Covid-19 Headlines Feb 27, 2020

The detection of a new Covid-19 case in Northern California with no travel links from known epidemic areas and no connection with detected cases typify the spread of Covid-19 by asymptomatic carriers. Germany and Japan, two of the most modern countries are resigned to the fact that the spread is beyond their control.

Covid-19 Headlines

WILL A FACE MASK REALLY PROTECT YOU FROM THE CORONAVIRUS? – SHTF Plan

Health officials have been suggesting the use of face masks to prevent the spread and transmission of the coronavirus, which is quickly spreading around the globe.  But the real question is do they really protect you from the virus?

The simple answer is yes, but efficacy is still not 100%. As masks sell out everywhere, it’s time to understand what they do to help.

More at the link.

Disinfecting wipes, conference calls: Wall Street winners – AP

Clorox is close to an all-time high after jumping Monday amid expectations that homes and hospitals will use more of its disinfecting wipes, for example. Zoom Video Communications, which lets people conduct meetings online instead of in person, has surged nearly 40% in five weeks on the belief that people want to avoid getting within coughing range. A host of vaccine makers have shot higher on hopes that they may come up with something to corral the new virus.

Coronavirus cases in Switzerland rose to nine – The Guardian

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Switzerland rose to nine on Thursday, as the canton of Basel-City put a number of children into a two-week quarantine after one of their caregivers tested positive for the virus.

A young woman who returned to work at a daycare centre after travelling to Milan has tested positive for Covid-19, authorities said.

TWICE THE PAIN What is the Coronavirus test and can you catch Covid-19 twice? The US Sun

It comes as a woman in Japan who had the bug in January has tested positive for a second time, weeks after doctors thought she had the all-clear.

Now, as the UK government prepares for a surge in tests – and potential cases – here is everything you need to know about coronavirus testing.

More at the link

Not related but you may like this: The Story of KAATSU. The Incredible Technique for Muscle Hypertrophy

Vatican closes Italy’s catacombs due to coronavirus – CNA

VATICAN CITY: The Vatican has closed all of Italy’s ancient catacombs normally open to the public because of the country’s coronavirus outbreak.

Vatican official Monsignor Pasquale Iacobone said the decision was taken to protect guides who work in the restricted underground spaces as well as visitors.

Wall Street Slammed: Dow suffers worst drop in HISTORY of almost 1,200 points as coronavirus fears spook market – The US Sun

THE Dow Jones Industrial Average tanked over 1,000 points on Thursday, worsening fears of a coronavirus outbreak wreaking havoc on the global economy.

The recent losses on Wall Street extended a slide in stocks that had nixed solid gains the major indexes had logged earlier this year.

Exclusive: U.S. mulls using sweeping powers to ramp up production of coronavirus protective gear – Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump’s administration is considering invoking special powers through a law called the Defense Production Act to rapidly expand domestic manufacturing of protective masks and clothing to combat the coronavirus in the United States, two U.S. officials told Reuters.

The use of the law, passed by Congress in 1950 at the outset of the Korean War, would mark an escalation of the administration’s response to the outbreak. The virus first surfaced in China and has since spread to other countries including the United States.

Shanghai donates 500,000 masks to virus-hit Daegu – YNA

SEOUL/SHANGHAI, Feb. 27 (Yonhap) — The city of Shanghai provided 500,000 masks to the southeastern city of Daegu and its surrounding North Gyeongsang Province on Thursday amid a spike in the number of the new coronavirus cases in the area.

The Shanghai government delivered the masks to the South Korean consulate office there in an expression of friendship between the two countries, a Shanghai city official said.

Pence tries to project calm as virus response coordinator – AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Mike Pence moved Thursday to project calm in the role of chief coordinator of the government’s response to the new coronovirus, as the Trump administration rushed to contain mounting public concerns and steep stock market declines.

White House To Hold Emergency Press Conference On Market Plunge – ZeroHedge

It would seem that the fastest collapse in stocks from record highs into correction since The Great Depression is enough to warrant an emergency White House press conference (and general gathering of the Plunge Protection Team).

Virus outbreak spreads in France with 20 new cases – AP

PARIS (AP) — French authorities on Thursday reported twenty new cases of people infected with the new virus in the past 24 hours, bringing the total in the country to 38, including two deaths.

The jump in figures prompted concern as French President Emmanuel Macron warned earlier

This is Wall Street’s worst day in two years – The Guardian

Thursday marked the Dow’s biggest one-day points decline in history. Those losses put the Dow in correction territory, down more than 10% from its record close. It took the Dow just 10 sessions to tumble from its all-time high into a correction.

