Coronavirus and its coverup

50 Comments / 107 Comments

1. @ Michael S:

   Good info…A question….do you really mean “Ashkelibbie” (what does it mean?) or….

   good old “Ishkebibble”, whom nobody remembers surely..??

2. @ Edgar G.:
   Hi, Edgar
   Thank you for hanging in there with me.

   Most folks here are most concerned about ME politics — understandably so, from a psychological perspective. From my own rather remote vantage point, however, it’s all so same-o, same-o over there. My biggest interest in the region lateley, is that Iran-origin coronavirus cases are starting to flood Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Iran (of course), Pakistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus and Estonia, and are substantial contributors to caseloads in Georgia, Norway, London, Canada (including BC as well as Ontario and Quebec — it’s not all coming through the Chinese, by any means), New York, Mexico and Australia. Spread from Egypt is also largely unchecked, with new cases arising in Ontario and California.

   Spreading at the same level as the ME infectors, are those from Italy, and increasingly from other countries such as France. The situation looks out of control in Germany, where dozens and probably more got infected by fellow carnival-goers. Even the UK, which is outside of Schengen and even the EU now, is cursed from everywhere: China, Singapore, Japan, Italy, Iran and doubtless others. I might note that even before Corvie broke out, there seemed to be more checks on movement than in Europe; and since the outbreak, nothing significant has happened outside of a few communities in Italy.

   The most dangerous spread in the US, at the moment, is among us geriatrics in the US Northwest. Netanyahu will almost certainly hobble along for an extended period, almost certainly dogged every step of the way by Ashkelibbie lawsuits; but I’m more concerned about whether or not to wear a mask when talking to our tax consultant today.

   People groups to be most concerned about are Europeans, Asians and Middle Easterners, especially anyone who looks fit enough to travel.

   Shalom shalom 🙂

3. @ Michael S:

   You are taking the best care, and we others would do well to do as you are doing-so keep posting.. My daughter stopped bringing her children for Friday night Kiddush and Shabat meal 2 weeks ago, because I am in the worst age bracket….even though no cases have been reported on the Island-population over 850,000….

   Forewarned is forearmed……I hope….assuming that the Canadian Govt Ministry of Health is not run by those as stupid as the PM….Problem is that the whole West Coast area is flooded with Chinese, who have been buying up apartments and homes here for years, although still living in China- how long will it be before they come over to escape the virus, and bring it with them…….Depends on govt restrictions, and I haven’t read about any ..yet.

4. By now, I imagine everyone here is living in a virus-hit area. We have minimized contacts and travels, avoided gatherings, and wash/ disinfect often. As per CDC recommendations, we do not wear masks.

   Meanwhile, profiteers are generating fake news, viz:

   ” “Seven Americans and one Chinese have tested positive for coronavirus in Billings, Montana, authorities have said in a statement. According to the statement, seven people became ill after coming into contact with a Chinese colleague…
   
   “The article is posted on a website titled NEWS WEEK at “cbtvn.com.”

   “A quick online search reveals that “cbtvn.com” often publishes fake, inaccurate, and/or misleading information, and provides no evidence or sources for its allegations.”

   — https://www.krtv.com/news/montana-and-regional-news/fake-coronavirus-in-montana-article-causes-concern

   There ARE websites with accurate, up-to-date information, viz:

   https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

5. I can’t say whether there’s a panic or not — My wife and I have been hunkered down all day; skipped a funeral, just went out after dark to take out the trash. Plenty to do around the house.

   The map keeps lighting up with new cases. Most likely, we’ll see more tomorrow.

6. Joel Pollack’s March 1 column in Breitbart News, “Pollak: Coronavirus Panic Partly Driven by Anti-Trump Hysteria.” is worth reading. Pollack points out among other things that the Center for Disease Control physician who warned that it was inevitable that the coronavirus would spread in the United States last Tuesday, Dr. Nancy Messonier, is the sister of former Deputy Attorney General, and Trump enemy, Rod Rosenstein. “It is perhaps no accident that the coronavirus panic only began roiling world markets after Sen. Bernie Sanders emerged as the frontrunner for the Democratic Party’s nomination for president after the Nevada caucuses last weekend.”

