[msdivy]

Originally Posted by vivek95

I think the speculation that tropical climate of India can prevent the rapidity of the spread may come out to be true with further studies.

It is not India specific. It is my observation that countries close to the equator have a low fatal rate (in single-digit) so far. Countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia who get loads of Chineses tourists are not affected like Europe.

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

Till we have medical reports validating that, let's not start believing in such observations/views.

I am not stating a fact, but an observation based on data so far. It can change based on tomorrow's data.

[ninjatalli]

Originally Posted by msdivy

It is my observation that countries close to the equator have a low fatal rate (in single-digit) so far. Countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia who get loads of Chineses tourists are not affected like Europe.

Till we have medical reports validating that, let's not start believing in such observations/views. South East Asian countries have experienced pandemic-situation virus attacks in the past; their actions have been much pro-active and the results are showing. Even S.Korea was at par; it was just one patient (31) who didn't toe the line and the system broke. My colleague(s) in Philippines talk of preventive actions being undertaken that are much much ahead of the rest of the world.

Most African countries, similar to Pakistan & Sri Lanka (and India to an extent) face the issues of under-testing so there isn't any proper basis of the lower reported infection numbers.

Hopefully, there seems to be some level of possibility of summer/hot/humid weather impacting the virus growth. Globally, they are expecting the numbers to go down once we hit peak (northern hemisphere) summer April end onwards. But for now, it's still speculation than the actual truth.

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by msdivy

It is not India specific. It is my observation that countries close to the equator have a low fatal rate (in single-digit) so far. Countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia who get loads of Chineses tourists are not affected like Europe.

I agree with you. The current temperature in Mumbai is 34 degrees celsius today, Pune 36 and Bangalore 34. On the other hand, that in Lombardy region of Italy, Madrid in Spain, Seoul in S. Korea, Wuhan in China are hovering around 8 to 15 to 24 degrees. Pakistan which witnessed a surge in positive cases yesterday has temperatures around 26. Correlation is not causation but there is surely some link that will be established in near future.

Of the couple of suspected cases that I had examined at my hospital in Mumbai, two were very high risk. I had sent them to Kasturba,Mumbai and thankfully they too tested "negative" for Sars-Cov2/COVID-19 but "positive" for Paranfluenza virus.


Meanwhile, I am glad that local administrations down to tier 3 cities like my hometown Belgaum in Karnataka where not even a single positive case has been detected, intensive measures of screening are still carried out at the toll plazas and check points in the middle of forests.

Screening carried out at Kognoli toll, NH4 ( Maharashtra--Karnataka border ). I think this is to prevent the spread from the affected Mumbai--Pune region to Belgaum.







This one is Kanakumbi excise check point on the Goa--Chorla ghat--Belgaum road. Located bang in the middle of very dense forests. Commendable job

[karan561]

Not sure if this has been posted before but it seems India now has an website for CoronaVirus;

www.covidout.in

It has details such as Total Confirmed Cases, Hospitalised Cases, Cases in ICU, Recovered Cases & Total Deaths.

Its not an official website by the Government of India but it does refer to all the Ministry Of Health & Family Welfare sources & has prepared a great Graphical Representation on the trend in rise of cases based on various factors;







^ Data as on date i.e. 18th March 2020, 4:53 pm.

Stay Safe, All the best

[bluevolt]

Originally Posted by karan561

Not sure if this has been posted before but it seems India now has an website for CoronaVirus;

www.covidout.in

It has details such as Total Confirmed Cases, Hospitalised Cases, Cases in ICU, Recovered Cases & Total Deaths.

It is not an official website as mentioned in the about section of the site.


They are sourcing data from various sources and showcasing through charts etc.

[vb-saan]

Originally Posted by msdivy

It is not India specific. It is my observation that countries close to the equator have a low fatal rate (in single-digit) so far. Countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia who get loads of Chineses tourists are not affected like Europe.

Fatality rate maybe less, but the spread is pretty much there in countries close to the equator. Here in Singapore, we have 260+ cases as of yesterday, and have new cases reported daily. It's been more than a month, and very well managed to control the spread and fatalities, but it is there - even if so close to the equator.

[AltoLXI]

Karnataka lockdown extended till March 31

The existing lockdown in Karnataka to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has been extended till March 31, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa announced on Wednesday.

