Coronavirus, comprehensive and updates discussion

[TomSea]

Check the first few paragraphs, they caught a ham sandwich on a passenger from China and that could potentially, if left unchecked, have spread this swine fever into the US.

Disease that killed millions of China's pigs poses global threat
Tom Polansek

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Bettie the beagle, a detector dog for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, picked up the scent of pork on a woman arriving from China at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

Soon the dog’s handler discovered and confiscated a ham sandwich in the purse of a passenger who had flown on a China Eastern Airlines flight from Shanghai.

The danger? That the food might be contaminated with African swine fever and spread the disease to the United States. China has lost millions of pigs in outbreaks of the disease, pushing its pork prices to record highs, forcing purchases of costly imports and roiling global meat markets.

Read more at: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-swinefever-disease-insight/disease-that-killed-millions-of-chinas-pigs-poses-global-threat-idUSKBN1ZF1FP

[TomSea]

China confirms 139 cases of new virus in two days


The majority of cases have been detected in the city of Wuhan

Chinese authorities have reported 139 new cases of a mysterious virus in two days, marking the first time that the infection has been confirmed in the country outside of Wuhan city.

The new cases were identified in the cities of Wuhan, Beijing and Shenzhen.

The total number of confirmed cases now exceeds 200, and three have died from the respiratory illness.

Read more at: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51171035?intlink_from_url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world&link_location=live-reporting-story

It seems like 139 is quite a jump in new cases, few people have died from it though...."reader" version used to post this.

[Cyber Liberty]

It's a big jump alright.  It's bad news it's in Beijing and Shenzhen now.  I had work friends in both cities, before they stole my job so I could retire.

[Victoria33]

@TomSea
@Once-Ler
@mystery-ak
@musiclady
@roamer_1

I will tell you how a new virus emerges from China and spreads around the world - I wrote about this in my book, "Emergencies Happen!  Be Prepared Now!".

I was in China and saw how it happens; not long after I got home, another new virus was in China and they did extensive research and found what I already knew due to seeing the possibility.  They could have saved a lot of money if they had called me - I would have told them - wild birds/ducks/chickens/sickness/deaths.

I was in the Chinese countryside where solid white Pekin Ducks are raised.  They live in the entire open countryside (not in pens or coops) - as far as you can see, it looks like snow covers the land.  These ducks have free roam walking among the people.  Went to an open market - the ducks were walking among us and there were dead ducks and dead chickens hanging up on wires for sale.

This is what happens and what their researchers found:
1.  Wild diseased birds land on the ducks and spread the new virus to the ducks, where they, unknowingly,
2. infect chickens on farms as they mingle among the chickens. 
3.  The farmers kill their chickens for family food, handle the dead chickens, getting the virus all over the farmer cooks, who spread the virus to the family members,
4.  who spread it to everyone with whom they come in contact so the virial disease infects others.
5.  Someone infected travels by air, spreads it to passengers who spread it when they leave the plane, and continue to infect others in the country where they now are.
6.  At the end of the research for this virus, they now know the ducks must be killed to stop the spread of the virus.  They killed all ducks where disease was.

So, now, today, there is a new virus.  Can't kill all wild birds, so, I believe thousands/to millions of Pekin Ducts are going to be killed again.  It is also possible that mosquitoes bite the wild birds, carry the virus, and then bite Pekin Ducks. 

Advice: If you fly to somewhere, do not use the first bathroom available when you get off the plane.  People tend to go to the first one so they can have more privacy than on the plane and anyone sick is for sure going to that one and they will leave virus or bacteria in that bathroom.  Wait until you get to another bathroom away from the first one.  When you have finished using the potty, do not touch your face until after you wash your hands well with provided soap and water.  After that, if you have a bottle or sheet of hand sanitizer, use it when out of the bathroom.

[Gefn]

What is scary about these new viruses is it takes a few months (I’m being optimistic) to make a vaccine and then a few months to bring it to market..

By then who knows how many can be infected? Look at the Spanish Flu from 1918.

