Coronavirus

[SearchingforPeace]

The latest reports out of China are pretty bad. 40 million quarantined, people dying, doctors dying, etc. Confirmed cases already outside China.

We have had scares about viruses before (SARS, swine flu, bird flu, etc. so it didn't seem that big of deal.

This thread by an alleged scientist makes it a bigger deal.

Thread by @DrEricDing: HOLY MOTHER OF GOD - the new coronavirus is a 3.8!!! How bad is that reproductive R0 value? It is thermonuclear pandemic level bad - never s…

He compares it to Spanish Flu levels of death..... it allegedly has a RO of 3.8 (SARS was 1/7th as fast of reproducing).

I read elsewhere that seemingly healthy individuals can carry it and spread it, and that some victims showed zero symptoms before right before death.

Anyway, it should become a very major news item for while, so it is good to have a separate thread on it.

 

[Virtual ghost]

The cases outside of China are already confirmed. (USA included if I got it right)

 

[SearchingforPeace]

Coronavirus Live Updates: China Suspends Tours Abroad as Xi Warns of ‘Grave Situation’ - The New York Times

NY Times latest news page for coronavirus.

Xi calling meeting, China restricting tourist travel, US removing officials from Wuhan....

 

[SearchingforPeace]

https://www.thelancet.com/pb-assets/Lancet/pdfs/S0140673620301549.pdf

New Lancet article just out on Friday on the topic

 

[SearchingforPeace]

The cases outside of China are already confirmed. (USA included if I got it right)

Yes, NYT says, says "Australia, Malaysia, Nepal, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, France and the United States."

 

[Kingu Kurimuzon]

So far lower death rate than SARS but that could change

 

[Jaguar]

The cases outside of China are already confirmed. (USA included if I got it right)

The world is coming to an end. Didn't you know?

 

[SearchingforPeace]

If I have to place bets like that I would sooner place them in "bio attack". Therefore if you want population control there are deadlier viruses out there and it would surely be good that they have long time between infection and seeing the disease fully manifest. So that more people get effected before any alarm.


I am actually kinda buying the story that this is simply the outcome of bad hygiene in certain parts of China. Not everything is a conspiracy.

Wuhan is where the chief Chinese bioweapons lab is located, so it is possible that something got out.

This is a very dangerous situation for Xi. Chinese believe strongly in the idea of a "Mandate from Heaven", the idea that good government has order and peace and when lots of plagues and rebellions and conflicts take place, the government has lost its divine protection and a new dynasty will come in.

If Xi manages this well, all will be fine, but between the economic downturn, Hong Kong, and the coronavirus, things might get risky. Xi and his government are extremely capable folks, perhaps the very best in the world, but it all could go down quickly if several millions die.

 

[Virtual ghost]

The world is coming to an end. Didn't you know?

No I didn't.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Although if this isn't handled well this will indeed be very big issue for internal affairs of China. That is obvious from the start.
This is exactly why they don't really gamble with this issue.

 

[ceecee]

Although if this isn't handled well this will indeed be very big issue for internal affairs of China. That is obvious from the start.
This is exactly why they don't really gamble with this issue.

Right. And it won't take much to fuck it up. In the US, with this inept administration, you can bet on it getting fucked up.

In realty the flu is much more likely to kill more people every year. That's not a conspiracy any more than this outbreak is.

 

[SearchingforPeace]

Although if this isn't handled well this will indeed be very big issue for internal affairs of China. That is obvious from the start.
This is exactly why they don't really gamble with this issue.

The NYT thread has article about Xi being very angry about the provincial authorities and their poor initial response. Given China, those leaders may end up executed over this.

 

[SearchingforPeace]

China novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) | "NCVIP"

Subreddit on the outbreak with lots of articles and such

 

[Peter Deadpan]

Put your conspiracy theories on the shelf. These new virus strains often originate in food markets in countries that don't prioritize sanitation. The reason is that different viruses exist in different animals, so when you have various animal meat sources in close proximity to one another, the viruses can cross-mutate. If this mutation occurs with a virus that is zoonotic (a virus that can be transmitted between animals and humans), then you end up with a new viral strain that can infect humans, and because it is new, targeted treatments don't yet exist.

Science, bitch.