“The conditions and directions have been extended till March 31,” Yediyurappa informed the Legislative Assembly after an emergency Cabinet meeting where the COVID-19 situation was discussed at length.

Link

[DigitalOne]

A bit of optimism doesn't harm.




---
Corona Is Slowing Down, Humanity Will Survive, Says Nobel laureate Biophysicist Michael Levitt

---

[MasterChief]

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that the Coronavirus stays infective in the air up to three hours, up to four hours on a copper surface, up to 24 hours on cardboard, and up to two-three days on plastic and stainless steel.

Getting scarier by the day.

Link: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMc2004973

News Report: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india...M3ODAWxRK.html

[CarJunki]

Karnataka also seems to learn from Maharashtra and has decided to stamp international traveler on the right hand about quarantine.
This one measure will make it a lot easy to identify people avoiding quarantine.

Link

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by xcentrk

. Hope they will at least find the pattern in which the virus spreads.

ICMR -NIV, Pune is already at it.

Originally Posted by xcentrk

.
I have a couple of questions.

1. How can a virus survive in air? Doesn't it need the host body to mutate? If so, how can air be it's host?

2. We planned for a trip to Rameshwaram for a pooja in light of my grandmothers death last month. Do you think it is still a wise decision to go? We are a family of 30 members and we decided to go together.

1. Virus is an "entity", neither living nor non-living. Virus needs a host, basically the genetic machinery of the host cells to "replicate" itself or even to "mutate". The DNA, RNA, proteins from the host cells are used for its own replication. Air is definitely not a "host" because air particles do not have DNAs, RNAs in their structure. Thus viruses tend to get disassembled when exposed to natural elements and other artificial elements like detergents, alcohols in sanitisers. So, when they mean a virus gets "killed" under certain conditions, basically its DNA,RNA, protein coating etc. of the virus all getting disassembled. It can no longer replicate and infect body cells when reintroduced inside a host cell. Viruses infect bacterias as well. Things are more complex than what I am writing here. Now that's the beauty of God's wonderful creation !! Lord almighty has given an autonomous power to all his creations and human being is the only one who can comprehend, study and reproduce these intricate details !!

2. Its not advisable to travel in large groups. Also solo visit to places with large crowds is again a big no. But about two or three healthy people travelling in own vehicle to a secluded kind of spot shouldn't be a problem. I am personally not paranoid, but I would suggest not to travel unless there is a genuine need.

Regards
Dr. Vivek

[RavSam]

A ray of hope from the land of the rising sun.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...rus-says-china

[xcentrk]

Originally Posted by vivek95

.....
1. Virus is an "entity", neither living nor non-living. Virus needs a host, basically the genetic machinery of the host cells to "replicate" itself or even to "mutate". The DNA, RNA, proteins from the host cells are used for its own replication. Air is definitely not a "host" because air particles do not have DNAs, RNAs in their structure. Thus viruses tend to get disassembled when exposed to natural elements and other artificial elements like detergents, alcohols in sanitisers.......

Thanks for the reply. So the claim that the virus can survive in the air is just another false information, I guess.(It's posted just a page before)

Originally Posted by vivek95

2. Its not advisable to travel in large groups. .....

It is unavoidable and I decided to leave my wife and kid and only myself, my parents and siblings decided to go. Will take extreme precaution and hope everything turns out fine! Thanks again for your valuable reply.

[CCRider]

Originally Posted by vb-san

Fatality rate maybe less, but the spread is pretty much there in countries close to the equator. Here in Singapore, we have 260+ cases as of yesterday, and have new cases reported daily. It's been more than a month, and very well managed to control the spread and fatalities, but it is there - even if so close to the equator.

Which source is this from ? I just checked on the WHO site which updates numbers daily and I can see for singapore 0 new cases for Mar 17 and 31 new cases for Mar 16. Overall total cases till now is 243. Looking at the data till now I also feel there seems to be some correlation between hot & humid weather and the virulence and rate of spread of the virus. But of course WHO is not declaring it because it probably doesn't want a let down of guard by those countries.

[roy_libran]

Originally Posted by xcentrk

Thanks for the reply. So the claim that the virus can survive in the air is just another false information, I guess.(It's posted just a page before)

Depends on what you define Survive as. A virus will continue to exist without decomposing, even in the absence of a host, but it will be inactive. It needs a host to replicate and that is how it causes an infection.