By Ted Belman
“The Center for Disease Control estimates that so far this season there have been at least 22,000 deaths, 36 million flu illnesses, 370,000 hospitalizations.”
“US cases climb: There are over 3,400 coronavirus infections in the US, according to a count by CNN Health, and 65 people have died. The US has declared a national emergency.”
And the vast majority of these deaths are happening to the elderly.
“For 2016 specifically, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data shows 37,461 people were killed in 34,436 motor vehicle crashes, an average of 102 per day.[1]”
Please justifty for me how this warrants the enormous shut down of everything and the great cost of doing so.
Even if the coronavires cases quadruple, it doesn’t compare with the flu or road deaths.
And now we hear that the number of new cases in China is dropping and they are closing their hospitals for coronavires because the are not enough afflicted to fill them.
“Hospital staff in the Chinese city where the coronavirus originated removed their masks ceremoniously as the country’s last emergency hospital, built to handle the crisis, was closed.
China built 14 new hospitals, including two in Wuhan, early last month in just weeks to provide thousands of beds for the sick as the virus spread rapidly.
The country has recorded 80,824 cases of coronavirus and 3,189 deaths since the start of the outbreak at the end of last year.”
Hey, Clean your cell phone of bacteria and viruses – Get Free UV Phone Sanitizer Certificate, Visit: https://youtu.be/MTfXmn0i1ZE
@ adamdalgliesh:
Hi, Adam
You made a comment about the name of the virus. It’s officially SARS-COV-2, and it causes the disease COVID 19. “Wuhan virus” has been a convenient nickname. The term “China Virus” was coined, in my opinion, for purely political reasons; but its effect is for many people, even some on Israpundit, to spout incendiary incitement against Chinese people.
A good website for following the numbers is
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
It’s very thorough and up-to-date.
Concerning China, the situation there really is getting back to normal. My grandchildren are all reunited with one another, and traffic restrictions have eased outside of Wuhan City. They are actually far more concerned about us, than they are about their own situation. My son-in-law’s sister in Hong Kong even offered to mail us surgical masks.
Here in Oregon, we’ve had our first death at our hospital, and many nursing homes are in lockdown. Both my closest friends are sick, but they reckon it’s an ordinary cold. We don’t go to restaurants for coffee, meanwhile; and my wife and I are in self-imposed quarantine (We’re both in “high risk” categories).
I believe test kits are still in short supply, which explains the slow publication of figures. People are working on those problems on every level, from the President down.
@ Michael S: Michael, I have a lot of personal experience with this same problem.
@ Michael S:
Sometimes they go to a wrong folder and have to be released. Ask Mr. Belman.
@ Reader:
Adam,
I commented on this post, but my comments seem to have been dumped or shunted.
@ Reader:
Hi, Adam
The disease is called COVID-19, and the virus that causes it is called SARS-CoV-2. “Coronavirus” is the general class of viruses that include all flu viruses. It’s so named, because under the microscope, the virions look like they have a “corona” or “crown”.
A good site for keeping track of the cases, recoveries, deaths, etc. is
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
As I type this, there are about 199,000 cases recorded, and 8000 deaths. 91,000 cases have been “resolved”, 9% of them by death.
The number of unrecorded cases is anyone’s guess, which explains Phyllis Chesler’s alarmingly high figures. If you look at the graphs on the site I cited, you can see that the caseload and number of deaths are rising exponentially, with no end in sight. What’s more, cases have been recorded in every country with a reasonable ability to detect them, including Greenland, Alaska, Somalia and the Congo. Most of these involve travelers from fairly well-heeled, temperate countries like Italy. Climate and temperature MAY affect the rate of infection, but we can’t be certain of it. Once the virus is in the body, of course, it has found an ideal climate of 37C and is unaffected by outside temperatures.
The measures, even draconian ones, taken around the world are meant to SLOW DOWN the spread of the virus. Until a vaccine or other cure is verified, produced and distributed, we have no assurance that this thing will go away any time soon. President Trump and his team have been working non-stop on dealing with these issues.
