[gmhossain]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

Not being complacent, ... Why is India and Africa reporting almost no community transmission?

That's a very important question. I was looking at the number of visitors (Schengen visa applicants) to Europe from China and India. Based on 2018 annual data, here are the approx. numbers:

• China - Europe: ~ 3 million
• China - India: ~ 0.1 million
• India - Europe: ~ 1 million

The outbreak at Europe began after a delay by around 4 weeks compared to China. Given, the virus is spreading though the human carrier and there is an incubation period of the virus, above data is pointing out that we are likely to get the hit from Europe (than China). If so, we have another 1-2 weeks before we see any spike!

So for us in India, the next 2 weeks could be extremely crucial and if we behave in a socially responsible manner, we could slow down the virus.

[locusjag]

Have you seen the news of those 144 morons that returned from Dubai and are refusing their quarantine?
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...w/74720625.cms

This reminds me of Monty Python's "Bring out your dead" sketch from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (in this sketch, the context is the bubonic Plague):

https://youtu.be/Jdf5EXo6I68

[KL01toKA03]

What are the silver linings among the dark clouds, or what are the upsides of this outbreak?

1. Nature has got some time to heal/repair. Dolphins and fish appearing in Italian canals, pollution reducing due to reduced industrial activity, ban or reduction in consumption of wild animals in China, reduction in consumption of meat (mostly due to fear).

2. Unintended effects of social distancing. Vehicles have reduced, and I expect accidents to reduce too. Some live may be saved due to this. People have started maintaining a distance from each other, and started washing hands more often. This will protect from a lot of diseases.

3. The death rate is higher in people with diabetes, heart conditions. I hope this will encourage people to lead a healthier lifestyle going forward.

4. Specific to India, I feel this disease has united the nation at a time when there were efforts from inside and outside to tear us apart.

5. Many people have started working from home, kids have no school, no major sports events are happening, and malls and shops are closed. This forced family time will help everyone. Kids and parents get to spend a lot of time together (I'm enjoying this), and everyone accepts that kids might be around during important work related meetings.

There are also unexpected challenges:

1. Disposing masks have become a challenge for many cities.
2. Crashing stock markets, job losses, and pay cuts
3. Racism and violence

I think this is good opportunity for everyone to move towards healthier choices. Going forward, we should continue to live acknowledging the threat that exists. That is we should wash our hands, avoid crowding, and plan our finances with the worst cases in mind.

[Red Liner]

Coronavirus might be bad news for us as a species.

My only positive spin on this is that, there is a great cleansing going on around the world. Pollution levels have already dropped, Shanghai's skies are clear, almost no air traffic, oil consumption will hit record lows, meat production and consumption will go down bringing green house gases down to levels we can begin to manage from hereon.

Its probably the best news ever for every single other living animal and organism on the planet, including the earth itself.

Maybe we are the virus, and the Coronavirus the vaccine? Much To ponder.

[DigitalOne]

One of my young colleague, along with his and his bride's families, has taken a brave decision to postpone his upcoming wedding next week.

[CarJunki]

Originally Posted by AltoLXI

The eerie trajectory that shows how US case numbers matches that of Italy

[/ATTACH]

It seems the trajectory is still matched on 19/20 March. 13k+ cases now confirmed in USA.

Source link
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/19/h...day/index.html

[alpha1]

Originally Posted by KL01toKA03

Despite this, the number of cases seems to be low compared with many developed countries.

Another possibility is that India or Africa hasn't tested everyone who has COVID-19, and that they are silently spreading the virus. Only time will tell the reality of the situation. Let us wait and watch with caution.

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

True. I don't think it is something special that we did which resulted in such lower number of cases. There is something else going on here. I know for a fact that atleast in kerala , airport screening was not enforced seriously in the beginning and so many passengers from other countries got in unnoticed. Either we are still in the blind about the actual number or there is some other geographical or climatic factor at play here.

Originally Posted by vivek95

Thank you so much for sharing your details. Different countries and even different cities within the same country are playing with different algorithms and protocols on how to go about.

There might be under testing happening in India at present, but trust me, the quarantine and isolation ward criterias are strict, very strict. Those 11 suspected patients who fled an hospital in Navi Mumbai were hunted down by Police and brought back to hospital and kept in a quarantine centre, but not sent for home quarantine.

Regards
Dr. Vivek

I have a question for the entire forum especially doctors:
1) are common flu symptoms always so bad that the patient is forced to visit the doctor instead of just popping some paracetamol and taking rest?
2) if above is no, then it is possible the COVID-19 may also have cases of low severity symptoms that patients are not reporting?

My theory is that once the infections starts spreading inside the country, it is only through voluntary means that you can detect its presence.

[AnandB]

Italy, UK, Spain, France all worse off than China at similar stages:

[imidnightmare]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Coronavirus might be bad news for us as a species.

My only positive spin on this is that, there is a great cleansing going on around the world. Pollution levels have already dropped, Shanghai's skies are clear, almost no air traffic, oil consumption will hit record lows, meat production and consumption will go down bringing green house gases down to levels we can begin to manage from hereon.