[PeteS in CA]

Wuhan is a major industrial city. Shenzhen is near Hong Kong. The virus has progressed to two major international transportation hubs.

[Victoria33]

@TomSea
@Once-Ler
@mystery-ak
@musiclady
@roamer_1
@Gefn

As I said about the open market where ducks walk through the people and dead ducks and chickens are hanging for people to buy - this new virus came from a market where live poultry is sold:

"The virus emerged in the city of Wuhan.
The government of Wuhan, a city in central China, first confirmed on Dec. 31 that hospitals in the city were treating dozens of patients for pneumonia with an unknown cause.

Many of the cases were connected to the Huanan Seafood Market, which also sold live poultry and exotic animal meats. Considered a likely source of the virus, the market was closed and disinfected."

[Neverdul]

It is not yet clear if the virus is transmittable human to human. As I understand “nearly” all “reported” cases, within and outside of China are people who live or passed through Wuhan and through exposure to animals at a market in Wuhan that sells seafood and live animals. However, health commissioners in Wuhan said on Sunday that some people who had come down with the virus had no exposure to the market but are not sure if they were at other similar markets in the city. This is what officials in China are saying however WHO is saying that there has been some human to human transmission.

If the virus has made a jump from animal > human transmission to human > human transmission that could be very bad especially since this is novel virus that I presume to which we have no immunity. And viruses have a nasty habit of mutating.

New China virus: Cases triple as infection spreads to Beijing and Shanghai

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51171035

[Neverdul]

@TomSea
@Once-Ler
@mystery-ak
@musiclady
@roamer_1
@Gefn

As I said about the open market where ducks walk through the people and dead ducks and chickens are hanging for people to buy - this new virus came from a market where live poultry was sold:

"The virus emerged in the city of Wuhan.
The government of Wuhan, a city in central China, first confirmed on Dec. 31 that hospitals in the city were treating dozens of patients for pneumonia with an unknown cause.

Many of the cases were connected to the Huanan Seafood Market, which also sold live poultry and exotic animal meats. Considered a likely source of the virus, the market was closed and disinfected."

But it is important to understand that while there can be animal to human transmission of some viruses, it is when it becomes transmittable human to human when it becomes a much larger concern. You can shut down markets, disinfect them, kill off all the infected animals or those suspected of being infected, but if and once it is transmittable human to human, it then becomes much more difficult to contain.

[Cyber Liberty]

It is not yet clear if the virus is transmittable human to human. As I understand “nearly” all “reported” cases, within and outside of China are people who live or passed through Wuhan and through exposure to animals at a market in Wuhan that sells seafood and live animals. However, health commissioners in Wuhan said on Sunday that some people who had come down with the virus had no exposure to the market but are not sure if they were at other similar markets in the city. This is what officials in China are saying however WHO is saying that there has been some human to human transmission.

If the virus has made a jump from animal > human transmission to human > human transmission that could be very bad especially since this is novel virus that I presume to which we have no immunity. And viruses have a nasty habit of mutating.

New China virus: Cases triple as infection spreads to Beijing and Shanghai

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51171035

My understanding is, some of the patients never went to the Market that is the focus of the outbreak.  The implication is, they likely caught it from a human.  Human > human transmission is a possible culprit.

[Neverdul]

My understanding is, some of the patients never went to the Market that is the focus of the outbreak.  The implication is, they likely caught it from a human.  Human > human transmission is a possible culprit.

Yes, that seems to be the implication.

[TomSea]

Now, a case in South Korea. They found one in Japan yesterday.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/01/20/SKorea-confirms-first-case-of-new-coronavirus-in-Chinese-visitor.html

I did see some article mentioning that "human-to-human" transmission. I don't want to misquote on this serious matter.

