It’s not unheard of for infections to recede, surge, recede, surge… while what you speak of is an encouraging development don’t celebrate too soon.
Also, “poorly controlled region” can be surprisingly advanced/sophisticated/wealthy areas that engage in widespread denial and/or rely on “prayers” instead of science and medicine, or impoverished areas like various places in Africa, or the slums of Brazil or India. We aren’t even getting reporting from many of those places.
Yep - it’s only been in the past few days that we’ve seen reports from anything in the Southern Hemisphere (aside from that early one from Egypt) - and you know that even in countries that don’t report, there have to have been cases. I’m surprised that South Africa, for example (which has adequate medical care available, at least in wealthier areas) has not announced any confirmed cases. I could see that lesser-travelled ereas might actually not have had much opportunity for exposure - but once it hits there, they will be woefully underequipped to deal with it.
There are numerous articles about how in the US, the situation wil be worsened by our poor protections for sick workers. I don’t want this to devolve into a political argument, but the truth is there are a lot of people who will go to work if they are feeling under the weather because they can’t afford to take even a day or two off, and employers are not eager to say "stay home and we’ll pay you anyway. An interesting article that refers to a study on the effect of paid sick leave and flu infection rates..
The stoopid is definitely out there. I was on an email list some years back that dealt with freezer cooking (make-in-advance casseroles etc.). It had gone fallow - but recently there have been subscribers signing on to send out crap. A somewhat hilarious series of emails recently (I have since unsubbed):
And I could probably save some money by sucking on a silver spoon from the set my late aunt left to me, versus shelling out for this cure. It would be equally effective. Actuallly more so, if I start doing it soon enough, as the odd behavior would keep people from approaching lest they catch the crazy from me, thus reducing the chances for exposure 
(Hmmm… that garlic oil might do the same - I think I’m onto something here!!! though not at the same time, the sulfur in the garlic would tarnish the silver).
Egypt is not in the southern hemisphere—it lies entirely above the equator.
OTOH with all the cancellations some places might cut you some extra good deals.
We’ve got a vacation booked for Morocco next month. My wife said the only way we’re not going is if the airline cancels the flights.
Another issue with retail work is that from my experience, you are actually expected to come into work with cold symptoms as long as you can still function. The staffs are cut so low that even when all employees are there it is still a challenge to meet normal business expectations. If you have one or two callouts it is a struggle. Have half the staff sick while business significantly increases and shelves will not get stocked and lines will be very long and slow. Thus there is pressure (that unless you are “really sick”) to come in to work. And again, “really sick” means you cannot get out of bed, not that you have some of the symptoms.
Add to that the requirement for “doctor’s note” from people with no insurance or ability to pay a doctor, and you can expect a lot of sick people not staying at home.
… I mean, what can you say?
Coronavirus: Student in quarantine after classmates shook hands with Mike Pence
Now, to clarify, our VP did not shake hands with the person who is in quarantine for Covfefe-19 testing, but his classmates instead.
My mama told me, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”
China reports rise in imported virus cases.
Wow. My twisted mind immediately came up with “I guess ‘coal to Newcastle’ will now be replaced with ‘COVID to China’”.
The problem with this line of thinking is that the disease was effectively contained largely in China, which mounted a serious quarantine and isolation campaign. There is lots of evidence that, compared to China, most of the rest of the world counts as a poorly controlled region.
We don’t even know how bad the situation in the US is because almost no one is being tested here.
Obviously, we won’t know for sure for a few months or more, but there are lots of indications that this is just the beginning.
I would be filled with schadenfreude if Pence got sick with this shit. And I will send “thoughts and prayers”. :rolleyes:
My mama told me if you can’t anything nice, let Seth Meyers and Trevor Noah say it for you. And then laugh.
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Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere and has 39 cases. Brazil has 2 cases. Argentina has 1 case. New Zealand has 1 case. Chile has 1 case.
I suppose it is re-assuring that there are no confirmed cases in Madagascar.
And we got our first confirmed case in Wake county, N.C. Someone who got it from Washington.
The person in SA who was positive spent a good chunk of her free time at North Star Mall, eating at the food court and shopping at Macy’s.
In response, the mall was closed so it could be ‘deep cleaned’.
Hey, I’m in Raleigh, too! I guess now isn’t the time for a doper meetup.
WHO is now saying global mortality rate is 3.4%. [Grain of salt because of lack of testing, etc.]