Miscellaneous COVID-19/Corona Virus Discussion, Questions, etc.

[pipoz4444]

What is it that the following countries are doing that gives them such a relatively low death rate %, compared to others
Germany
Austria
Norway
Australia
Israel
Finland
Singapore
Taiwan

I realize that the a number of these countries still have relatively low case numbers to some of the worst 12 Countries affected to date, but Germany is No 5 most cases and Austria is no 12 most cases, yet their Rates of Death are very low
Germany DR is 0.59% and 3 persons per Million
Austria DR is 0.71% and 5 persons per Million
Norway DR is 0.42% and 3 persons per Million

Also the first case of Covid 19 was reported in Singapore on 23 January 2020, very early compared to many other countries, yet the reported case number have only reached 683 with 2 Deaths, a RD of 0.3 persons per Million. Singapore as well is a very densely populated city with living conditions and social habits similar to both China and Hong Kong. Much more dense in close of social distance, than the European and USA

Hong Kong also recorded it first case of Covid 19 on 23 January 2020, same day as Singapore. For all HK's crowed conditions and the fact that it is on the door step of China, HK appears to have relatively low reported case numbers and few deaths (454 Cases Reported and 4 Deaths). Either HK is very lucky or the numbers reported are severely understated

One would think that Hong Kong would have been the first Counties/Cities to catch the Covid 19 Virus after mainland China, given the daily travel of numbers of Chinese people to and fro. It just doesn't add up that Hong Kong appears to be in such a good position with the virus outbreak?

Either way Singapore and Hong Kong, both very crowed cities, with close social contact, dense high rise living conditions, similar social & eating habits, who both reported their first case on 23 January (2 months ago) have had such a slow rate of spread of that virus through their communities, compared to other countries who have reported their first cases of the virus at end January 2020 (Italy, Spain, Germany France) and even later in month of February 2020 (i.e. Switzerland)

Covid 19 has raced through Europe and the USA in an matter of 2 months, resulting in thousands of Cases and Deaths at a higher %, but when you look at both Singapore and Hong Kong, the spread and death impact of the Covid 19, appears slow (assuming the report numbers are reasonably accurate)

pipoz4444

[Udon Map]

Singapore may jail people who stand close

From The Bangkok Post

The city-state has introduced a series of new measures to tackle the virus, including closing bars and cinemas as well as banning large events

SINGAPORE: Singaporeans could be jailed for up to six months if they intentionally stand close to someone else, under tough new rules announced Friday to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

The city-state has introduced a series of new measures to tackle the virus, including closing bars and cinemas as well as banning large events.

One step aimed at ensuring "social-distancing" — a key approach being used worldwide to halt the spread of the contagious disease — is a ban on individuals standing less than one metre apart in certain settings.

People are barred from intentionally standing too close to someone else in a queue, or sitting on a seat less than one metre from another individual in a public place, according to the regulations.

Those found guilty of breaking the rules face a jail term of up to six months and a maximum fine of S$10,000 (230,000 baht or US$7,000).

Business owners are also required to take steps such as putting seats not fixed to the ground at least one metre apart, and making sure that people keep their distance when queueing.

They face the same punishments if found to have broken the rules.

Singapore, known for having a low crime rate and a tough approach to law and order, introduced stricter curbs after a spike in infections being brought in from overseas.

The health ministry said earlier this week that "we must implement tighter safe distancing measures now to minimise activities and exposure".

The city-state has reported 683 virus infections and two deaths, but has won praise for its approach and has so far avoided going into a total lockdown.

The rapidly spreading pandemic has infected over half a million people worldwide and killed more than 23,000.


Courtesy of The Bangkok Post
https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/18877 ... tand-close

[Udon Map]

Committee Set Up To Find Those Responsible For Organising March 6 Boxing Event

From The Nation

Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong on Thursday (March 26) ordered the setting up of a committee to find the people responsible for holding a competition in Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on March 6.

The boxing stadium, which is under the management of the Royal Thai Army, has been the hotbed for the spread of the new coronaviris (Covid-19) in Thailand, prompting demands by Thai netizens to hold the Army accountable. The holding of the event could be deemed a violation of a government diktat, after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, on March 3, ordered all public gathering locations such as sports stadiums to be closed.

