Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[peteblue]

No, all of his shadow cabinet did not resign their posts. “Serial” also does not mean “lost twice”.

It was the most polite and accurate adjective I could think of to describe him...I could think up some others if you wish.....

 

[navidson]

Probably going to regret this, but nevertheless....
An excerpt from the link.



Virus researchers say there is virtually no chance that the new coronavirus was released as result of a laboratory accident in China or anywhere else.

The assessment, made by more than half-a-dozen scientists familiar with lab accidents and how research on coronaviruses is conducted, casts doubt on recent claims that a mistake may have unleashed the coronavirus on the world.

But after corresponding with 10 leading scientists who collect samples of viruses from animals in the wild, study virus genomes and understand how lab accidents canhappen, NPR found that an accidental release would have required a remarkable series of coincidences and deviations from well-established experimental protocols.

"All of the evidence points to this not being a laboratory accident," says Jonna Mazet, a professor of epidemiology at the University of California, Davis and director of a global project to watch for emerging viruses called PREDICT.

Rather, the experts interviewed by NPR all believe that the virus was transmitted between animals and humans in nature, as has happened in previous outbreaks — from Ebola to the Marburg virus — and with other known coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS.

The real risk is in the wild in the way people interact with wildlife around the world," says Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance in New York City, a group that researches the origins of pandemics. "That's where we need to be focused if we want to really do something about preventing the next pandemic."

Many questions remain about how, exactly, the coronavirus known officially as SARS-CoV-2 began to spread in people. Its closest genetic cousin so far is another coronavirus found in Chinese horseshoe bats. Researchers believe SARS-CoV-2 likely made its way to people directly through bats or through an intermediate animal. Early focus on the source of the outbreak in Wuhan was on a major seafood market that also sold wild animals, though conclusive evidence proving the market was the origin of the virus has yet to emerge.

Regardless, genetic analysis shows the virus began to spread sometime in the fall or winter of 2019, says Robert Garry, a microbiologist at Tulane University. Those same analyses refuted an earlier theory that the virus was genetically engineered in a laboratory. Garry says the reason is simple — the virus infects people in a way that scientists had never seen before: "The virus is just really too good at what it's doing," he says. "No human using a computer could do this. This is very clearly a natural process that occurred." In addition, he says, there are no signs of human genetic modification in the virus's code.

Although the exact route from nature to people remains a mystery, bats are the likely reservoir for the virus, says Simon Anthony, a researcher at Columbia University who specializes in emerging infectious diseases. Bats are believed to be the carriers of two other coronavirus diseases that can infect people: SARS, which was first identified in Asia in 2003, and MERS, which was first reported in the Middle East in 2012.

I think that translates into "Don't eat live animals from wet markets"

 

[peteblue]

Probably going to regret this, but nevertheless....
An excerpt from the link.



Virus researchers say there is virtually no chance that the new coronavirus was released as result of a laboratory accident in China or anywhere else.

The assessment, made by more than half-a-dozen scientists familiar with lab accidents and how research on coronaviruses is conducted, casts doubt on recent claims that a mistake may have unleashed the coronavirus on the world.

But after corresponding with 10 leading scientists who collect samples of viruses from animals in the wild, study virus genomes and understand how lab accidents canhappen, NPR found that an accidental release would have required a remarkable series of coincidences and deviations from well-established experimental protocols.

"All of the evidence points to this not being a laboratory accident," says Jonna Mazet, a professor of epidemiology at the University of California, Davis and director of a global project to watch for emerging viruses called PREDICT.

Rather, the experts interviewed by NPR all believe that the virus was transmitted between animals and humans in nature, as has happened in previous outbreaks — from Ebola to the Marburg virus — and with other known coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS.

The real risk is in the wild in the way people interact with wildlife around the world," says Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance in New York City, a group that researches the origins of pandemics. "That's where we need to be focused if we want to really do something about preventing the next pandemic."

Many questions remain about how, exactly, the coronavirus known officially as SARS-CoV-2 began to spread in people. Its closest genetic cousin so far is another coronavirus found in Chinese horseshoe bats. Researchers believe SARS-CoV-2 likely made its way to people directly through bats or through an intermediate animal. Early focus on the source of the outbreak in Wuhan was on a major seafood market that also sold wild animals, though conclusive evidence proving the market was the origin of the virus has yet to emerge.

Regardless, genetic analysis shows the virus began to spread sometime in the fall or winter of 2019, says Robert Garry, a microbiologist at Tulane University. Those same analyses refuted an earlier theory that the virus was genetically engineered in a laboratory. Garry says the reason is simple — the virus infects people in a way that scientists had never seen before: "The virus is just really too good at what it's doing," he says. "No human using a computer could do this. This is very clearly a natural process that occurred." In addition, he says, there are no signs of human genetic modification in the virus's code.