7. @ Edgar G.:
   I wish you the best, Edgar.

   “Community Spread” (i.e. untraceable) cases have been confirmed in Washington, Oregon and N. California. That region includes my wife, son and me. We live on the main highway, rail and air corridor between the three.

   My wife and I have decided not to go to a Bible study today at an assisted living facility. My friend got turned away from visiting his wife at another such facility the other day, due to some sort of flu (probably not this coronavirus); and since everyone involved is 65-100 yrs. old, we don’t want to endanger anyone.

   I’m reminded of when King David offered up a sacrifice to stay the plague (caused by his own sin). The Catholic holy season of Lent has just begun; and Purim will be with us in a few days (which included the fast of Esther); so I guess God is doing a pretty good job of getting our attention. The alternative is to panic and curse, which most of the world seems to be doing. Better that we should fast and pray.

8. @ Edgar G.:

   I wanted to add a story, I was reminded of by the word “shingles” but I’d pressed “Post Comment” before I thought of it and I knew I wouldn’t have enough time. I have several sticking keys, and always need to correct my post which often takes some time.

   A few years ago when living in Panama, I got some sort of an itching rash . You can catch all sorts of things there, especially if you are not a native. Someone said…”that looks like scabies”. I had only known of both scabies and shingles from seeing them in reading, never really knew what they were.. I always got them mixed up anyway,,, .So I went to a scabies specialist. He looked, and said.. “yes that’s scabies all right”..You’ll need an injection. I told him I’ve hated injections from when I was a kid and had to take a 6 week course- twice a week. I’ve never had one since no matter what-not even an anti-tetanus. ..

   Then he asked me to stand at his desk, turn sideways and put one foot on the other-I thought he was crazy. But he whipped out a hypo that he had behind his back, and jabbed me. I never felt a thing. So I asked him about it and he said that standing the way I was, brought out a particular spot on my hip which is insensitive. He said it was a discovery of his own, and his specialty..

   He said that in a couple of hours the strong itching will have gone and I’ll be alright. Fine..I paid him $70 and left.. The damned itch stayed with me. So I went to him again, the next day, and told him.. He was amazed…then said…. “well then you didn’t have scabies, because that injection always works. I can do nothing for you I only trsat scabies”… That was that.

   When I saw him first, I saw, behind desk, a dapper, light complexioned man of about 75 (trying to look 45), with shiny black hair combed straight back, and with a kind of moustache, I’m sure pencil enhanced, like a thin line under his nose. A 1920’s movie gigolo type.

   He sat like a statue, never moved a muscle. Then he said “come in”, so I knew he was alive. That’s the story. The itch went away when I applied some cream from the local pharmacy…where I should have gone to at first. It cost $1.20….

   And that was that………….!!

9. @ Michael S:

   Thank you for the info. I’ll skip the shingles but I’ll ask the dr about the flu shot. I’m just concerned about the strength of the reaction in my case never have had one before, so no built up resistance. Like the measles and the American Indians.

   My aforementioned daughter is piling up 6 mths supply of food and etc. With her husband, 2 daughters (3 and 11) her sister (another daughter) with 2 very young children (6 mths and 3 years) living with them, they may need to build a warehouse to stock everything..

10. here is what seems to be a good video documentary about the beginning of the Wuhan virus epidemic:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycrqXJYf1SU

11. @ Edgar G.:
    Hi, Edgar.

    My wife hedged a little concerning the shingles shot. She and I have both had one. I (age 71) had no trouble with it; but she had some discomfort. Shingles doesn’t happen too often; but when it does, it can be painful. The shots are expensive, and not always available. In the US, we pay a co-pay of about $140. The flu shots, so far as we can see, are valuable. Even if the particular virus isn’t immunized against, the shot may strengthen the immune system against it. This would be worth getting medical advice about.