Its probably the best news ever for every single other living animal and organism on the planet, including the earth itself.

Maybe we are the virus, and the Coronavirus the vaccine? Much To ponder.

Yes - but most people right now are just oblivious to the disaster that will come soon. I run a business and right now, it's a frightening time. Fact is, in a manufacturing industry, there is no "work" if you're "from home". Even my design team can't be on WFH because:
1. There are massive IP issues with allowing remote access
2. The workstation requirements are so high that no laptop can even address them - and the closest thing to "acceptable" will cost 2L+ (each)

Manufacturing of course becomes impossible without people. Plus, how do you sell? Customers too are shut - and even those that aren't are facing similar issues and will be cutting all non-essential spends.

Impact? Very soon, people will face pay-cuts or even lay-offs. There is absolutely no way around it. Businesses are racking up bills. From loan repayments to interest, there are various costs that will add up and ultimately, someone will pay.

While the human cost is capturing the imagination of one and all - and rightly so - as the topmost priority, true disaster is lurking. One can only hope that this ends soon as the longer the lockdowns last, the more the suffering will be.

[vivek95]

Originally Posted by alpha1

I have a question for the entire forum especially doctors:
1) are common flu symptoms always so bad that the patient is forced to visit the doctor instead of just popping some paracetamol and taking rest?
2) if above is no, then it is possible the COVID-19 may also have cases of low severity symptoms that patients are not reporting?

My theory is that once the infections starts spreading inside the country, it is only through voluntary means that you can detect its presence.

1) No, the symptoms in most individuals are not that bad. A common flu doesn't mandate a visit to Doctor and neither needs antiviral treatment unless it gets worsened. As you have pointed out, just rest to the body, plenty of fluids to maintain hydration, OTC antipyretics will largely help.

2) Yes, clinical profile of most COVID-19 patients are mild. In elderly patients with other comorbities, its on the severe side. Yes, its only through voluntary means or contact tracing by the surveillance team that helps detects its presence.

-Dr. Vivek

Originally Posted by GTO

and says that the roads are empty. Like a ghost town.

Originally Posted by bharatbits

True.
Sion to Parel takes me 20 minutes everyday. Today it took just 10 minutes. That's a distance of 9 kms from home.
.

True that. Have been observing less office hour traffic on Thane--Belapur road, Navi Mumbai past 3-4 days.

[Miyata]

According to this post, more men than women are dying from coronavirus!

Men make up nearly 60 percent of people with confirmed cases of the virus and more than 70 percent of those who have died of covid-19

The gender disparity in illness and death is harder to explain. Even before the covid-19 pandemic reached Italy, early reports out of China suggested men were especially at risk.

Not trying to make any connection with above, but what I noticed during my recent travels (at airports) is this - Amazingly, majority of the women I noticed were moving about with face masks and hand gloves. Rough estimate of 80%. Very few men were moving about with gloves or masks - could have been more like 10%.

[Gansan]

After seeing the spurt in crowds at shops for the past two days, I have decided two things.

1) Don't handle cash. Don't even swipe your card, but use mobile wallets as much as possible.

2) Don't go to the best shops in your locality. Go to the "less best" shops where the crowds will be less, or even shops where you stand outside and the shop keeper fetches what you want. Popular department stores are best avoided. Impossible to keep one meter separation.

Hopefully I am done with any kind of shopping for the next month and a half and need not visit any shop. For the first time picked up a couple of N95 masks from Apollo Pharmacy on the way back. Costs ~ Rs 180 per piece. Are these reusable or throwaway?

[raksrules]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

One of my young colleague, along with his and his bride's families, has taken a brave decision to postpone his upcoming wedding next week.

My real brother is scheduled to get married in April end and his engagement (not in hall but at home) was supposed to happen on 29th of this month and I strongly want to postpone this until we have some clarity and accordingly decide for marriage date too.

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by NiInJa

Another rumor that came in today morning via our maids that a new case has been detected in our vicinity, so we are not sure if its the one shown on TV or not. I and my family is going to stay indoors anyway for the next few weeks, but we will run out of vegetables soon and I don't want to go anywhere near the infected area to buy stuff.

These rumors through maids are a big Menace. Yesterday in our society's whatsapp group I saw a message by the chairman that strict action will be taken against maids spreading rumors. Something similar happened there as well.

It is very important to keep our eyes open to spot these rumors. Believe in official sources of information only.

[RavSam]

Originally Posted by Gansan

After seeing the spurt in crowds at shops for the past two days, I have decided two things...

If you have got no option but cash at some shops, ensure that the cash you use is not contaminated. May be have a hot iron over it or leave it out in the sun for a long time in your window, and give exact change to the shopkeeper leaving no scope to receive cash from them.

So let the shopkeeper suffer? Nope. But advise them to put up UPI payment options.

I carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in my pocket and apply it before and after cash transaction. It does look stupid but I would rather look stupid and be alive and healthy and not sick or in worst case be dead.