International COVID-19 Megathread

[Mike88]

According to German-language Zeit Online liveblog:

More than 130 confirmed infections so far in the outbreak in northern Italy, the bulk of them (89) in the region of Lombardy. Several affected villages have been quarantined. Carnival of Venice has been cancelled.

It seems that the patient zero is someone who was in China and returned to Italy on 21 January. He didn't had any  symptomsand went on with his life as normal. From the Portuguese on-line newspaper Observador:

The Italian patient zero

The coronavirus arrived in Italy via Lombardy on January 21. An Italian, from China, would bring the virus with him, but he showed no symptoms, which is why he continued his normal life. According to La Stampa, he was even tested at a Milan Hospital, but the results were negative. Health officials estimate that perhaps he was no longer infected by then.

In the meantime, however, he contacted several people and reportedly infected a friend, 38, resident in Codogno. This friend's wife, eight months pregnant, would also be infected. This second man would eventually transmit the virus to three customers in a bar where he usually went and to five health professionals.

[Mike88]

47 suspected cases in Poland, but none confirmed. The government is claiming "full preparedness", but articles such as masks are pretty much unavailable at this time after the first panic rush.

That's basically copypaste of what's also happening in Portugal. There have been, for now, 52 suspected cases and 36 were negative, the others are still being tested. The governmet says that the country is prepared, and the health minister even says that Portugal is ready to face a similar situation to the Italian one. Reports, in the last few days, also say that ambulances and staff aren't quite aware of what to do, and masks and other articles are also in low supply.

The media here is also being fiercely mocked on social media for their desperation that there's no positive cases in Portugal. For now.

[Mike88]

There's still no positive cases in Portugal. However, in last few hours, a writer that was in a annual gathering of writers in my hometown, Póvoa de Varzim, was admitted to hospital, in Spain, with the virus. He left Portugal last Monday, although with a severe cold, and started having symptoms two days later. He tested positive for COVID-19, but a final test result is still to be revealed.

[Mike88]

First cases of COVID-19 in Portugal: 2 positive cases in Porto city.

https://twitter.com/cnni/status/1234467358607060996

[Mike88]

Is it true that the weather getting warmer would help?

That's the case with most respiratory viruses (inc. those from this 'family') for various reasons, but as this is a new virus you can't be sure quite how much so.

Well, next week temperatures are expected to rose well above 20ºC (68ºF), and in some places almost 30ºC (86ºF) in almost all of the country. We'll see how that impacts the virus in Portugal. At the meanwhile, the number of cases rose to 5 in Portugal.

[Mike88]

A ninth case was reported today in Portugal, when there seems to be some issues with the government's handling of the crisis. The media is reporting that the NHS phone line, Linha Saúde 24, didn't respond to 25% of the calls in the most critical day, and doctors also say that their medical phone line is almost always unavailable. This news comes at the same time when the 9th case reported is a teacher that called the NHS line and was told that she should work as normal, after she returned from Italy. Some classes in this teacher' scholl have been quarantined.

Hours after this, the media announced that the government had dismiss the supervisor of the NHS phone line, with the argument that he's mandate ended in December 2019.

[Mike88]

21 cases reported so far in Portugal. A single person has contaminated 9 people, almost half of the reported cases.

Also, as I write, the Health minister is announcing that several schools and universities will shut down in the North region of country, and visiting hospitals and prisons will be forbidden also in the same region.

By region, the number of cases is as following:

North: 15 cases
Center: 1 case
Lisbon: 5 cases
Alentejo: 0 cases
Algarve: 0 cases
Azores: 0 cases
Madeira: 0 cases.

[Mike88]

The 2 main hospitals in Portugal are putting up field hospitals to treat patients with coronavirus:

https://twitter.com/Publico/status/1236593375798837248

#Coronavirus: INEM field hospital next to St. John Hospital, in Porto, where 17 of the 25 confirmed cases in Portugal are:

The government' ban on visiting hospitals, prisons and nursing homes is in full implementation today, and is extended to all 5 districts in the North region. However, workers unions are warning that many prisons in the region are still authorizing visits, as they were informed of the ban by the media and not by an official government paper.

[Mike88]

The President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, canceled all of his agenda after a class of students from a school in Felgueiras city where a student tested positive for the virus, visited the presidential palace and took photos with the President, last week. However, the student infected and his own class didn't visited the palace. The decision was made just for security reasons, as the President doesn't have any symthoms and to avoid crowds of events he was to be part of. 

[Mike88]

Update on Portugal:

9 new cases were reported today, making 39 the total number of people infected. The vast majority of the infected are from Felgueiras and Lousada, Porto district. The government has ordered the closure of all public buildings in these two municipalities, and college students from these areas are being barred from going to universities around the country.

The government is also considering all option, it seems. The Secretary of Internal Affairs, Patrícia Gaspar, said in a radio interview, that border closure is an option, but only in last resort. She also said that the government is ready to impose forced quarantines, but that they hope it will not be necessary.

[Mike88]

Just 2 new cases reported today in Portugal, making 41 in total. Overall, 375 are suspect, 83 are waiting test results and 667 are being monitored.