And, last week, they confiscated a "ham sandwich" coming from China of all things at O'Hare airport in Chicago. I know, that sounds a bit wild to say.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-swinefever-disease-insight/disease-that-killed-millions-of-chinas-pigs-poses-global-threat-idUSKBN1ZF1FP

[TomSea]

Human-to-human link to some cases of new China virus, Sars expert says

    Priority now must be to stop emergence of ‘super-spreader’, with one carrier already infecting more than a dozen medical personnel, specialist says

    Authorities in Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, report a third death and more than 130 new cases over the weekend

One of China’s leading specialists in communicable diseases has warned that human-to-human transmission is responsible for some cases of a previously unknown coronavirus that has killed three people in the Chinese city of Wuhan.

Read more at: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3046908/new-china-virus-likely-human-transmission-stage-infections

So, this expert claims it has been happening.

[Neverdul]

Now, a case in South Korea. They found one in Japan yesterday.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/01/20/SKorea-confirms-first-case-of-new-coronavirus-in-Chinese-visitor.html

I did see some article mentioning that "human-to-human" transmission. I don't want to misquote on this serious matter.

And, last week, they confiscated a "ham sandwich" coming from China of all things at O'Hare airport in Chicago. I know, that sounds a bit wild to say.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-swinefever-disease-insight/disease-that-killed-millions-of-chinas-pigs-poses-global-threat-idUSKBN1ZF1FP

FWIW the woman in South Korea per your link: "The patient is a 35-year-old Chinese woman who flew from Wuhan."

[Neverdul]

China virus prompts U.S. precautions as human-to-human transmission confirmed


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-virus-outbreak-wuhan-coronavirus-spread-us-cdc-officials-screen-passengers-today-2020-01-20/

[Victoria33]

@TomSea
@Once-Ler
@mystery-ak
@musiclady
@roamer_1
@Gefn
@corbe

I wrote the below, then CNN has just come on (7 am central),saying 300 people are known to be infected in four Asian countries; it is person to person spreading; 14 nurses were infected who were taking care of those with this virus.  The World Heath people meet tomorrow about this.

Screening happening now:
"Wuhan is the most populous city in central China, with about 11 million people. All three U.S. airports where the CDC will do its screenings have direct flights from Wuhan."

"The CDC said some of the dozens of patients sickened in the 2019-nCoV outbreak may have contracted the disease from other people (it is confirmed now). Most of the patients have links to a seafood and at least one animal market, where authorities suspect they contracted the disease from an animal, the CDC said, citing Chinese health officials."

[bigheadfred]

Why is it that China seems to be the source for so many of these outbreaks?

[Gefn]

@TomSea
@Once-Ler
@mystery-ak
@musiclady
@roamer_1
@Gefn
@corbe

I wrote the below, then CNN has just come on (7 am central),saying 300 people are known to be infected in four Asian countries; it is person to person spreading; 14 nurses were infected who were taking care of those with this virus.  The World Heath people meet tomorrow about this.

Screening happening now:
"Wuhan is the most populous city in central China, with about 11 million people. All three U.S. airports where the CDC will do its screenings have direct flights from Wuhan."

"The CDC said some of the dozens of patients sickened in the 2019-nCoV outbreak may have contracted the disease from other people (it is confirmed now). Most of the patients have links to a seafood and at least one animal market, where authorities suspect they contracted the disease from an animal, the CDC said, citing Chinese health officials."

Thanks for the update @Victoria33 

[Neverdul]

@bigheadfred

This may explain the spread of China's new virus


www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEARtTBHXEw4

In a nutshell you have markets in China and probably elsewhere in Asia that sell both live farm raised and live wild animals, like wild ducks and geese but also more exotic animals like civet cats, porcupines, etc., for food consumption, all together in close quarters with each other and with humans, and in very unclean conditions – lots of cross contamination, no running water….

Also factor in rivers polluted with both animal and human sewage, where, say for instance wild geese and wild duck swim and feed from that also mingle with nearby farm raised poultry.

A case can also be made for populations increases that cause land development in once remote areas where few humans previous ventured and thus never before having been exposed to some of these viruses that were long contained within the local animal populations.