U.S. Health Workers Responding to Coronavirus Lacked Training and Protective Gear, Whistle-Blower Says – NYT

WASHINGTON — Federal health employees interacted with Americans quarantined for possible exposure to the coronavirus without proper medical training or protective gear, then scattered into the general population, according to a government whistle-blower.

In a portion of a complaint filing obtained by The New York Times that has been submitted to the Office of the Special Counsel, the whistle-blower, described as a senior leader at the health agency, said the team was “improperly deployed” to two military bases in California to assist the processing of Americans who had been evacuated from coronavirus hot zones in China and elsewhere.

More at the headline link

5 pm EST 2/27/2020 update. An increase of 11 cases from 3 pm. No change in serious cases and deaths

Iran vice president diagnosed with coronavirus as death toll jumps to 26

Further down is news about an Iranian diplomat who died from the Covid-19

Health ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour told a news conference that the tally of infections had risen to 245 with 106 more cases confirmed – the highest number for a single day since Iran announced its first infections on 19 February.

Among the latest coronavirus sufferers is one of Iran’s seven vice presidents, Massoumeh Ebtekar, who oversees women’s affairs.

Drive-through testing in London – The Guardian

The NHS is rolling out new services to test people for coronavirus, including “drive through” testing in west London.

The service, provided by Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust in Parsons Green, is only available after a referral from NHS 111.

Fact-checking center warns of disinformation about virus outbreak in Taiwan – Taiwan News

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Taiwan FactCheck Center (TFC) has warned of a surge of disinformation disseminated on Facebook about the escalation of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Taiwan, which has recorded 32 cases so far.

For the first time after its establishment as an independent fact-checking organization, the center issued a warning on Wednesday (Feb. 26) about the growing number of malign posts on social media intended to stir panic amid the virus outbreak emanating from China.

Investment advisors worry US response to coronavirus is too little too late – CNA

Investment-advisors are increasingly worried that U.S. authorities are not be doing enough to prevent a widespread outbreak of coronavirus in the country, potentially adding further downside to already-battered markets.

Their criticisms include the number of people so far tested by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which some say is too small, the possible difficulties of imposing lockdowns on U.S. cities and concerns that the White House could bungle containment efforts.

Health ministers are coming together to review coronavirus response – SBS

Health ministers will gather in Melbourne on Friday to discuss how Australia will respond to the possible declaration of a global coronavirus pandemic.

The federal government has activated its coronavirus emergency response plan as it anticipates a World Health Organisation decision on a pandemic.

Scott Morrison confirms one Australian coronavirus patient is in ‘a more serious condition’ in WA – Daily Telegraph

Scott Morrison has confirmed one Australian diagnosed with coronavirus is in a serious condition in Western Australia.

California health officials are monitoring 8,400 people – The Guardian

California health officials are monitoring 8,400 people for coronavirus symptoms after their arrival on domestic commercial flights, but the state had only a limited supply of test kits available, governor Gavin Newsom has said.

The Netherlands has confirmed its first case of coronavirus. – The Guardian

The Dutch National Institute for Public Health said in a statement the patient in the southern city of Tilburg had recently travelled in northern Italy and is now being treated in isolation.

How bad is the coronavirus-sparked stock-market selloff? — the Dow industrials weekly skid would rank within its top 15 in its 124-year history – Market Watch

It has been an ugly week for bulls on Wall Street, that much is certain.

However, the depth of the slide for stocks this week can perhaps best be illustrated by the severity of the weekly skid for the 124-year-old Dow Jones Industrial Average. DJIA, -4.42%, with stock markets relinquishing gains from earlier in the year on the back of uncertainty over the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak.

At last check, the decline would rank within the top 20 for the Dow’s steepest weekly selloffs, with a drop of 9.18%, according to FactSet data.

Gov. Baker: State is preparing for possible virus outbreak – AP

BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Charlie Baker said Thursday he will release a plan next week on steps Massachusetts is taking to prepare for a possible outbreak of a new virus spreading around the world.

Baker told reporters that since the beginning of the month there have been daily conversations among the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health departments about the COVID-19. The Republican said he’s also been calls for governors with the CDC and the federal Department of Health and Human Services.

Three west German states have reported a total of 19 new cases – The Guardian

Three west German states have reported a total of 19 new cases of coronavirus, a day after the federal health minister said the country is at the start of an epidemic.

In North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, the health ministry said on Thursday 14 more people had tested positive in the Heinsberg area, where a couple were the first confirmed cases in the state.

