Page 12 of 25 FirstFirst ... 2101112131422 ... LastLast
Results 166 to 180 of 364

Thread: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Wuhan Pneumonia

  1. #166
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

  2. #167
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Ironic cancellation

    It's overwhelming how viral this has gone.

    World
    Coronavirus Conference Gets Canceled Because of Coronavirus

    By David Welch
    March 10, 2020, 2:11 PM PDT

    We’re tracking the latest on the coronavirus outbreak and the global response. Sign up here for our daily newsletter on what you need to know.

    So much for keeping business rolling during the coronavirus pandemic.

    The Council on Foreign Relations has canceled a roundtable called “Doing Business Under Coronavirus” scheduled for Friday in New York due to the spread of the infection itself. CFR has also canceled other in-person conferences that were scheduled from March 11 to April 3, including roundtables in New York and Washington and national events around the U.S.

    The CFR’s confabs are joining a long list of canceled or postponed gatherings, including the annual New York auto show. The Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association said Tuesday that the car show will be rescheduled to late August.

    Events in metro New York are coming under close scrutiny due to an increase in cases in the city and, in particular, an outbreak in the suburb of New Rochelle. The National Guard will be sent to the town to help close public gathering spaces in an effort to slow the spread of the outbreak, Governor Andrew Cuomo said at a press conference.



    Across the U.S., the spread of the novel virus has so far scuttled more than 50 major corporate events with an estimated attendance of almost 1 million people, according to data collected by Bloomberg News.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  3. #168
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    This may be why there's less in the US

    In science, this is called a sampling error. If we don't test, we don't test positive.

    One chart shows how many coronavirus tests per capita have been completed in 8 countries. The US is woefully behind.
    Aylin Woodward and Skye Gould Mar 9, 2020, 4:20 PM


    Medical staff guiding drivers at a "drive-thru" virus-test facility in Goyang, South Korea, on February 29. Getty Images
    As the novel coronavirus spreads globally — more than 100 countries have reported cases — governments are ramping up testing.

    South Korea and China have tested hundreds of thousands of cases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US has tested fewer than 2,000.

    The US has performed five coronavirus tests per million people, compared with South Korea's 3,692 tests per million people.

    More than 113,000 coronavirus infections and nearly 4,000 deaths have been confirmed. About 70% of cases and deaths are in China.


    As of Sunday, 1,707 Americans had been tested for the novel coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. South Korea, by contrast, has tested more than 189,000 people. The two countries announced their first coronavirus cases on the same day.

    In the US, test-kit shortages have hampered health authorities' ability to get a clear sense of how many Americans are infected. Compared with many other countries affected by the coronavirus, in fact, the US has done the fewest COVID-19 tests per capita.

    South Korea's testing total so far, when broken down into number of tests performed per million citizens, seems to be about 700 times as high than the US's.

    How many people have been tested per capita in 8 countries

    Skye Gould/Business Insider

    Because China has not published national data about its coronavirus testing, its Guangdong province is used here for purposes of comparison.

    Not every country reports their testing numbers using the same metric. The UK reports it as "people tested," the US reports number of "patients," and Japan reports it as "persons." South Korea reports their testing total as "cases," Israel, Guangdong, and the Netherlands as number of "tests," and Italy as number of "swabs."

    "The infectious-disease community and the public-health community desire to do much more testing than is currently feasible," William Schaffner, an infectious-disease specialist at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Tennessee, told Business Insider on February 26.

    "Other countries are testing much more broadly than we are," he added. "We are trotting along while they're racing along."

    It's likely that the US has done more tests than the CDC's reported figure suggests, since the agency isn't tallying tests performed at state and private labs in the past week. The US Food and Drug Administration's commissioner, Stephen Hahn, said on Friday that the US had actually conducted 5,861 coronavirus tests, CNN reported. That number did not include tests conducted at private and commercial labs, Hahn added.


    People in the New York City subway on March 3. Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

    But even that higher number of tests per capita would still put the US behind the other seven countries listed above, with 18 tests per million people.

    Testing influences what we know about the coronavirus' death rate

    Without adequate testing, it's challenging for US public-health officials to grasp the scope of the outbreak's spread and determine how dangerous it is. More widespread testing could alter the disease's known death rate, a basic calculation that divides the number of reported deaths by the number of confirmed cases.

    The US has one of the highest death rates in the world — about 3.6% as of Monday — but that's probably because so few mild cases have been counted.

    Because testing capacity has been limited in the US, the CDC initially held stringent standards for who qualified. Until last week, the agency tested only people who had recent exposure to a confirmed patient, had traveled to a country with an outbreak, or required hospitalization.

    So the US still probably has not tested or provided diagnoses to some patients with mild cases. Twenty-two Americans have died out of about 600 cases.


    A healthcare worker preparing to transport a patient at Life Care Center of Kirkland, Washington, on February 29. David Ryder/Getty Images

    South Korea, which has the third-highest number of cases behind Italy and China, has a death rate of just 0.7% — 50 people have died out of 7,478 cases.

    Many patients are still hospitalized, however, so their conditions could change with time.

    A disease's death rate is also different from its mortality rate — the latter is the number of deaths out of the number of people in an at-risk population. The death rate is not a reflection of the likelihood that any given person will die of infection.

    Aria Bendix contributed reporting.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  4. #169
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Another centarian survives


    Coronavirus: 103-year-old woman becomes oldest person to beat disease

    Centenarian recovers after just six days of treatment at hospital in virus epicentre
    Chiara Giordano
    32 minutes ago

    A 103-year-old woman has become the oldest person to beat coronavirus and return home.

    Zhang Guangfen recovered from the disease after receiving treatment for just six days at a hospital in Wuhan – the Chinese city at the centre of the outbreak.

    The centenarian’s quick recovery was down to her having no underlying health conditions apart from mild chronic bronchitis, her doctor Dr Zeng Yulan told reporters.

    She was diagnosed at Liyuan Hospital, Tongji Medical College, in Wuhan on 1 March, Chutian Metropolis Daily reports.

