# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2020 Breaking News
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758
**Category:** The Quarantine Zone
**Tags:** covid-quarantine
**Created:** [February 11, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758 "2020-02-11T01:16:04Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/1 "2020-02-11T01:16:04Z")
We’ve had a couple of threads in IMHO talking about this, but now that [deaths have topped 1000 (and the daily toll topped 100 for the first time)](https://apnews.com/8b4521f709f04bdf5ac7318788555335), I thought I’d start a thread where we can simply monitor the progress of this virus and the fight against it.
There are two main websites tracking the virus:
[Coronavirus 2019-nCoV Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE](https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1cnB4UuOYuu2DNYoCsIwM9x5iJp6Gxm8VXUT8Hs2AZI3cw_KF1BrsN29Q#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6) - this site is excellent; by far my preferred of these two
[https://thewuhanvirus.com](https://thewuhanvirus.com) - in addition to maps and numbers, this site does offer links to news stories about the virus.
---
### Author:  [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/2 "2020-02-11T13:43:47Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#):
>
> [Coronavirus 2019-nCoV Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE](https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html?fbclid=IwAR1cnB4UuOYuu2DNYoCsIwM9x5iJp6Gxm8VXUT8Hs2AZI3cw_KF1BrsN29Q#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6) - this site is excellent; by far my preferred of these two
It’s really disturbing how much that website looks like a game of Pandemic.
I’ve got a cruise coming up in a few months, and I must admit I’m getting a bit nervous about it. Cruise ships are already bad enough about concentrating disease.
---
### Author:  [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3 "2020-02-11T21:43:34Z")
Data point: I don’t have it. Yet.
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### Author:  [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2020, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/4 "2020-02-11T22:02:52Z")
I like the idea of a central thread. Of course I just saw this after posting in one of the others.
Data point: I may have had it.
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2020, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/5 "2020-02-12T02:15:53Z")
45,115 confirmed infections
1,115 deaths
4,781 recovered
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2020, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6 "2020-02-12T15:29:46Z")
[The WHO has named the virus COVID-19](https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1227511/who-names-deadly-virus-from-china-as-covid-19); I’ve asked the mods to update the thread title.
> [@](#):
>
> “We now have a name for the disease and it’s COVID-19,” World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.
>
> Tedros said that “co” stands for “corona”, “vi” for “virus” and “d” for “disease”, while “19” was for the year, as the outbreak was first identified on December 31.
>
> Tedros said the name had been chosen to avoid references to a specific geographical location, animal species or group of people in line with international recommendations for naming aimed at preventing stigmatisation.
The article explains:
> [@](#):
>
> WHO had earlier given the virus the temporary name of “2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease” and China’s National Health Commission this week said it was temporarily calling it “novel coronavirus pneumonia” or NCP.
Hopefully China will adopt the COVID-19 moniker and we can at least be on the same page as to what we call it.
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### Author:  [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2020, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/7 "2020-02-12T16:59:27Z")
As a sidebar post on treatments and vaccines:
This[wiki page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_novel_coronavirus#Vaccine_research) lists a number of vaccine developments underway.
> [@](#):
>
> In January 2020, multiple organizations and institutions began work on creating vaccines for 2019-nCoV based on the published genome.
Testing of the novel (as yet unlicensed) antiviral Remdesivir [is starting](https://fortune.com/2020/02/03/coronavirus-vaccine-testing-in-china/).
> [@](#):
>
> U.S.-based biotech Gilead, known for its HIV and hepatitis C treatments, has struck a partnership with Beijing’s China-Japan Friendship Hospital to test out an antiviral drug called remdesivir in actual humans in Wuhan, the apparent origin site of the coronavirus outbreak. (Gilead shares rose 5% in Monday trading.)
>
> Atypical for drug production, this is an example of how private companies and government organizations can work together in the event of a crisis to speed things up. In emergency situations, drug companies are able to perform safety trials to prove that treatments won’t actively harm people without the usual red tape that can make new therapies take years to get to market.
>
> It appears that Chinese authorities believe the situation is serious enough in the country to warrant a hurry-up approach.