    Concerning washing, the norovirus is resistant to simple water washing, and requires soap and scrubbing. That beast is still making its rounds in assisted living facilities near us. I imagine the new coronavirus requires a similar stringency.

    A personal observation about quarantine: It seems that away-from-home quarantines are less effective, and can be disastrous. (Note the Diamond Princess nightmare). In-home quarantines seem to be FAR more effective.

    China continues to dig out:
    “Work has largely resumed across China with production estimated at 60-70% of normal.
    “Quarantine periods are ending, enabling the workforce to return.
    “Quarantine and restrictions remain in place for anyone returning from Hubei Province.
    “During the last week of February, a sharp increase in production took place in most provinces.
    “Large manufacturing clusters still remain at only 50-60% of production capacity.
    “Full production is expected no earlier than middle of March.”
    — https://www.agility.com/en/pages/coronavirus-operational-update/

    WHAT ELSE CAN GO WRONG? Click here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KwfMYQ3Hvg

12. @ Michael S:

    Yes I remember him and have read a lot about him, a really good man, long before he became President, and a good President too, but..apart from the comedians joking abut his name, .he couldn’t fight against the Depression, and the Democrat’s false promises, which I always note didn’t materialise until the US went to War in 1941, actually a year or two before that, because their economy picked up from supplying the Allies with war materiel, wheat, other foods etc. you might say from 1939, and had nothing to do with Roosevelt…a major Anti-Semite..

    Thank your wife too me, for her advice, which I believe I will follow..although not looking forward to it.

13. @ adamdalgliesh:
    Adam,

    I am not an expert on the stock market, but I have observed a few things over the years:

    1. The market is not a measure of the economy; it is a measure of gut feelings (and increasingly, computer algorhythms that are only smart enough to respond to short-term trends).

    2. The market is driven by fear and greed to some extent, but also deliberate manipulation. Big-time players understand about the pre-sets people make, and try to induce panics — only to cash in on them a few minutes, hours or days later.

    So much for the stock market, bond market, etc. I am invested in all of these, in a balanced portfolio. Here’s another thing I’ve observed:

    3. You can’t actually get into or out of the “market”. At best, you can rearrange your portfolio: a little more or less in stocks, bonds, cash, metals, real estate, etc., so it’s best to balance things for the long run and enjoy a good cup of coffee or tea. I can almost guarantee you that we will see a rally of thousands of points in a few days… which reminds me of another couple of observations:

    4. Market analysts always seem to come up with a “reason” for why a market goes up or down. They do this by a. seeing that there’s a movement, b. reading the newspaper to see what’s been happening lately, and c. grabbing the biggest headline and somehow connecting it to the movement in the market. If the headline is about a heat wave, for instance, they attribute the market move to fear over/ exultation about the change in temperature. If the headline is about a cold wave, they make the exact same analysis, simply changing a word or two on their boilerplate.

    5. Even if the stock exchange sank into a salt mine, the Internet was melted by an EMP device and the planet were attacked by global-warming-creating locusts from Mars, you and yours would be in approximately the same condition as everyone around you.

    May the God of Peace bless you, and keep you in perfect peace.

14. From today’s CNBC: “Stock market live updates: Dow loses 4,000 points and counting on week, yields collapsing
    This is a live blog. Check back for updates.

    10:31 am: Apple falls into bear market territory, all Dow stocks at least in correction”

15. “GENEVA, Feb 28 (Reuters) – The risk of spread and impact of the coronavirus is now very high at a “global level”, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva on Friday.
    China’s 329 reported cases in the past 24 hours was however the lowest there in more than a month, he said. “

16. From today’s CNBC:”Dow tumbles 1,000 points for third time this week as Friday’s sell-off worsens
    Stocks tumbled once again on Friday, adding losses to the market’s worst week since the financial crisis, as worries over the coronavirus and its impact on the economy continue to rattle investor sentiment.”

17. @ Edgar G.:
    It is as you say, Edgar. One thing that happened with the system changeover, is that I can no longer edit my comments. Do you remember that famous US President, Hoobert Heever?