Viruses are known to jump species. It is thought that bats are a natural reservoir for many viruses including SARS (as are civet cats also a natural host for SARS) and so other animals, pigs, poultry can be exposed to their droppings and if that virus makes a species jump from say from bat to bird or pig to, that virus can also make the jump to infect humans.

Sometimes a virus can only be transmitted from for example a bird to a human either through handling or consuming as food, and so that virus may not be transmittable human to human, at least until the virus makes another jump when it mutates to “see” humans as a good host for infecting others. And this appears to be what has happened in this case.

Here is another explanation that has both a video and a transcript.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/southern-china-hotbed-disease-develop

While I find most Hollywood movies that attempt to explain anything medical or scientific laughable at best, the 2011 movie Contagion did a decent job in portraying a catastrophic outbreak of a novel and deadly, easily transmitted virus. The ending shows some the scenarios I talked about above. Plus Gweneth Paltrow as patient Zero. : )


www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1HH1-ozS_A&t=84s

[TomSea]

@bigheadfred

This may explain the spread of China's new virus


www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEARtTBHXEw4

In a nutshell you have markets in China and probably elsewhere in Asia that sell both live farm raised and live wild animals, like wild ducks and geese but also more exotic animals like civet cats, porcupines, etc., for food consumption, all together in close quarters with each other and with humans, and in very unclean conditions – lots of cross contamination, no running water….

Also factor in rivers polluted with both animal and human sewage, where, say for instance wild geese and wild duck swim and feed from that also mingle with nearby farm raised poultry.

A case can also be made for populations increases that cause land development in once remote areas where few humans previous ventured and thus never before having been exposed to some of these viruses that were long contained within the local animal populations.

Viruses are known to jump species. It is thought that bats are a natural reservoir for many viruses including SARS (as are civet cats also a natural host for SARS) and so other animals, pigs, poultry can be exposed to their droppings and if that virus makes a species jump from say from bat to bird or pig to, that virus can also make the jump to infect humans.

Sometimes a virus can only be transmitted from for example a bird to a human either through handling or consuming as food, and so that virus may not be transmittable human to human, at least until the virus makes another jump when it mutates to “see” humans as a good host for infecting others. And this appears to be what has happened in this case.

Here is another explanation that has both a video and a transcript.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/southern-china-hotbed-disease-develop

While I find most Hollywood movies that attempt to explain anything medical or scientific laughable at best, the 2011 movie Contagion did a decent job in portraying a catastrophic outbreak of a novel and deadly, easily transmitted virus. The ending shows some the scenarios I talked about above. Plus Gweneth Paltrow as patient Zero. : )


www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1HH1-ozS_A&t=84s

Very helpful, all of this thank you.

------------

This story seems to be getting bigger in coverage, "VIRUS" is the header at drudge report...

BBC today:

New China virus: Warning against cover-up as number of cases jump

China's top leaders have warned lower-level officials not to cover up the spread of a new coronavirus that has now infected nearly 300 people.

Anyone who concealed new cases would "be nailed on the pillar of shame for eternity", the political body responsible for law and order said.

The warning came as state media said six people had now died from the virus, which causes a type of pneumonia.

More:  https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51185836

So, the Chinese government is telling it's own, don't cover this thing up.

Lastly, there is a connection to Wuhan per the other two cases too, so all 3, Japan, South Korea and Thailand seem to have a connection to that city.

[Restored]

Just in time for the students to come back from China for Spring semester.

[libertybele]

A good reason to avoid traveling outside the good ole U.S.A.   I also wouldn't be traveling aboard cruise ships; they are nothing more than a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses.  No thanks.

[Gefn]

Warning.

The CNN video shows something that will be upsetting to those of us who love our animal companions.

[bigheadfred]

@Neverdul .

Thanks for the full explanation.

It just seems like China has more than any other country.

Conditions in other countries in that part of the world are similar to China.

The 1918 flu originated in China.

[Wingnut]

I would bet there are more than 1000 cases.  Never trust the chink republic to be truthful.

