US Will Test People With Flu-Like Symptoms for New Coronavirus

The Epoch Times ^ | February 14, 2020 Updated: February 14, 2020 | EVA FU AND ZACHARY STIEBER

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The United States will start testing people in five cities who are showing flu-like symptoms for the new coronavirus COVID-19, a top Centers for Disease Control (CDC) official said on Friday.

“CDC has begun working with five public health labs across the U.S. to tap into their ability to conduct community-based influenza surveillance, so that we can begin testing people with flu-like symptoms for novel coronavirus,” Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters in a phone call.

The cities are Los Angeles and San Francisco in California, Seattle in Washington state, Chicago in Illinois, and New York City.

More sites will be announced in the coming weeks.

The same labs that are testing for influenza in the United States will test samples that turn up negative for the flu for the virus.

Testing previously only took place among those who have symptoms consistent with COVID-19—coughing, fever, and respiratory issues—and who have been to places where the outbreak is spreading or had contact with confirmed or suspected cases.

[RummyChick]

who pays for these tests?

If I go to my doctor with the flu and haven’t been to China do they test me?

[Redcitizen]

Ping-choo!

[null and void]

Gesundheit!

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.

[kingu]

Please tell me that Arcadia, CA is on the list. Because if it isn’t, it really should be. And Rowland Heights.

[KC_for_Freedom]

I believe they will suspect that you may have come in contact with someone who did come from China. So said the letter my doctor sent all his patients. Note that I have respiration problems so I always have half the symptoms. I have to hope I don’t get a fever.

[mrsmith]

Glad to hear it!

Wish they would also test those with regular flu. A person could have both.

[DoughtyOne]

We haven’t been doing this already?

YIKES!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

It’s rather vague on that whole topic, isn’t it? Are they going to test 100% of people with “flu-like symptoms”? Do we have enough test kits to do that? Do we have enough GOOD test kits that don’t return lots of false negatives?

[BenLurkin]

Flu season is getting weirder
By Rachael Rettner - Senior Writer 6 hours ago
A second strain of flu is hitting the U.S mid-season.
https://www.livescience.com/flu-season-weird-h1n1-increase.html

[RummyChick]

There is a set of people that should definitely have the test.

But at this point, you can’t exclude someone because they weren’t in contact with someone who had just been to China.

For example, you are in a casino in Vegas where a lot of Asian people come and go....you could easily contract it. Well, maybe not easily if you are a causian but if you are an Asian male you better be getting the test.

[Drago]

So is this the CDC admitting that containment is breeched in the U.S.? Or just being really-really cautious?

[allendale]

Face it. Travel between Wusan and the US was extensive between December 15-January 15. The virus is already here. Without a definitive diagnostic test if there have been active infections, they have been misdiagnosed as flu or a non specific viral illness. It would take admission to a sophisticated medical center with an astute infectious disease service to diagnose the illness. Most physicians would not be able to make the proper diagnosis due to a lack of clinical experience.

Yet the fact that thus far there has not been a widespread, apparent clinical outbreak in the US is telling. Most Americans are not genetic Asiatics. Do Caucasians and Africans have the same genetic susceptibility and clinical response that apparently genetic Asiatics have? This is a very politically incorrect question to ask or investigate. Yet the answer will determine the type of problem that will be encountered.

[BenLurkin]

The official announcement sounds like the CDC is saying the latter.

[crz]

Here is the problem. ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING, these people touch has that virus on it.

Door nobs, Rental car door handles, shopping carts, bathroom toilet seats, you name it. In the same room with them if they have not been checked out for that virus? You got it. The same plane? You got it.

They said that what? 40 million died from the Spanish flu?

Will this one be that bad? I doubt it, but since a majority of some of our meds come from..guess where, whats that tell us?

[null and void]

On 2/12, I predicted
2/13 21:30, 1425 dead, actual 1383, 2.8% low.
2/14 21:30, 1500 dead, actual 1526, 1.7% high.
2/15 21:30, 1990 dead

If I’m close (±15%) I’ll tell you how. So far, so good.

[zeestephen]

Good idea to test in Seattle.

I’m retired, and I walk through my local mall and two grocery stores every day.

I cannot believe the number of people coughing over the last two weeks.

Also, my little corner of King County is 35% Asian, which makes me feel even more alarmed.

[zeestephen]

The mortality rate for corona has been in the 2.0% - 2.5% range since the very first cases were reported.

In the USA, the mortality rate for the 1918 Spanish Flu was also 2.5%.

The USA infection rate for Spanish Flu was close to 30%, or about 30 million people.

The USA death toll was about 700,000.

The USA population in 1918 was slightly more than 100 million.

[Creeping Incrementalism]

“Here is the problem. ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING, these people touch has that virus on it.”

A lot of Americans have assumed this for about a decade now which is why antiseptic wipes and lotions are so common these days. It cuts down on the regular flu and colds and I imagine it would attenuate the current bug as well.

[zeestephen]

There is some good news outside of China.

As of 14 February...

Only two deaths have been reported - one each in Japan and the Philippines.