# Coronavirus COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) Thread - 2020 Breaking News **URL:** \ **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:** 176
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3511 "2020-06-14T18:22:21Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > When it comes to statistics, it ould be interesting to see the actual recorded death total compared with what would have been expected in the same period in a ‘normal’ year. The New York Times has already been looking at this: > **[The Pandemic’s Hidden Toll: Half a Million Deaths (Published 2020)](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/21/world/coronavirus-missing-deaths.html)** > > Far more people died in 2020 during the pandemic than have been officially reported, a review of mortality data in 35 countries shows. > **[True Pandemic Toll in the U.S. Reaches 377,000 (Published 2021)](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-death-toll-us.html)** > > Since coronavirus struck, more people have died than usual in every state of the country, with 23 states seeing deaths above normal peaking in the last two months, according to a New York Times analysis. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3512 "2020-06-15T06:46:43Z")
7,997,609 total cases 435,681 dead 4,129,309 recovered In the US: 2,162,228 total cases 117,858 dead 870,050 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 7,865,716 total cases > 432,394 dead > 4,040,715 recovered > > In the US: > > 2,142,224 total cases > 117,527 dead > 854,106 recovered ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3513 "2020-06-15T14:22:54Z")
Gee, “only” 300 Americans died of Covid yesterday. I guess Trump is right about it simply fading away. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3514 "2020-06-15T14:24:02Z")
Gee, “only” 300 Americans died of Covid yesterday. I guess Trump is right about it simply fading away. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3515 "2020-06-15T16:26:25Z")
FDA withdraws approval for the 2 malaria drugs for Covid > **[June 15, 2020 coronavirus news](https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-06-15-20-intl/h_38c75864285525451f1329d1dcbc0ab2)** > > The coronavirus pandemic has brought countries to a standstill. Follow here for the latest. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3516 "2020-06-15T18:34:31Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Gee, “only” 300 Americans died of Covid yesterday. > > I guess Trump is right about it simply fading away. I wonder what it’s going to look like when the “weekend effect” is accounted for. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3517 "2020-06-15T20:57:17Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > I wonder what it’s going to look like when the “weekend effect” is accounted for. Weekly lows: June 14: 331 June 7: 373 May 31: 639 May 25: 506 - Memorial weekend may have had some effect in reporting timing. Mat 17: 865 ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3518 "2020-06-15T21:03:09Z")
I keep waiting for a spike that hasn’t hit yet. And by spike I mean the sort of exponential growth that we saw in March. Despite reporting that certain regions (e.g. Arizona, Texas, Florida) are seeing a “spike” it’s more of a steady increase. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3519 "2020-06-15T21:31:14Z")
Graph showing how many total deaths this year to death: [https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/2637725/?fbclid=IwAR2N7F8kFk78uHahqjfyJdMFKHJlEs86CdBd5G9Nz6H\_TucMyHSbOWF1rC4](https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/2637725/?fbclid=IwAR2N7F8kFk78uHahqjfyJdMFKHJlEs86CdBd5G9Nz6H_TucMyHSbOWF1rC4) Covid leads by a mile, Malaria come in 2nd. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3520 "2020-06-16T00:40:49Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Graph showing how many total deaths this year to death: > [https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/2637725/?fbclid=IwAR2N7F8kFk78uHahqjfyJdMFKHJlEs86CdBd5G9Nz6H\_TucMyHSbOWF1rC4](https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/2637725/?fbclid=IwAR2N7F8kFk78uHahqjfyJdMFKHJlEs86CdBd5G9Nz6H_TucMyHSbOWF1rC4) > > Covid leads by a mile, Malaria come in 2nd. That is a partial list: I would expect heart disease and cancer to lead–but they are not even mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3521 "2020-06-16T00:58:55Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > That is a partial list: I would expect heart disease and cancer to lead–but they are not even mentioned. Well, it does say “various”, which I’d take to mean “curated”, but yes, there’s certainly things more deadly then Covid. So far. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3522 "2020-06-16T01:34:01Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > That is a partial list: I would expect heart disease and cancer to lead–but they are not even mentioned. Yeah, that’s a really weird list – unless the guiding principle is “causes of death that are preventable with sufficient will and resources,” but in that case, I’m not sure why they would include Parkinson’s. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3523 "2020-06-16T03:26:26Z")
Does anyone understand the stories that came out late last week about how some scientists think the [old-style polio vaccine could protect against covid-19](https://news.yahoo.com/polio-vaccine-could-temporary-protection-195500847.html)? Most of us, at least those of us who were vaccinated between 1963 and 2000 (from 1955 to 1963 and from 2000-2020 [people were given a shot instead](https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-details/polio-vaccine)), _had_ that oral polio vaccine and we are still susceptible to covid-19, so… ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3524 "2020-06-16T04:03:00Z")