[Neverdul]

@Neverdul .

Thanks for the full explanation.

It just seems like China has more than any other country.

Conditions in other countries in that part of the world are similar to China.

The 1918 flu originated in China.

@ bigheadfred

No one knows exactly from where the 1918 influenza pandemic originated but there are many theories.

One was that it started in Haskell County, Kansas and nearby Fort Riley. Some contemporary reports say was that there was a mass burning of garbage including pig and chick carcasses (not just leftover cooked meat but also dead animals) but weather conditions caused the acrid smoke to stay in the air for hours if not days and it was very soon after that many soldiers, over 100 started reporting to the infirmary with 48 young and seemingly healthy men dying that same March. But many also shipped out around that same time to Europe and then back again to the US where soon cities like Boston and Philadelphia, cities with ports and naval yards starting seeing many people die.

But while that is thought to be the 1st wave and the place where the disease was likely first identified as influenza, another theory places it as originating in China and spread via some 96,000 Chinese laborers who were shipped to the west coast of Canada and across to the east coast to be shipped to England and France to relieve soldiers from menial labor behind the trenches.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/1/140123-spanish-flu-1918-china-origins-pandemic-science-health/

As to why so many influenza and other viruses originate from China, it probably has to do a lot with their love of poultry, both domestic and wild and other wild animals, the “wet” markets as they call the live animal markets where even basic sanitation protocols are pretty much non-existent, combined with very densely populated urban areas and much international travel.

[TomSea]

Big story so welcome to the comprehensive thread...

South Korea:

Picture of the Day: Coronavirus Prevention Efforts
GIKorea | January 22, 2020

Coronavirus disinfection
Quarantine workers spray disinfectant at Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, on Jan. 21, 2020, to prevent the advance of a new strain of coronavirus now spreading in China and other parts of Asia. ...
https://www.rokdrop.net/2020/01/picture-of-the-day-coronavirus-prevention-efforts/

North Korea:

BNO News
@BNONews
NEW: North Korea closes border to all foreign tourists to prevent an outbreak of coronavirus

https://twitter.com/BNONews/status/1219636065486753792

It looks very empty. Of course, I have no idea how it might look on a normal day.

[TomSea]

China /  Science
Coronavirus weaker than Sars but may share link to bats, Chinese scientists say

    Virus found in fruit bats is common ancestor of the two strains, study suggests.

    New strain has unusually high ability to bind to a human protein, researchers calculate

Stephen Chen in Beijing
Published: 11:56am, 22 Jan, 2020

The new strain may be linked to fruit bats, Chinese scientists found. Photo: Shutterstock

The coronavirus
discovered in Wuhan may share the same bat-related ancestor as Sars, according to the latest study by Chinese scientists, which said the strain was weaker than the devastating 2002-03 Sars outbreak
but was still “highly infectious”.

The new virus shares a common ancestor with severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars), in HKU9-1, a virus found in fruit bats, they found.

The connection with wild animals was confirmed on Wednesday by Gao Fu, director general of China’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PWA_4ssTuI#

Read more at: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3047114/coronavirus-weaker-sars-may-share-link-bats-chinese-scientists

There's often huge hysteria with viruses, it be HIV, Ebola, SARS and so on.

Fruit bats in this case, a few years ago, there was something with fruit flies.

That SCMP, South China Morning Post, the newspaper of record in Hong Kong I am told has a lot on all of this.

[corbe]

Wuhan suspends public transit as coronavirus outbreak claims 17th victim

17 people have died from an outbreak of a new coronavirus strain that originated in Wuhan, China, in early January, the New York Times reports. CDC officials said Tuesday there's one case in Washington State.

The latest: Local officials from Wuhan announced that starting 10 a.m. Thursday, all outbound public transportation, flights and trains will be temporarily closed to reduce risk of spreading the virus, state media China Daily reports. Wuhan has a population of 11 million — higher than any city in the U.S.

