Captain’s Log, Coronadate 0-3-2-0-2-0-point-9. We’ve reached day 21 of coverage on this blog and life has really changed since the first entry. And it will continue to change for a while. I ask that everyone hang in there, and check on friends and family. We are all in this together.
The Numbers
Here is a look at the numbers today vs. where they were just one week ago.
Total cases: 10,442 (1,215 on March 13th)
— Travel-related: 290 (125 on March 13th)
— Close contact: 310 (102 on March 13th)
— Under investigation: 9, 842 (988 on March 13th)
Total deaths: 150 (36 on March 13th)
States reporting cases: 50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and US Virgin Islands (42 states and the District of Columbia on March 13th)
(Numbers pulled from other reliable resources) Total cases reported by other medical sites:
Johns Hopkins: 14,250 (1,268 on March 13th)
Deaths:205 (didn’t take this number on March 13th)
Recovered: 121
Here is a look at the chart from the World Health Organization highlighting the number of cases globally:
Brian McNoldy, Senior Research Associate at Univ. of Miami’s Rosenstiel School, put this next chart together. As it notes, it is pulling numbers from the Johns Hopkins totals. It shows the double-time of cases as about two-and-a-half days:
The speed of the spread and the severity of the symptoms was always the concern from scientists (myself included). A lot of people were slow to react because “the flu kills more people” after all. And while true, the flu doesn’t spread this quickly and only kills one in 1000 people. This kills two in every 100. If you give this virus enough time, it will easily overtake the flu as more deadly.
Testing
A lot of you have noted that it seems like celebrities and athletes are getting tested before regular people. Others have noticed this, too. Johns Hopkins added to their situation report an update:
Diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 in the United States has been a recognized problem from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As testing capacity and community transmission increase, so are reports on traditional and social media of high-profile public figures getting tested while others wait. A number of notable celebrities, including some without known exposure or symptoms, have reportedly been tested for SARS-CoV-2, but many clinicians and patients continue to lament the lack of sufficient testing capacity for suspected cases and high-risk patients.
The President even noticed this. When asked if that should be the case, he recently said:
“No, I wouldn’t say so. But perhaps that’s been the story of life,” The President said. “That does happen on occasion. And I’ve noticed where some people have been tested fairly quickly.”
No word on a solution to the problem.
The WHO is teaming up with “partners” to help raise money to battle the pandemic. In a statement, they wrote:
A new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Solidarity Response Fund will raise money from a wide range of donors to support the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners to help countries respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund, the first-of-its-kind, enables private individuals, corporations and institutions anywhere in the world to come together to directly contribute to global response efforts, and has been created by the United Nations Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, together with WHO.
The WHO says that money raise will help all countries, especially those in a greater need. The WHO will follow the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan to enable all countries “to prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 crisis including rapidly detecting cases, stopping transmission of the virus, and caring for those affected.”
On top of this effort, the WHO is also teaming up with the International Chamber of Commerce to keep businesses appraised of the latest with COVID-19.
They also hosted a press conference and put it up on youtube.
From the CDC
The CDC has some guidelines for caring for people who end up with the virus.
Caring for someone who is sick and preventing spreading germs
– Have the person stay in one room, away from other people, including yourself, as much as possible.
– If possible, have them use a separate bathroom.
– Avoid sharing personal household items, like dishes, towels, and bedding
– If facemasks are available, have them wear a facemask when they are around people, including you.
– It the sick person can’t wear a facemask, you should wear one while in the same room with them, if facemasks are available.
– If the sick person needs to be around others (within the home, in a vehicle, or doctor’s office), they should wear a facemask.
– Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after interacting with the sick person. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
– Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
– Every day, clean all surfaces that are touched often, like counters, tabletops, and doorknobs
– Use household cleaning sprays or wipes according to the label instructions.
– Wash laundry thoroughly.
– If laundry is soiled, wear disposable gloves and keep the soiled items away from your body while laundering. Wash your hands immediately after removing gloves.
– Avoid having any unnecessary visitors.
– For any additional questions about their care, contact their healthcare provider or state or local health department.