From the [Remdesivir wiki page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remdesivir#2019_novel_coronavirus)
> [@](#):
>
> In late January 2020, remdesivir was administered to the first US patient to be confirmed to be infected by 2019-nCoV, in Snohomish County, Washington, for “compassionate use” after he progressed to pneumonia. While no broad conclusions were made based on the single treatment, the patient’s condition improved dramatically the next day,[18] and he was eventually discharged.[19] Also in late January 2020, Chinese medical researchers stated to the media that in exploratory research considering a selection of 30 drug candidates, three of them, remdesivir, chloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir, seemed to have “fairly good inhibitory effects” on 2019-nCoV at the cellular level. Requests to start clinical testing were submitted,[20][21] and on February 6, 2020 a clinical trial of remdesivir began in China.[22]
j
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### Author:  [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2020, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/8 "2020-02-12T18:41:01Z")
Earlier today, someone said a case had been confirmed nearby. Someone else showed up and reported a case that was even closer. I suggested looking at the headlines before panicking, so someone got out their phone, did a search and, sure enough, there were three or four more cases reported. At that point everyone started talking at the same time. When someone finally stopped for air, I convinced the group to check the source of those headlines and, better yet, to check the homepage of any reputable newspaper. A few tense minutes later, it was agreed that it was just a rumor. So, I’m posting here to confirm the existence of stupid rumors.
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### Author:  [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)
#### Post date: [February 12, 2020, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/9 "2020-02-12T19:35:11Z")
Our lab has a sample which may contain the virus. A lot of people are freaking out although if they follow normal specimen handling procedures there is no danger. I think most are just enjoying the drama. :rolleyes:
On the up side, my husband and I do _not_ have to travel to Beijing in April. The conference itself may not take place.
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2020, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/10 "2020-02-13T03:12:16Z")
Everyone thought yesterday’s addition of only 3500 or so was possibly a sign that things were working…
☹
They were wrong.
60,328 confirmed infected now
1,368 dead
5,995 recovered
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### Author:  [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2020, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/11 "2020-02-13T05:25:50Z")
The flights that evacuated Canadians out of Wuhan/Hubei province landed at CFB Trenton and the people are all in a two-week quarantine on the base.
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2020, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/12 "2020-02-13T05:31:40Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#):
>
> Everyone thought yesterday’s addition of only 3500 or so was possibly a sign that things were working…
>
> ☹
>
> They were wrong.
>
> 60,328 confirmed infected now
> 1,368 dead
> 5,995 recovered
175 of those cases from outside China
1 death from outside China (Phillipines)
I’m not going to panic just yet.
ETA: I believe the spike in cases reflects a new methodology for diagnosis. They are now accepting diagnosis using scans, rather than just RNA confirmation of the virus. This has led to the jump in confirmed cases - cases that would not have been confirmed before are being done so now.
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2020, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/13 "2020-02-13T07:34:46Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#):
>
> I’m not going to panic just yet.
Was there some call for panic in the thread that I didn’t see?
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### Author:  [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2020, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/14 "2020-02-13T08:26:15Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#):
>
> Was there some call for panic in the thread that I didn’t see?
Was there a _claim_ that there was a call for panic in the thread that _I_ didn’t see?
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### Author:  [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/15 "2020-02-13T14:34:58Z")
This thing about the new methods is correct. Also, a large part of the people that are now counted as being infected/died from the virus, actually presented/died earlier, but are only included in the figures now.
Verstuurd vanaf mijn moto g(6) met Tapatalk
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [February 13, 2020, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/16 "2020-02-13T15:36:24Z")
> [@Riemann](#):
>
> Was there a _claim_ that there was a call for panic in the thread that _I_ didn’t see?
I don’t know what you didn’t see and I don’t know why you’re inserting yourself into this as the question wasn’t to you.
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2020, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/17 "2020-02-14T04:59:47Z")
64,436 confirmed infected
1,383 dead
6,886 recovered
Japan has over 250 confirmed infected at the moment and had their first COVID-19 fatality today.
Hong Kong also had one death attributed to the virus.
More than 60 million people in China are starting their 4th week of lockdown.
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### Author:  [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2020, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/18 "2020-02-14T05:10:27Z")
Thanks, this thread seems timely.
I’m flying tomorrow. I plan to wear a surgical face mask. They aren’t great at keeping out viruses, but I find they are excellent at keeping my nasal passages hydrated on the dry airplane, and that’s been found to reduce the risk of contracting respiratory diseases in general. It will also remind me not to touch my face.
Data point: my friend who was evacuated from China finally completed their 2 weeks of self-quarantine, and is relieved to rejoin the world.
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### Author:  [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2020, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/19 "2020-02-14T05:29:27Z")
Stupid joke heard in the bar tonight…
What does coronavirus lead to?
Lime disease
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [February 14, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/20 "2020-02-14T17:11:24Z")
[China is reporting today](https://apnews.com/675691ae5047935577a5aff7a617ba02) that over 1700 health workers have been confirmed infected and 6 have died.
ETA: Health care providers account for about 3.8% of all cases, according to the article.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=2)