Why it matters: Health officials confirmed that the pneumonia-like virus can be passed person-to-person, raising the prospect of more cases emerging this week as millions begin traveling across the country for the annual Lunar New Year holiday.

<..snip..>

https://www.axios.com/china-coronavirus-outbreak-six-victims-300-cases-6035c396-8b96-4b27-8111-843e95febb1e.html

[corbe]

https://www.weaselzippers.us/442395-deadly-asian-bug-mutating-one-dead-in-america/

[TomSea]

These stories just popped out in minutes,

Brazil  https://www.infobae.com/america/america-latina/2020/01/22/brasil-anuncio-la-deteccion-de-un-posible-caso-de-coronavirus-en-minas-gerais/
Colombia  https://maduradas.com/importante-autoridades-investigan-posible-caso-coronavirus-colombia/
Mexico  https://www.infobae.com/america/mexico/2020/01/22/lopez-obrador-admitio-que-hay-un-posible-caso-de-coronavirus-en-tamaulipas/

All apparently have suspicions of at least one case of the coronavirus.

Wuhan is shutting down public transportation:   https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51215348

[Fishrrman]

In times past, wouldn't it be appropriate to temporarily shut borders, quarantine potential sources of outbreaks, etc.?

I see that today China has essentially quarantined Wuhan.
At least they still understand how to react to contagion...

[TomSea]

Tom Cotton: China needs to answer for 'malfeasance' in coronavirus outbreak
By Julia Musto | Fox News

There need to be "serious consequences" for China's "malfeasance" in response to the coronavirus outbreak, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said Wednesday.

In an interview on the "Brian Kilmeade Show" with host Brian Kilmeade, Cotton said that while there's still a lot unknown about coronavirus, what is known is that "the Chinese communist party has once again been caught red-handed covering up, suppressing, and censoring a serious public health risk."

"Which," he noted, "could be increasingly a global public health risk."

Read more at: https://www.foxnews.com/media/tom-cotton-coronavirus-outbreak-china

It sounds like this is getting to be a very big deal...

[skeeter]

In times past, wouldn't it be appropriate to temporarily shut borders, quarantine potential sources of outbreaks, etc.?

I see that today China has essentially quarantined Wuhan.
At least they still understand how to react to contagion...

Unfortunately the virus has a ten day incubation period.

[TomSea]

World Health Organization (WHO), Actually, I don't know why the article says they are delaying, if so, only until tomorrow, Thursday:

WHO postpones decision on whether to declare emergency over coronavirus

The World Health Organization says it will decide on Thursday whether to declare a global emergency over the outbreak of a new flu-like virus spreading from China.

If it does, it will be only the sixth international emergency to be declared in the last decade. These include the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Congo and the Zika virus in the Americas in 2016.

"The decision is one I take extremely seriously," WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, adding that he was only prepared to make it with the appropriate amount of consideration and information "in an evolving and complex situation."

Read more at: https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-china-who-pheic-meeting-1.5436276

And the Zika virus, I remember that one as well.  The poor children who especially suffered.

[skeeter]

World Health Organization (WHO), Actually, I don't know why the article says they are delaying, if so, only until tomorrow, Thursday:
And the Zika virus, I remember that one as well.  The poor children who especially suffered.

Heaven help the people who’s health - lives - are in the hands of these fumbling bureaucrats.

[TomSea]

This is horrible here:

Wuhan virus: Rats and live wolf pups on the menu at China food market linked to virus outbreak


The Huanan Seafood Market came under greater scrutiny as Chinese officials said that the virus which has so far killed nine people and infected hundreds may have originated in a wild animal sold at the food emporium.PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Published
Jan 22, 2020, 6:13 pm SGT

SHANGHAI (AFP) - The food market where China's deadly virus surfaced was a smorgasbord of exotic wildlife ranging from wolf pups to species linked to previous pandemics such as civets, according to vendor information and a Chinese media report.