The private sector was allowed to hold a public gathering if it strictly followed the Public Health Ministry guidelines while the authorities of the public sector were ordered to consider the appropriateness of the gathering before granting permission.


Courtesy of The Nation
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30384871

[Udon Map]

Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong on Thursday (March 26) ordered the setting up of a committee to find the people responsible for holding a competition in Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on March 6.

Just taking a wild guess, I would assume that it's not going to go well for these folks once they're identified.

[pipoz4444]

Tough but highly effective and the rest of the world should take a close look

Singapore reported its first case of Covid 19 on 23 January 2020 and to date their case numbers have only reached 683 with 2 Deaths, a RD of 0.3 persons per Million, in a city very densely populated city with living conditions and social habits similar to both China.

Singapore has only a partial lock down at present, but with a strong focus of tracking/tracing infected contacts and isolation/quarantining them, now combined with a law to ensure minimum social distancing. From the current statistics, one would have to say it it working better in Singapore than it is in the rest of the World, in slowing down the spread of infections.

Fortunately Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, is a strong and astute leader, who can implement the hard decisions, necessary in these times, without needing to debate them in Parliament and beg for votes from the other side. If not the most astute leader of the present day. plus he has Mr Gan Kim Yong to back him up.

pipoz4444

[stattointhailand]

How long ago did it take place........... 3 weeks

forgive my cynicism but I somehow suspect the "scapegoats" have already been identified

[Udon Map]

Video from inside a hospital emergency room in Italy.

A little over five minutes.

[stattointhailand]

Bojo tests positive for coronavirus

[Chuchi]

Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong on Thursday (March 26) ordered the setting up of a committee to find the people responsible for holding a competition in Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on March 6.

Just taking a wild guess, I would assume that it's not going to go well for these folks once they're identified.

https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/army ... 19-cluster

[Udon Map]

Army chief General Apirat Kongsompong on Thursday (March 26) ordered the setting up of a committee to find the people responsible for holding a competition in Lumpinee Boxing Stadium on March 6.

Just taking a wild guess, I would assume that it's not going to go well for these folks once they're identified.

https://thethaiger.com/coronavirus/army ... 19-cluster

This is just the beginning.

[tamada]

Bojo tests positive for coronavirus

...and Hancock, the Health Minister.

[Drunk Monkey]

More bad news out of Italy ..over 900 deaths IN ONE DAY there .. reading same news 44 doctors have died since the outbreak.

I may have missed something but has it been explained and confirmed why Italy has got the virus so bad ??

DM

[sometimewoodworker]

More bad news out of Italy ..over 900 deaths IN ONE DAY there .. reading same news 44 doctors have died since the outbreak.

I may have missed something but has it been explained and confirmed why Italy has got the virus so bad ??

DM

1. Lots of old people

Italians have the sixth-longest life expectancy in the world – 84 years old. That means lots of Italians are elderly: In 2018, 22.6% of its population was 65 or over, among the highest proportions in Europe

.

2. Close proximity

Italians aren’t used to social distancing. They are very physically affectionate people: Hugs and cheek-kisses are common not just among family members but also friends and even work colleagues.

3. Dense population

There isn’t a lot of space in Italy for people to spread out in. Italy is a densely populated country, with an average density of 533 people per square mile. In comparison, Germany has a population density of 235 people per square mile while the U.S. has 94.

4. Northern Italy is a business hub

Milan, in northern Italy, is the country’s financial capital, and has close trade and educational connections with China. The whole region of northern Italy is home to offices for many multinational corporations. Workers travel from all over the world to attend meetings and conventions in northern Italy. An infected person not only could infect others, but those people could rapidly spread out across the entire country.

5. Massive number of cases

As of March 25, China is the only country registering more COVID-19 cases than Italy. With far fewer people, Italy’s infection rate is much higher than China’s. No other country has a truly comparable set of circumstances.

A key factor in emergency management is learning lessons from others in similar circumstances – but there is no one for Italy to learn from at this stage of the crisis. Chinese experts have traveled to Italy to help – but many of the lessons they are bringing only became clear after Italy’s outbreak began, so the Italians are behind where other countries, with more recent outbreaks, may be.

[GT93]

New York is looking pretty vulnerable on some of those factors too. It might soon get really ugly in New York too.

