as the primary screening tool for COVID-19.
356. In the absence of specific therapeutic drugs or vaccines for COVID-19, it is essential to detect the disease at an early stage and immediately isolate an infected patient from the healthy population.
357. According to the latest guidelines published by the Chinese government, the diagnosis of COVID-19 must be confirmed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or gene sequencing for respiratory or blood specimens, as the key indicator for hospitalization.
358. However, with limitations of sample collection and transportation, as well as kit performance, the total positive rate of RT-PCR for throat swab samples has been reported to be about 30% to 60% at initial presentation.
359. In the current public health emergency, the low sensitivity of RT-PCR implies that a large number of COVID-19 patients won’t be identified quickly and may not receive appropriate treatment.
360. In addition, given the highly contagious nature of the virus, they carry a risk of infecting a larger population.
361. “Early diagnosis of COVID-19 is crucial for disease treatment and control.
362. Compared to RT-PCR, chest CT imaging may be a more reliable, practical and rapid method to diagnose and assess COVID-19, especially in the epidemic area,” the authors wrote.
363. Chest CT, a routine imaging tool for pneumonia diagnosis, is fast and relatively easy to perform.
364. Recent research found that the sensitivity of CT for COVID-19 infection was 98% compared to RT-PCR sensitivity of 71%.
365. For the current study, researchers at Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China, set out to investigate the diagnostic value and consistency of chest CT imaging in comparison to RT-PCR assay in COVID-19.
366. Included in the study were 1,014 patients who underwent both chest CT and RT-PCR tests between January 6 and February 6, 2020.
367. With RT-PCR as reference standard, the performance of chest CT in diagnosing COVID-19 was assessed.
368. For patients with multiple RT-PCR assays, the dynamic conversion of RT-PCR test results (negative to positive, and positive to negative, respectively) was also analyzed as compared with serial chest CT scans.
369. The results showed that 601 patients (59%) had positive RT-PCR results, and 888 (88%) had positive chest CT scans.
370. The sensitivity of chest CT in suggesting COVID-19 was 97%, based on positive RT-PCR results.
371. In patients with negative RT-PCR results, 75% (308 of 413 patients) had positive chest CT findings. Of these, 48% were considered as highly likely cases, with 33% as probable cases.
372. By analysis of serial RT-PCR assays and CT scans, the interval between the initial negative to positive RT-PCR results was 4 to 8 days.
373. “About 81% of the patients with negative RT-PCR results but positive chest CT scans were re-classified as highly likely or probable cases with COVID-19, by the comprehensive analysis of clinical symptoms, typical CT manifestations and dynamic CT follow-ups,” the authors wrote.
385. Radiological Society of North America. “CT provides best diagnosis for COVID-19.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 26 February 2020. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200226151951.htm>.
387. New compounds thwart multiple viruses, including coronavirus
388. Date:
389. February 26, 2020
390. Source:
391. American Chemical Society
392. Summary:
393. According to a Feb. 13 report from the World Health Organization, the Wuhan coronavirus has stricken more than 46,000 people and has caused over 1,300 deaths [world-wide with few in the U.S. and no deaths in the U.S. – Compared to flu this is a no brainer.] since the first cases in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. [How do they know when the testing is so problematical?]
394. Now, researchers have designed compounds that block the replication of similar coronaviruses, as well as other disease-causing viruses, in the lab.
395. The compounds have not yet been tested in people.
396. FULL STORY
397.
398. According to a February 13 report from the World Health Organization, the Wuhan coronavirus has stricken more than 46,000 people and has caused over 1,300 deaths since the first cases in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Now, researchers reporting in ACS’ Journal of Medicinal Chemistry have designed compounds that block the replication of similar coronaviruses, as well as other disease-causing viruses, in the lab. The compounds have not yet been tested in people.
399. The Wuhan coronavirus, also known as SARS-CoV-2 or 2019-nCoV, is a close relative to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus that caused an outbreak in 2003 (SARS-CoV-1), as well as the Middle-East respiratory disease virus (MERS-CoV) that emerged in 2012.
400. All of these viruses cause flu-like symptoms and, frequently, pneumonia.
401. However, no effective treatments have been developed, in part because the relatively small number of cases have not warranted large expenditures by pharmaceutical companies.
402. Hong Liu, Rolf Hilgenfeld and colleagues envisioned a possible solution in the form of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs that target all coronaviruses, as well as enteroviruses — some of which cause conditions like the common cold; hand, foot and mouth disease; and the “summer flu.”
403. All of these viruses share a similar protein-cutting enzyme, called the “main protease” in coronaviruses and the “3C protease” in enteroviruses, that is essential for viral replication.
