Undetected transmissions in early stage of outbreak at heart of current difficulties
Italy appeared well ahead of the curve when the coronavirus outbreak began to spread outside China.
Continue reading...Category Archives: Microbiology
Coronavirus live updates: Italy-wide lockdown comes into force
UK and US had worst days trading since 2008 GFC; Global cases near 110,000; Grand Princess passengers disembark. Follow the latest news.
- Cruise ship carrying at least 21 with coronavirus docks in California
- US pledges more testing as Trump hints at aid for workers
- Quarantined US congressman flew with Trump on Air Force One
- Global stock markets post biggest falls since 2008 financial crisis
- Italian PM extends lockdown to entire country
- Coronavirus sufferers symptom-free for five days on average – study
- Coronavirus latest: at a glance
As the whole of Italy goes into lockdown, there are some reassuring signs that measures are starting to work. Across the 11 towns that went into quarantine over two weeks ago, the number of cases is beginning to fall.
Virgin Atlantic has called on the European Commission and UK flight slots co-ordinator to relax rules amid the coronavirus outbreak, PA reports.
Chief executive Shai Weiss said: “Last month Virgin Atlantic and industry partners committed to achieving net zero carbon by 2050.
Continue reading...Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should I see a doctor?
What are the symptoms caused by the virus from Wuhan in China, how does it spread, and should you call a doctor?
- Follow our latest coronavirus blog for live news and updates
- Find all our coronavirus coverage here
- How to protect yourself from infection
It is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that has never been encountered before. Like other coronaviruses, it has come from animals. Many of those initially infected either worked or frequently shopped in the Huanan seafood wholesale market in the centre of the Chinese city.
Continue reading...Coronavirus: nine reasons to be reassured
Yes, Covid-19 is serious, but context is key and the world is well placed to deal with it
The coronavirus epidemic plainly poses an exceptionally serious global problem: in a few short weeks, it has spread from China to more than 80 countries, infecting more than 100,000 people so far and causing more than 3,400 deaths.
But as we are hit with minute-by-minute updates from around the world, experiencing the advance of Covid-19 in real time – news alerts, huge headlines, social media hysteria – there’s a risk that we might lose some essential context.
Continue reading...Inside the cruise ship that became a coronavirus breeding ground
As contagion swept through the Diamond Princess, its crew had to carry on working. Here, they recall the climate of chaos and fear that prevailed during the ship’s two-week quarantine
Christian Santos* remembers staying awake at night, anxiously listening to the sound of his colleague coughing. They were sleeping below deck, in one of the small rooms shared by workers on board the stricken Diamond Princess cruise ship.
He had spent the previous two weeks serving guests who were confined to their rooms, and watching the miserable failure of disease-control measures on the vessel. Now he knew the coronavirus, which had already transmitted to hundreds of people onboard, had almost certainly entered his own cabin.
Continue reading...Chinese police place Britons in enforced isolation after ferry trip
Teacher was given 20 minutes to pack and must remain in hotel room for two weeks
Jo Davison and her partner were relaxing in their flat in Shenzhen, China, when the phone rang. She was told by the Chinese authorities that they had been exposed to the coronavirus at close proximity and that officials were on their way.
“It was terrifying. Five people in hazmats turned up at our apartment, they looked like ghostbusters,” she said. “They took swabs from our nose and throat and said they’d return in the morning so we should start packing.”
Continue reading...Is coronavirus mutating into a more deadly strain? Covid-19 myths busted
The truth about the protective value of face masks and whether it’s easy to catch Covid-19
- Follow our latest coronavirus blog for live news and updates
- How to protect yourself against coronavirus
- What is coronavirus and what should I do if I have symptoms?
All viruses accumulate mutations over time and the virus that causes Covid-19 is no different. How widespread different strains of a virus become depends on natural selection – the versions that can propagate quickest and replicate effectively in the body will be the most “successful”. This doesn’t necessarily mean most dangerous for people though, as viruses that kill people rapidly or make them so sick that they are incapacitated may be less likely to be transmitted.
Continue reading...Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should I go to the doctors?
What are the symptoms caused by the virus from Wuhan in China, how does it spread, and should you call a doctor?