    The newspaper published a video showing the woman being escorted out of the hospital to a waiting ambulance by a group of medical workers as she was discharged on Tuesday.

    Older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions are more at risk of developing severe coronavirus symptoms.

    The grandmother has become the oldest person to recover from the deadly disease so far – days after a 101-year-old man also beat the virus in Wuhan.

    A 100-year-old man with Alzheimer’s disease, hypertension and heart failure also recovered from the virus in Wuhan this week after being treated by military doctors.

    Wuhan’s 11 million residents have been in lockdown since late January.

    The disease has infected more than 80,700 people in China and killed more than 3,000.


    103-year-old Zhang Guangfen has been discharged from hospital in Wuhan, China, after recovering from coronavirus. (Chutian Metropolis Daily/screen grab)

    Latest figures from the National Health Commission on the spread of the virus showed 24 new cases across China, and 22 more deaths as of Tuesday.

    All of the latest deaths occurred in Wuhan.

    However new infections in the wider Hubei province continue to stabilise, with new cases declining for the sixth day. All 13 new cases in Hubei were recorded in Wuhan.

    Additional reporting by agencies.

    THREADS
    Give it up to the elderly!!!!!
    COVID-19
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  5. #170
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Tai Chi in quarantine

    This isn't quite Tai Chi as medicine, unless you count COVID-19 quarantine activities as medicine. However, if I ever get quarantined like this, It'll surely be my Kung Fu practice that keeps me sane.

    Fresno couple first heard of coronavirus on Hawaii cruise. Now they await another quarantine
    BY CARMEN GEORGE
    MARCH 11, 2020 08:13 AM
    BY BETHANY CLOUGH

    Paula and Tom Yost of Fresno, both 80, have been doing more of their tai chi martial arts exercises lately as a way to stay active during a coronavirus quarantine that’s kept them confined to their room on the Grand Princess cruise ship.

    They and many other passengers haven’t been able to leave their rooms since Saturday – also the first day the Yosts learned of the contagious virus that’s been causing worldwide concern. The California couple didn’t have internet access during a four-day journey from Hawaii across the Pacific Ocean. The Grand Princess docked in Oakland on Monday.

    Paula said she’s not worried about catching coronavirus – even though at least 26 people on the Grand Princess tested positive for the virus.

    “I think I’m making a lot of memories,” Paula said positively on Tuesday from her room on the Grand Princess, “and will have a lot of things to talk about in the future.”

    Paula said while she and her husband hadn’t been tested for the virus, they haven’t experienced virus symptoms and felt OK.

    COVID-19 has killed more than 30 people in the U.S. and more than 4,000 people around the world. Thousands more have fallen ill and recovered.


    Paula Yost, pictured at right, with a plastic baby doll on the Grand Princess cruise ship; and people dressed in hazmat suits in the Port of Oakland, as seen from a balcony of the ship that docked in Oakland on March 9, 2020. PAULA YOST SPECIAL TO THE BEE

    The Yosts were still waiting Tuesday night to be unloaded from the Grand Princess – what they think will happen Wednesday. From there, the Yosts expected to bused to a California military base for a 14-day precautionary quarantine.

    State officials said the nearly 1,000 Grand Princess passengers who reside in California will be taken to Travis Air Force Base, near Fairfield, or Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, near San Diego.

    The Yosts’ quarantine has been a very unexpected ending to a fun Hawaiian vacation for their 62nd wedding anniversary, but they have been making the most of their confinement.

    Paula has been keeping herself busy with crafts and movies, including “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” about beloved children’s show host Mr. Rogers.

    Tom was standing on the balcony of their room Tuesday, watching the world below with interest as buses zipped in and out of a parking lot where people dressed in hazmat suits moved back and forth.


    Ambulances and buses near the Grand Princess, as seen from the balcony of Tom and Paula Yost’s cruise ship room. The ship docked in the Port of Oakland on March 9, 2020. PAULA YOST SPECIAL TO THE BEE

    They left California at the end of February for a journey that took them to several Hawaiian islands. The ship bypassed its last planned stop, in Mexico, on the way back because some passengers had coronavirus.

    People dressed in hazmat suits have been delivering food to their room, which has its own balcony, bathroom, and small fridge. The Yosts have been keeping in touch with their children and grandchildren by telephone and Facebook.


    Paula Yost’s plastic baby doll next to information about how to disembark the Grand Princess cruise ship, which docked in the Port of Oakland on March 9, 2020. PAULA YOST SPECIAL TO THE BEE

    Paula posted three photos on her Facebook as the Grand Princess entered the Port of Oakland – two featuring a small plastic baby doll that she likes to put in various travel photos. One shows the doll next to information about how to disembark the ship, with the caption, “Guess who is having a good time. Lots of chocolate on board.”

    Despite her upbeat attitude, Paula said is eager to leave the ship and be able to resume her daily 2-mile walks.

    She doesn’t know what to expect next, but said she isn’t concerned about a military base quarantine. Her husband is a former Marine.

    Paula said she and her husband didn’t have any immediate upcoming plans, but their cat will now have to stay with a cat sitter a little longer than expected.

    “I feel very safe. I feel taken care of. If you could see all of this, you’d understand,” Paula said of what’s been happening in and around the Grand Princess. “The ship organized it very good. … If people would just see how hard these people are working. I would like to thank every one of them.”

    Any other messages to share with the public? From Paula’s standpoint: Don’t let coronavirus mess with your vacation plans.

    “I would say that if they got a trip planned, go ahead and do it,” Paula said. “Don’t let them stop you from enjoying life.”
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  6. #171
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Official Pandemic

    Don't panic.

    THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS
    Coronavirus: COVID-19 Is Now Officially A Pandemic, WHO Says

    March 11, 202012:30 PM ET
    BILL CHAPPELL


    The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 viral disease a pandemic Wednesday. Here, workers in Spain place a mask on a figure that was to be part of the Fallas festival in Valencia. The upcoming festival has been cancelled over the coronavirus outbreak.
    Alberto Saiz/AP

    Updated at 2 p.m. ET

    The COVID-19 viral disease that has swept into at least 114 countries and killed more than 4,000 people is now officially a pandemic, the World Health Organization announced Wednesday.