3 pm EST 2/27/2020 update.  From 1pm, an increase of 46 cases, 3 deaths. Serious cases 10.2%, the death rate 3.4%

British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver shuts down Taiwan and Hong Kong restaurants – Taiwan News

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is closing down his only restaurant in Taiwan, “Jamie’s Italian,” and two establishments in Hong Kong, reports said Thursday (Feb. 27).

UDN linked the sudden closure to the recent outbreak of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) causing a steep drop in the number of tourists and locals looking to dine out.

World economy faces weakest year since 2009, says Bank of America – The Age

The world economy is now on course for its weakest year since the financial crisis as the coronavirus damages demand in China and beyond, according to analysts at Bank of America.

Global growth will slip to 2.8 per cent this year rather than the 3.1 per cent previously predicted, the slowest since 2009, economists led by Ethan Harris said in a report to clients on Thursday. China, where the virus outbreak began, is predicted to grow 5.2 per cent, the worst performance since 1990.

2 new cases confirmed; 4 more, including private hospital doctor, discharged – The Straits Times

Some good news for a change.

SINGAPORE – Two new cases of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) were confirmed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Wednesday (Feb 26) and four others have recovered and were discharged.

This brings the total number of cases here to 93, of which 62 have fully recovered.

Coronavirus survival guide: how to protect yourself – News.com.au

Fears about coronavirus are escalating, but health authorities say there are easy, practical steps you can take to ensure you and your family stay healthy. Here’s what you should know.  More at the headline link.

WHO warns against ‘fatal’ complacency in global coronavirus fight – Reuters

GENEVA/DUBAI (Reuters) – No country should make the “fatal mistake” of assuming it will be spared the coronavirus, the World Health Organization said on Thursday, as governments from Iran to Australia raced to contain the epidemic’s rapid global spread.

• Not enough U.S. hospital beds once Covid-19 epidemic is full-blown
• 10 Reasons Why 2019-nCoV is a Nightmare

Asian health systems brace for coronavirus as it spreads globally – The Straits Times

By Wednesday (Feb 26) evening, some 38 countries around the world had reported a combined 2,800 cases of the virus, which causes a pneumonia-like disease known as Covid-19. Some of the worst-hit nations are China’s neighbours in East and South-east Asia, with South Korea reporting more than 1,200 cases and 12 deaths, Japan logging more than 850 cases and four deaths – including infections on the stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship – and Singapore reporting 91 cases. Nobody in Singapore has yet died from the disease.

China quarantines 63 Aeroflot passengers after traveller from Iran becomes its first imported coronavirus case – SCMP

• Infected person had arrived from Tehran via Moscow and passed medical check at Shanghai airport before later testing positive
• Authorities looking for those who had close contact with the patient, while Iran reports a growing number of cases

Coronavirus: Dog of Hong Kong Covid-19 patient tests ‘weak positive’ for virus – SCMP

The pet dog of a Hong Kong Covid-19 patient has tested “weak positive” for the new coronavirus, it was revealed by the government on Friday.

It said more tests would be conducted to confirm if the dog had really been infected with the virus or this was a result of environmental contamination of the dog’s mouth and nose.

Oral, nasal and rectal samples were collected for testing of the virus.

According to the World Health Organisation, there is no evidence that companion animals or pets such as dogs or cats can be infected with the new coronavirus.

This report is in contrast to my article, Covid-19, and Pets. More tests should be done. The question is. why did they do an expensive test on a dog if it has no symptoms?

Pope Francis falls ill, religious events canceled due to coronavirus – JPost

A number of people wore masks in St. Peter’s Square at the Wednesday audience but only one person was seen wearing one at the pope’s Ash Wednesday service.

The pope appeared to have a cold and spoke with a slightly hoarse voice at his general audience on Wednesday and coughed during an afternoon Ash Wednesday service in a Rome church.
Francis is missing a part of one lung. It was removed when he was in his early 20s in his native Buenos Aires after he suffered from tuberculosis, according to biographer Austen Ivereigh.

Note: Pope Francis is 83 years old with only one lung. If he develops pneumonia for any  reason. He will be a high risk patient.

In China, the case fatality rate or death rate among the 80 years old and older is 14.8%. Read more in this article, Lessons Learned from 72,314 COVID-19 Patients: A China CDC Study

Northern Ireland has its first confirmed case of coronavirus – The Guardian

Northern Ireland has its first confirmed case of coronavirus, taking the total number of UK cases to 16.

Head of Italy’s Lombardy region in isolation after aide gets COVID-19 – CNA

MILAN: The governor of the region of Lombardy, at the epicentre of Italy’s coronavirus outbreak, has placed himself in quarantine after one of his staff came down with the disease.