Study: 86 Percent of People Infected With Coronavirus Undiagnosed
according to a study released Monday in the journal Science
“It’s the undocumented infections which are driving the spread of the outbreak,” said co-author Jeffrey Shaman of Columbia University Mailman School, according to GeekWire.
“The majority of these infections are mild, with few symptoms at all,” Shaman said, Mercury News reported. “People may not recognize it. Or they think they have a cold.”
“It will continue to present a major challenge to the containment of this outbreak going forward,” Shaman added.
@ adamdalgliesh:
Here is an article by Phyllis Chesler:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/25387
She claims that (I don’t know where she gets her data):
“Conservative estimates of the number of possible American deaths range from 163,500 to 1.6 million. Or a lot more if we do not keep our “social distance” very, very carefully.”
She is almost 80 years old.
It seems that coronavirus has been officially renamed “Wuhan Virus”.
@ adamdalgliesh:
John Hopkins is considered to have the best and most reliable data on the Cornea Virus (per physicians who have been studying this).
Currently as this moment 191K confirmed cases
7879 deaths
80,840 recovered
https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
I can’t find any data anywhere on the number of people hospitalized for novel coronavirus, and the number who have died after hospitalization. This makes it impossible to compare the risk of dying from a severe case of the flue versus a severe case of coronavirus. The failure of anyone in our government and health care symptoms to even make a study of the comparative risks posed by COVID-19 with other infectious diseases is deeply troubling. The government has imposed massive restrictions on the economy in the absence of firm evidence that the coronavirus outbreak is a major threat to the health of the American people.
When we compare the high-end estimates of flu hospitalizations with fu deaths, we get a much higher percentage of flu-caused deaths–8.2% accoding to my calculator. In other words, if you are admitted to a hospital with the flu, you have an 8.2% chance of dying. But there is no isolation of flu cases in hospitals.
According to my calculator, based on the lowest CDC estimates of flu cases and deaths in the U.S. so far this year, the death rate from flu is 0.000006%. However, it is important to remember that these are estimates that vary in the number of possible flu cases and possible influenza-related deaths by nearly 300%. Not possible to draw definitive conclusions from the CDC’s extremely uncertain estimates about this year’s flu season.
The CDC reports 3,487 confirmed COVID-19 cases, resulting in 68 deaths. According to my calculator, that makes for a death rate of 0 .195%. In other words, about one in 500 infected people die of this disease. That is a much lower death rate than what the media has been reporting.
CDC estimates* that, from October 1, 2019, through March 7, 2020, there have been:
36,000,000 – 51,000,000
flu illnesses
17,000,000 – 24,000,000
flu medical visits
“370,000 – 670,000
flu hospitalizations
22,000 – 55,000
flu deaths”
From the CDC site. Interesting that while they have exact figures on the number of novel coronavirus cases and deaths,, they have no exact figures for the number of influenza cases and deaths. This makes it impossible to determine the relative danger posed by these two illnesses.
@ Reader: That is a fascinating hypothesis, Reader.
The conclusion I derive from all of this is that the COVID-19 epidemic is only a small part of a larger flue epidemic, which is much higher than average this flu season (2019-20). I have been able to find no hard evidence on the web that the death rate from COVID-19, at least in the United States, is higher than for the flu.
“A total of 17,889 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations were reported by FluSurv-NET sites between October 1, 2019 and March 7, 2020. . .
The overall cumulative hospitalization rate was 61.6 per 100,000 population which is higher than all recent seasons at this time of year except for the 2017-18 season. Rates in children 0-4 years old and adults 18-49 years old are now the highest CDC has on record for these age groups, surpassing the rate reported during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. Hospitalization rates for school-aged children are higher than any recent regular season but lower than rates during the pandemic.” From the most recent report on the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) web site.