    "This is the first pandemic caused by coronavirus," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared at a briefing in Geneva.

    Even as he raised the health emergency to its highest level, Tedros said hope remains that COVID-19 can be curtailed. And he urged countries to take action now to stop the disease.

    "WHO has been in full response mode since we were notified of the first cases," Tedros said. "And we have called every day for countries to take urgent and aggressive action. We have rung the alarm bell loud and clear."

    Eight countries — including the U.S. — are now each reporting more than 1,000 cases of COVID-19, caused by the virus that has infected nearly 120,000 people worldwide.


    YouTube

    "In the past two weeks, the number of cases of COVID-19 outside China has increased 13-fold, and the number of affected countries has tripled," Tedros said.

    By subscribing, you agree to NPR's terms of use and privacy policy. NPR may share your name and email address with your NPR station. See Details. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    "In the days and weeks ahead, we expect to see the number of cases, the number of deaths, and the number of affected countries climb even higher."

    The WHO is "deeply concerned, both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction" by world leaders in response to the outbreak, Tedros said.

    "We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic," he declared.

    Still, Tedros said people should not fear the designation and that it should not be taken to mean that the fight against the virus is over.

    "Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO's assessment of the threat posed by the virus," Tedros said. "It doesn't change what WHO is doing. And it doesn't change what countries should do."

    The WHO had declared the outbreak a global health emergency in January, as cases surged in China, where the novel coronavirus was first detected.

    In Italy, more than 630 people have died of COVID-19 and the total number of cases continues to rise sharply. The country now has 10,000 cases, second only to China. There are 9,000 cases in Iran, and more than 7,700 in South Korea.

    Those four nations are all imposing drastic measures in an attempt to slow the spread of the COVID-19 illness, which has a higher fatality rate for elderly people and those with underlying health conditions.

    Those countries also have more than 90 percent of current cases, Tedros noted, adding that both China and South Korea have had success in reining in their epidemics. Data from China, he said, showed that the number of new cases there peaked in late January and early February.

    "We cannot say this loudly enough, or clearly enough, or often enough: All countries can still change the course of this pandemic," Tedros said.

    However, the viral disease continues to spread around the globe.

    "In the Americas, Honduras, Jamaica and Panama are all confirming coronavirus infections for the first time," NPR's Jason Beaubien reports. "Elsewhere Mongolia and Cyprus are also now reporting cases."

    As the outbreak has ballooned, so has speculation that the WHO would declare it a pandemic. But Tedros said WHO experts had previously determined that the scale of the coronavirus's impact didn't warrant that description. And he noted that declaring the outbreak a pandemic would raise the risk of a public panic.


    It's now up to other countries to prove they can stop the disease, Tedros reiterated.

    "The challenge for many countries who are now dealing with large clusters or community transmission is not whether they can do the same," he said. "It's whether they will."

    "People, we're in this together, to do the right things with calm and protect the citizens of the world," Tedros said as he concluded his remarks.

    "It's doable."

    Coronavirus symptoms and prevention

    To prevent the coronavirus from spreading, the CDC recommends washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using a hand sanitizer if a sink isn't available. The World Health Organization says people should wear face masks only if they're sick or caring for someone who is.

    "For most people, COVID-19 infection will cause mild illness; however, it can make some people very ill and, in some people, it can be fatal," the WHO says. "Older people, and those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease or diabetes) are at risk for severe disease."

    The most common symptoms of COVID-19, according to a recent WHO report that draws on more than 70,000 cases in China: fever (in 88% of cases); dry cough (68%); fatigue (38%); sputum/phlegm production (33%).

    Shortness of breath occurred in nearly 20% of cases, and about 13% had a sore throat or headache, the WHO said.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  7. #172
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    more vindication

    Postponing TCEC 2020 was the way to go.

    Cancel Everything
    Social distancing is the only way to stop the coronavirus. We must start immediately.
    MARCH 10, 2020
    Yascha Mounk
    Contributing writer at The Atlantic


    SPENCER PLATT / GETTY

    We don’t yet know the full ramifications of the novel coronavirus. But three crucial facts have become clear in the first months of this extraordinary global event. And what they add up to is not an invocation to stay calm, as so many politicians around the globe are incessantly suggesting; it is, on the contrary, the case for changing our behavior in radical ways—right now.

    The first fact is that, at least in the initial stages, documented cases of COVID-19 seem to increase in exponential fashion. On the 23rd of January, China’s Hubei province, which contains the city of Wuhan, had 444 confirmed COVID-19 cases. A week later, by the 30th of January, it had 4,903 cases. Another week later, by the 6th of February, it had 22,112.

    The same story is now playing out in other countries around the world. Italy had 62 identified cases of COVID-19 on the 22nd of February. It had 888 cases by the 29th of February, and 4,636 by the 6th of March.

    Because the United States has been extremely sluggish in testing patients for the coronavirus, the official tally of 604 likely represents a fraction of the real caseload. But even if we take this number at face value, it suggests that we should prepare to have up to 10 times as many cases a week from today, and up to 100 times as many cases two weeks from today.

    The second fact is that this disease is deadlier than the flu, to which the honestly ill-informed and the wantonly irresponsible insist on comparing it. Early guesstimates, made before data were widely available, suggested that the fatality rate for the coronavirus might wind up being about 1 percent. If that guess proves true, the coronavirus is 10 times as deadly as the flu.

    But there is reason to fear that the fatality rate could be much higher. According to the World Health Organization, the current case fatality rate—a common measure of what portion of confirmed patients die from a particular disease—stands at 3.4 percent. This figure could be an overstatement, because mild cases of the disease are less likely to be diagnosed. Or it could be an understatement, because many patients have already been diagnosed with the virus but have not yet recovered (and may still die).