18. @ Edgar G.:

    Hi Edgar.
    My wife is a recently retired charge nurse; and some of her oft-repeated opinions to me are:

    1. DEFINITELY get a flu shot (and a shingles shot, if you can — unrelated to the flu)
    2. Wash, wash, wash, and wash — especially before and after touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
    3. Masks: she uses them when doing foot care, to protect from fungus, etc.; but if you want to wear them for virus protection, there are important protocols to follow in donning and removing them. We have stockpiled a few masks of various qualities– for the contingency of being quarantined, but also for my wife’s normal use for work.

    This is a good time to take an inventory of general preparedness for disaster: generator, firewood, gasoline, food storage, water, “to go” bag for a quick getaway, etc. I also need to update my passport for travel to exotic places like Vancouver Island.

    This is the first winter in a while, when we stocked up on road salt before the shelves went empty (which they usually do, right after the first snow falls). There’s been panic buying of masks, but we still managed to get some (at a price!); and food stores are still very available.

    China looks very hopeful: People are “digging out”, as it were. Elsewhere, I think governments are beginning to take more precautions concerning infections from Iran, Italy, Singapore, Korea, Japan, etc.; but I wouldn’t be surprized if surges suddenly appear in places like the Philippines, Central America, etc.

    I’m hoping this thing goes away before Summer, in enough time for the vaccines to get tested and approved; but it’s never good to get cocky about such matters.

19. @ Michael S:

    I live in Victoria, on Vancouver Island, with no cases reported yet on the Island, and 7 mild cases in Vancouver, plus a couple already recovered. The sme number reported in Ontrio, bout 3000 miles est of her, and none reported elsewhere-SO FAR… I had a rare med. appt today, a new doc, and as usual my daughter drove. She very thoughtfully brought me a heavy duty med mask, a few surgical masks, and a special hand-washing lotion, because a doctor’s office is where one picks up germs. (He was in such a hurry that it was an in-out last appt. of the day experience). I didn’t even get a chance to open my mouth “to say aaah”….

    I have a situation in that I have never had a flu shot (I hate injections) and can’t remember when I last had the flu, certainly well over 40 years ago, and need to consider, if, at my rather senior age, I should get one.. Perhaps never having had one, might make me re-act more strongly to an injection, almost like having an attack of it..

    Do we have any medical folks out there with a considered opinion.

20. @ adamdalgliesh:

    I think Trump’s best argument for re-election is more likely to be the utter unworthiness of every singe one of the Democratic hopefuls…the worst by far of any Presidential Election.. The fall in the Dow was reported by Wall St as a “correction”….which happens all the time when the market gets a bit overheated…. No doubt the effects on trade of the virus will have a sizable effect also.

21. @ Sebastien Zorn:

    I just re-read it from your link. It’s that same report, and perhaps I assumed that the 90 days they mention was when they’d begin human trials.

    But….I distinctly recall that when reading it, that it mentioned 3 months to human trials, and I thought then about the uncanny coincidence with the American announcement (which Trump repeated) that they’d discovered a cure in 3 hours, bsed on them already hving the DNA, and would go to human trials in less than 3 months.

    Either the JP changed it after I read it, (not uncommon) or I misread, also not uncommon. Which is not impossible, but…still my thinking of that 3 month to human trials coincidence…..??

22. @ Michael S:

    I think you mean the British MP William Wilberforce…

23. This is the opinion of a commentator named Liz Peek in today’s Fox News: “Could the coronavirus be the magic bullet to kill off the Trump presidency? Desperate Democrats certainly hope so; they imagine the spreading disease will knock confidence and our robust economy for a loop, undermining President Trump’s best argument for reelection.”

