# 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:** 313
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6267 "2020-12-27T01:31:15Z")
> [@Tfletch1](#): > > By the way, the surge of “pneumonia” cases early in 2020 were probably Covid. Now that we have evidence that it was circulating in the US as early as December 2019, what we were calling pneumonia or even flu (some people could have been co-infected) was likely Covid. [I did some analysis earlier in the year in a different thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-excess-deaths-in-2020/920183/20) and found that the Pneumonia deaths reported in the first half of the year were such large outliers that they were 8.5 times the IQR above the third quartile. For reference, anything over 1.5 \* IQR is typically considered an outlier. ---
**Author:** ![Tfletch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tfletch1/32/5340_2.png) [@Tfletch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tfletch1)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6268 "2020-12-27T03:20:08Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > [I did some analysis earlier in the year in a different thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-excess-deaths-in-2020/920183/20) and found that the Pneumonia deaths reported in the first half of the year were such large outliers that they were 8.5 times the IQR above the third quartile. For reference, anything over 1.5 \* IQR is typically considered an outlier. Wow! I missed that. Thanks. Yes, the excess pneumonia deaths in early 2020 really stands out. I bet there were excess cardiovascular deaths (strokes, cardiac arrest) early in the year as well. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6269 "2020-12-27T03:28:54Z")
[Japan will ban entry to foreign nationals after Covid-19 variant detected in country](https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/26/asia/japan-ban-foreign-nationals-intl/index.html) From this coming Monday until the end of next month. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6270 "2020-12-27T03:51:50Z")
> [@DMC](#): > > [I did some analysis earlier in the year in a different thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-excess-deaths-in-2020/920183/20) and found that the Pneumonia deaths reported in the first half of the year were such large outliers that they were 8.5 times the IQR above the third quartile. For reference, anything over 1.5 \* IQR is typically considered an outlier. Did they stop counting pneumonia deaths at mid-year, though? They only show 3,100 deaths from weeks 27 to 51 of 2020, after 146,000 weeks 1 to 26. ---
**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:** [December 27, 2020, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6271 "2020-12-27T03:52:22Z")
Beijing’s Municipal Education Commission just Saturday ordered all school staff and students to not leave Beijing during the New Year holiday and _Spring Festival holiday_.If departing the city is absolutely necessary, permission from the school must be granted in advance; to return to the city, one must present a negative Nucleic Acid Test report. The city government is encouraging all Beijing citizens to not travel during the holidays. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6272 "2020-12-27T04:10:37Z")
No, they didn’t stop counting. They do have a lag, but currently they have [posted data through week 39](https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/weeklyarchives2019-2020/data/NCHSData39.csv) (CSV download link) of 2020. Pneumonia count through that week is 214,297. ---
**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:** [December 27, 2020, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6273 "2020-12-27T05:07:19Z")
80,720,204 total cases 1,764,697 dead 56,911,211 recovered In the US: 19,433,847 total cases 339,921 dead 11,410,501 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 80,209,560 total cases > 1,757,703 dead > 56,473,802 recovered > > In the US: > > 19,210,166 total cases > 338,263 dead > 11,257,711 recovered ---
**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:** [December 27, 2020, 9:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6274 "2020-12-27T09:33:06Z")
Clarification: One has to present the negative NAT report upon returning to Beijing to be allowed back onto campus. The “Beijing Health Kit” tracking app works rather well for following you around as my wife discovered today when we wanted to enter a supermarket. She just returned to Beijing this past Thursday after doing two weeks quarantine in Guangzhou as she was finally able to return from Korea. It took us five times to get the green QR code for her because of the number of people who recently returned to Beijing were trying to get their green QR code also (or so the app told us). For those in the city for fewer than fourteen days, the app requires them to state their travel history over the past two weeks, to include exactly where in Beijing and the other cities one has traveled. Too bad Wuhan didn’t have a travel ban out of the city back in January this year. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6275 "2020-12-27T17:16:10Z")
Only two states list historic highs of reported cases (seven day average) for yesterday, December 26 New York North Carolina West Virginia reported a high on Christmas day.Progress of a sort. Maybe soon we’ll be down to no new daily highest reports. New Case reports are down in the US, as in much of the rest of the world. South Africa is troubling, with a precipitous rise in new cases. They’ve achieved a new high this wek > **[New COVID-19 Cases Worldwide - Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center](https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/new-cases)** > > Have countries flattened the curve? Daily confirmed new COVID-19 cases for the most affected countries over time. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6276 "2020-12-27T18:23:40Z")
