COVID* STANDFORD MASK STUDY---Elsevier journal to retract widely debunked masks study whose author claimed a Stanford affiliation p345

South Korea

[link to world.kbs.co.kr]

Authorities in S. Korea Believe COVID-19 Spreading Among General Public

South Korea today.

1 deaths
22 more infected
104 total infected

Japan

[link to www.mhlw.go.jp (secure)]

It was confirmed that one employee of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and one employee of the Cabinet Secretariat, who had been engaged in office work on the cruise ship "Diamond Princess" arriving at Yokohama Port on February 3, were infected with the new coronavirus.

Hong Kong

[link to www.info.gov.hk (secure)]

Public hospitals daily update on COVID-19 cases
***************************************
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

As at noon today (February 20), public hospitals had reported to the Department of Health the admission of 19 patients (4 male and 15 female, aged 6 to 89) in the past 24 hours who met the reporting criteria of COVID-19. Appropriate tests have been arranged for the patients.

There are 88 patients under isolation currently. So far, five patients with the COVID-19 infection have been discharged upon recovery.

The Hospital Authority will maintain close contact with the Centre for Health Protection to monitor the latest developments and to inform the public and healthcare workers on the latest information in a timely manner.

Ends/Thursday, February 20, 2020
Issued at HKT 18:22
NNNN

[link to www.globaltimes.cn (secure)]

01:52 am Feb 20

A foreign national who was recently announced to be Egypt's first case with novel coronavirus has tested negative for the virus, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Egypt's Health Ministry said on Wednesday.

00:26 am Feb 20

Iran reported two confirmed cases of COVID19 infection on Wednesday, the first two in the country.

11:56 pm Feb 19

It is highly likely that the COVID19 will co-exist with human beings for a long term, like the flu: expert in respiratory.


11:54 pm Feb 19

Chinese experts stressed the importance for Japan to control the COVID19 infection as soon as possible given the scheduled visit of Chinese President XiJinping to Japan in spring and the 2020 Olympic Games scheduled for July.

11:45 pm Feb 19

As of Tue, Chinese police have busted some 25 mln counterfeit masks of poor quality, arresting 1,084 suspects in 459 cases concerning medical equipment and fake drugs amid national battle against #COVID19: Ministry of Public Security data.

h/t crofsblog

[link to english.chosun.com]

Korea Reports Another Coronavirus Surge

Korea reported over 30 new cases of coronavirus overnight on Thursday, bringing the total confirmed cases to 82, with most new infections in the southeastern city of Daegu.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday in a daily briefing that 30 of the 31 new cases confirmed overnight were in Daegu and one in Seoul.


[snip]

The country's 31st patient who neither traveled abroad nor came into contact with other confirmed patients is presumed to have infected a score of people as she attended a church service until recently in Daegu before testing positive for the virus.

FluTrackers.com
@FluTrackers
Iran - Media: A 3rd death and more cases for a cumulative total of 9. [link to flutrackers.com (secure)] h/t Shiloh, @GertvanderHoek
#COVID19 #coronavirus

[link to twitter.com (secure)]

FluTrackers.com
@FluTrackers
Iran - Schools and higher education centers are closed tomorrow (Thursday) to check the status of #coronavirus in Qom. [link to flutrackers.com (secure)] #COVID19

[link to twitter.com (secure)]

Helen Branswell
@HelenBranswell
#COVID19: Singapore reports +1 case. Not clear at present how the person was infected.
Of Singapore's 85 cases, 9 (or maybe 10, with today's case) aren't currently linked to other cases or to travel to China.
[link to moh.gov.sg (secure)]

[link to twitter.com (secure)]

A rare Ian Mackay blog. With a chart.

[link to virologydownunder.com (secure)]

Not so novel: numbers: around COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2

Posted onFebruary 20, 2020Author


A mammoth overview was just released by researchers from the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (their website is a bit slow right now so have patience).[1] It broke down important details of 44,672 RT-PCR confirmed cases from among 72,314 unique records that spanned from close to the known start of the emergence in early December, to February 11, 2020.