24. @ Edgar G.:
    Edgar and Sebastian,

    This disease progresses VERY slowly — some six weeks from infection to death, much of that time with no symptoms whatever. Vaccines are administered to HEALTHY individuals in a double-blind study. Also, age and general health seem to have a great affect in determining the outcome; so a very carefully-selected, LARGE group of testees needs to be hauled in for the test. Factors such as genetics need to be factored in as well, and we don’t know yet what role they play. All these things, collectively, contribute to the very long time needed to verify whether a vaccine is 1. effective and 2. harmful in humans. Remember also, that this virus is suspected of being “species jumping”, so animal tests may be of limited value in determining effects on people.

    At the moment, containment seems to be the most practical approach; and non-medical issues are of foremost importance: profiteering, incompetence and corruption of officials and news reporters, actors jockeying for political advantage, distribution of food, medicine and other essentials, supply chain disruption affecting global companies, etc. Add to this the genuine mental illness and mass hysteria being generated day in, day out by self-seeking individuals, and what could be a very manageable virus can warp into a monster.

    In China, my family if following the government guidelines, and advising people everywhere to do the same. That seems to be the most prudent approach in every country.

25. @ adamdalgliesh:

    This is understandable..it should also be considered in relation to the unheard of height of the Dow these days.

26. This is what WHO (the World Heath Organization, a United Nations agency) says on its site:

    “WHO-China joint mission shares findings and recommendations

    25 February 2020

    The team of 25 international and Chinese experts travelled to several different provinces, with a small group going to Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.

    Among the team’s findings was that the epidemic peaked and plateaued between the 23rd of January and the 2nd of February, and has been declining steadily since then. The team also estimates that the measures taken in China have averted a significant number of cases.”

    I am only quoting this for informational purposes. I have no idea whether this is true or not.

27. https://www.jewishpress.com/news/business-economy/israeli-firm-announces-new-rapid-diagnostics-kit-for-covid-19/2020/02/27/. This Israeli biomedicine firm claims that their diagnostics kit can diagnose whether someone has the coronavirus in only 25 minutes. Early detection can help make treatment more effective.

28. https://www.marketwatch.com/story/dow-plunges-nearly-1200-points-and-closes-in-correction-territory-as-coronavirus-fears-dog-wall-street-2020-02-27

29. “DOW DOWN -1190: BIGGEST DROP IN HISTORY” from Yeshiva World News. I don’t think my brief comment on it should have been trashed. I am more concerned that an economic panic, followed by a depression and the election of someone like Bernie Sanders to replace Trump, than I am about the virus outbreak.

30. “DOW DOWN -1190: BIGGEST DROP IN HISTORY.” I am concerned that the widespread panic about the coronavirus will cause the collapse of the u.S. economy, and that will result in the election of a Democrat, possibly Bernie Sanders, in November. And I believe that that would be a far worse disater, for both Israel and the United States, than any virus.

    We survived the SAARS and MERS visuses, which were just as deadly as the coronavirus, possibly even more so, with a fairly manageable death rate. Both of these outbreaks more or less burned themselves out after about a year or so. An economic depression and takeover by socialists in the US and elsewhere is likely to have longer and more dire consequences. That’s just my opinion.

31. I wonder what has happened about the announcement over a week ago, that a very experienced i(n anti-virus discoveries) U.S. laboratory had found a cure in THREE HOURS. (I posted it here) , because the DNA of the this new Corona virus was known, and they were able to zoom in on it immediately. They said that human trials would begin in less than 3 months.

    Have heard nothing, nd read nothing about this since…….

32. @ Edgar G.: https://www.jpost.com/HEALTH-SCIENCE/Israeli-scientists-In-three-weeks-we-will-have-coronavirus-vaccine-619101

33. @ adamdalgliesh:

    Adam…..I just red in ARUTZ 7, what may be the same report, which said that they developed a potential anticorona vaccine from their researches into a vaccine for poultry which they have worked on for 4 years. And expect to begin testing in humans in 3 MONTHS…

34. @ Michael S:
    Thank you and I am reading that Israel has, in fact, just suspended all flights to Italy. https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/02/27/el-al-suspends-all-flights-to-italy-and-thailand-due-to-coronavirus-netanyahu-says-israel-in-safe-hands/

35. With the spread of these communicable diseases, all sorts of human connections come to light. One case even reveals history:

    “?Singapore???3 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, including 12-year-old student from Raffles Institution: MOH
    Three new COVID-19 patients were reported in Singapore on Thursday (Feb 27), the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a daily update, including a 12-year-old Singaporean student from Raffles Institution.”