404. The researchers examined X-ray crystal structures of the proteases and then made a series of α-ketoamide compounds that were predicted to fit snugly in the enzymes’ active sites, interfering with their function.
405. By testing the molecules in the test tube and in human cells in petri dishes, they identified one versatile inhibitor that blocked multiple coronaviruses and enteroviruses, including SARS-CoV-1.
406. Another molecule showed very strong activity against MERS-CoV, with moderate activity against the other viruses.
407. Because the main proteases of SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-1 are very similar, the inhibitors will most likely show good antiviral activity against the Wuhan coronavirus, the researchers say.
408. Their next step will be to test the inhibitors in small-animal models of disease.
1. BARREL, I just read this article from New York Post and now I ask the same question. Did the Corona virus leak from a Chinese bioresearch/bioweapons lab?
2. Take a look at the following analysis. BARREL & PORK.
3. We report. You decide.
4. Don’t buy China’s story: The corona virus may have leaked from a lab
8. “At an emergency meeting in Beijing held last Friday, Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke about the need to contain the coronavirus and set up a system to prevent similar epidemics in the future.
9. “A national system to control biosecurity risks must be put in place “to protect the people’s health,” Xi said, because lab safety is a “national security” issue.
10. “Xi didn’t actually admit that the coronavirus now devastating large swaths of China had escaped from one of the country’s bioresearch labs. But the very next day, evidence emerged suggesting that this is exactly what happened, as the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology released a new directive titled: “Instructions on strengthening biosecurity management in microbiology labs that handle advanced viruses like the novel coronavirus.”
11. Read that again. It sure sounds like China has a problem keeping dangerous pathogens in test tubes where they belong, doesn’t it? And just how many “microbiology labs” are there in China that handle “advanced viruses like the novel coronavirus”?
12. It turns out that in all of China, there is only one. And this one is located in the Chinese city of Wuhan that just happens to be … the epicenter of the epidemic.
13. That’s right. China’s only Level 4 microbiology lab that is equipped to handle deadly coronaviruses, called the National Biosafety Laboratory, is part of the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
14. … What’s more, the People’s Liberation Army’s top expert in biological warfare, a Maj. Gen. Chen Wei, was dispatched to Wuhan at the end of January to help with the effort to contain the outbreak.
15. According to the PLA Daily, Chen has been researching corona viruses since the SARS outbreak of 2003, as well as Ebola and anthrax. This would not be her first trip to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, either, since it is one of only two bioweapons research labs in all of China.
16. Does that suggest to you that the novel coronavirus, now known as SARS-CoV-2, may have escaped from that very lab, and that Chen’s job is to try to put the genie back in the bottle, as it were? It does to me.
17. Add to this China’s history of similar incidents. Even the deadly SARS virus has escaped — twice — from the Beijing lab where it was (and probably is) being used in experiments. Both “man-made” epidemics were quickly contained, but neither would have happened at all if proper safety precautions had been taken.
18. And then there is this little-known fact: Some Chinese researchers are in the habit of selling their laboratory animals to street vendors after they have finished experimenting on them.
19. You heard me right.
20. Instead of properly disposing of infected animals by cremation, as the law requires, they sell them on the side to make a little extra cash. Or, in some cases, a lot of extra cash. One Beijing researcher, now in jail, made a million dollars selling his monkeys and rats on the live animal market, where they eventually wound up in someone’s stomach.
21. Enlarge ImageMembers of a police sanitation team spray disinfectant as a preventive measure against the spread of the coronavirus.AFP via Getty Images
22. Also fueling suspicions about SARS-CoV-2’s origins is the series of increasingly lame excuses offered by the Chinese authorities as people began to sicken and die.
23. They first blamed a seafood market not far from the Institute of Virology, even though the first documented cases of Covid-19 (the illness caused by SARS-CoV-2) involved people who had never set foot there.
24. Then they pointed to snakes, bats and even a cute little scaly anteater called a pangolin as the source of the virus.
25. I don’t buy any of this. It turns out that snakes don’t carry coronaviruses and that bats aren’t sold at a seafood market. Neither, for that matter, are pangolins, an endangered species valued for their scales as much as for their meat.
26. The evidence points to SARS-CoV-2 research being carried out at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. The virus may have been carried out of the lab by an infected worker or crossed over into humans when they unknowingly dined on a lab animal. Whatever the vector, Beijing authorities are now clearly scrambling to correct the serious problems with the way their labs handle deadly pathogens.
27. [It looks like] China has unleashed a plague on its own people. It’s too early to say how many in China and other countries will ultimately die for the failures of their country’s state-run microbiology labs, but the human cost will be high.
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