All things Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

[NavyShooter]

Nova Scotia School trips have been cancelled by the province - out of area/country trips.

Interestingly, when I passed through Costco about 2 weeks ago, I noted that there was only a single pallet of toilet paper...so I bought 2 packs.  Didn't think much of it...until this week when it's making the rounds on F-book/twitterverse/news that Costco Halifax/Dartmouth are now out of most paper products - no toilet paper, no kleenex, limited paper towels…and no purel/hand sanitizer to be found anywhere.

Now, I'm not one of those crazy prepping individuals, but I do like taking prudent steps to be ready.  Having a couple of weeks of food on hand is a good thing...having the staples handy in good quantities makes sense...so...I went shopping last night....got some stuff that I'll use whatever the circumstances because it's normal stuff we buy already, just a bit extra.

I noted that Costco is using sanitary wipes on the carts as you come into the store which is good, and I confirmed the absence of TP and stuff...then as I walked past the rice aisle, I noted that they had less than a half-pallet of basmati left...so I grabbed a bag.  Along with some spaghetti - less than a half pallet left of that too (along with some tomato paste and diced tomatoes for sauces...) no hand sanitizer, and no cleaning wipes (except the ones staff were using at the entry.)  So...basic staple items are disappearing from the shelves now.

So, the question of where the supply chain issue lies is the real matter at hand. 

It is one of two spots:

1.  Rail traffic disruptions from the past could of weeks.
or
2.  Supply Chain source breakdown.

I don't think that the potential supply chain issues that will originate in China from having portions of their productive economy shut off for an extra week (extended new years week) or the reduced productivity of quarantined areas will have really hit yet....so...I think the out of stock items are a result of the railway blockades, rather than supply chain source breakdown.

I'm not hugely concerned...but I think there's more hiccups to follow.

 

[macarena]

Second confirmed case in Brazil: https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/02/29/world/americas/29reuters-china-health-brazil.html  anic: 

CNN publishes that Brazil only has 2 confirmed cases [1], but we were at 4 this morning on São Paulo State [2], and 10 minutes ago the Rio de Janeiro State confirmed its 1st case [3] (i.e. the 5th on Brazil).
I"ve just find an World Meter [4] that is reporting the right number of 4+1 cases on Brazil.

[1]
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/29/asia/coronavirus-cases-worldwide-intl-hnk/index.html

[2] in portuguese only:
https://g1.globo.com/sp/sao-paulo/noticia/2020/03/05/ministerio-da-saude-confirma-quarto-caso-de-contaminacao-de-coronavirus-no-brasil.ghtml

[3] in portuguese only:
https://g1.globo.com/rj/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2020/03/05/rj-confirma-primeiro-caso-do-novo-coronavirus-diz-secretaria.ghtml

[4]
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

Staff edit: emoji overuse

 

[The Bread Guy]

Latest Johns Hopkins & WHO numbers ...

 

[OceanBonfire]

Major Canadian travel insurers stop covering coronavirus trip cancellations


Two Canadian travel insurers are no longer covering customers who want to cancel their trip due to COVID-19, and the rest of the industry is likely to follow suit.

Manulife and TuGo have both decided that coronavirus is now a “known” issue and cancellation coverage no longer applies.

TuGo’s change in policy came into effect Tuesday, March 4, while Manulife said the exclusion applies from today, March 5.

“Manulife has determined that COVID-19 is now considered a known event and the applicable exclusion will be applied for individual travel insurance policies issued on or after this date,” Manulife said in a statement to CTVNews.ca.

“The application of COVID-19 as a known event does not apply to existing customers who bought our travel insurance policies prior to March 5, 2020.”

Manulife trip cancellation/interruption insurance (TCII) customers can submit a claim if the product was bought before a “high level government of Canada travel advisory,” but this will likely be “unpayable.”

“If TCII was purchased after the government of Canada issued a high level advisory, you cannot use it as a reason to cancel or interrupt your trip,” Manulife said.

Richmond, B.C., -based travel insurer TuGo said COVID-19 is “no longer considered sudden and unexpected, as it is a global health issue.”

“Because of this, we won’t provide any new coverage for this event, effective March 4, 2020,” TuGo spokesperson Melissa Kaerne Manning told CTVNews.ca via email.

“It’s important to note that if a traveller did buy trip cancellation and trip interruption insurance before March 4, 2020, their policy wouldn’t be affected by this amendment; coverage would still apply, as per the policy’s terms and conditions at the time of purchase.”

The company said its emergency medical insurance is still available to travellers, as long as the destination doesn’t have an “avoid non-essential” or “avoid all” travel advisory in place before the customer leaves.


https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coronavirus/major-canadian-travel-insurers-stop-covering-coronavirus-trip-cancellations-1.4840391

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/coronavirus-manulife-tugo-travel-insurance-1.5486117

 

[tomahawk6]

Is the border still open ?

 

[brihard]

Is the border still open ?

Yup, absolutely. Arrivals from some countries are being asked to self isolate.

 

[daftandbarmy]

HEALTH EXPERTS PREDICT 100 MILLION TO SUCCUMB TO CORONAVIRUS BY 2021

A scientist at the John Hopkins Medical Center in Maryland was an actual predictor of the coronavirus that first hit Wuhan, China in early January, believing that the virus attacks an entire three months prior.