@ Reader:
Also, if we want MAGA, we’ll want (among other things) the manufacturing to come back to the US from China where the price of labor is still cheaper than in the US (although not as cheap as 20-30 years ago). How can the US population compete with that and be forced to take any job with no benefits, long work days, no environmental protection, etc.? Simple! The people will do that and more if and when they are deeply impoverished (by the sudden and unfortunate pandemic, of course).
What will happen to the Boomer generation who have been retiring at an unprecedented rate and claiming Social Security (“which is going broke”), Medicare, etc., etc. Simple!
The Milennials have already figured it out – they nick named the coronavirus the Boomer Remover:
https://www.newsweek.com/boomer-remover-meme-trends-virus-coronavirus-social-media-covid-19-baby-boomers-1492190
Is it going to prove to be also the Entitlement Economizer? Who knows?
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/annehelenpetersen/coronavirus-parents-grandparents-boomers-millennials
Blame the pandemic, and don’t get together too much, especially when you are young (and excitable):
https://www.cnet.com/news/coronavirus-white-house-specifically-begs-millennials-to-limit-socializing/
So, in my opinion, the powers that be have a lot bigger fish to fry here by possibly (unintentionally, of course) ruining the (American? World?) economy than removing the poor, innocent, blameless Trumpie-pooh from his presidential post.
Of course, this is an extreme scenario.
Let’s watch and see how things develop and try to remain healthy and keep the roof over our heads, and some food in the fridge (and the SSA benefits or retirement savings for those who have them).
“Severe Disease
“Hospitalizations
The overall cumulative hospitalization rate for the season increased to 61.6 per 100,000.
P&I Mortality
The percentage of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza is 7.1%, below the epidemic threshold of 7.3%.”
From the official CDC site. Influenza cases in March have decreased from their January peak, but are still numerous.
The reported 7.1 death rate from pneumonia and influenza exceeds that attributed to COVID-19
“The flu has already killed 10,000 across US as world frets over coronavirus
PUBLISHED MON, FEB 3 202011:20 AM ESTUPDATED TUE, FEB 4 20208:20 PM EST” From CNBC.
“Flu deaths up in the new year: CDC
Flu deaths are up more than 65% so far in 2020, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that 4,800 people had died and 87,000 people had been hospitalized.” From a report on Feb. 21 on ABC.
@ adamdalgliesh:
“Present governent policies are counterproductive and insane.”
Maybe there is a method to their madness. Someone expressed an opinion that a worldwide depression is being started on purpose to clear the overblown markets and various other financial misdeed pile-ups, as well as to nullify the debts of the US government. However, this will be blamed on the pandemic rather than on government policies, and the pandemic restrictions will control the population and prevent riots or something worse that could otherwise happen.
Opiates and cocaine are plagues that kill vastly moreAmericans than coronavirus. The government could drastically reduce this death toll by banning all trade with countries that are known sources of opiate imports, forbidding all financial transfers to and from these countries, forbidding nationals from these countries from entering the United States, Banning large cash deposits at American banks, drastically reducing the amount of cash printed by the Federal mints, etc. But no one has even proposed such measures.
@ deanblake: Dean, do you really believe that destroying the U.S. economy by a massive shut-down of everything will be good for people’s health? Massive waiting lines and shortages of cleaning supplies that the elderly, the most likely to die of the virus, can’t cope with.? Does depriving people of fresh air and sunshine really make them less vulnerable to COVID-19 or any other infection? Does frightening and stressing the elderly make them healthy? Present governent policies are counterproductive and insane.
Department stores, restaurants closing throughout the United States. Even in Las Vegas. This could result in a depression.
@ Reader: Lysol and similar antibacterial products have become unavailable markets in my area. Also liquid soap, toilet paper, bottled water. The supermarkets strictly ration these items. They disappear when they arrive, even at 6am. Supermarket clerks have become increasingly defensive and nasty as they must deal with huge crowds who are angry at the rationing and empty shelves.
Far decreasing the spread of coronavirus, this massively increases it by depriving senior citizens of essential cleaning and disinfecting supplies.