S.Korea confirms 505 more cases of COVID-19, 1,766 in total – SBS

Case fatality of South Korea only 0.73%

South Korea confirmed 505 more cases of the COVID-19 on Thursday, raising the total number of infections to 1,766, and the death toll rose to 13.

Israel confirms coronavirus in man who returned from Italy – Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel confirmed on Thursday that a man who had recently returned from Italy tested positive for coronavirus and said it was barring entry to non-Israelis who had visited Italy in the past two weeks.

1:10 pm update 2/27/2020. An increase of 128 cases in 2 hours

If coronavirus spreads within the US, here’s how daily life might change – CNN

The CDC has been referring to guidance on how to deal with flu pandemics, in a document called “Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza United States 2017.” It’s the “blueprint” for community interventions, and the agency is adjusting its recommendations to the specific circumstances of the coronavirus outbreak, officials said.

The document draws from the findings of nearly 200 journal articles written between 1990 and 2016, and it includes a summary of lessons learned from the response to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, which killed hundreds of thousands globally.

World stocks slide on signs virus outbreak is spreading – AP

In Europe, where new cases were being reported, Germany’s DAX lost 2.2% to 12,496 and the CAC 40 in Paris dropped 2.3% to 5,555. In London, the FTSE 100 lost 1.9% to 6,907. The future for the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1% and the future contract for the S&P 500 was 0.9% lower.

‘Please visit Chinatown’: coronavirus fears empty San Francisco district – The Guardian

“As you can see, there’s nobody,” said Ivy Liu, store manager at Bargain Bazaar, as she took inventory in an empty store. “It’s really, really, really difficult. All the people, I don’t know where all the people have gone.”

“Some stores only made $7 in one day,” said Cindy Dent, an employee at T&L T-Shirt. “Some days they sold nothing. My store, sometimes only $100. On good days, we make $500 to $600. On a weekend, $800. It’s really bad.”

Preparing for a pandemic: What should I buy? Are there places I should avoid? – CNN

In case of an outbreak that spreads within US communities, what can you do to protect yourself and your family?
Here are 10 questions answered about how to prepare.

More at the link.

Saudi Arabia closes two holiest shrines to foreigners as coronavirus fears grow – The Guardian

Saudi Arabia has closed the two holiest shrines of Islam to foreign travellers and banned pilgrims from entering the country as fears surrounding the coronavirus outbreak continue to grow in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia has so far recorded no cases of the virus, but the number those infected across the region has steadily increased, with patients quarantined in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Iraq and Lebanon.

Canceled travel, revenue losses: Virus hits businesses hard – AP

LONDON (AP) — The spread of the new coronavirus around the world is hitting companies hard as they suspend production, meetings, events and business travel. Here’s a look at the latest developments: More at the link

They have no idea’: government failing on coronavirus, say GPs – The Guardian

NHS doctors have told the Guardian of their experiences of the government’s handling of coronavirus, warning that they have concerns about how patients who may have been infected are being managed.

James*, a GP in Derbyshire, where one of the latest British coronavirus cases is thought to have been located, described the Department of Health’s response to the virus as “ridiculous” and “negligent”.

He said none of his patients who had travelled back from at-risk countries had been given any information at airports or sea ports on what to do if they developed symptoms of coronavirus.

China to send more life support machines to COVID-19 epicenter – Shine

A leading group of China’s COVID-19 response on Thursday called for sending more advanced medical resources, especially life support system ECMOs, to Hubei Province, the epicenter of the epidemic.

The group, headed by Premier Li Keqiang, demanded further efforts to treat the severely ill COVID-19 patients to reduce mortality in Hubei, particularly in its capital city of Wuhan.

Not enough U.S. hospital beds once Covid-19 epidemic is full-blown

Coronavirus: Melbourne health workers of ‘Asian appearance’ report racial abuse – SBS

A doctor of Asian appearance at a Victorian hospital was told by parents to stay away from a child amid fears of the coronavirus, while other staff and patients have reported discrimination.

Are Asians More Prone to Get the Covid-19?

Virus response in Mideast tainted by political views of Iran – AP

“Something is rotten in the state of Persia: the Islamic Republic of Iran is engaging in a large-scale cover-up of the coronavirus epidemic that could wreak misery on the lives of millions,” wrote Mohammed Alyahya, the editor-in-chief of Al-Arabiya English outlet based in Dubai.

He added: “This is not a government that can be trusted to tell the truth, even when lives are at stake.”

