'Draconian' travel curbs needed to halt spread of virus: scientists

AFP via Yahoo ^ | January 27th, 2020 | Unattributed

[Mariner]

Hong Kong (AFP) - Governments need to implement "draconian" travel curbs to stop a mystery coronavirus in China becoming a global epidemic, a team of experts mapping the outbreak said Monday.

Scientists at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) presented a briefing warning that the spread of the deadly SARS-like virus that first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan was accelerating.

"We have to be prepared that this particular epidemic may be about to become a global epidemic," said Gabriel Leung, head of the team.

"Substantial, draconian measures limiting population mobility should be taken sooner, rather than later."

[Mariner]

The article says this is doubling every six days and accelerating.

[CondorFlight]

The time to stop a pandemic is before it spreads; not after you have proof there is one, because it has infected your city also.

We need to halt all international travel, period.

[Black Agnes]

CDC has basically we’re on our own.

[VanShuyten]

“...except at the US-Mexico border, of course.”

[RayChuang88]

It’s already too late. The very fact it started in Wuhan—known as the land crossroads of transportation in China—means it has spread well beyond China by now. We need to watch the next 14 days to see if there is a major outbreak outside China.

[dfwgator]

We’ll know if Beijing and Shanghai have massive outbreaks.

With it being Chinese New Year, I found something that gave me pause....

https://chinesenewyear.net/21-things-you-didnt-know-about-chinese-new-year/

#8 The Spring Festival causes the largest human migration in the world

[Maskot]

Halting travel should thrill the enviro weenies!

[null and void]

Bring Out Your Dead

Post to me or FReep mail to be on/off the Bring Out Your Dead ping list.

The purpose of the “Bring Out Your Dead” ping list (formerly the “Ebola” ping list) is very early warning of emerging pandemics, as such it has a high false positive rate.

So far the false positive rate is 100%.

At some point we may well have a high mortality pandemic, and likely as not the “Bring Out Your Dead” threads will miss the beginning entirely.

*sigh* Such is life, and death...

If a quarantine saves just one child's life, it's worth it.

[grumpygresh]

Well at least from China and many parts Far East. Strange as it may seem, NK will probably come out pretty well if there is a pandemic because they have such a closed society.

What is going on with flights to China now?

[Zhang Fei]

[We’ll know if Beijing and Shanghai have massive outbreaks.

With it being Chinese New Year, I found something that gave me pause....

https://chinesenewyear.net/21-things-you-didnt-know-about-chinese-new-year/

#8 The Spring Festival causes the largest human migration in the world]

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The press pool guy in Full Metal Jacket put it best:

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[The Tet holiday’s like the Fourth of July, Christmas and New Year all rolled into one. Every zipperhead in Nam, North and South, will be banging gongs, barking at the moon and visiting his dead relatives.]

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

And people dying.

[donozark]

Reports say 5 million people already left Wuhan. India now reporting one case of Coronavirus. Wait until word gets out there...

[DownInFlames]

Every 4 days and accelerating. I have been tracking China’s infection rate on a daily basis. I believe this is a weaponized virus that got away from the lab and China is lying. Why quarantine 70m for these low infection/mortality rates being published. It’s much higher and has spread world wide in 28 days.

[goodnesswins]

So...are you sheltering in place now?

[Malsua]

I have friends in the Shenzhen area who went out and took pictures over the weekend. Everything was deserted. Granted, this is Chinese New Year, but they’ve never seen it like this. DESERTED. No traffic, nothing, nobody, very few cars moving. They called it bizarre.

[polymuser]

I’m not much worried...

I have Tyveks, goggles, masks, gloves, various disinfectants, Zicam, oil of oregano, echinacia, D, water, beans, rice, cornmeal, sugar, salt, jerky, whiskey, t.p., lotsa ammo...knowutimean, Vern?

[DownInFlames]

Yep

[DownInFlames]

Once it gets going in India and Africa , its too late to stop it.

[DownInFlames]

Looking to update my prepping kit. More ammo.

[polymuser]

Heck, I’ve got potassium iodide pills and a pile of furnace filters from when dirty b’s were a concern.