As of March 2, 2020, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) has exploded worldwide. The new stats on coronavirus are brought to you as a public service announcement so you can protect your loved ones.
It is now in over 60 countries. Six people have died in Washington State as a result of COVID-19 coronavirus. The Governor declared a state of emergency.
California and Germany confirmed cases of the coronavirus with no known source of transmission this week. “Community spread.”
A resident of Solano County, in California, may be the first person to be infected through community spread in the United States. At least, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The patient, who was not exposed to anyone infected with the coronavirus, and who had not traveled to countries with a coronavirus outbreak, wasn’t tested for days. Even though doctors at U-CA, Davis Medical Center, considered COVID-19 when the patient was admitted.
The delay in testing was due to CDC criteria which takes travel and exposure to travelers or ill patients into account. The CDC is developing tests that can be used at local hospitals.
“That would suggest there are other undetected cases out there, and we have already started some low-grade transmission,” said Dr. William Schaffner as quoted in The New York Times. Dr. Schaffner is an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University.
The United States has four new cases of the coronavirus in Washington, Oregan, and California that have no connection to international travel.
There are a total of 103 coronavirus cases confirmed in the U.S… 22 of unknown origin. The majority are related to the Diamond Princess cruise ship or evacuees from China.
Top CDC health officials warned Americans to prepare for an outbreak in this country. In addition, President Trump will order companies to ramp up production of medical supplies, including protective masks for healthcare workers. President Trump already appointed VP Pence to head the U.S. virus response. He headed up a similar task force for his home state in response to SARS.
The State Department issued a no-travel advisory for Iran and parts of Italy and South Korea. Israel advises residents to avoid all travel abroad, and also bans visitors from Italy after a resident fell ill after travel there. Italy has over 400 cases, and several cities on lockdown.
Worldwide, COVID-19 cases top 89,400, with approximately 3,000 deaths.
Nigeria and Ecuador reported their first cases of the virus. Denmark, Estonia, Norway, and Romania have all reported their first cases.
In the United States, the new cases include a high school student near Seattle, an Oregon elementary school employee, and a woman in Santa Clara County, California.
Health officials believe the new coronavirus cases of unknown origin mark an escalation of the virus outbreak in the U.S., meaning it can no longer be contained by quarantines. Most health officials believed that was inevitable.
Japan orders all schools closed to slow the spread of COVID-19; 186 patients and four deaths, in addition to 700 cases and four deaths from the cruise ship. This is just one example of global reactions to the stats on Coronavirus.
Here in the U.S., the CDC says that the risk of widespread transmission remains low. However, Washington State is investigating 50 respiratory illnesses at a long-term care facility. An employee of the facility and a 70-year-old woman have been confirmed as having COVID-19. Most of the deaths were elderly in this facility.
Just last week, on February 25, 2020, The Wuhan Coronavirus (COVID-19) had reached 81,109 cases. The sharp increase since then is a big shock.
Our goal is to keep you up to date on the stats on Coronavirus as we get them!
Top CDC health officials Tuesday warned Americans to prepare for an almost certain outbreak in this country. “It’s not so much of a question of if this will happen anymore but rather more of a question of exactly when this will happen,” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
Scientists are still hesitant to quote a “death rate” for the coronavirus, saying it is too early to tell. Currently, figures range from 2% to 4% but that number differs based on locality.
Many still believe that China has not told the truth regarding infection rate, number of cases, or death rate. Nonetheless, the virus is spreading widely and appears to be highly contagious.
Here is a recap of the latest stats on Coronavirus we found:
- The U.S. confirmed at least 103 cases of Wuhan coronavirus.
- U.S. Officials Warn Citizens to be Prepared for Coronavirus Outbreak in the United States.
- Wuhan Coronavirus (COVID-19) becoming pandemic as numbers top 81,109.
- Coronavirus is now in more than 60 countries! Over 3,000 dead.
“We are asking the American public to prepare for the expectation that this might be bad,” Dr. Messonnier said.
Over 150 Million Chinese remain are confined to homes. South Korea has almost 600 cases, and joint military exercises with U.S. are postponed. A U.S. soldier on base in South Korea has coronavirus.
This is far more than the SARS or MERS coronavirus epidemics over the past two decades.
In late 2002, SARS infected more than 8,000 and killed 774, before disappearing altogether.
South Korea now has over 1,261 confirmed cases, urging over 2.4 million people in the city of Dageau to stay at home to avoid spread of the virus.
Iran ordered 1.2 million people into similar “lockdown” status. Iran has reported 19 deaths.
Italian cases have climbed to more than 1,100, with 29 deaths reported.
According to the Japanese Health Ministry, at least 71 Americans on the ship were infected with the coronavirus. Many of them remain in hospitals around Japan.
Two former Diamond Princess passengers have now died from the virus. To date, 626 passengers from the cruise ship have contracted the virus. And, another cruise ship passenger among the 340 evacuated to the U.S. on Sunday has become ill with the virus. The passenger was still in quarantine and apparently had previously shown no signs of the illness.
The 14 American evacuees who tested positive have been taken to the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, together with their families.
Officials said that the 443 people who left the ship a week ago, Wednesday, had no symptoms and had tested negative for the virus. It was not clear when they had taken the test, however. Some indicated that they had been tested over the weekend, which would mean they had possibly been exposed to infection for another three days.
Dr. Benjamin Cowie of the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, Australia, said that people who were newly infected could test negative for the coronavirus only to become ill a few days later. Therefore Stats on Coronavirus are only as accurate as reported.
The U.S. government brought over 300 passengers from the ship back to the U.S. aboard two separate flights. Among those were 14 passengers who tested positive for the coronavirus. All of the evacuees will remain in quarantine for at least two weeks at military bases in California and Texas. This was on Sunday. It is believed that approximately 1,100 passengers and 1,000 crew members remain on board the Diamond Princess.
In Wuhan, the Chinese government has moved in 10 industrial incinerators. The official reason was “to burn medical waste and animal carcasses.” The news has already reported crematoriums have not been able to keep up with the number of bodies.
In 2012, a similar outbreak known as MERS began infecting people in Saudi Arabia. MERS still causes infections in a small number of people each year. And in total has caused around 2,500 infections and more than 850 deaths. A report on Tuesday indicated that an autopsy of a COVID-19 victim shows similar damage to the lungs as that inflicted by SARS. That coronavirus also began in China.
In an effort to control the outbreak, China ordered more than 150 million people to remain in their homes. One person in each household is allowed out once every three days to shop for food over a two-hour period.
On Friday, the CDC announced it will begin to test individuals with influenza-like-illness for the novel coronavirus. The testing will begin in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, and New York City. Other cities will be added to this program in the coming weeks.
Influenza and coronavirus have similar symptoms in the beginning of the illnesses. A test is the only way to determine if the patient has the coronavirus and not the flu.
It is believed there were 380 Americans onboard the Diamond Princess. Several opted to stay in Japan rather than potentially be exposed to the virus on a long flight to the U.S.
The State Department announced that the 14 evacuees who confirmed positive for the virus were allowed to board the flight because they had no symptoms. However, they were kept isolated from other passengers on the flight.
“There may be additional cases we identify. I do want to prepare you for that,” said Dr. Jennifer McQuiston, deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control’s division of high consequence pathogens and pathology.
Two earlier U.S. cases were among evacuees flown to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in Southern California.
In addition to quarantined persons at bases around the country, it is believed that several hundred travelers who returned to the U.S. before the outbreak was announced have self-quarantined. Many under supervision of health authorities. None of these appear to have contracted the virus to date.
Outside of China, the largest single outbreak is on the Diamond Princess cruise ship docked near Tokyo. The stats on Coronavirus for cruise ships that we have are:
About 255 Canadians and 330 Hong Kong residents are on board the ship or undergoing treatment in Japanese hospitals. There are also 35 Italians, of which 25 are crew members, including the captain.
Malaysia said it would not allow any more passengers from another cruise ship to transit the country after an 83-year-old American woman from the MS Westerdam tested positive for the virus. The Westerdam was not allowed to dock at several countries for fear of the virus. The ship finally docked in Cambodia and some passengers flew out through Malaysia.
These numbers are expected to continue to rise. Information compiled from various sources, which may include Associated Press, CDC, WHO, CNN, New York Times, Washington Post, Israeli Times, and other media outlets.
Will it spread in the United States?
Yes. But it is still unknown how widespread it will become.
Some experts, including Dr. Marc Siegel speaking on Fox News, believe that the Wuhan coronavirus will eventually become a pandemic in the United States, although not to the extent that China is experiencing.
Should I worry?
There is no reason to panic, but you should take reasonable precautions to avoid getting sick. And you should be prepared.
Being prepared means having supplies at home in case there is an extended outbreak in your area.
This could mean having extra, simple-to-fix meals on hand, canned soup, crackers, peanut butter, canned tuna, boxed meals, teas, etc. Additional items could include juices and drinks, disinfectants, tissues, fever reducers, and decongestants. Plus vitamins and other items that you would need for something like the flu.
But it may last longer than a flu outbreak. So, think ahead. Pay attention to the stats on Coronavirus and plan accordingly.
Have some books and magazines, puzzles and games, perhaps some videos in case you are home for an extended period. Take work home with you if possible.
Keep in mind that people are being quarantined for 14 days. As each person in the family becomes sick, that could extend the quarantine another 14 days. And, while it may not happen, it is conceivable that communities could be quarantined.
So prepare for a month if you can.
How serious is it?
Experts believe that 2% of those who contract the virus will die. However, some estimates are as high as a 17% death rate.
Independent journalists and proactive citizens in China are posting videos and reports showing a much higher death rate than the official Chinese report. It is too early to know.
How contagious is the virus?
Experts say the virus can be contagious even before a person shows symptoms. They believe it can be spread through contact person to person, through air droplets, and that it can live on surfaces for two days or longer. Experts originally believed the incubation period was about 14 days.
Health experts now think the average incubation of the virus is 5-7 days, but in some instances may be as few as two days or as many as 24 days. This uncertain incubation period increases the possibility that people are spreading the infection before they show signs of illness themselves.
The United Kingdom now reports that one “super spreader” has infected at least 13 people. The stats on Coronavirus really are alarming.
The man was not symptomatic when he traveled from China to Switzerland to a ski resort. He reportedly infected not only the UK patients but also five from France and one from Spain. The British man was quarantined and now tests negative for the virus. There is no telling how many people he was in contact with.
And in Hong Kong, authorities evacuated an apartment building after several people became ill. It began with one woman, then others in the building became ill. These patients had no contact with the woman who initially came down with the virus. And they were at least 10 stories above her apartment. Authorities now believe the virus spread through plumbing pipes, similar to the way SARS spread. They are disinfecting the building.
Scientists previously estimated that each infected person could spread the virus to somewhere between 1.5 and 3.5 people. Each of those could spread it to 1.5 to 3.5 more people, and so on. A “super spreader” could obviously infect many more before realizing they were sick themselves. And if a super spreader infected others who became super spreaders….
Please check our pages under Health and Fitness for things that may help! Using vitamins to fight the Coronavirus is a good place to start.
More information is available on the World Health Organization’s site. They update stats on the coronavirus daily and we report them here. We hope people are inspired to take precautions and be prepared!
Some real signs that most governments are taking this world health crisis seriously are:
- Iran canceled Friday Prayers in major cities; top officials have coronavirus.
- Saudi Arabia bans pilgrims from visiting Mecca and Medina.
My prayers go out to all who are affected by this virus. And to all who are working to care for them. We should all try to stop the spread. If you are sick, or think you might have been exposed, please take precautions! Here is an article on how to make your own facemasks.
Information in this article was compiled by LHR. I apologize to her for my editing!
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