2019 Novel Coronavirus Covid-19 Discussion

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Awrrr
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#2410778 31-Jan-2020 15:22

No special medical know-how here but I think nuclear medicine also refers to radioactive injections used as tracers for scans.

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grimwulf

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#2410782 31-Jan-2020 15:27

gzt:
grimwulf: - and it's really interesting that the discourse, even from our own health department is now on whether there's an 'outbreak' here rather than single infections...

I'm not sure what you are taking about. There is not one single case in NZ at this time.

I guess it depends how much trust you have in our health officials and their priorities.

It is my view that, given our borders are still open and flights still arriving, and our ties with China from a business and tourism perspective, it's improbable that we don't have any cases here yet. I believe it is more probable that there are cases, isolated, that have not been reported in order not to create public panic or add to the rising tide of racist reaction.

It is my view that, we have absolutely no way of knowing whether we have cases here or not - so categorically saying we do not have one single case in NZ at this time has no logical basis. We do have people here that have travelled here over the past few days from China, sometimes via other countries. They may not be showing symptoms, but given that from reports, the disease can incubate for up to two weeks before symptoms are shown, it is impossible to be 100% sure.

It is my view that, our health officials are being very careful about the words they use.

Initially it started as "there are no confirmed cases". Of course to be confirmed you needed to have been tested, and at the time that required a 72-hour(ish) roundtrip to Australia as we had no labs capable. So of course none were confirmed because the tests wouldn't have been completed.

So then it was, not only have none been confirmed but, "we have no cases that match the definition of a suspected case". Which is also full of holes, because they wouldn't elaborate on the exact definition of a suspected case. Depending on how strict that criteria was, that could be true, or not. For example someone travelling from Wuhan could match the definition, but someone travelling from Beijing might not.

Then, as it is now a notifiable disease, it is unlawful not to report cases - also they've been waiting until we have New Zealand labs capable of testing which was reported earlier today. So the language has changed, it's now that we will get cases, but we'll be able to stop an outbreak. This is all preamble to the notification of said cases - which they'll likely state were awaiting testing at the NZ lab (although they probably have results for some from AU already).

Added to this the economic/tourism/social impacts of announcing cases here, it's unsurprising that the government would want to 'keep a lid' on any such notifications until more of the rest of the world had notified so as not to stick out.

I have very little doubt that in the coming days we will have case notifications, that were first 'suspected' several days ago, but have just been confirmed.

Whether or not they should have been communicated earlier, time and history will tell.

tdgeek

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#2410785 31-Jan-2020 15:33

Possible case in Auckland

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/119170983/coronavirus-declared-a-global-emergency

The person presented themselves. If they do have it, I assume we will screen all contacts made.

jonathan18

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#2410786 31-Jan-2020 15:34

For what it's worth; clearly more credible than the 'scares' like the Queenstown thing, in that MoH is acknowledging someone's in isolation...

A possible case of the new coronavirus has been found in Auckland, with test results expected on Saturday.

Ministry of Health Director-General Dr Ashley Bloomfield said on Friday afternoon that the person fitted the definition of a suspected case and was being managed appropriately. The person was in isolation in Auckland Hospital, he said.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/119170983/coronavirus-declared-a-global-emergency

grimwulf

121 posts

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#2410832 31-Jan-2020 15:41

jonathan18:

For what it's worth; clearly more credible than the 'scares' like the Queenstown thing, in that MoH is acknowledging someone's in isolation...

A possible case of the new coronavirus has been found in Auckland, with test results expected on Saturday.

Ministry of Health Director-General Dr Ashley Bloomfield said on Friday afternoon that the person fitted the definition of a suspected case and was being managed appropriately. The person was in isolation in Auckland Hospital, he said.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/world/119170983/coronavirus-declared-a-global-emergency

Well isn't that just fortuitous timing... first case found on the day that cases are a notifiable disease and we have a lab capable of testing. I'd be interested to know how long this person was isolated for before this was notified?

Given they're expecting results tomorrow, either the tests are being completed in AU in which case they must have been in Wed/Thurs, or by some fluke of timing they strolled in this afternoon and are being tested by the NZ lab that's only just up and running.

tdgeek

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#2410833 31-Jan-2020 15:45

grimwulf:

Well isn't that just fortuitous timing... first case found on the day that cases are a notifiable disease and we have a lab capable of testing. I'd be interested to know how long this person was isolated for before this was notified?

Given they're expecting results tomorrow, either the tests are being completed in AU in which case they must have been in Wed/Thurs, or by some fluke of timing they strolled in this afternoon and are being tested by the NZ lab that's only just up and running.

A possible clue? New Zealand can also now test for the virus within hours. Bloomfield said Crown research body ESR will run a batch of tests daily.

Might indicate that the tests were sent to AUS so would be yesterday at the earliest.

Beccara

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#2410840 31-Jan-2020 16:05

We've had multiple possible cases, It's not some grand cover up. Queenstown, Rotarua and now Auckland student which was in the news yesterday/Wednesday?

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grimwulf

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#2410842 31-Jan-2020 16:16

Beccara:

We've had multiple possible cases, It's not some grand cover up. Queenstown, Rotarua and now Auckland student which was in the news yesterday/Wednesday?

I disagree.

You clearly trust the health officials more than I do, that's fine - not much point arguing about it - we'll know just how much wool (or not?) has been pulled over our eyes in the next few days.