    When the coronavirus first spread to South Korea, many observers pointed to the comparatively low death rates in the country to justify undue optimism. In countries with highly developed medical systems, they claimed, a smaller portion of patients would die. But while more than half of all diagnosed patients in China have now been cured, most South Korean patients are still in the throes of the disease. Of the 7,478 confirmed cases, only 118 have recovered; the low death rate may yet rise.

    Meanwhile, the news from Italy, another country with a highly developed medical system, has so far been shockingly bad. In the affluent region of Lombardy, for example, there have been 7,375 confirmed cases of the virus as of Sunday. Of these patients, 622 had recovered, 366 had died, and the majority were still sick. Even under the highly implausible assumption that all of the still-sick make a full recovery, this would suggest a case fatality rate of 5 percent—significantly higher, not lower, than in China.

    The third fact is that so far only one measure has been effective against the coronavirus: extreme social distancing.

    Before China canceled all public gatherings, asked most citizens to self-quarantine, and sealed off the most heavily affected region, the virus was spreading in exponential fashion. Once the government imposed social distancing, the number of new cases leveled off; now, at least according to official statistics, every day brings more news of existing patients who are healed than of patients who are newly infected.

    A few other countries have taken energetic steps to increase social distancing before the epidemic reached devastating proportions. In Singapore, for example, the government quickly canceled public events and installed medical stations to measure the body temperature of passersby while private companies handed out free hand sanitizer. As a result, the number of cases has grown much more slowly than in nearby countries.

    These three facts imply a simple conclusion. The coronavirus could spread with frightening rapidity, overburdening our health-care system and claiming lives, until we adopt serious forms of social distancing.

    This suggests that anyone in a position of power or authority, instead of downplaying the dangers of the coronavirus, should ask people to stay away from public places, cancel big gatherings, and restrict most forms of nonessential travel.

    Given that most forms of social distancing will be useless if sick people cannot get treated—or afford to stay away from work when they are sick—the federal government should also take some additional steps to improve public health. It should take on the costs of medical treatment for the coronavirus, grant paid sick leave to stricken workers, promise not to deport undocumented immigrants who seek medical help, and invest in a rapid expansion of ICU facilities.

    The past days suggest that this administration is unlikely to do these things well or quickly (although the administration signaled on Monday that it will seek relief for hourly workers, among other measures). Hence, the responsibility for social distancing now falls on decision makers at every level of society.

    Do you head a sports team? Play your games in front of an empty stadium.

    Are you organizing a conference? Postpone it until the fall.

    Do you run a business? Tell your employees to work from home.

    Are you the principal of a school or the president of a university? Move classes online before your students get sick and infect their frail relatives.

    Are you running a presidential campaign? Cancel all rallies right now.

    All of these decisions have real costs. Shutting down public schools in New York City, for example, would deprive tens of thousands of kids of urgently needed school meals. But the job of institutions and authorities is to mitigate those costs as much as humanly possible, not to use them as an excuse to put the public at risk of a deadly communicable disease.

    Finally, the most important responsibility falls on each of us. It’s hard to change our own behavior while the administration and the leaders of other important institutions send the social cue that we should go on as normal. But we must change our behavior anyway. If you feel even a little sick, for the love of your neighbor and everyone’s grandpa, do not go to work.

    When the influenza epidemic of 1918 infected a quarter of the U.S. population, killing tens of millions of people, seemingly small choices made the difference between life and death.

    As the disease was spreading, Wilmer Krusen, Philadelphia’s health commissioner, allowed a huge parade to take place on September 28; some 200,000 people marched. In the following days and weeks, the bodies piled up in the city’s morgues. By the end of the season, 12,000 residents had died.

    In St. Louis, a public-health commissioner named Max Starkloff decided to shut the city down. Ignoring the objections of influential businessmen, he closed the city’s schools, bars, cinemas, and sporting events. Thanks to his bold and unpopular actions, the per capita fatality rate in St. Louis was half that of Philadelphia. (In total, roughly 1,700 people died from influenza in St Louis.)

    In the coming days, thousands of people across the country will face the choice between becoming a Wilmer Krusen or a Max Starkloff.

    In the moment, it will seem easier to follow Krusen’s example. For a few days, while none of your peers are taking the same steps, moving classes online or canceling campaign events will seem profoundly odd. People are going to get angry. You will be ridiculed as an extremist or an alarmist. But it is still the right thing to do.

    We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.

    YASCHA MOUNK is a contributing writer at The Atlantic, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, and a senior adviser at Protect Democracy. He is the author of The People vs. Democracy.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  8. #173
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    the meaning of viral

    I guess exponential math is hard for some?


    When a danger is growing exponentially, everything looks fine until it doesn’t



    A used face mask in the underground in Milan, Italy, on Tuesday. (Vittorio Zunino Celotto/AFP/Getty Images)

    By Megan McArdle
    Columnist
    March 10, 2020 at 3:33 p.m. PDT

    There’s an old brain teaser that goes like this: You have a pond of a certain size, and upon that pond, a single lilypad. This particular species of lily pad reproduces once a day, so that on day two, you have two lily pads. On day three, you have four, and so on.

    Now the teaser. “If it takes the lily pads 48 days to cover the pond completely, how long will it take for the pond to be covered halfway?”

    The answer is 47 days. Moreover, at day 40, you’ll barely know the lily pads are there.

    The latest updates on the coronavirus

    That grim math explains why so many people — including me — are worried about the novel coronavirus, which causes a disease known as covid-19. And why so many other people think we are panicking over nothing.

    During the current flu season, they point out, more than 250,000 people have been hospitalized in the United States, and 14,000 have died, including more than 100 children. As of this writing, the coronavirus has killed 29 people, and our caseload is in the hundreds. Why are we freaking out about the tiny threat while ignoring the big one?

    Quite a number of people have suggested that it’s because the media just wants President Trump to look bad. Trump seems particularly fond of this suggestion.

    But go back to those lily pads: When something dangerous is growing exponentially, everything looks fine until it doesn’t. In the early days of the Wuhan epidemic, when no one was taking precautions, the number of cases appears to have doubled every four to five days.