One Dubai-based newspaper wrongly claimed in a front-page headline that all cases of the new coronavirus in the region came from the Islamic Republic. That would be convenient for the United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven sheikhdoms home to Dubai whose 13 coronavirus cases predominantly trace back to China.

Head of Italy’s Lombardy region in isolation after aide gets COVID-19 – CNA

MILAN: The governor of the region of Lombardy, at the epicentre of Italy’s coronavirus outbreak, has placed himself in quarantine after one of his staff came down with the disease.

S.Korea confirms 505 more cases of COVID-19, 1,766 in total – SBS

Case fatality of South Korea only 0.73%

South Korea confirmed 505 more cases of the COVID-19 on Thursday, raising the total number of infections to 1,766, and the death toll rose to 13.

Israel confirms coronavirus in man who returned from Italy – Reuters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel confirmed on Thursday that a man who had recently returned from Italy tested positive for coronavirus and said it was barring entry to non-Israelis who had visited Italy in the past two weeks.

11 am EST update An increase of 171 cases and 6 deaths. Serious cases 10.2%. Death rate 3.4% worldwide

24 of Japan’s prefectures yet to add extra hospital beds for coronavirus patients, survey shows – Japan Times

Twenty-four of the country’s 47 prefectures have not yet increased their number of hospital beds for patients suffering from coronavirus infections as requested by the central government, a Kyodo News survey showed Thursday.

Not enough U.S. hospital beds once Covid-19 epidemic is full-blown

Study: Pregnant Moms Do Not Transmit Covid-19 to their Babies

A Chinese city is giving out $2,000 to people who test positive for the coronavirus -SBS 

A city in China’s Hubei province, the epicentre of the global coronavirus epidemic, will pay residents as much as 10,000 yuan ($2,100) if they proactively report symptoms of the illness and it is confirmed after testing.

Covid-19 Infects Iranian Vice President, Kills Iran Ambassador To Vatican – ZeroHedge

Prominent Iranian cleric and diplomat, Hadi Khosroshahi passed away today, one day after he was admitted to a hospital in Tehran for testing positive #Coronavirus. Khosroshahi was Iran’s ambassador to the #Vatican and later Iran’s top diplomat in #Egypt between 2001 and 2004

Case fatality rate in Iran is at 10%. See below.

Number of Coronavirus-Positive Patients in Iran Increases to 245, Deaths to 26 – Fars News

The number of confirmed infections to coronavirus now stands at 245 and 26 people have lost their lives in the past few days, Jahanpour said.

He added that 106 new cases of corona-virus positive patients have been diagnosed since Wednesday noon, voicing regret that 7 of them have passed away.

As a preventive measure, Iranian authorities have ordered a week-long closure of educational and cultural institutions across over 10 provinces as of Thursday.

How fast can a virus destroy a supply chain? – Japan Times

FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA – The global supply chain, already under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war, now faces further strain from the COVID-19 coronavirus. And while cross-national supply chains are more robust than they may appear, if they fail they will do so suddenly and without much warning.

Check this out: Covid-19 Can Cause Drugs and Medical Supply Shortages Worldwide

Japan to close schools nationwide to control spread of virus – AP

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe asked all elementary, middle and high schools nationwide on Thursday to close until late March to help control the spread of the new virus in the country.

Commentary: COVID-19: Preventing a medical system breakdown – Japan Times

So far, people infected with the new coronavirus are being cared for at hospitals designated for treating infectious diseases that are equipped with airtight facilities to prevent an outflow of viruses. But many of these medical institutions in the greater Tokyo area are now filled with hundreds of patients who were infected aboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess, raising concerns over a shortage of artificial respirators needed for treating COVID-19 patients who have developed pneumonia

One way to ease people’s sense of insecurity over the outbreak would be to increase the availability of COVID-19 virus tests — the supply of which is limited. That would allow more people to take tests and stop them from unknowingly spreading the disease.

Related: Not enough U.S. hospital beds once Covid-19 epidemic is full-blown

Coronavirus ‘could trigger damage on scale of 2008 financial crisis’ – The Guardian

The FTSE 100 dropped by about 2% to below 7,000, with travel and tourism companies including British Airways and Easyjet among the hardest hit, while the price of oil tumbled to a 13-month low and City investors rushed to buy government bonds and other assets considered to be safe havens in times of financial stress.

According to research from the consultancy Capital Economics, the outbreak turning into a full-blown global pandemic with severe upheaval for world trade, markets and currency crises could be as bad as during the financial crisis, when global GDP fell by 0.5%.