Many schools and universities, private and public, are closing for the next few weeks, and the government will decide tomorrow if all schools, across the whole country, will close. In Idães parish, Felgueiras, where almost half of all the infected are from, the parish president says that many people that are on quarantine are doing walks on the street and going to coffee shops. The Parish President has reported to the police the case.

[Mike88]

The number of cases in Portugal, after a slow increased yesterday, jumped to 59, 18 more. The major universities are closed, and the media is reporting that there was a huge wave of people, many of them students, going to the beaches in the Lisbon area, as temperatures reached 25ºC (77ºF).

https://twitter.com/dntwit/status/1237810281574625280

Flooding at Carcavelos beach, on a sunny day with classes suspended.

[Mike88]

In Portugal, the number of infected increased to 78, while there is already 1 patient recovered.

The government has, however, decided to take many measures to prevent the spread of the virus:

- Closure of all schools, private and public, kindergartens and universities;
- Closure of all nightclubs;
- Restaurants can only have 1/3 of their full capacity;
- Suspension of all visits to nursing homes in all of the country;
- Suspension of the disembark of cruise ships in Portugal;
- Supermarkets and shopping malls will have a limit of people getting in;

Update: There are now 112 confirmed cases in Portugal, 34 more than yesterday. There was a big jump of cases in the Lisbon area.

[Mike88]

A few days ago Kazakhstan was the biggest country officially virus-free - is that still the case?

Nope: Kazakhstan Reports First Coronavirus Cases as Testing Ramps Up

Also, quite surprised about the very low cases in India.

[Mike88]

India is possibly climate related?

Maybe. But it's curious.

It seems that Bolsonaro isn't infected, after a second test:
https://twitter.com/jairbolsonaro/status/1238490282385080322

- HFA / SABIN attest negative to COVID-19 Mr. Pres. of the Republic Jair Bolsonaro.

[Mike88]

Portugal: Positive case rose to 169 as PM António Costa announces that during the weekend police will start controlling some points of the border with Spain. Costa is in talks with the Spanish PM as we speak.

By region, the North continues to have the biggest number of cases, 77, but the Lisbon region is rising faster, 73, and could surpass the North in the new few days.

Also this site is quite good on the worldwide numbers of the virus: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[Mike88]

Wow, according to Tagesschau, Italy now over 21,000 cases. For the first time in weeks, there are also more current than recovered cases (75k versus 72k).

Many German cities have now prohibited any kind of events. Nightclubs, operas, cinemas etc. are closed per order by local authorities. Visits in hospitals and senior's homes are restricted as well. Restaurants remain open so far.

Yes, Italy has now 21,157 cases (17,750 active). However, the number of recovered patients is just a bit higher than the number of active cases: 74,262 vs 74,219.

[Mike88]

Wow, according to Tagesschau, Italy now over 21,000 cases. For the first time in weeks, there are also more current than recovered cases (75k versus 72k).

Many German cities have now prohibited any kind of events. Nightclubs, operas, cinemas etc. are closed per order by local authorities. Visits in hospitals and senior's homes are restricted as well. Restaurants remain open so far.

Yes, Italy has now 21,157 cases (17,750 active). However, the number of recovered patients is just a bit higher than the number of active cases: 74,262 vs 74,219.

Not all sources give the exact number at the same time. I'm looking at this map from German Tagesschau.

Right. I'm following this one: https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

It seems really good and has statistics for the major countries affected.

[Mike88]

On social media, there was a movement to at 22:00pm applaud the health professionals for their work fighting the virus. Many across the country, particularly in the 2 main cities did that. In Matosinhos there was even fireworks!

[Mike88]

Update on Portugal:

245 cases are now reported, 76 more than yesterday. The Lisbon region has surpassed the North region in number of cases for the 1st time, 116 to 103 and there is the 1st case in Azores islands. Alentejo and Madeira have still no cases.

The number of recovered cases is also growing with at least 3 fully recovered, and one patient has left the intensive care unit, making a total of 9 in the intensive care unit.

[Mike88]

Closure of borders between Portugal and Spain almost certain as the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, is considering declaring State of Emergency.

Tourist entries from Spain to Portuguese territory are banned also.

[Mike88]

Portugal update: 1st death reported as cases rose to 331.

[Mike88]

The British response has been getting a bit of attention. The news here featured it using a Yes, Prime Minister sketch and then showed a load of tabloid headlines that seemed to think it was World War 2 again. Implication being that the UK seems to be having a totally normal one.

The 4 stage strategy?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSXIetP5iak

[Mike88]

Update on Portugal: 785 cases as of today, a 22% increase, one of the lowest increases in a while. We'll see how tomorrow performs.

13% of the infected are hospitalized, the other 87% are quarantined at home, There are 4 dead until the moment, with one being unoficial.

There is a city, Ovar, Aveiro district, in complete shutdown

[Mike88]

Portugal: Cases increase to 1,280, but the increase is bellow 30% for a 3rd day in a row. However, the number of deaths increased to 12 unfortunately.

Only 12% of cases are hospitalized, and 2% in the ICU. The rest is quarantined at home.

The number of tests has been growing by the day, as many city halls are putting up "drive through" testing centers, in which people leave their samples without leaving their cars and get a response via text message.