    The crisis in northern Italy is what happens when a fast doubling rate meets a “threshold effect,” where the character of an event can massively change once its size hits a certain threshold.

    In this case, the threshold is things such as ICU beds. If the epidemic is small enough, doctors can provide respiratory support to the significant fraction of patients who develop complications, and relatively few will die. But once the number of critical patients exceeds the number of ventilators and ICU beds and other critical-care facilities, mortality rates spike.

    Daniele Macchini, a doctor in Bergamo, Italy, recently posted a heart-stopping account to Facebook of what he and his colleagues have endured: the hospital emptying out, the wards eerily silent as they waited for the patients they couldn’t quite believe would come … and then, the “tsunami.”

    “One after the other the departments that had been emptied fill up at an impressive pace. … The boards with the names of the patients, of different colors depending on the operating unit, are now all red and instead of surgery you see the diagnosis, which is always the ****ed same: bilateral interstitial pneumonia.”

    A British health-care worker shared a message from a doctor in Italy, who alleged that covid-19 patients in their hospital who are over 65, or have complicating conditions, aren’t even being considered for the most intensive forms of supportive treatment.

    Trump may think he can sugarcoat coronavirus, but media critic Erik Wemple says it is time for the government to speak with one clear voice about public health. (Erik Wemple/The Washington Post)
    The experts are telling us that here in the United States, we can avoid hitting that threshold where sizable regions of the country will suddenly step into hell. We still have time to #flattenthecurve, as a popular infographic put it, slowing the spread so that the number of cases never exceeds what our health system can handle. The United States has an unusually high number of ICU beds, which gives us a head start. But we mustn’t squander that advantage through complacency.

    So everyone needs to understand a few things.

    First, the virus is here, and it is spreading quickly, even though everything looks normal. Right now, the United States has more reported cases than Italy had in late February. What matters isn’t what you can see but what you can’t: the patients who will need ICU care in two to six weeks.

    Second, this is not “a bad flu.” It kills more of its hosts, and it will spread ****her unless we take aggressive steps to slow it down, because no one is yet immune to this disease. It will be quite some time before the virus runs out of new patients.

    Third, we can fight it. Despite early exposure, Singapore and Hong Kong have kept their caseloads low, not by completely shutting down large swaths of their economies as China did but through aggressive personal hygiene and “social distancing.” South Korea seems to be getting its initial outbreak under control using similar measures. If we do the same, we can not only keep our hospitals from overloading but also buy researchers time to develop vaccines and therapies.

    Fourth, and most important: We are all in this together. It is your responsibility to keep America safe by following the CDC guidelines, just as much as it is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s or President Trump’s responsibility to lead us to safety. And until this virus is beaten, we all need to act like it.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  9. #174
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    I've started to hear this from several of my PRC contacts

    I had to postpone two research projects I was working on because they focused on PRC-based subjects and contact became difficult. I'm still waiting on responses from those two but I'm starting to hear from others. There is hope.

    CHINA CLAIMS PEAK OF CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC HAS PASSED AS NEW CASES DECLINE AND MORE THAN 60,000 HAVE RECOVERED
    BY DAVID BRENNAN ON 3/12/20 AT 4:44 AM EDT

    Chinese officials have claimed that the country has passed the peak of the coronavirus outbreak that has spread worldwide and put tens of millions of under lock down.

    A spokesperson from the country's National Health Commission and the deputy director of the Department of Publicity held a press conference Thursday to say that the peak of the epidemic has now passed and that the number of new cases is declining, the state-backed Xinhua news agency reported.

    Mi Feng, the NHC spokesperson, told reporters, "Broadly speaking, the peak of the epidemic has passed for China… The increase of new cases is falling," according to Reuters.

    The officials noted that medical treatment work will remain the top priority and that work to control the spread of the COVID-19 virus will continue.

    The coronavirus outbreak began in the Chinese city of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, in December 2019. China has dealt with more than 80,900 cases, 3,100 deaths and more than 63,000 recoveries, according to DXY.cn, which compiles data from the National Health Commission and regional government sources.

    Reuters noted that Chinese authorities recorded eight new infections in Hubei, which marks the first time since the outbreak that the province recorded a daily tally of fewer than 10. As the number of new infections fall, Hubei will lift certain travel restrictions and will allow some industries to resume production.

    The outbreak has spread across the globe with more than 126,000 infections and more than 4,600 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 68,000 people have recovered so far.

    The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared the outbreak a pandemic—the first since the H1N1 "swine flu" in 2009.


    A medical staff member works at Red Cross Hospital in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province on March 11, 2020.
    STR/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES/GETTY

    World Health Organization advice for avoiding spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
    Hygiene advice

    Clean hands frequently with soap and water, or alcohol-based hand rub.
    Wash hands after coughing or sneezing; when caring for the sick; before; during and after food preparation; before eating; after using the toilet; when hands are visibly dirty; and after handling animals or waste.
    Maintain at least 1 meter (3 feet) distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
    Avoid touching your hands, nose and mouth. Do not spit in public.
    Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing. Discard the tissue immediately and clean your hands.
    Medical advice

    If you feel unwell (fever, cough, difficulty breathing) seek medical care early and call local health authorities in advance.
    Stay up to date on COVID-19 developments issued by health authorities and follow their guidance.

    Mask usage

    Healthy individuals only need to wear a mask if taking care of a sick person.
    Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing.
    Masks are effective when used in combination with frequent hand cleaning.
    Do not touch the mask while wearing it. Clean hands if you touch the mask.
    Learn how to properly put on, remove and dispose of masks. Clean hands after disposing of mask.
    Do not reuse single-use masks.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  10. #175
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Cannes is still on for May 12–23

    Is Cannes Happening Despite Coronavirus? Festival President Says “Oui”
    The festival’s president is “reasonably optimistic” that the Covid-19 epidemic will hit its peak well before Cannes.
    BY YOHANA DESTA
    MARCH 11, 2020


    Pierre Lescure attends the Cannes official selection presentation at UGC Normandie in Paris on April 18, 2019.BY MARC PIASECKI/GETTY.