The Huanan Seafood Market in the central city of Wuhan came under greater scrutiny on Wednesday (Jan 22) as Chinese officials said that the virus which has so far killed nine people and infected hundreds may have originated in a wild animal sold at the food emporium.

Past deadly epidemics have been blamed on wild animals - severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) was linked to Chinese consumption of civet meat - setting the Chinese authorities up for potential embarrassment if lax supervision of wildlife trafficking is found at fault in the latest outbreak.

Read more at: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/on-the-menu-at-china-virus-market-rats-and-live-wolf-pups?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=sttw&utm_medium=social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1579689454

Straits Times as in Singapore Straits I think... anyway, one of the comments already touched on some of what this is about.

One wild animals and millions of pigs get wiped out I guess.

[TomSea]

Nifty live blog by the BBC:   https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-asia-51222034

Briton Thomas Crosby has told the BBC he was surprised there wasn't more screening as he travelled from Wuhan to London.

Authorities in Wuhan have since suspended all public transport into and out of the city.

Also, Breaking News Online: https://twitter.com/BNONews

2 more cities Huanggang, population 7 million and Chibi, city of under 500,000 next to Huanggang become the 2nd and 3rd cities placed on lockdown. Map and lots of info at the BBC website linked above.

[Gefn]

China locks down two cities to curb virus outbreak

Wuhan (China) (AFP) - China locked down nearly 20 million in two cities at the centre of a deadly virus outbreak on Thursday, banning planes and trains from leaving in an unprecedented move aimed at containing the disease which has already spread to other countries.

The respiratory virus has claimed 17 lives since emerging from a seafood and animal market in Wuhan, infected hundreds of other people nationwide and been detected as far away as the United States.

Streets and shopping centres in Wuhan, a major port city in central Hubei province with a population of 11 million people, were eerily quiet after authorities told residents not to leave town "without a special reason".

https://news.yahoo.com/china-warns-virus-could-mutate-spread-death-toll-030352863.html

[bigheadfred]

Wuhan quarantine expands as Chinese fear authorities withholding information about coronavirus outbreak

more

As the uncertainty continued, Guan, the virologist who identified SARS, offered a chilling perspective on the outbreak.

“I’ve seen it all: bird flu, SARS, influenza A, swine fever and the rest. But the Wuhan pneumonia makes me feel extremely powerless,” he told Caixin. “Most of the past epidemics were controllable, but this time, I’m petrified.”

[Gefn]

Wuhan quarantine expands as Chinese fear authorities withholding information about coronavirus outbreak

more

I read they are cancelling New Years in many cities this weekend. That’s a big deal.

[bigheadfred]

I read they are cancelling New Years in many cities this weekend. That’s a big deal.

Yeah. Lots of travelers and big crowds. Not to mention the importance, to them, of the event.

I read that this outbreak comes at one of the worst times of the year. But is there really any good time of year for a pandemic?

[DCPatriot]

IIRC correctly... I read about a year ago that China may be experimenting with viruses.

I'm sure it's just a coincidence.   

[Wingnut]

The world needs a good pandemic every 75 years or so to decrease the surplus population. Since it seems to flourish in population areas with a high concentration of people I see several liberal american cities that could be affected and infected. SAn Francisco, LA, Portlanda. Lots of room for growth of a killer bug.

[bigheadfred]

IIRC correctly... I read about a year ago that China may be experimenting with viruses.

I'm sure it's just a coincidence.   

I've made mention of that very thing. But I think they are too much the control freaks to put something out on the open market. They have no way of controlling something like this. And what measures they are taking now is too late.

They built those "ghost" cities that would be perfect for testing viruses, etc. Move a 100,000 people in. Quarantine them and let loose a bug and see what happens.

[mountaineer]

I read they are cancelling New Years in many cities this weekend. That’s a big deal.