[sometimewoodworker]

New York is looking pretty vulnerable on some of those factors too. It might soon get really ugly in New York too.

For the USA

The rate of increase is also looking very bad cases are doubling in 4 days

Deaths are doubling in 3 days

[Barney]

Not sure if mentioned as there are about 20 threads on Carona but it appears the British company Dyson have answered a call from the PM Boris to help.
They have dropped everything and designed a new ventilator in 10 days. In production now. They are donating quite a few.
Well done to their tech dept.
Have no link sorry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Udon Map]

And among all the other fallout from the virus, a global condom shortage!

Global Condom Shortage Looms
World's largest producer idled for last 10 days by Malaysian lockdown

A worker tests condoms at the Karex condom factory in Pontian, 320 kilometres southeast of Kuala Lumpur. Karex Industries is the world's largest condom maker by volume. (Reuters File Photo)

KUALA LUMPUR: A global shortage of condoms is looming, the world’s biggest producer warns, as a coronavirus lockdown has forced it to shut down production.

Karex Bhd makes one in every five condoms used globally. It has not produced a single condom from its three Malaysian factories in the past 10 days because of the lockdown imposed by the government to halt the spread of the virus.

That’s already a shortfall of 100 million condoms, normally marketed internationally by brands such as Durex, supplied to state healthcare systems such as Britain’s National Health Service or distributed by aid programmes including the UN Population Fund.

“We are going to see a global shortage of condoms everywhere, which is going to be scary,” Karex chief executive Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters this week.

“My concern is that for a lot of humanitarian programmes in Africa, the shortage will not just be two weeks or a month. That shortage can run into months.”

Malaysia is Southeast Asia’s worst affected country, with 2,161 coronavirus infections and 26 deaths. The lockdown is due to remain in place at least until April 14.

The other major condom-producing countries are China, where the virus originated and led to widespread factory shutdowns, and India and Thailand, which are seeing infections spiking only now.

Makers of other critical items such as medical gloves have also faced disruptions in their operations in Malaysia.

Goh said Karex was in the process of appealing to the government for an exemption to operate under specific conditions. Malaysia is allowing some other makers of essential goods to operate with half of their workforce.

“The good thing is that the demand for condoms is still very strong because like it or not, it’s still an essential to have,” Goh said. “Given that at this point in time people are probably not planning to have children. It’s not the time, with so much uncertainty.”


Courtesy of The Bangkok Post
https://www.bangkokpost.com/world/18878 ... s#cxrecs_s

[pipoz4444]

Not sure if mentioned as there are about 20 threads on Carona but it appears the British company Dyson have answered a call from the PM Boris to help.
They have dropped everything and designed a new ventilator in 10 days. In production now. They are donating quite a few.
Well done to their tech dept.
Have no link sorry.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi Barney and yes I saw this, and a little to late in my view. I just wonder why it takes any Government so long, to get these type of measures/actions in place. In WW2 they almost converted factories overnight to the manufacture of what was needed for that effort.

But with this Covid 19, it seems as though actions such as this, are taking weeks if not a month, before they can get them up and running. Getting the extra manufacturing of ventilators, other medical equipment, masks, isolation facilities and the like underway, as a precautionary measure should have been an absolute priority and should have been in place by end February, if they were really thinking ahead. I often wonder whether the delay is because they have to agree commercial matters (i.e. the price) with Companies, before they start the process.

I just can’t believe that some of these Governments, did not have an “Emergency Epidemic Response Plan” of some sorts in place, before this Covid 10 started and certainly by end January 2020, when the numbers were already significant in China, plus given the previous warnings the World has had with other virsus, such as Bird Flu H5N1 (1997), SARS (2003), HPA1 (2004) & Ebola (2014-2016) over the past 20 years.

I just see a lot of these Governments, being either unprepared for an event such as this, or too slow off the mark to recognize the potential impact of Covid 19 and then act.

pipoz4444

[747man]

#Thailand reported 109 new #COVID19 #coronavirus cases, taking the total to 1,245, the Public Health Ministry said. One new death case was reported. Total death cases now at 6. #BangkokPost #Thailand

[747man]

Those Look a Little on The LARGE Size for HERE !!