Fred99

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#2410843 31-Jan-2020 16:16

Probably not unexpected - the US State Department has issued a level 4 (highest) travel advisory telling US citizens not to visit China:

Do not travel to China due to novel coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China. On January 30, the World Health Organization has determined the rapidly spreading outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Travelers should be prepared for travel restrictions to be put into effect with little or no advance notice. Commercial carriers have reduced or suspended routes to and from China.

Those currently in China should consider departing using commercial means. The Department of State has requested that all non-essential U.S. government personnel defer travel to China in light of the novel coronavirus.

In an effort to contain the novel coronavirus, the Chinese authorities have suspended air, road, and rail travel in the area around Wuhan and placed restrictions on travel and other activities throughout the country. On January 23, 2020, the Department of State ordered the departure of all non-emergency U.S. personnel and their family members from Wuhan. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Hubei province.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Warning for all of China.

Edit:

NZ travel advisory - a "do not visit" for Wuhan province, and avoid unessential travel for the rest of China.

I note that SCTI has cancelled cover for events related to the virus outbreak for policies issued after 21 January for all of China, so assuming all other insurers have done the same.

kingdragonfly

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#2410847 31-Jan-2020 16:25

Hamilton bar pulls Corona-coronavirus promotion

Thespinoff.co.nz by Alice Neville | Food editor

House on Hood, which was criticised for promoting a deal on Corona beer with reference to the coronavirus, has discontinued the promotion after being contacted by Lion, which distributes Corona in New Zealand.

A Hamilton bar’s social media promotion offering a deal on Corona beers as long as the deadly coronavirus continued to spread has been pulled at the request of Lion, which distributes Corona in New Zealand.

House on Hood attracted criticism for its Facebook post of two men wearing boiler suits and gas masks while holding bottles of Corona. “Virus or no virus, we still think Coronas are pretty great, so while the pandemic lasts, we’re selling Coronas for just $6.50, all day, every day!!” the post read.

Asked about the promotion, a spokesperson for Lion told The Spinoff: “As Corona’s distributor in NZ, Lion wasn’t aware of the promotion and does not condone it. They have since been in touch with the venue and asked that it be discontinued. The post has also been taken down.”

On House on Hood’s Facebook page, the post has been replaced with one of a Corona bottle wearing a face mask, saying, “Let’s be honest, there are worse things you can catch in Hamilton”, and stating that the $6.50 Corona deal would continue.
...

kingdragonfly

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#2410852 31-Jan-2020 16:40

Those Asian people wearing face masks amid coronavirus fears? They aren’t crazy, stupid or ridiculous, Vancouver

South China Morning Post, by Ian Young in Vancouver

There’s nothing particularly funny about the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak – but some Canadians find Asians in face masks to be the height of ludicrousness

Masks may not be necessary, but ridiculing them ignores the trauma Sars had on a generation of Hongkongers, and a responsible habit to prevent spreading germs

In early 2003, my soon-to-be wife and I developed a routine when we came home.

We would take off our N95 face masks and drop them in a bin by the door.

We would strip off in the entranceway in a thoroughly unromantic fashion and throw our clothes in the washing machine with a hearty slosh of Dettol. We then showered immediately, and retired to consider the unusual and frightening existence that was Hong Kong at the height of the Sars epidemic.

Which is why current and former Hongkongers like ourselves find nothing particularly funny about the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

Yet some Canadians make sport of the face masks being worn with increasing regularity in places with big east Asian populations like Richmond, just outside Vancouver.

When I tweeted about this phenomenon, some respondents assessed Asian mask wearers to look ridiculous, or like idiots.

When reporter Peter Akman’s ethnically Asian barber wore a face mask during a haircut in Toronto, the unmasked journalist tweeted a smiling selfie with him and said: “Hopefully all I got today was a haircut”, with a coronavirus hashtag. (He later deleted the tweet and apologised.)...

Fred99

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#2410856 31-Jan-2020 16:52

Fred99:

I note that SCTI has cancelled cover for events related to the virus outbreak for policies issued after 21 January for all of China, so assuming all other insurers have done the same.

Reading their policy document, you're probably not covered for Wuhan virus medical expenses anywhere anyway. Under exclusions:

l) an epidemic illness or pandemic illness, or the threat or perceived threat of any such epidemic illness or pandemic illness;

Rikkitic

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#2410858 31-Jan-2020 16:56

Racism takes many forms. This reminds me a lot of tasteless jokes from the 1960s and earlier that mainly consisted of white people slanting their eyes with their fingers and talking in fake Chinese accents. People who think this kind of thing is funny are just braying their own ignorance.

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rhy7s

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#2410878 31-Jan-2020 18:41

kingdragonfly: ...Masks may not be necessary, but ridiculing them ignores the trauma Sars had on a generation of Hongkongers, and a responsible habit to prevent spreading germs

Ridicule certainly isn't an appropriate response but the material and fit of the vast majority of masks is ineffective in preventing transmission, with the potential to actually become an amplifying medium by maintaining a warm and moist environment with regular replenishment from adjacent mucous membranes.

Rikkitic

Awrrr
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#2410892 31-Jan-2020 19:19

A mask isn't a totally dumb idea. I can think of a lot of people I would rather not have breathe on me.

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