I’ve taken some of the key findings and put them into an infographic below.

FluTrackers.com
@FluTrackers
On Iran - like all countries without a free press it is difficult to determine what is going on (Hello China). The gov media is confirming 5 total cases & 2 deaths. Alternative media are reporting more cases & deaths. We just don't know for sure. Stay tuned. #COVID19 #coronavirus

[link to twitter.com (secure)]

Doge
🦠
@IntelDoge
#Breaking: South Korea reportedly considering raising alert level from orange to red due to the Coronavirus epidemic. The countries gov't will hold a meeting tomorrow morning to discuss this. (BNO)

[link to twitter.com (secure)]

[link to www.castanet.net (secure)]

Canadians aboard virus-ridden cruise ship to return home tonight

Healthy Canadians from the Diamond Princess cruise ship will shortly be heading home, according to Canada's foreign affairs minister, after weeks under quarantine for the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.

[snip]

Among the infected are 47 Canadians who will have to remain in Japan for treatment.

Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Wednesday that passengers would be screened before boarding a chartered flight Thursday evening, Japan time.

Those who are cleared to travel will be taken to Canadian Forces Base Trenton for further screening before they are placed under another two-week quarantine at the Nav Centre in Cornwall, Ont.

that is a huge fear right there. this will cause a major change to society. TEOTWAWKI. that or we have an ELE.

Anyone who is interested, here is the facility where Canada's Diamond Princess evacuees will be quarantined...

[link to navcentre.ca (secure)]

Not a bad place to stay, if it wasn't for the virus.

Who keeps inviting Coronavirus to Xi's big recovery party? Things are most certainly not back to normal...

Hospital coronavirus clusters hit Beijing’s plans to get back to normal

[link to www.scmp.com (secure)]

H/t shiloh



Source: [link to www.cbs8.com (secure)]

2nd group quarantined for COVID-19 to be released from MCAS Miramar
The 63 were among 65 passengers who flew into San Diego on Feb. 7 after evacuating Wuhan, China -- epicenter of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19.
Author: CBS News 8 Team
Published: 6:05 AM PST February 20, 2020
Updated: 6:05 AM PST February 20, 2020

SAN DIEGO — After two weeks of quarantine, more than 60 people will be released from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Thursday, absent new symptoms, county health officials said.

Community spread in Singapore.

Coronavirus: 1 new case in S'pore, no known link yet to previous cases; 3 patients discharged

[link to www.straitstimes.com (secure)]

Taiwan sets very strict thresholds for school closures...

2 cases of Wuhan virus would force school closure: Taiwan MOE

[link to www.taiwannews.com.tw (secure)]

My thoughts: I highly doubt we would be able to enforce such strict thresholds here in Cananda/US...although scared parents might just do the job of health authorities anyway by keeping their kids home.

[link to www.foxnews.com (secure)]

London can host 2020 Olympics if coronavirus outbreak persists, mayoral candidate says

Could the Summer Olympics be returning to London already?

A candidate for London’s upcoming mayoral elections is asking Olympics officials to consider relocating the 2020 games to the British capital -- where they were held just eight years ago -- if the deadly coronavirus forces Tokyo to abandon its hosting duties.

“London can host the #Olympics in 2020,” Shaun Bailey, the Conservative candidate, wrote on Twitter. “We have the infrastructure and the experience. And due to the #coronavirus outbreak, the world might need us to step up.”

Russia also bans Taiwanese nationals...

Russia bars entry of Taiwanese nationals: IATA

[link to chinapost.nownews.com (secure)]

I don't think that Russia recognizes Taiwanese sovereignty. Their ban, therefore, blanket covers all ethnic Chinese I assume.

This is going to get very political. Tokyo will not go quietly into that good night...