    — op cit

    Raffles was founded nearly 200 years ago by the private Britons, one of which was Wilbur Wilberforce, the MP who was influential in ending the slave trade. There is a good article on it at

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raffles_Institution

    (One of my wife’s relatives was a headmaster in Singapore before WWII, and perished, I believe, in the construction of the Burma Railroad under the Japanese occupation.)

    The continued existence of this institution, and its importance (a picture of one of its buildings is featured on Singaporean currency) is testimony to the fact that Christians, White people and Britons in particular are not the demons that they have been portrayed as by modern leftists. To this day, many Westerners, including my daughter, have been literally laying down their lives in service to the people of East Asia.

36. In today’s Jerusalem Post:” Israeli scientists: ‘In three weeks, we will have coronavirus vaccine’
    “Congratulations to MIGAL Galilee Research Institute on this exciting breakthrough.””

    Note: Not a request that isapundit publish this article. Just a notice to those who might be interested.

37. @ Sebastien Zorn:
    You were prescient, then, Sebastien. Israel has truly shown wisdom in this matter. I guess I might have also been a little prescient. When deaths started popping up in Iran, particularly in the Ayatollah’s hq of Qom, at the same time that North Korea was completely stonewalling about information (as it continues to do), I suspected that high-level contacts (such as bomb and rocket scientists) were involved. Now we have,

    “Iran’s Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, Masoumeh Ebtekar, is the latest high-profile government official to test positive for novel coronavirus.

    “Iran has emerged as a regional breeding ground for the pathogen, with the most confirmed cases — 245 cases including 26 deaths — in the region. The vast majority of coronavirus cases across the Middle East have been linked to Iran.

    “Here’s a look at other high-profile cases:

    “Two members of parliament, including the chair of the parliamentary committee for national security, have also been infected by the virus.
    “One of the country’s top clerics, Hadi Khosroshahi, died on Thursday after he contracted the sickness.
    “Deputy Health Minister Iran Haririchi announced on social media Wednesday that he tested positive for COVID-19 — just 24 hours after he tried to downplay the threat of the virus in a press briefing.”

    — https://thewuhanvirus.com/

38. Israel first country to advise against international travel. https://www.jns.org/israel-becomes-first-country-to-advise-against-all-travel-abroad-over-coronavirus/

39. @ Michael S:
    Possibly. I would suspend all non-essential travel between countries for the time being.

40. @ Edgar G.:
    Hi, Edgar. Buzz can tell you exactly what’s happening on the street level; and it agrees totally with what my daughter and grandchildren are living through: about a month ago not 50%, but closer to 100% of the population went into self-quarantine. They go out only when absolutely necessary, to get supplies, always wearing face masks and going through strict decontamination procedures. This is how President Xi has effectively stemmed the spread of the virus in China, with only a few thousand deaths.

    Many people fault Xi for covering up the extent and virulence of the virus until it got out of hand. I have been blaming the personality-cult-Communist government, though I see that Western democracies are just as stupid or more so. Consider this:

    “The European Union will not impose border controls to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus, despite hundreds of cases being confirmed in Italy and new cases being confirmed across the continent.

    “The European Commission announced on Monday that it is currently not considering tightening border controls within the Schengen interior open-borders zone in response to the outbreak in Italy, which is now battling the largest outbreak of Coronavirus outside of Asia…”

    — https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2020/02/26/eu-dismisses-coronavirus-threat-refuses-to-consider-border-control-as-virus-spreads-across-europe/

    With responses like that, you can expect Europe to exactly copy all of China’s follies. Europe already has an insane border policy, mandating that every Tom, Dick and Harry be allowed to freely invade the continent. On the Greek Aegean islands, which bears the brunt of this madness, angry, armed vigilantes have been holding police at bay in order to staunch the flow. It’s real madness.