Local governments provide instructions on making face masks and disinfectants – Japan Times

Local governments are using the internet to teach residents ways to make their own face masks and disinfectants as stores sell out of such items amid the new coronavirus outbreak.

Emmanuel Macron: a “crisis, an epidemic that is on the way” – The Guardian

The president of France, Emmanuel Macron, has called the coronavirus outbreak a “crisis, an epidemic that is on the way”.

Macron was speaking to doctors and other healthcare professionals at a Paris hospital.

Tokyo stocks plunge below 22,000 line on virus jitters – Japan Times

Tokyo stocks fell for the fourth day straight on Thursday, pulling Nikkei index below 22,000 for the first time since October amid concerns about an increase in COVID-19 infections around the world.

Stocks open sharply lower; Dow 10% below recent record high – AP

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are opening sharply lower, extending a weeklong rout and bringing the Dow Jones Industrial Average 10% below the record high it hit two weeks ago.

New virus has infected 82,000 globally, caused 2,800 deaths – AP

The latest figures reported by each government’s health authority as of Thursday in Beijing:

— Mainland China: 2,744 deaths among 78,497 cases, mostly in the central province of Hubei

— Hong Kong: 92 cases, 2 deaths

— Macao: 10 cases

— South Korea: 1,766 cases, 13 deaths

— Japan: 912 cases, including 705 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, 8 deaths

More at the link.

We are at a ‘decisive point’ globally and must ‘move swiftly’, says WHO – The Guardian

The new coronavirus epidemic is at a “decisive point” globally, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, urging affected countries to “move swiftly” to contain the disease.

“We’re at a decisive point,” Tedros told reporters in Geneva.

Urging countries at the early stages of the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease to “move swiftly”, he added: “If you act aggressively now, you can contain this virus, you can prevent people getting sick, you can save lives.”

Related: Not enough U.S. hospital beds once Covid-19 epidemic is full-blown

Lessons Learned from 72,314 COVID-19 Patients: A China CDC Study

Shocking graphic shows spread of coronavirus outpacing SARS, MERS and Ebola – The Sun

A NEW animation reveals the frightening pace of deadly coronavirus – which has outpaced the SARS, MERS and Ebola outbreaks.

The video compares the new virus with other diseases to show how quickly each spread after cases were first reported.

See the YouTube here

Vexed by how to contain virus, countries take tough steps – AP

BANGKOK (AP) — Saudi Arabia cut travel to Islam’s holiest sites, South Korea toughened penalties for those breaking quarantines and airports across Latin America looked for signs of sick passengers Thursday as a new virus troubled a mushrooming swath of the globe.

With the illness pushing its way into a sixth continent and the number of sick and dead rising, the crisis gave way to political and diplomatic rows, concern that bordered on panic in some quarters, and a sense that no part of the world was immune to the disease’s spread.

S. Korea’s virus cases top 1,700 on surge in infected church followers – YNA

SEOUL, Feb. 27 (Yonhap) — South Korea reported yet another record spike of new cases of the novel coronavirus on Thursday, with most new infections identified in the hardest-hit city of Daegu as virus tests started on more than 210,000 members of a religious sect at the center of the epidemic.

The 505 new cases, marking the sharpest daily spike yet and outnumbering the 433 new cases reported in China, where the virus originated, earlier in the day, took the nation’s total infections to 1,766, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC).

Two more COVID-19 cases in UK bring total to 15 – CNA

LONDON: Two further cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the United Kingdom, bringing the total number of cases to 15, England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty said on Thursday (Feb 27).

“The virus was passed on in Italy and Tenerife and the patients have been transferred to specialist NHS infection centres in Royal Liverpool Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital, London,” the statement said.

Coronavirus: in South Korea, mounting anger, rumours over Shincheonji church as cases rise – SCMP

• The spike in Covid-19 cases has heightened interest in the controversial church, which accounts for over half of the country’s infections
• Anger and mistrust reached a peak when an online post detailed its alleged plans to infiltrate traditional churches to spread the virus

Myths vs. facts: How true is coronavirus information on the web? – DW

Click on the link for the information.

NHS staff told to shave off beards over coronavirus fears as facial hair can render masks ineffective – The Sun

NHS staff have been ordered to shave off their beards to help limit the spread of deadly coronavirus.

Hospital bosses have warned workers that facial hair can render face masks ineffective against the bug.

6:30 update

China, 13 more countries restrict travel from S. Korea over coronavirus concerns – YNA

SEOUL, Feb. 27 (Yonhap) — More than a dozen additional countries and parts of China have enacted entry restrictions on travelers from South Korea over coronavirus concerns, according to the foreign ministry Thursday, bringing the total number of such countries to 43.