Eric Toner had staged a simulation of a global pandemic, including the coronavirus and predicted that the deadly virus would kill upwards of 100 million people around the world in approximately 18 months.

https://thesource.com/2020/02/03/health-experts-predict-100-million-to-succumb-to-coronavirus-by-2021/

 

[brihard]

My wife and I had to go to BC’s Royal Columbia hospital emerg for an unrelated issue tonight (all good- she had an ear infection get suddenly quite bad after hours). We were pushed through fast; three hours in an out. Very crowded- all rooms in emerg were full and we had a lot of hallway waiting. The doc said they’ve had an uptick in visits, lots of fearful people with mild respiratory stuff. I didn’t see any evident increase in PPE usage by staff or any unusual procedures.

BC announced right more cases during the day, one of which may be ‘community transmission’; no pertinent travel history or known connection to same.

I will say based on hospital crowding that if you can avoid hospital, do. We were seen fast and professionally, but there’s a lot of people crammed in right in waiting areas. Lots of potential to spread.

 

[macarena]

(...)
I will say based on hospital crowding that if you can avoid hospital, do. We were seen fast and professionally, but there’s a lot of people crammed in right in waiting areas. Lots of potential to spread.

Thanks for the tip, big fella!
I apologizes for my latest joke.
In Brazil, the official report from the government [1], yesterday, announced 8 confirmed cases.
Today morning, the state of Bahia [2] (northeastern region), confirmed its 1st case, bringing us to a total of 9.
I think I will stop to count one by one. It seems it will start to polute the thread, since it will probably not stop on these 9 cases. That is sad!  :not-again:

[1] in portuguese only
https://www.saude.gov.br/noticias/agencia-saude/46493-coronavirus-com-8-casos-confirmados-brasil-monitora-636-suspeitos

[2] +1 new case in Brazil (first in Bahia): a 34-year-old woman, resident of Feira de Santana, who was in Italy and returned to Brazil on Feb. 25
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries

 

[mariomike]

I will say based on hospital crowding that if you can avoid hospital, do. We were seen fast and professionally, but there’s a lot of people crammed in right in waiting areas. Lots of potential to spread.

The pensioners organization I belong to includes a "Virtual Health Care Service: See a doctor 24/7 online in minutes."

They also have an online pharmacy.

Virtual health care visits may be worth considering.

Of course, if a medical emergency, call 9-1-1.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Some of the latest via the Chief Public Health Officer info-machine ...

On February 21, 2020, the Government of Canada repatriated 129 Canadians who were on the Diamond Princess, which was docked in Japan following an outbreak of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus on board the cruise ship. Upon their return to Canada, these individuals were subject to a 14-day quarantine period and have been staying at the NAV CENTRE in Cornwall, Ontario.

This decision was taken out of an abundance of caution because of the extraordinary circumstances faced by passengers on the Diamond Princess and to lighten the burden on the Japanese healthcare system.

Today, I can confirm that all 129 repatriated individuals at the NAV CENTRE have been released from quarantine. These individuals remained asymptomatic for COVID-19 throughout the 14-day quarantine period and, as a result, they pose no risk to others and can safely return to their communities and to their usual activities. To respect the privacy of the individuals leaving quarantine, we will not release further details of their travel plans.

I would like to thank the repatriated Canadians and their families for their patience and cooperation, and their contribution to public health. They have been through a stressful and uncertain experience, and I urge everyone to treat them with respect and compassion.

I would also like to extend my thanks and appreciation to federal partners and the provincial and local public health authorities, the City of Cornwall, Cornwall Community Police Services, the Canadian Red Cross and the NAV CENTRE for their contributions to these repatriation efforts.

 

[tomahawk6]

Two died in Florida bringing the US death toll to 17. Canada would be wise to close the border. We are certain to have more deaths just as we do in flu season. The Government is sending out tests to State public health agencies.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/florida-2-dead-in-the-state-who-tested-covid-19-positive/ar-BB10R0M9?ocid=spartanntp

 

[YZT580]

hard to close the border when half the seniors from Ontario and Quebec still need to return home.  There is a six month limitation on how long they can remain in the states and I doubt that Washington will extend the deadline.  Also there is a little question on health insurance.  Companies will definitely not want to extend the coverage with the probability of having to shell out to cover virus-related hospital stays in Fort Meyers.

 

[tomahawk6]

Now with the virus in Florida Canadians may be unable to leave if they test positive.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

That's gonna make the Canadian Revenue Agency happy: Non-resident status anyone.

 

[dapaterson]

That's gonna make the Canadian Revenue Agency happy: Non-resident status anyone.

More like the provincial health authorities: you are no longer resident, therefore no longer covered.

 

[Blackadder1916]

More like the provincial health authorities: you are no longer resident, therefore no longer covered.

Most provincial health insurance plans probably don't care due to existing restrictions that already limit the amount they will pay for out-of-country medical services.  But if individuals lose entitlement to provincial health insurance benefits because of a quarantine enforced absence from home province (something that would be unlikely to happen), it may be a windfall for the companies that provide travel medical insurance.  In most cases the fine print on those policies require the insured to have provincial health insurance which would be responsible for first reimbursement, however minimum that may be.

 

[The Bread Guy]

The latest Johns Hopkins & WHO stats attached, and WHO's home-brew formula for hand sanitizer.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

This outbreak is a couple of km from my house https://www.nsnews.com/news/2-new-cases-of-covid-19-linked-to-north-vancouver-care-home-1.24092857

 

[mariomike]

Coronavirus call in the US.

With pictures like that, little wonder folks are buying up masks.