Maybe the world might like you to step up by taking measures to help combat the spread of the virus by cancelling the Olympics. Just saying.

Last Edited by Woodenboat on 02/20/2020 11:18 AM

Iran

h/t treyfish

[link to iranintl.com (secure)]

According to information obtained by Iran International, the number of people who have died in a coronary hospital in Qom has reached eight.

According to the report, a 5-year-old woman also died at Imam Reza Hospital in Qom and two of the staff at the Kamkar-Arabia Hospital were also hospitalized at ICU.
..
Earlier, Ministry of Health officials reported the deaths of two people infected with the virus in Qom.....

Also, according to this information, while the Beheshti Hospital has 6 staff, about 6 L95 masks have been distributed in this hospital. ....e transfer of five other suspected individuals from Qom to Tehran hospitals.

At the same time, two people suspected of being infected with the new Corona virus were quarantined in the Babil city

No. They won't. But, at some point the decision will be obvious. But, will they act at that time.

Iran

h/t gert van der hoek



[link to flutrackers.com (secure)]

After two people died of Coronavirus in Iran on Wednesday, officials hinted at more cases of infections, fueling an atmosphere of deep apprehension among the public and expressions of distrust toward the government.
two more cases of Coronavirus infection were reported in Qom on Thursday and another in Arak, close to Qom in central Iran. This is a further indication that infections seem to be spreading in the region.
The Head of the Contagious Diseases of the Health Ministry, Mohammad Mehdi Gouya, on Thursday said two more cases have been confirmed in Qom and five suspected of infection have been transferred to Tehran
In Qom special measures are being taken. One of the city's hospitals was evacuated on Wednesday evening to quarantine Coronavirus patients and authorities have announced that all schools, universities and seminaries will be closed on Thursday.
according to unconfirmed reports four patients in mashhad, iran's second largest city and another religious center, have also been tested positive for coronavirus. Mashhad is also a pilgrim destination and tens of thousands visit the city every day.
febr 20 2020
Announcement Of Iran Coronavirus Deaths Fuels Public Distrust Of Government
[link to en.radiofarda.com (secure)]
After two people died of Coronavirus in Iran on Wednesday, officials hinted at more cases of infections, fueling an atmosphere of deep apprehension among the public and expressions of distrust towa...

South Korea

h/t treyfish

[link to en.yna.co.kr (secure)]

SEOUL, Feb. 20 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean Navy sailor on the southern island of Jeju tested positive Thursday for the new coronavirus in an initial examination, government officials said, sparking concerns the virus might have spread into military barracks.

[snip].

According to officials, the sailor in his 20s visited his hometown, Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, from Feb. 13-18. Upon returning to the base, he showed symptoms, such as coughing, prompting the authorities to immediately quarantine him at the base...

Sluggish ticket sales and athlete boycotts will make the decision for them.

South Korea

h/t treyfish

[link to www.yna.co.kr (secure)]

According to the Central Defense Response Headquarters and local governments, 56 additional corona19 confirmed cases occurred in Korea on the 20th, and the number of confirmed persons increased to 107.

Indeed. But will London (or any major city) be in a position to be having crowd-intensive events......

South Korea

h/t treyfish

Mass infection feared at a hospital in Cheongdo

Daenam Hospital could emerge as new COVID-19 cluster with 15 cases, including potential first death

By Ahn Sung-mi
Published : Feb 20, 2020 - 18:43
A hospital in Cheongdo, North Gyeongsang Province, could emerge as the new cluster of COVID-19 outbreak here, after a total of 15 people, including a man who died Wednesday, were confirmed to have contracted the virus.

...“We ask anyone who has had any contact with the hospital to self-isolate,” KCDC Director Jung Eun-kyeong said at a news briefing...
..It was also reported that several groups of the church members visited Cheongdo on a regular basis for voluenteeer works. .. [link to www.koreaherald.com]