@ linda goudsmit:
A quick question – which country OWNS the UN?
@ deanblake:
I guess we could close the highways and save all those road deaths. But nobody is suggesting that. Same here. Why not just focus on saving people over 70 who have contracted the disease and let everyone else fend for themselves. Most people who contract it survive it.
On the otherhand here’s what I read about Italy.
There is a vaccine for flue but not for carona-19. Therefore Everyone can get it and the deaths can escalate like a pyramid. Not comparing apples to apples. Furthermore,, there is no clear indication that the flue deaths are only the consequences of infection rather than bad treatment. Why else were the Washington cases at first all in SNFs? Traveling nurses and staff who communicate the carona-19 by NOT FOLLOWING THE HYGEIN RULES FOR PROFESSIONALS. It certainly wasn’t the patients.
Dollars and cents analysis don’t mean much if you get it and become 100% dead. Public health shouldn’t be a crap shoot unless you are an insurance executive.
Good question. There are those who are exploiting the wuhan Chinese virus in order to cause panic and tank the economy in hopes that will defeat Trump. The democrats have a weak candidate and until this had no chance of winning the election.
For Italy, multilateral globalism, plus socialism, equals death
Read more: https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2020/03/with_health_care_collapsing_italy_learns_just_how_worthless_the_eu_is_and_socialized_medicine_too.html#ixzz6GsUedSIb
Follow us: @AmericanThinker on Twitter | AmericanThinker on Facebook
https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2020/03/with_health_care_collapsing_italy_learns_just_how_worthless_the_eu_is_and_socialized_medicine_too.html#.Xm_Boj9VLZs.twitter
There is no medical justification for the massive shutdowns whatsoever. The disproportionate and hysterical response to the coronavirus is politically motivated. It is the 4th coup attempt against President Donald Trump. POTUS is the existential enemy of the globalist elite and the corrupt Democrat politicians who serve them. The Russia-collusion coup attempt did not work. The Ukraine quid pro quo coup attempt did not work. The impeachment coup attempt did not work. So, now we are witnessing the 4th desperate Democrat coup attempt using the coronavirus crisis of opportunity to destroy the American economy in hopes of destroying Trump at the polls in November. Dr Nancy Messonnier, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said a global pandemic was highly likely. She introduced the frightening idea to Americans – the problem is that Messonnier is also corrupt Democrat Rod Rosenstein’s sister!! The WHO then launched worldwide hysteria by declaring the coronavirus a pandemic. So, who is the WHO?? The WHO is the globalist health agency of the globalist UN seeking to eliminate the primary obstacle to implementing the UN objective of internationalizing the world and imposing a one-world government under the auspices of the entirely corrupt UN! The coronavirus hysteria in America is not about our health – it is about our votes in November!!
Hi Ted,
The main reason for all the panic is, that although no government is actually saying this out loud, at the end of the day, everybody will be infected by the Corona virus. The current policy is to slow down the rate of infection by keeping people apart as much as possible. In comparison, most people have built up resistance to Influenza, but no-one has had the opportunity to build up resistance to Corona.
Now to the panic: as all have heard, children are not badly affected by Corona. They are infected just like with the common cold, but it passes quite quickly. Adults in good physical condition can ward off the worst effects of Corona too, but the elderly, like most politicians by the way, are more susceptible and suffer more, especially from lung infections, mostly pneumonia.
I’ve heard recently that many elderly people die in hospital from pneumonia, and that might actually have been caused by Corona which was not correctly diagnosed. Whatever the case, let’s hope and pray that this epidemic passes quickly and that we can share comments about it later.
“Doctor’s note: Does ibuprofen make coronavirus worse?
“Don’t take ibuprofen. That was the advice tweeted by France’s health minister, Olivier Veran, a couple of days ago. Veran, who also happens to be a qualified doctor, wrote: “Anti-inflammatories (ibuprofen, cortisone …) could aggravate the infection. If you have a fever, take paracetamol.””