The CDC also offers some tips on provide symptom treatment
Symptom treatment
– Make sure the sick person drinks a lot of fluids to stay hydrated and rests at home.
– Over-the-counter medicines may help with symptoms.
– For most people, symptoms last a few days and get better after a week.
When this illnes becomes an emergency
– Difficulty breathing or more severe shortness of breath
– Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
– New confusion or inability to arouse
– Bluish lips or face
From Harvard Medical
Some of toyu have asked about the use of Elderberry and NSAIDs. While I still haven’t found any reearched-based information on elderberry, Harvard Medical did offer this information on the use of NSAIDs:
Some French doctors advise against using ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil, many generic versions) for COVID-19 symptoms based on reports of otherwise healthy people with confirmed COVID-19 who were taking an NSAID for symptom relief and developed a severe illness, especially pneumonia. These are only observations and not based on scientific studies.
The WHO initially recommended using acetaminophen instead of ibuprofen to help reduce fever and aches and pains related to this coronavirus infection, but now states that either acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be used. Rapid changes in recommendations create uncertainty. Since some doctors remain concerned about NSAIDs, it still seems prudent to choose acetaminophen first, with a total dose not exceeding 3,000 milligrams per day.
However, if you suspect or know you have COVID-19 and cannot take acetaminophen, or have taken the maximum dose and still need symptom relief, taking over-the-counter ibuprofen does not need to be specifically avoided.
Some Research
Coronavirus lingers on surfaces
The National Institute of Health reported that a new paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows the Coronavirus can survive on surfaces for longer than originally anticipated.
The virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces, according to a new study from National Institutes of Health, CDC, UCLA and Princeton University scientists in The New England Journal of Medicine. The scientists found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detectable in aerosols for up to three hours, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two to three days on plastic and stainless steel.
The results provide key information about the stability of SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19 disease, and suggests that people may acquire the virus through the air and after touching contaminated objects. The study information was widely shared during the past two weeks after the researchers placed the contents on a preprint server to quickly share their data with colleagues.
Since other studies have found that the Coronavirus is spreading between people who are pre-symptomatic, this may help researchers understand the speed of the spread. And since researchers at Johns Hopkins found that the incubation period is between five and 14 days, this means those infected can be leaving the virus on surfaces for up to 14 days before said person even knows they are sick.
What should I do, right now?
I know. It can seem overwhelming with the amount of information and updates flying around. But I think it is best to follow the CDC’s guidance at this point.
— Know where to get your local / state-level information
For Mississippi: https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/14,0,420.html
For Louisiana: http://ldh.la.gov/Coronavirus/
For Alabama: http://www.alabamapublichealth.gov/infectiousdiseases/2019-coronavirus.html
If you live in a state outside of the region, head to google and type in, “dept of health” followed by whatever state you live. Google should take you to that state’s department of health and on the main page, most states have a link to an update on the Coronavirus.
— Know the Symptoms
Look for things like a fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath. But also know when it may become an emergency. It becomes an emergency when you have difficulty breathing, a persistent pain or pressure in the chest, you develop general confusion, and if you develop bluish lips or face.
Also recognize that body aches, weak stomach, nasal congestion, a sore throat, and other symptoms of the regular flu are not the same as the symptoms with Coronavirus.
— Stay home when you are sick
Any kind of sick. If you feel like you may have Coronavirus, call your health care provider’s office in advance of a visit. If you have any sickness, the CDC recommends to limit movement in the community, limit visitors, and practice good social distancing.
— Know if you are at a higher risk
Know what additional measures those at higher risk and who are vulnerable should take. Those at higher risk include older adults (over 60), people who have serious chronic medical conditions (like heart disease, diabetes, lung disease). Some research has indicated that people with asthma may also be included in the higher risk category.
— Take steps to mitigate your infection
The CDC recommends to “Implement steps to prevent illness” by washing high-traffic areas more often, washing hands with soap and water and if someone is sick, to isolate the sick person into a low-traffic area of the home.
— Create a Household Plan
Create a household plan of action in case of illness in the household or disruption of daily activities due to COVID-19 in the community.