    In the US, where we have been enduring a worse-than-the-plague election season, I am afraid that people already literally driven crazy by Trump Derangement Syndrome and Climate Change Hysteria may get tipped over the edge into violent anarchy. The virus has no real connection to this, other than an excuse to go wild. Most stores, in places hundreds of miles from the nearest infection case, have had their shelves stripped of face masks.

    These are times that most Charismatic Christians have been asserting for years that we would be “raptured” out of., and that atheists have been confident we would never have to witness because humans are so very, very clever.

    Back to the ACTUAL situation, such as in China, they’re getting over the hump; and things ought to be back to normal in a month or two.

41. @ Buzz of the Orient:

    I just read today in, I think an Arutz op-ed,by Giulio Meotti that presently 780 million Chinese are in some sort of quarantine or travel denied. It was also reported by CNN…It also pointed out that this was about 50% of China’s total pop, and it was already HUGE before Xi was forced to allow any news to come out. Also I read elsewhere, that the present figures are Gvt issued and fake.

    For what it’s worth. But you can read it yourself.

42. @ Buzz of the Orient:
    Hi, Buzz

    In GZ, restaurants are selectively re-opening, a good sign. Also, the latest published death rate is “only” 8.3%m mostly in Henan. Bad news is that:

    1. New cases in Algeria, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, California, Germany and possibly France probably were acquired in N. Italy from Italians (not Chinese).

    2. New casess in Iran and neighboring countries may be connected with the tremendous stream of illegal immigrants streaming through that country from China and Afghanistan. Infectious people are not likely to be identified in these human-trafficking conduits until long after the cat is out of the bag.

    3. WHO is complaining that many countries are still hiding their data, a situation similar to what happened in Wuhan and caused such devastation in China.

    4. Rumors persist that employees at China’s only biowarfare facility were responsible for the Wuhan outbreak

    5. Panic buying of masks where I live in the US emptied most stores of their supplies two weeks ago.

    6. The spread ratio is still estimated at at least 2%, and the case results indicate exponential growth — making this virusworse, by far, than the SARS epidemic of 18 years ago.

43. @ Michael S:
    As of today Chongqing has experienced less than 6oo cases and less than 200 still remain in hospital. There are no new cases and there have been no deaths. Considering that the population is about 32 million, that’s not bad news. It’s still a dystopian scene when I look outside. Everyone in my area is super careful.

44. Hi, Adam. Thank you for posting.

    You mention of improving worldwide hygenic practices as a remedy for the coronavirus betrays some unfamiliarity with developing countries. It will take far longer than you imagine, to make a dent in such practices. At the same time, very modern and hygenic countries, such as Italy and S. Korea, have become epicenters of the virus. From Italy, it has spread to California, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia and Algeria. From Iran, it has bloomed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. As the old movie ads used to say, it is “coming to theatres near you”.

    Every coronavirus victim, on average, infects two other people, and it happens in secret (victims are infectious for up to weeks during which they exhibit no symptons). Reflecting this, the spread is exponential: it makes SARS look as tame as the common cold, by comparison.

    I dare say, few people here outside of Buzz have fully grasped what is happening. If what I have already said is not shocking enough, the Iranians have claimed that the virus first appeared in their country via ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS from Afghanistan and China. You may know what that implies — it is on the trail through Turkey into Europe, traveling incognito. Also note that people smugglers generally cram their victims into close quarters; and when they do get sick, it is kept secret until much damage has been done.

    With a probable average death rate of 9%, this virus merits attention — certainly more attention than what are comparatively minor items such as military threats from places like Iran and Gaza, for instance.

45. @ adamdalgliesh:
    Thank you for adding a common sense comment to this article instead of panic-driven conspiracy “yellow peril” hysteria. If I believed some of the things that have been published,such as 60,000 deaths and thousands being cremated every day, I might as well get it over with sooner and commit suicide.