Iran reports 7 more deaths from COVID-19, 106 new cases – CNA

TEHRAN: Iran’s Health Ministry on Thursday (Feb 27) confirmed seven more deaths from COVID-19, taking the total to 26, the highest toll outside China.

A total of 106 cases were confirmed in the last 24 hours, the ministry added. This brings the number of those infected by the coronavirus to 245.

All schools closed in Japan – The Guardian

The prime minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, has ordered all primary and secondary schools to close from 2 March until the spring break, typically around the end of March.

“It’s Crazy” – Pandemic Potential Crushes ‘Chinatowns’ Worldwide – ZeroHedge

Discrimination against China and Chinese people have erupted since the Covid-19 outbreak in January. Anxieties are high as many are avoiding Chinatowns across the world for fear, they might contract the deadly virus.

From Australia to New York City to Toronto to England to San Francisco, Chinatowns in many regions of the world have transformed into ghost towns. We noted this phenomenon last week.

Pope cancels visit with Rome priests for ‘slight’ illness – AP

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is sick and he skipped a planned Mass with Rome clergy across town on Thursday, officials said.

There was no word from the Vatican about the nature of his illness, but the pope was seen coughing and blowing his nose during the Ash Wednesday Mass. It comes amid an outbreak of the coronavirus in Italy that has sickened more than 400 people, almost all of them in the north. Rome had three cases, but all three were cured.

Investors flee from controversial pandemic bonds with coronavirus set to trigger payout – DW

The less risky tranche of the bonds will not be paid back to investors if there are more than 2,500 deaths in developing countries as a result of a pandemic. Although China has recorded more than this number of deaths, the World Bank does not designate it a developing country.

By far the riskier of the two bonds is “Class B,” which sold $95 million in bonds (compared to $225 million for the less risky “Class A,” explained above). For Class B, if the disease crosses an international border and if there are at least 20 deaths in that second country, the investors’ money will be paid to developing countries dealing with the outbreak.

Although no second country has recorded 20 deaths at the time of writing, Iran, Italy and South Korea have all recorded more than 10 with the numbers rising steadily in recent days. Other conditions for this bond include that there are 250 deaths in the origin country (already long since passed in China) and that 12 weeks have passed since the original outbreak (a condition which will be met on March 23).

According to the PEF, around $75.5 million had been paid to bondholders in the form of premiums as of August 2019. The full amount paid in interest and coupons has not been disclosed. The bonds are set to mature in July 2020.

Does it seem to you that the WHO declaration of a pandemic is not based on the views of epidemiologists but on the criteria set by the Pandemic bonds? Can manipulating the number of cases thereby delaying the pandemic declaration give time for the bondholders to sell their investments?

Coronavirus: Donald Trump appoints Vice-President Pence to lead containment efforts – SCMP

US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he is putting Vice-President Mike Pence in charge of Washington’s efforts to fight the coronavirus outbreak.

Trump cited Pence’s record as governor of the midwestern US state of Indiana as the vice-president’s qualification to tackle the epidemic, asserting that he established a strong health care system in the state of Indiana.

Confirmed cases in the UK rise to 15 – The Guardian

Two more patients in England have tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of UK cases to 15, according to the the Department of Health and Social Care.

Korean Air flight attendant infected with novel coronavirus – YNA

The cabin crew member was found to be infected with COVID-19 after serving on the Incheon-Los Angeles route from Jan. 19-20. Previously, the person flew on the Incheon-Tel Aviv route, according to local media reports.

The flight attendant may have contracted the virus from a group of South Korean churchgoers who went on a pilgrimage to Israel.

Coronavirus case in US may be due to ‘community spread’ of infection – SCMP

US health officials said on Wednesday they had detected a possible case of “community spread” of Covid-19 – the disease caused by the new coronavirus  – with a patient testing positive, despite having no travel history to places with outbreaks or of being exposed to someone already infected.

5:28 EST. Compared to the last update yesterday, cases rise by 1,002, serious cases 10%, and deaths rose by 34

Harvard scientist: coronavirus pandemic likely will infect 40-70% of world this year – The Hill

Harvard epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch told The Wall Street Journal that “it’s likely we’ll see a global pandemic” of coronavirus, with 40 to 70 percent of the world’s population likely to be infected this year.