8,118,570 total cases 439,195 dead 4,216,284 recovered In the US: 2,182,950 total cases 118,283 dead 889,866 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 7,997,609 total cases > 435,681 dead > 4,129,309 recovered > > In the US: > > 2,162,228 total cases > 117,858 dead > 870,050 recovered ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3525 "2020-06-16T08:49:27Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Does anyone understand the stories that came out late last week about how some scientists think the [old-style polio vaccine could protect against covid-19](https://news.yahoo.com/polio-vaccine-could-temporary-protection-195500847.html)? Most of us, at least those of us who were vaccinated between 1963 and 2000 (from 1955 to 1963 and from 2000-2020 [people were given a shot instead](https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-details/polio-vaccine)), _had_ that oral polio vaccine and we are still susceptible to covid-19, so… IIUC, they think an injection of a live virus NOW might “jump-start” the immune system. Residual poliovirus antibodies from a years-ago vaccination will have no effect on Covid-19. ---
**Author:** ![Sai\_Galvanize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Sai\_Galvanize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sai_Galvanize)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3526 "2020-06-16T10:19:55Z")
This post was flagged by the community and is temporarily hidden. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3527 "2020-06-16T13:09:58Z")
This looks more promising: > [@](#): > > Scientists claim to have found “a major breakthrough” in treating coronavirus patients with the use of the drug dexamethasone. > > The death rate of those on a ventilator who were given dexamethasone was reduced by around a third in comparison to the group given standard care. > > Patients given dexamethasone and who were not on a ventilator saw death rates drop by a fifth in comparison to standard care. > > The risk of death was cut from 40 per cent to 28 per cent for patients on ventilators. For those in need of oxygen, the risk of death was reduced from 25 per cent to 20 per cent. > **[Covid-19 deaths reduced by up to a third using dexamethasone drug, trial finds...](https://www.itv.com/news/2020-06-16/coronavirus-deaths-reduced-by-up-to-a-third-using-breakthrough-dexamethasone-drug-trial-finds)** > > The death rate of those on a ventilator given dexamethasone was reduced by around a third in comparison to the group given standard care. | ITV National News ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3528 "2020-06-16T13:56:02Z")
Yeah, the BBC article on it says if this had been known before the pandemic that it would have saved about 5000 lives in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3529 "2020-06-16T15:55:48Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > Yeah, the BBC article on it says if this had been known before the pandemic that it would have saved about 5000 lives in the UK. Corticosteroids have been commonly used outside of the UK to treat coronavirus patients in the ICU, with promising results. In some countries they are pretty much standard of care already. For example, a South Korean study of ICU mortality from last month showed that they’d been given to 80% of ICU patients. It’s astonishing that they’ve only been available in the context of a randomized controlled trial in the UK. Also, the 25% baseline mortality rate amongst hospitalized patients requiring supplemental oxygen is very high compared with other studies. Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/3530 "2020-06-16T15:58:18Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Not only are recoveries poorly tracked, but lots of _cases_ aren’t detected, outside of a few settings where it’s feasible to test everyone (e.g., nursing homes, that aircraft carrier that had an outbreak), and these are overwhelmingly asymptomatic or mild cases that people survive. So estimates of fatality rates use information from antibody studies to estimate the number of undetected cases. For example, this article from April 23 estimates that [2.7 million](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/23/new-york-antibody-study-estimates-13point9percent-of-residents-have-had-the-coronavirus-cuomo-says.html) people in New York State had had the disease by then, but the official case count in the state was [268,581](https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa/new-york/) on April 23. Anecdotally, my stepmother died with a confirmed positive COVID-19 test in April. My dad self-quarantined, but at that point didn’t meet the testing criteria (even though he is 79 years old and asthmatic) because he didn’t have any symptoms and there was a huge shortage of tests in New York. Just last week, he had to do some blood work for unrelated reasons, and they did a COVID-19 active infection test and antibody test. No active infection, but positive for antibodies. Of course it’s not at all surprising that he had antibodies, but if he had been walking around asymptomatic…just imagine how many asymptomatic people are running around New York City because they aren’t terrified 79-year-old asthmatics who are self-isolating because they are retired and can afford to have groceries delivered? If he hadn’t gone for that unrelated bloodwork, he never would have been counted as a case. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=175) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=177)