46. Plagues have impacted humankind from the earliest origins of our species. They happen from time to time, and no one can prevent them from happening. Since the development of antibiotics and vaccines people think that all diseases can be cured or prevented. THat is not so.

    There are simple measures that can reduce the damage, however the great influence pandemic of 1918-19 petered out when hospitals discovereed that by vacuuming the floors and corridors of hospitals, they greatly reduced the number of patients dying of the disease, and greatly increased the number of the recovered.

    The epidemic in China seems to be connected with the unhygienic practices in Chinese open-air markets, in which people are exposed to animal wastes and carcases, and to some “exotic” wild animals that are suspected carriers of the disease.

    If hygienic practices are improved worldwide, the present epidemic will subside soon. If not, then maybe it wilo continue for some time.

    Why is this awaiting moderation?

47. Throughout history, there have been periodic plagues that have cost many lives. People are now “spoiled” and think doctors can either cure everything or immunize us from all diseases. But it is not that way. No amount of drugs or vaccines can repeal nature.

    Simple steps can help, however. The great flu pandemmic of 1918-19, which took several million lives worldwide, abated when hospitals learned that vacuuming the floors of the rooms and corridors where there were patients drastically reduced the death rate and substantially increased the recovery rate.

    One of the causes of th epresent pandemic is the unhygienic practices in Chinese open air markets, and in some restaurants. People are exposed to animal wastes and corpses, and to some wild animals that are carriers. If hygienic practices are improved worldwide, the edidemic or pandemic will end at some point. Probably with a lower death rate than the 1919 pandemic.
    .

48. The most ominous news about this pandemic (Call it what it is), is the case of Italy:

    “Codogno became the center of the 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak in Lombardy when a 38-year-old Italian went to the local clinic reporting respiratory issues on 19 February 2020. The man apparently contracted the disease from a friend, who had been in China. The friend himself showed no symptoms of the disease.”

    — https://www.israpundit.org/coronavirus-and-its-coverup/comment-page-1/#comment-63356000216235

    The first death from the disease was a YOUNG, HEALTHY ITALIAN (NOT CHINESE), who caught the disease IN ITALY, FROM A NON-SYMPTOMATIC FRIEND.

    also,

    “It came one day after the death of a 78-year-old retired bricklayer from the Padua area in the nearby Veneto region, who was the first local person in Europe to die from the coronavirus…

    “He was one of two people in the Veneto region with the virus, where another confirmed case overnight in a 53-year old man brought that number to three, president of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia told Rai24 news.”

    — https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/second-coronavirus-death-sparks-fears-lockdown-in-italian-towns-12460984

    Padua is quite far from Codogno, so it is highly likely that the victims in those places were not connected with one another. This coronavirus has probably become endemic in N. Italy.

    Should we now begin excluding Italians from coming into our countries? This thing is everywhere; and I would keep a sharp eye on dictatorships with a history of “sloppy” reporting, e.g. the Philippines. Are there any such places near you?

49. @ Ted Belman:
    Anyone who is still NOT interested is living in a cloud. The “2% death rate” is complete BS, and I have been flagging this for a month. The most reliable figure I have seen is 9% — that is the percent of “resolved” cases that end in death. From the time of infection, it is about two weeks before symptoms appear, and about another month before death.

    Iran and North Korea are probably crawling with the bugs. They reported -0- cases, then suddenly are having multiple deaths. Those people who died, probably were infected in early January, and they have probably infected thousands by now in countries they have sojourned in. The fact that nearly all deaths in Iran occurred in Qom, HQ of the Revolutionary Guards, indicates the danger that these infections have been happening at a high level of power — which includes agents going back and forth to N. Korea.

    The responsibility for the massive spread of this pandemic rests solely on China’s President Xi. He certainly knew about the epidemic in early December, and purposely kept its existence under wraps until mid-January. He is the one who caused a stoppable epidemic from becoming a pandemic.

50. I have more information from her if anyoneis very interested.