- Find all our coronavirus coverage here
- How to protect yourself from infection
- Latest coronavirus updates
It is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that has never been encountered before. Like other coronaviruses, it has come from animals. Many of those initially infected either worked or frequently shopped in the Huanan seafood wholesale market in the centre of the Chinese city.
Continue reading...Coronavirus: Iran to limit travel between major cities amid more than 3,500 cases – latest updates
California declares state of emergency; Italian doctors say German man may have been first European with virus and Scotland registers three more cases
- Full story: California declares emergency after first death
- UK: government reverses plan to stop daily location updates
- ‘Do not kiss pets’: owner gives dog coronavirus
- Share your experiences
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued a statement warning businesses to not exploit the coronavirus outbreak and take advantage of people. The CMA said it will take enforcement action against companies that are charging excessive prices or making misleading claims about the efficacy of protective equipment.
CMA chairman Lord Tyrie said: “We will do whatever we can to act against rip-offs and misleading claims, using any or all of our tools; and where we can’t act, we’ll advise government on further steps they could take, if necessary.”
Here’s the latest summary of today’s events.
Continue reading...Coronavirus live updates: number of confirmed cases in UK jumps to 85
More cases in Scotland and Ireland, Italians in India test positive while Facebook says it will take down hoax claims
- Coronavirus epidemic in UK is likely, says chief medical officer
- Fears of global slowdown grow as US stimulus fails to rally markets
- White House’s ‘muzzled’ messaging is dangerous, experts say
- Podcast: Is Britain prepared for a mass outbreak of the coronavirus?
- Share your experiences
Two groups of Italian tourists were under quarantine in India today, with 16 testing positive for the coronavirus, prompting authorities to tighten controls.
Health minister Harsh Vardhan said that passengers on all international flights would now be screened, the AFP news agency reported.
This seems to be emerging a bit of a trend. Footage has appeared showing Iranian health workers dancing and singing in an effort to keep morale up as the country faces the worst coronavirus outbreak outside China.
Videos of medical staff and #coronavirus patients square dancing together in several "shelter hospitals" in #Wuhan have gone viral on Chinese social media.
"Square dancing helps to cheer them up and improve their immunity, which is beneficial for their recovery." pic.twitter.com/Kpqsyqclkj
Four lessons the Spanish flu can teach us about coronavirus
Up to 100 million people died in 1918-19 in the world’s deadliest pandemic. What can we learn?
Spanish flu is estimated to have killed between 50 million and 100 million people when it swept the globe in 1918-19 – more than double the number killed in the first world war. Two-thirds of its victims died in a three-month period and most were aged 18-49. So what lessons has the world’s deadliest pandemic taught us?
Continue reading...Coronavirus: South Korea reports ‘critical moment’ after 813 new cases – latest updates
US strengthens travel advice, raising Iran and Italy to a level three, advising people to ‘avoid nonessential travel’. Follow live news
- US: two new coronavirus cases unrelated to travel
- Which countries have travel restrictions in place?
- Will the Olympics be cancelled? Sports events under threat
- Biggest one-day fall on US stock market
- Share your experiences
US confirms first death from the coronavirus in King County in Washington state.
BREAKING: First death from Coronavirus in Washington State - awaiting details on patient said to be from King County - @GovInslee statement @KIRORadio #973FM #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/TjlmhRIeBB
Reuters reports that the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Italy has climbed above 1,000, according to an official who said the number of deaths had surged to 29.
Continue reading...World Bank’s $500m pandemic scheme accused of ‘waiting for people to die’
Bonds designed to provide fast funding for poor countries branded ‘obscene’ because of complex payout criteria
A flagship $500m World Bank scheme to help the poorest countries deal with a health emergency is “too little too late” for the coronavirus outbreak, say health experts.
The first pandemic emergency financing (PEF) bonds were launched in 2017 by Jim Yong Kim, the bank’s president at the time, after the Ebola outbreak in west Africa. Designed to potentially “save millions of lives and entire economies” by speedily funnelling money to nations facing pandemics.