Yes

Beijing cancels all Chinese New Year celebrations as Wuhan coronavirus spreads
by Jordyn Pair · Jan 23rd, 2020 8:42 am

Officials in Beijing have canceled large-scale Chinese New Year celebrations to help prevent the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus. At least 17 people are dead and more than 600 confirmed infected from the coronoavirus. Both Wuhan, where the outbreak began, and nearby Huanggang have been put under lockdown. ...

link

[skeeter]

IIRC correctly... I read about a year ago that China may be experimenting with viruses.

I'm sure it's just a coincidence.   

It's not that. The Chinese will and do eat anything. This is begging for some really exotic, lethal stuff. The government has to start cracking down on this national pastime.

[mystery-ak]

China Locks Down 3 Cities at Epicenter of Virus Outbreak
By Reuters
January 23, 2020

BEIJING— China put on lockdown on Jan. 23 three cities at the epicenter of a new coronavirus outbreak that has killed 17 people and infected nearly 600, as health authorities around the world scramble to prevent a global pandemic.

Health officials fear the transmission rate will accelerate as hundreds of millions of Chinese travel at home and abroad during week-long holidays for the Lunar New Year, which begins on Saturday.

The previously unknown virus strain is believed to have emerged late last year from illegally traded wildlife at an animal market in the central Chinese city of Wuhan.

Most transport in Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, was suspended on Thursday morning and people were told not to leave. Hours later, state media in neighboring Huanggang and Ezhou are reported to be imposing a similar lockdown.

more
https://www.theepochtimes.com/china-locks-down-two-cities-at-epicenter-of-virus-outbreak_3213547.html

[TomSea]

Topic merged into the Coronavirus thread.

BTW, they are going to name the virus something, I saw, it already actually has a name, see below:

    Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV),[11][12] also known as Wuhan pneumonia or Wuhan coronavirus.[13] ('Novel' in this case means newly discovered, or newly originated, and is a placeholder name.) [14]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus

That's a technical matter.

Snakes could be the source of the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak
By Haitao Guo, Guangxiang "George" Luo and Shou-Jiang Gao, The Conversation

 (CNN)Snakes -- the Chinese krait and the Chinese cobra -- may be the original source of the newly discovered coronavirus that has triggered an outbreak of a deadly infectious respiratory illness in China this winter.

The many-banded krait (Bungarus multicinctus), also known as the Taiwanese krait or the Chinese krait, is a highly venomous species of elapid snake found in much of central and southern China and Southeast Asia.

The illness was first reported in late December 2019 in Wuhan, a major city in central China, and has been rapidly spreading. Since then, sick travelers from Wuhan have infected people in China and other countries, including the United States.

More at: https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/22/health/snakes-wuhan-coronavirus-outbreak-conversation-partner/

I knew of a bunch of Buddhists from Mainland and Taiwan some time ago. A lot of those people were vegetarians, I respected that, I respect a meat eater too.

But, I guess, it's part of Chinese culture or medicine to eat all kinds of things....and it seems they are running to trouble over that. It's in the news often, where they import exotic animal parts, say Pangolin scales.

https://qz.com/874854/chinas-insatiable-thirst-for-pangolin-scales-is-fed-by-an-international-black-market/

And just the environment of all of this is why they seem to run into this problem with viruses.

[TomSea]

He died of pneumonia but Wuhan is where this virus has hit hardest?    The article seems to address the illness towards the end.  So, maybe?

Home | News | China
Wuhan Activist Dies of Pneumonia, Contacts Not Offered Isolation, Care
2020-01-22


Environmental activist Xu Dapeng, who died of pneumonia in Wuhan on Jan. 22, is shown in an undated photo.
Photo: Cixin Tang

Veteran environmentalist Xu Dapeng has died of a respiratory disease with symptoms similar to the Wuhan coronavirus, 10 days after a similar illness took his wife.

Xu, who founded the environmental NGO Friends of Nature, died of pneumonia in Wuhan's Hankou Hospital, the group said in a statement on Wednesday.

Xu's death came just 10 days after that of his wife, also from a respiratory infection, at Wuhan's No. 6 People's Hospital, where he had sat at her bedside in the last days of her life.

Read more at: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/dies-01222020141741.html