> [@Tfletch1](#): > > Wow! I missed that. Thanks. Yes, the excess pneumonia deaths in early 2020 really stands out. I did a quick column chart for weeks 1-39 since I had to downloaded the data to respond to a different post. [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/atXmUTf.png "imgur.com") ](https://imgur.com/atXmUTf) ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6277 "2020-12-27T19:05:42Z")
I wonder just how many deaths have been ascribed to other causes, especially in red states - it will be interesting to see a full analysis of the annual totals once the Trump regime has finally gone - then we will see what really happened. I’ve already stated openly that Florida figures were not believable. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6278 "2020-12-27T20:25:59Z")
As a Floridian … You’re right that the current federal executive is a huge problem with faked stats to the fore. But the change next month won’t eliminate the many other red state governments and governors who’re still empowered and incentivized to cook their books. Florida chief among them. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6279 "2020-12-27T20:32:41Z")
I would expect that all deaths are recorded though and it should be possible to correlate infection rates with claimed death rates, or statistly compare states data output but that will take quite some time. I think we will see higher death rates from certain causes that are not credible fro those state that have manipulated the figures - the example given previously from pneumonia is one such. I would also expect the medical profoession and CDC - once de-trumpified - will be able to arrive at more meaningful figures. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2020, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6280 "2020-12-27T22:33:49Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > The city government is encouraging all Beijing citizens to not travel during the holidays. The Beijing-sourced Mandarin-Language programs I’ve seen describe a large under-class of people with non-Beijing status, who only leave Beijing to visit their grand-parents during the holidays. How is that playing with the campaign? ---
**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:** [December 28, 2020, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6281 "2020-12-28T00:36:22Z")
I really don’t know. People I know think that no matter what, there will still be a massive migration during the Spring Festival. Many of the Chinese with whom I work are not Beijingers and thus expect to visit their hometowns during that holiday. Also this new bit was just announced a couple of days ago. I guess it’s too early to tell what’s going to really happen with it. ---
**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:** [December 28, 2020, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6282 "2020-12-28T05:52:03Z")
81,145,241 total cases 1,771,982 dead 57,294,152 recovered In the US: 19,573,847 total cases 341,138 dead 11,495,875 recovered Yesterday’s numbers for comparison: > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > 80,720,204 total cases > 1,764,697 dead > 56,911,211 recovered > > In the US: > > 19,433,847 total cases > 339,921 dead > 11,410,501 recovered ---
**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:** [December 28, 2020, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6283 "2020-12-28T08:33:02Z")
I have to stay away from all school campuses since my wife returned to Beijing a couple of days ago. So, I’m on an enforced one week (ten days on the calendar) holiday. We’re both allowed by the city government to do our things, just so long as we stay away from schools. Of course I have to check my school E-mail and school WeChat group messages. That’s how I found out that the Beijing Municipal Education Commission is now requiring every school staff member and every student in the city to report if they have traveled outside of the city over the course of the last week. The report must be submitted every Monday prior to 3 p.m. I foresee some fools, both Chinese and foreign, getting fired from various schools because they couldn’t be bothered to follow the rules. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2020, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6284 "2020-12-28T19:07:00Z")
> **[Small Number of Covid Patients Develop Severe Psychotic Symptoms (Published...](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/28/health/covid-psychosis-mental.html)** > > Most had no history of mental illness and became psychotic weeks after contracting the virus. Cases are expected to remain rare but are being reported worldwide. ---
**Author:** ![jacob\_wrestling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/76d3ee/32.png) [@jacob\_wrestling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacob_wrestling)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6285 "2020-12-28T20:22:59Z")
I wonder if this is what happened to the guy in LA who allegedly beat his hospital roommate to death for praying? ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2020, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758/6286 "2020-12-28T21:07:07Z")
Russia has announced a massive uplift in the number of Covid deaths due to previous under reporting. > **[Russia admits to world's third-worst Covid-19 death toll](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/28/russia-admits-to-world-third-worst-covid-19-death-toll-underreported)** > > More than 186,000 Russians have died due to coronavirus, three times more than previously reported It was previously 55k, now the total is 186k. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=312) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/coronavirus-covid-19-2019-ncov-thread-2020-breaking-news/847758.md?page=314)