    The Cannes Film Festival is holding firm in the wake of coronavirus panic, despite the fact that France has one of the largest outbreaks of the disease in Europe—and, as a result, gatherings of more than 1,000 people have officially been banned in the country. Festival president Pierre Lescure told French outlet Le Figaro that Cannes is still going ahead as planned, though he added that if the situation gets worse, he will have no choice but to cancel the glitzy event.

    “We remain reasonably optimistic in the hope that the peak of the epidemic will be reached at the end of March and that we will breathe a little better in April,” he said. Lescure did, however, add this: “But we are not oblivious. If not, we will cancel.”

    The festival, which is set to take place May 12–23, would certainly break the threshold of the 1,000-person ban. An estimated 40,000 attended the 2019 festival, flying into the country from all around the world.

    There have been more than 1,600 reported cases of Covid-19 in France, the third-biggest outbreak in Europe following Italy and Spain. A reported 33 people have died. The outbreak has impacted several sports and entertainment events. Madonna canceled two shows scheduled for Paris this week, while the Louvre, which usually receives over 30,000 visitors per day, was temporarily closed for three days. The museum reopened after taking certain precautionary safety measures, such as limiting direct contact between employees and visitors purchasing tickets.

    In the Le Figaro interview, Lescure said that if Cannes must be canceled, the festival will be able to withstand the financial losses that will occur.

    “The endowment fund that we have set up allows us to face at least one year without revenue,” he said. That puts Cannes in a better position than Austin’s SXSW, which was canceled in the wake of the spreading virus and thus had to lay off one third of its full-time staffers.

    It was previously reported that Cannes did not have insurance, which could cause trouble if the festival were forced to cancel. Lescure cleared that up in the interview, saying that the fest was offered insurance “about 10 days ago, but it was totally disproportionate. We were only offered to cover ourselves up to $2.3 million, while our budget is $36 million. It was really peanuts. The company was clearly playing the bounty hunters, and we of course declined this proposal.”

    As of now, Cannes is slated to carry on as planned. This year’s jury president will be Oscar winner Spike Lee. Lescure also added, once again for good measure, that “we remain optimistic.”
    THREADS
    Cannes
    covid-19
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  11. #176
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Hollywood impact

    Mulan is still on at this point. I'm scheduled to go to the screener soon.

    Hollywood Coronavirus Cancellations: A List of Film, TV, and Entertainment Events Impacted By Pandemic
    Posted on Thursday, March 12th, 2020 by Ethan Anderton



    The coronavirus strain known as COVID-19 isn’t going away anytime soon, and the spread of the infection has already been classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. This has resulted in the cancellation and postponing of many major film, TV and entertainment events around the world, as well as shutting down certain film and TV productions, or at the very least changing how they operate. Because the updates are coming so fast and fierce, we’ll be keeping an updated list as new coronavirus cancellations and interruptions are announced each day.

    Coronavirus Cancellations (Constantly Updated)
    We will update this list as required. The dates signify when the cancellation took place with information gathered from various sources, including and especially USA Today and IndieWire, who have been keeping track of the ongoing cancellations and delays.


    March 12
    Fast and Furious 9 (F9) Release Delayed to 2021 – Universal Pictures has decided to delay the global release of Fast and Furious 9 by an entire year. It is now slated to open in April 2, 2021 in North America, but specific international dates were not revealed at this time.

    The Lovebirds Release Delayed – Variety reports Paramount Pictures has delayed the romantic comedy The Lovebirds starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae. Originally slated for release on April 3, the movie now has new release date.

    A Quiet Place Part II Release Delayed – The worldwide release of A Quiet Place II was reported by Deadline. Originally intended for release overseas starting on March 18 and in the US on March 20, but the movie has yet to be given a new release date. Get more in our full story.

    Scott C’s Great Showdowns Gallery Events Canceled – Scott C’s latest art show at Gallery 1988 is canceling all in-gallery events, as well as a planned global scavenger hunt for prints, but will still have scheduled print releases and livestreams.

    Universal Television Delays Production on Shows – Deadline reports the second seasons of Netflix’s Russian Doll and AppleTV+’s Little America, as well as the first season of Rutherford Falls for Peacock, have all been delayed due to coronavirus concerns. Most of the shows require international travel, which is largely why the decision was made to delay production start.

    Broadway Usher Tests Positive for Coronavirus – A part-time Broadway usher who worked at the productions of Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf? at the Booth Theatre between March 3 and March 7 and Six at the Brooks Atkinson on the evening of February 25 and the afternoon of March 1 has tested positive for coronavirus.

    Both of the productions will continue, according to Deadline, and the two theater owners, Shubert Organization, owner of the Booth, and the Nederlander Organization, owner of the Brooks Atkinson, said the venues will have a deep cleaning performed. However, if any ticket holders wish to exchange for a future performance instead, they may do so.
    continued next post
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  12. #177
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Continued from previous post

    March 11
    California Governor Urges Cancellation of Large Gatherings – The Los Angeles Times reported that California Governor Gavin Newsom and state health official are recommending and urging the cancellation of upcoming gatherings of 250 or more people across the entire state in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. This recommendation does not come with the force of law to stop these events, but that could change if the coronavirus situation continues to get worse.

    Hollywood Agencies and Companies Starting to Work Remotely – Deadline reports Hollywood talent agencies like CAA, UTA, ICM Partners and Paradigm are making adjustments to have their employees work from home in order to help slow the spread of coronavirus.

    Meanwhile, Viacom, who owns Paramount Pictures, MTV, Comedy Central and more, said they will start testing whether or not they can have their employees also working from home instead of going into offices at this time.

    Cinema Con 2020 Canceled – Variety reported the cancellation of CinemaCon 2020, the annual trade show for theater owners from around the world where the latest developments and advances in exhibition, distribution, marketing, publicity, advertising, social media, theater equipment and concessions are showcased. The event was slated to take place from March 30 through April 2.