 

[Population: 1]

They’ve been expecting something like this at least since I was a teenager. It was overshadowed back in the 80’s by the constant concern of nuclear death from the skies but I remember watching programs about pandemics back then. So I’m not surprised. We just have to hope for the best and see what happens.

Edit: I’m not saying this is the next pandemic but it’s always been a matter of when and not if.

 

[Grand Admiral Crunch]

Put your conspiracy theories on the shelf. These new virus strains often originate in food markets in countries that don't prioritize sanitation. The reason is that different viruses exist in different animals, so when you have various animal meat sources in close proximity to one another, the viruses can cross-mutate. If this mutation occurs with a virus that is zoonotic (a virus that can be transmitted between animals and humans), then you end up with a new viral strain that can infect humans, and because it is new, targeted treatments don't yet exist.

Science, bitch.

One day, I read it was from eating bat soup. The next, it was rats, wolves, and koalas. Is it normal for Chinese people to eat those things? If it's not, then one wonders why they're eating them now. My guess is it has something to do with the trade wars and buying less American food. So now they're eating rats. Maybe. I don't know.

 

[Yuurei]

One day, I read it was from eating bat soup. The next, it was rats, wolves, and koalas. Is it normal for Chinese people to eat those things? If it's not, then one wonders why they're eating them now. My guess is it has something to do with the trade wars and buying less American food. So now they're eating rats. Maybe. I don't know.

They do not eat rats ( although I can’t speak for every individual) but their health code-or lack there of- would make it quite easy fo4 rats/rat feces fo end up in food.
It’s quite a horror show. Every day my friend comes home with nightmarish stories of the state of the chem labs he works in run by Chinese here in the states.

 

[rav3n]

Put your conspiracy theories on the shelf. These new virus strains often originate in food markets in countries that don't prioritize sanitation. The reason is that different viruses exist in different animals, so when you have various animal meat sources in close proximity to one another, the viruses can cross-mutate. If this mutation occurs with a virus that is zoonotic (a virus that can be transmitted between animals and humans), then you end up with a new viral strain that can infect humans, and because it is new, targeted treatments don't yet exist.

Science, bitch.

If anyone's seen an Asian wet market, they wouldn't bother wandering into conspiracy theory territory. They sell live animals, often in tiny wire cages, stacked on top of each other so urine and fecal matter drop onto the animals below or the cages are butt up against each other. The animals aren't provided with food or water so their immune systems are negligible which translates to being prime targets for disease contraction. Animals can be butchered on the ground. Butchered whole or parts of animals sit on counters without wrapping or refrigeration. Vendors are in tight spaces so transmission of diseases will spread like wildfire.

 

[Yuurei]

If anyone's seen an Asian wet market, they wouldn't bother wandering into conspiracy theory territory. They sell live animals, often in tiny wire cages, stacked on top of each other so urine and fecal matter drop onto the animals below or the cages are butt up against each other. The animals aren't provided with food or water so their immune systems are negligible which translates to being prime targets for disease contraction. Animals can be butchered on the ground. Butchered whole or parts of animals sit on counters without wrapping or refrigeration. Vendors are in tight spaces so transmission of diseases will spread like wildfire.

I can’t understand why people do this. They are aware by now, at least I would think, about the dangers of spreading disease. Reminds me of how the Ebola outbreak occurred last time. They’re told “ Don’t eat bush meat! ( monkeys)” Yet they do it anyway. My immediate thought is that I’ve just never been desperate enough but on second thought I imagine there about a zillion things easier to catch( than monkeys.

In the instance of animal markets ( I’ve seen them. They are atrocious) I can only imagine it’s yet another example of immediate gratification at the expense of one’s future; humanities greatest foe.

 

[Grand Admiral Crunch]

If anyone's seen an Asian wet market, they wouldn't bother wandering into conspiracy theory territory. They sell live animals, often in tiny wire cages, stacked on top of each other so urine and fecal matter drop onto the animals below or the cages are butt up against each other. The animals aren't provided with food or water so their immune systems are negligible which translates to being prime targets for disease contraction. Animals can be butchered on the ground. Butchered whole or parts of animals sit on counters without wrapping or refrigeration. Vendors are in tight spaces so transmission of diseases will spread like wildfire.

They've been doing that for a while though, right? Then, all of a sudden, this strange disease pops up. So, I wonder if this theory about food sanitation is a sufficient explanation all on its own. That's why I was thinking the trade deal problems that they're having with the US might be to blame.