And more stuff from:
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/toll-rises-coronavirus-tightens-global-grip-live-updates-200315231500487.html
Some fun pics of TP stashes, among other things:
https://globalnews.ca/news/6654420/toilet-paper-fight-coronavirus/
@ Ted Belman:
Also, the rate of flu vaccinations in the US fell to a low of less than 50% vs. the government recommended 70%.
@ Ted Belman:
Certainly, if this is the case. But then wouldn’t it be more responsible for the government to take over temporarily over the distribution of the goods that are necessary to combat and survive this “dangerous” epidemic than panic the people out of their minds and crowd them into supermarkets by the millions to spread the virus even faster? The first reaction of the UK was to just let it spread for the population to develop immunity (viruses mutate constantly).
I bet if it were the real thing like smallpox or bubonic plague (several cases of it are recorded in the US every year – without panic) – we wouldn’t hear about it until the authorities were firmly in control (or completely out of control – like with the “Spanish” flu).
“Stock-market futures remain limit down, signal brutal start to week after Fed slashes rates to nearly 0%
1
Published: March 16, 2020 at 8:16 a.m. ET
By Mark DeCambre
Fed moves fail to soothe nerves
.
Stocks were on track for a brutally lower open Monday, with stock-index futures down their daily 5% limit after investors failed to take comfort in the Federal Reserve’s decision to slash its benchmark interest rate to nearly 0% to combat the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.”
From the Marketwatch web site. They are calling it “Bearmegaddon.”
It has been suggested to me that because this virus has the great potential of exponential growth, that this justifies the shutdown and the concern.
“Please justifty for me how this warrants the enormous shut down of everything and the great cost of doing so.”
It is up to the people who are doing it to justify this but no one is holding them accountable.
A real health emergency would be treated without causing panic and crowding of possibly infected people at the stores for days.
I am convinced it is done solely for political and “security” reasons – to train the mob to respond without questioning when politicians push their buttons. I am hoping that it is not a rehearsal for a real play – whatever that might be.There also could be some foreign policy and economics considerations that need to be promoted or justified.
I am sure that the top representatives of the powers that be are writhing somewhere on soft carpets trying not to die of laughter after making their dire pronouncements about the “deadly plague” and watching their constituents stock up on several months worth of toilet paper, bottled water, and disinfecting wipes. And probably rushing to have themselves vaccinated as soon as a vaccine becomes available.
“Help for Italy’s refugees and migrants withers with virus lockdown
By Thin Lei Win
ROME, March 10 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – With restaurants shut, food distributions suspended and job training cancelled in Italy’s unprecedented quarantine, projects to help refugees and migrants are struggling to survive.
As a nationwide lockdown began on Tuesday in a bid to slow Europe’s worst coronavirus outbreak, Italians have been told to stay at home – unless they have health, work or emergency needs – for at least the next three weeks.
“Starting last week, nobody came to our restaurant,” Ja’far Abdulhussein, an Iraqi working at Gusta Mundo restaurant in central Rome, which hires migrants and refugees as waiters and chefs, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
“I will not have any work if it continues like this. Not only me, but all the people I know will not have any work anymore.”
The World Health Organization has praised Italy’s “aggressive” response to the crisis since the first cases emerged almost three weeks ago, with 463 deaths as of Monday, the world’s second highest after China.
But the economic cost has been huge. Shoppers in Rome rushed to stock up on food on Monday, amid fears that an economy on the brink of recession could be plunged into crisis.
Weekends used to be the busiest time for Gusta Mundo, with 35 part-time cooks from all over the world making dishes such as Nigerian pies, an Afghan dish made of lamb, raisin and dried fruits, and creamy rice from Gambia.
“The restaurant is now almost closed,” said Abdulhussein, 22, who fled Iraq when he was 15 and has a five-year asylum seeker visa. “We only do delivery and takeaway now.” ”
No wonder they are all getting sick in Italy. Look who prepares their food.