    Here’s the official statement from John Fithian and Mitch Newhauser from the National Association of Theater Owners:

    “It is with great regret we are announcing the cancellation of CinemaCon 2020. Each spring, motion picture exhibitors, distributors and industry partners from around the world meet in Las Vegas to share information and celebrate the moviegoing experience. This year, due to the travel ban from the European Union, the unique travel difficulties in many other areas of the world and other challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, a significant portion of the worldwide motion picture community is not able to attend CinemaCon. While local outbreaks vary widely in severity, the global circumstances make it impossible for us to mount the show that our attendees have come to expect. After consultation with our attendees, trade show exhibitors, sponsors, and studio presenters, NATO has decided therefore to cancel CinemaCon 2020. We look forward to continuing the 10-year tradition of presenting the largest movie theater convention in the world and joining our attendees in future celebrations of the moviegoing experience.”

    PaleyFest 2020 Postponed – The annual television showcase of some of the biggest and best television shows has been postponed with new dates for the festival yet to be announced. Shows like Modern Family, The Mandalorian, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Boys, Star Trek: Picard, Schitt’s Creek, and more were slated to be featured at the festival, but they will have to wait for the event to be rescheduled. Here’s the full statement from the Paley Center for Media:

    “As you are aware, the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to remain of the utmost public concern. For several weeks now, the Paley Center, along with our venue host, The Dolby Theatre, has monitored the situation closely, staying in daily contact with local, state, and federal partners, as well as following the recommendations issued by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and following the guidelines of the local health department. Based on the most recent news and out of an abundance of concern, we have made the difficult decision to postpone this year’s PaleyFest. While we were looking forward to presenting another stellar lineup of PaleyFest events, the safety of our event participants, guests, and staff is the highest priority. We are exploring options to reschedule the festival and all ticket purchases will be honored for the new dates.”

    NBA Suspended 2019-20 Basketball Season – The NBA announced the suspension of the current season of basketball after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. The news came just before the Utah Jazz were set to play an away game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Gameplay will be suspended entirely until further notice and will determine when they can resume play as the coronavirus situation develops.

    Talk Shows Avoid Having Studio Audiences – Deadline confirmed New York’s late night network talk shows The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah will not have studio audiences for their tapings. In addition, cable talk shows Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and Watch What Happens with Andy Cohen will follow suit.

    Los Angeles talk shows have not announced any sweeping changes to their recording plans yet with live audiences, but The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View and Live With Kelly And Ryan will not film with audiences either. Conan is currently on a two-week hiatus, but their filming plans could easily change in the future.

    Riverdale Production Suspended – Production on The CW series was suspended after a person working on the show was recently in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Warner Bros. TV told Deadline:

    “We are working closely with the appropriate authorities and health agencies in Vancouver to identify and contact all individuals who may have come into direct contact with our team member,” the statement continued. “The health and safety of our employees, casts and crews is always our top priority. We have and will continue to take precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world.”

    Survivor Production Delayed – CBS has delayed the production of the next two seasons of Survivor. As of now the premiere dates for those seasons in September 2020 and February 2021 have not been delayed, but that could change if the production does not begin with enough time to spare. Read our full story on the matter over here

    HBO’s Night of Too Many Stars Postponed – USA Today reported the event hosted by Jon Stewart and presented by HBO in partnership with NEXT for AUTISM has been pushed back. The show was slated to take place on April 18 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. No new date has been set yet.

    Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Postponed – Variety reported annual awards show from Nickelodeon where kids pick their favorite movies, TV shows, movie stars, musicians and more has been postponed until further notice. No new date has been set yet.

    E3 (The Electronic Entertainment Expo) Canceled – Kotaku reported the tradeshow for video games slated to take place from June 9 through June 11 has been canceled. In place of the event, there will be “an online experience to showcase industry announcements and news in June 2020.”

    GLAAD Awards Canceled – The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation announced the cancellation of their awards intended to take place on March 19. It’s not clear if thy will be rescheduled.

    Adam Sandler Postpones March Comedy Tour Dates – In a post to Twitter, the comedian announced that March tour dates would be postponed until a later time. It is not clear when they will be rescheduled and more dates could be canceled.

    March 10
    The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Production Halted – The Marvel Studios series was slated to shoot an entire week in Prague, but they stopped before finishing due to spreading coronavirus concerns. It is not clear when and where production will finish the scenes meant to be shot there. Get more in our full story.

    Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway Release Delayed – Deadline reported the global release of the children’s movie sequel has been pushed back to August 7 by Sony Pictures.

    Game Shows Filming Without Audiences – Deadline reported Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune announced they would be taping episodes without live studio audiences, especially since much of the audiences of those shows consists of older viewers more susceptible to coronavirus.

    March 6
    SXSW Festival Canceled – The movie, TV, music and tech festival was canceled by the city of Austin one week before the event was slated to begin on March 13. Festival organizers may reschedule the festival, but the cancellation has created severe problems for them, and it might prevent the fest from returning in 2021.

    March 4
    No Time to Die Global Release Delayed – Sony Pictures made the decision to delay the global release of No Time to Die from April to November. The film will now open in the UK on November 12 and in the US on November 25. Read more in our full story over here.

    February 24
    Mission: Impossible 7 Production Halted in Italy – After the outbreak worsened significantly in Italy, USA Today reported Paramount Pictures chose to halt production on Mission: Impossible 7. It’s not clear when/if shooting will still take place there in the future.
    THREADS
    COVID-19
    No Time to Die
    Mission Impossible
    F&F9
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  13. #178

    WonderCon Anaheim 2020 Has Been Postponed

    STATEMENT FROM COMIC-CON REGARDING COVID-19

    March 12, 2020

    To protect public health and slow the rate of transmission of COVID-19, the California Department of Public Health announced a recommendation that gatherings and events of more than 250 people should either be postponed or cancelled. Comic-Con (organizer of WonderCon) will abide by this recommendation. Therefore WonderCon Anaheim, scheduled for April 10-12, 2020 in Anaheim, California, will be postponed until a later date. We will begin processing refunds in the coming days.