“What proportion of those will be symptomatic, I can’t give a good number,” added Lipsitch, who is the Director of the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Coronavirus ‘could infect 60% of global population if unchecked’ – The Guardian

Prof Gabriel Leung, the chair of public health medicine at Hong Kong University, said the overriding question was to figure out the size and shape of the iceberg. Most experts thought that each person infected would go on to transmit the virus to about 2.5 other people. That gave an “attack rate” of 60-80%.

“Sixty per cent of the world’s population is an awfully big number,” Leung told the Guardian in London, en route to an expert meeting at the WHO in Geneva on Tuesday.

Even if the general fatality rate is as low as 1%, which Leung thinks is possible once milder cases are taken into account, the death toll would be massive.

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Coronavirus updates: New cases across Europe -DW

• Italy is the worst affected, with 447 cases and 12 deaths.
• New cases have been reported in Estonia and Denmark, and a second case in Switzerland.
• As of Wednesday, 21 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Germany, half in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, while authorities try to find those who may have made contact with patients. Visitors of a carnival parade near the Dutch border may be at risk.

South Korea, US postpone annual military drills due to virus – AP

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The South Korean and U.S. militaries announced Thursday that they were postponing their annual joint drills due to concern about a viral outbreak that has infected soldiers in both countries’ armed forces, put many troops in quarantine and closed base facilities.

Twenty-two South Korean soldiers and one American service member in South Korea have tested positive for the new coronavirus, which has infected about 1,770 people in the Asian country, the largest outbreak outside mainland China.

Close quarter living and meal conditions like military barracks makes virus spread easily.

Number of new coronavirus cases reported in South Korea tops China for first time – SCMP

Seoul reports 505 people were infected with Covid-19 – the largest jump the country has seen in a single day

The number of daily coronavirus infections in South Korea has exceeded those in China for the first time, with 505 new cases on reported on Thursday compared with 433.

In South Korea 171 more cases were recorded on Thursday afternoon in addition to the 334 reported in the morning, bringing its total infections to 1,766, Yonhap News Agency reported.

COVID-19 updates: Germany facing a ‘coronavirus epidemic’ -DW

Germany’s health minister says the country is facing a “coronavirus epidemic”

China: 433 new cases and 29 deaths on Wednesday – The Guardian

By the end of Wednesday, mainland China reported 433 new confirmed cases, and 29 deaths, according to figures from the National Health Commission.

Saudi Arabia halts pilgrimages over virus; Iran says 22 dead – AP

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia on Thursday halted travel to the holiest sites in Islam over fears about a viral epidemic just months ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage, a move that came as the Mideast has over 240 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus.

The extraordinary decision by Saudi Arabia stops foreigners from reaching the holy city of Mecca and the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims pray toward five times a day. The decision also affected travel to Prophet Muhammad’s mosque in Medina. Authorities also suspended entry to the kingdom to those with tourist visas from nations affected by the new virus.

The epicenter in the Mideast’s most-affected country, Iran, appears to be in the holy Shiite city of Qom, where the faithful in reverence reach out to kiss and touch a famous shrine. Iran now has the highest death toll from the virus — 22 dead from among 141 confirmed cases — outside of China, where the outbreak began.

Coronavirus: Germany’s contingency plans for tackling a possible pandemic – DW

We are watchful and we are prepared but our reactions are appropriate — in a nutshell, that is the German government’s position on the spread of coronavirus, even after the first cases were reported in the country.

The infection chains can no longer be tracked, he said. “The situation has changed in the last few hours. That has to be said, unfortunately.”

Hardest-hit China, South Korea count 938 new virus cases – AP

South Korea reported 505 more cases Thursday, bringing its total to 1,766. Most of the new cases were in the country’s fourth-biggest city, Daegu, where the outbreak has hit hardest and the national government has mobilized public health tools to help the region’s overwhelmed medical system.

China reported 433 new cases along with 29 additional deaths. Thursday’s updates bring mainland China’s totals to 78,497 cases, and 2,744 deaths.

Of the new cases, 383 were in the epicenter of the city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged in December. Wuhan also accounted for 19 of the new deaths.

Taiwan raises epidemic response level, halts pilgrimage on virus concerns – Reuters

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan on Thursday raised its epidemic response level to the highest as it readied a $2 billion package to cushion the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on its export-reliant economy, and postponed a major religious event scheduled for next month.

The move allows the government to tackle the virus outbreak in a much faster manner with more resources across various ministries, the official Central News Agency reported.

Coronavirus, cold or flu symptoms? How to tell the difference – DW

Runny nose, cough, sore throat and fever: Symptoms are often similar when one starts to feel sick. That makes it difficult to tell if the illness is a virus or a bacterial infection. More at the link.

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