Continue reading...Coronavirus news: death toll rises in Italy and Iran as outbreak could cause 2008-level economic damage – live updates
Britain’s chief medical officer says mass gatherings could be cancelled. Meanwhile, experts say virus could trigger 2008-level economic damage
- Coronavirus ‘could trigger economic damage on scale of 2008 crisis’
- Priests told to take steps to stop spread at mass
- Coronavirus map: how Covid-19 is spreading across the world
- Share your experiences
In the US, health and human services secretary, Alex Azar, on Thursday said that at least 40 public health labs can currently test specimens for coronavirus and that could more than double as soon as Friday.
Azar, speaking before the House Ways and Means Committee, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had tested 3,625 specimens for the fast-moving virus as of this morning.
He said at least 40 labs currently have test kits that were previously manufactured by the CDC that were modified to test for coronavirus.
He added that a newly manufactured CDC test can be sent to 93 public health labs as soon as Monday, and a privately manufactured test based on the new CDC test could be sent to those same labs as early as tomorrow, pending FDA clearance.
Related: Five questions Donald Trump must answer on coronavirus
Downing Street defended the response to the situation at the H10 Costa Adeje Palace hotel in Tenerife.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said:
The Foreign Office has been in contact with more than 100 British nationals who are staying in the hotel.
They are providing them with support, they are also in regular contact with local authorities and tour companies to share information.
Continue reading...Coronavirus in a war zone: Afghanistan braces for outbreak after first case
Lone Kabul laboratory preparing to treat patients in the midst of political turmoil and tentative peace talks, as border with Iran closed
Preparations for an outbreak of coronavirus were underway in Afghanistan as the country confirmed its first case in the western province of Herat, which borders Iran.
Seven more suspected cases have been identified in Herat, and three cases in the nearby provinces of Farah and Ghor.
Continue reading...Italy imposes draconian rules to stop spread of coronavirus
People caught entering or leaving outbreak areas to be fined, after country’s third death
Italian authorities have implemented draconian measures to try to halt the coronavirus outbreak in the north of the country, including imposing fines on anyone caught entering or leaving outbreak areas, as a third person was confirmed to have died on Sunday.
The number of cases of the virus in the country has risen to 152.
Continue reading...Coronavirus: Diamond Princess exodus begins amid criticism over quarantine
More than 3,000 people to disembark over three days after ship proved a fertile breeding ground for Covid-19
Hundreds of passengers have begun leaving the stricken Diamond Princess in Japan after testing negative for the coronavirus, ending two weeks of quarantine that experts say failed to prevent the virus spreading onboard.
Japanese TV showed passengers – who spent quarantine largely confined to their cabins – leaving the ship on Wednesday morning to board waiting buses, while others left the pier in Yokohama, near Tokyo, by taxi.
Continue reading...Xi Jinping appears in public as China returns to work after holiday
President greets workers in Beijing as WHO chief warns cases could be ‘tip of iceberg’
China’s president, Xi Jinping, has made his first public appearance in weeks, as some people began to return to work following the lunar new year holiday, which was extended as authorities grappled with the coronavirus outbreak.
Xi, who has been absent from public view as the crisis worsened, visited a neighbourhood in Beijing’s Chaoyang district. The president had his temperature taken and greeted residents and workers, according to a brief video posted by the state broadcaster CCTV.
Continue reading...If China valued free speech, there would be no coronavirus crisis
Country could have contained spread of disease if only it had learned lessons from Sars outbreak
The death of the whistleblower Chinese doctor Li Wenliang has aroused strong emotions across China. Social media is awash with posts mourning the death of a martyr who tried to raise alarm over the coronavirus but was taken into a police station instead for “spreading false rumours” and “disrupting social order”.
Grief quickly turned into angry demands for free speech. The trending topic “we want freedom of speech”, which attracted millions of views, and links to Do You Hear the People Sing, a song popularised in recent Hong Kong protests, were quickly censored by police.
Continue reading...China trials anti-HIV drug on coronavirus patients
News of Kaletra being tested as a possible treatment for the disease sparks panic buying
A drug used to treat people with HIV, the virus that causes Aids, is being trialled in patients in China as a possible therapy against the coronavirus.
News that HIV drugs are being deployed in hospitals, however, has led to panic buying on the black market by people who fear they are ill or are going to get sick. They have been obtaining the drug, Kaletra, from generics companies in India and even from people with HIV in China willing to sell or donate their own stocks.
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