    We continue to work closely with officials in San Diego and at this time no decision has been made regarding the rescheduling of Comic-Con slated to take place this summer; July 23-26, 2020. We urge everyone to follow the recommendations set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and your local health officials.
    THREADS
    COVID-19
    Comic Cons

  14. #179
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Remember when I scoffed at this?

    Remember now?

    Missouri Sues Televangelist Jim Bakker For Selling Fake Coronavirus Cure
    March 11, 20204:35 PM ET
    MATTHEW S. SCHWARTZ


    Televangelist Jim Bakker, shown here in 2018, faces a legal challenge from the state of Missouri for selling a false remedy against the coronavirus. The COVID-19 disease currently has no cure.
    Chuck Burton/AP

    Televangelist Jim Bakker held up a blue and silver bottle, gazing intently at the label, as he questioned the woman sitting next to him.

    "This influenza that is now circling the globe," Bakker said on the Feb. 12 broadcast of The Jim Bakker Show, "you're saying that Silver Solution would be effective."

    His guest, the so-called "natural health expert" Sherrill Sellman, falsely implied that the liquid would likely be effective. The coronavirus impacting more than 120,000 people worldwide does not yet have a known treatment or cure.

    "Well, let's say it hasn't been tested on this strain of the coronavirus, but it has been tested on other strains of the coronavirus and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours," Sellman said. "Totally eliminate it. Kills it. Deactivates it."

    Silver Solution "has been proven by the government that it has the ability to kill every pathogen it has ever been tested on, including SARS and HIV," Sellman continued. Four 4-ounce bottles could be yours, a message on the screen said, for just $80.

    Selling a fake "treatment" for the COVID-19 disease violates state and federal law. On Tuesday, the state of Missouri filed a lawsuit against Bakker and his production company to stop them from advertising or selling Silver Solution and related products as treatments for the coronavirus.

    By subscribing, you agree to NPR's terms of use and privacy policy. NPR may share your name and email address with your NPR station. See Details. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

    Bakker and Morningside Church Productions have violated Missouri law by "falsely promising to consumers that Silver Solution can cure, eliminate, kill or deactivate coronavirus and/or boost elderly consumers' immune system and help keep them healthy when there is, in fact, no vaccine, pill, potion or other product available to treat or cure coronavirus disease 2019," the Missouri Attorney General's Office wrote in its application for a temporary restraining order. Bakker and his company are based in the state.

    Bakker gained fame in the 1970s and '80s as the host of The PTL Club, a Christian television program he hosted with his then-wife, Tammy Faye. He stepped down from PTL after a sex scandal and later spent several years in prison after a jury found that he had defrauded his viewers out of millions of dollars.

    Missouri is the first state to file a lawsuit against Bakker for selling his coronavirus "treatment," but others have also been warning him to stop peddling his snake oil. On March 3, the New York Attorney General's Office sent a cease-and-desist letter to Bakker, accusing him of defrauding the public.

    "Your show's segment may mislead consumers as to the effectiveness of the Silver Solution product in protecting against the current outbreak," wrote Lisa Landau, chief of the New York Attorney General's Office's health care bureau. The World Health Organization "has noted that there is no specific medicine to prevent or treat this disease," the letter said. It gave Bakker 10 business days to comply or face legal action.

    A few days after New York's letter, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission warned Bakker that his website and Facebook page were selling "unapproved new drugs" in violation of the law.

    By Wednesday, Bakker's website was no longer selling the solution. Bakker's production company did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for the Missouri Attorney General's Office told NPR that even though Silver Solution is no longer being sold, the office would continue seeking the temporary restraining order. "That way they can't come back in months or years and start selling solution as a miracle cure again," the attorney general's press secretary, Chris Nuelle, said.

    Bakker's solution did not escape the attention of late-night comedians. "That is ridiculous," John Oliver said on Last Week Tonight. "Silver does not kill coronavirus. Silver kills werewolves. Which means first you need to get your coronavirus bitten by a microscopic werewolf." Oliver then offered his "Premium Werewolf Solution" for $49.99 per bottle, which he promised contained "millions of microscopic werewolves."

    In addition to The Jim Bakker Show, the FDA sent warnings on Monday to six other companies that were selling colloidal silver, teas, tinctures or essential oils as treatments for the coronavirus. "There already is a high level of anxiety over the potential spread of coronavirus," said FTC Chairman Joe Simons. "What we don't need in this situation are companies preying on consumers by promoting products with fraudulent prevention and treatment claims."

    For the past two decades, the FDA's message has been clear: Silver doesn't work to combat serious diseases. Over-the-counter drugs that contain colloidal silver ingredients "are not generally recognized as safe and effective," it says. According to the National Institutes of Health, very little evidence backs up the health-related claims of silver. "Colloidal silver can be dangerous to your health," the NIH says.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  15. #180
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
    Posts
    47,947

    Good news from PRC

    Wuhan closes the last of its makeshift hospitals as virus cases plunge
    The epicenter of the coronavirus reported just 17 new cases on Monday
    by Alex Linder March 10, 2020 in News



    In another sign of return to normalcy in China, Wuhan has closed every single one of its temporary hospitals, with the facilities receiving a good scrubbing down before eventually going back to their original use.

    All 16 of Wuhan’s makeshift hospitals have been shuttered after discharging the last of their patients, local media outlets reported on Tuesday.

    Back in January, the sports centers, conference centers, and schools were converted into temporary hospitals to treat patients with mild coronavirus symptoms after the city’s existing medical facilities began to buckle under the weight of people seeking treatment for the Covid-19 virus.



    The makeshift hospitals had raised some concerns, packing dozens of patients together in large rooms. A patient who one of the hospitals had declared “recovered” went on to die from the virus a few days later.

    However, the facilities appear to have been mostly effective in treating patients and keeping them contained.

    Wuhan reported just 17 new coronavirus cases on Monday, the lowest that number has been since January 17.
    Now, can the rest of the world follow?
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •