Main Coronavirus / Covid-19 Discussion Thread

[Mellotron]

from BBC website

Italy has confirmed 969 more deaths from the coronavirus in the past 24 hours, taking the country’s total to 9,134.

There are 4,401 new infections, making a total of 66,414 current cases.

This is believed to be the sharpest rise in fatalities that any country has seen so far throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Do we know if the daily new infections is down from yesterday?

 

[BLOCK F]

Zing!

Could also have been:

“I’m shaking hands,” Johnson said when asked how he planned to handle visiting dignitaries.

“I was at a hospital the other night where I think a few there were actually coronavirus patients and I shook hands with everybody, you’ll be pleased to know, and I continue to shake hands.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...-will-not-stop-me-shaking-hands-idUSKBN20Q1IO

The bleedin' pillock.

That was a report from 3rd March when life was a bit different, so it is highly unlikely that his hand shaking at that time, some 24 days ago, resulted in his infection.

 

[jabba]

Do we know if the daily new infections is down from yesterday?

BBC:

There is a small glimmer of hope among the shocking statistics, however - the number of new infections (4,401) was lower than the figure recorded on Thursday (4,492).

The Civil Protection Agency also reported that 10,950 people had fully recovered on Friday, compared to 10,361 the day before.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Sorry if I’ve missed this but how do the overall mortality figures in this country compare year on year at the moment? Is this March considerably higher than the last couple of March’s so far?

As about 50,000 people die a month in the UK, the 780 from coronavirus so far won't make a huge difference. I imagine the mortality figures for this March are relatively low compared to previous Marchs, as the winter has been so mild. February 2020 had about 2,000 fewer deaths than February 2019.

 

[BBassic]

That was a report from 3rd March when life was a bit different, so it is highly unlikely that his hand shaking at that time, some 24 days ago, resulted in his infection.

Yeah, I'm aware. But it is indicative of the man being a pillock.

 

[The Wizard]

The problem with all these statistics is that, as they are only testing those in hospital the likely number of actual cases could be astronomically higher than the global 550K it’s currently on at the moment. Particularly here as I’m not sure on other countries policies but as we only test those in hospital, the true number of people that have had it and self isolated and stayed at home or not even had symptoms it is probably way way higher, I wouldn’t even like to estimate how much higher it could be. This also makes mortality rate look horrendous, but when you take into account the actual number of cases we’ve probably had, it isn’t anywhere near as bad as it looks at the moment.

 

[vegster]

By mortalities per day, we’re now:

Still 2 weeks behind Italy.
8 days behind Spain.
4 days behind France.

Likely to mean that in a few days time, many hundreds in the UK will sadly be losing their lives to COVID-19, every single day. I hope not.

This is awful, it is probably going to get worse before it gets better and, every death is another individual tragedy. Lord knows how this will affect the populations of poorer countries such as those in South America and Africa. It looks like it is spiralling out of control in the US too, truly frightening times.

 

[Mellotron]

BBC:

There is a small glimmer of hope among the shocking statistics, however - the number of new infections (4,401) was lower than the figure recorded on Thursday (4,492).

The Civil Protection Agency also reported that 10,950 people had fully recovered on Friday, compared to 10,361 the day before.

New infections is possibly the greater indicator of what will happen over the coming couple of weeks than deaths are.

 

[vegster]

Cheltenham festival, and Liverpool v Atletico Madrid still won't have hit the figures yet.

That was 16 days ago, that would have shown up by now.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

That was 16 days ago, that would have shown up by now.

Not in the death figures.

 

[Weststander]

This is awful, it is probably going to get worse before it gets better and, every death is another individual tragedy. Lord knows how this will affect the populations of poorer countries such as those in South America and Africa. It looks like it is spiralling out of control in the US too, truly frightening times.

If relatively large numbers do die in the US, I can the numbers be being skewed towards the poorer, for obvious reasons ... a lack of decent healthcare for that demographic. What will my old mate Trump have to say about that, I don’t him shedding a non-Crocodile tear?

 

[Weststander]

Do we know if the daily new infections is down from yesterday?

A virologist from Cambridge Uni on the radio today we simply can’t yet use new infections data in the UK or in most other countries, because truly widespread testing is miles away. Numbers may well be expanding exponentially, but there’s no comprehensive system to know. Fatalities is the only hard fact that can be relied upon just now.

 

[Driver8]

My best mates Mum has just tested positive. Already suffering and in hospital with Diabetes and in her 80s. Still only slight cold symptoms at the moment which is positive.

 

[Swansman]

Ugandan opposition leader/rapper. Good stuff.

 

[BLOCK F]

Yeah, I'm aware. But it is indicative of the man being a pillock.

Well, I reckon the man you consider to be a pillock is doing a pretty good job under very difficult circumstances.

 

[lawros left foot]

I have a theory about the spread of the virus in Spain and Italy, and how we MAY escape the worst.
Most people in Italian and Spanish cities live in blocks of flats,or apartments. If you live on the first floor, or higher you share the lift/ stairs with other residents and visitors of the building. Even during a total lock down people have to go out for food, medicine so they would be sharing the communal stairs lifts.

Even in smaller towns, the main residences are flats, whereas here, outside of the larger city centres are houses, where even if divided into flats, there aren’t as many, therefore less people to be infected, or pass on infection.

I’m not a scientist, but, I think we may have it easier because of our style of residences.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I have a theory about the spread of the virus in Spain and Italy, and how we MAY escape the worst.
Most people in Italian and Spanish cities live in blocks of flats,or apartments. If you live on the first floor, or higher you share the lift/ stairs with other residents and visitors of the building. Even during a total lock down people have to go out for food, medicine so they would be sharing the communal stairs lifts.

Even in smaller towns, the main residences are flats, whereas here, outside of the larger city centres are houses, where even if divided into flats, there aren’t as many, therefore less people to be infected, or pass on infection.

I’m not a scientist, but, I think we may have it easier because of our style of residences.

There are LOADS of reasons and those are undoubtedly some of them, IMHO. Both Catholic countries (shared communion), apartments as you say, extended families living together and a culture that is the opposite of social distancing, lots of smokers, lots of old people.

Now think of London and replace the Catholic bit with travelling on tubes because you think your job is more important than government advice.

 

[The Wizard]

There are LOADS of reasons and those are undoubtedly some of them, IMHO. Both Catholic countries (shared communion), apartments as you say, extended families living together and a culture that is the opposite of social distancing, lots of smokers, lots of old people.

Now think of London and replace the Catholic bit with travelling on tubes because you think your job is more important than government advice.

Very true, however would London’s demographics work in its favour? I don’t know but I would guess the average age in London is probably one of the youngest of all UK cities? Lots more young people who are likely to survive than older people, Lombardy in Italy for example I think it was said has one of the highest % of over 65’s of anywhere in the world.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Very true, however would London’s demographics work in its favour? I don’t know but I would guess the average age in London is probably one of the youngest of all UK cities? Lots more young people who are likely to survive than older people, Lombardy in Italy for example I think it was said has one of the highest % of over 65’s of anywhere in the world.

London has a lower proportion but there are a lot of oldies living there nonetheless. Lombardy has a population of 10 million in total in 9000 square miles (ish). London is 8 million odd in 600 square miles. That's a LOT of people in a small space in comparison,

 

[dangull]

Looking at Sky news, they estimate that 2/3 to 3/4 people who have died in this country had underlying health problems, and would have died shortly anyway.
IE the virus isn't the reason they died. Just looking at it at it in a different angle with some of worrying numbers from across the world.