Although the exact route from nature to people remains a mystery, bats are the likely reservoir for the virus, says Simon Anthony, a researcher at Columbia University who specializes in emerging infectious diseases. Bats are believed to be the carriers of two other coronavirus diseases that can infect people: SARS, which was first identified in Asia in 2003, and MERS, which was first reported in the Middle East in 2012.

So it wasn’t accidental then.......are you suggesting it was deliberate .......

 

[PSB1]

That’s funny because he seems to have been an MP since 1983 and twice won the Labour leadership.

Give my hamster a red rosette & he'd win Islington North.

 

[zzr45]

Probably going to regret this, but nevertheless....
An excerpt from the link.



Virus researchers say there is virtually no chance that the new coronavirus was released as result of a laboratory accident in China or anywhere else.

The assessment, made by more than half-a-dozen scientists familiar with lab accidents and how research on coronaviruses is conducted, casts doubt on recent claims that a mistake may have unleashed the coronavirus on the world.

But after corresponding with 10 leading scientists who collect samples of viruses from animals in the wild, study virus genomes and understand how lab accidents canhappen, NPR found that an accidental release would have required a remarkable series of coincidences and deviations from well-established experimental protocols.

"All of the evidence points to this not being a laboratory accident," says Jonna Mazet, a professor of epidemiology at the University of California, Davis and director of a global project to watch for emerging viruses called PREDICT.

Rather, the experts interviewed by NPR all believe that the virus was transmitted between animals and humans in nature, as has happened in previous outbreaks — from Ebola to the Marburg virus — and with other known coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS.

The real risk is in the wild in the way people interact with wildlife around the world," says Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance in New York City, a group that researches the origins of pandemics. "That's where we need to be focused if we want to really do something about preventing the next pandemic."

Many questions remain about how, exactly, the coronavirus known officially as SARS-CoV-2 began to spread in people. Its closest genetic cousin so far is another coronavirus found in Chinese horseshoe bats. Researchers believe SARS-CoV-2 likely made its way to people directly through bats or through an intermediate animal. Early focus on the source of the outbreak in Wuhan was on a major seafood market that also sold wild animals, though conclusive evidence proving the market was the origin of the virus has yet to emerge.

Regardless, genetic analysis shows the virus began to spread sometime in the fall or winter of 2019, says Robert Garry, a microbiologist at Tulane University. Those same analyses refuted an earlier theory that the virus was genetically engineered in a laboratory. Garry says the reason is simple — the virus infects people in a way that scientists had never seen before: "The virus is just really too good at what it's doing," he says. "No human using a computer could do this. This is very clearly a natural process that occurred." In addition, he says, there are no signs of human genetic modification in the virus's code.

Although the exact route from nature to people remains a mystery, bats are the likely reservoir for the virus, says Simon Anthony, a researcher at Columbia University who specializes in emerging infectious diseases. Bats are believed to be the carriers of two other coronavirus diseases that can infect people: SARS, which was first identified in Asia in 2003, and MERS, which was first reported in the Middle East in 2012.

there are no signs of human genetic modification in the virus's code.

Just to highlight the really important part there.

 

[daza_1973]

Probably going to regret this, but nevertheless....
An excerpt from the link.



Virus researchers say there is virtually no chance that the new coronavirus was released as result of a laboratory accident in China or anywhere else.

The assessment, made by more than half-a-dozen scientists familiar with lab accidents and how research on coronaviruses is conducted, casts doubt on recent claims that a mistake may have unleashed the coronavirus on the world.

But after corresponding with 10 leading scientists who collect samples of viruses from animals in the wild, study virus genomes and understand how lab accidents canhappen, NPR found that an accidental release would have required a remarkable series of coincidences and deviations from well-established experimental protocols.

"All of the evidence points to this not being a laboratory accident," says Jonna Mazet, a professor of epidemiology at the University of California, Davis and director of a global project to watch for emerging viruses called PREDICT.

Rather, the experts interviewed by NPR all believe that the virus was transmitted between animals and humans in nature, as has happened in previous outbreaks — from Ebola to the Marburg virus — and with other known coronaviruses such as SARS and MERS.

The real risk is in the wild in the way people interact with wildlife around the world," says Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance in New York City, a group that researches the origins of pandemics. "That's where we need to be focused if we want to really do something about preventing the next pandemic."

Many questions remain about how, exactly, the coronavirus known officially as SARS-CoV-2 began to spread in people. Its closest genetic cousin so far is another coronavirus found in Chinese horseshoe bats. Researchers believe SARS-CoV-2 likely made its way to people directly through bats or through an intermediate animal. Early focus on the source of the outbreak in Wuhan was on a major seafood market that also sold wild animals, though conclusive evidence proving the market was the origin of the virus has yet to emerge.

Regardless, genetic analysis shows the virus began to spread sometime in the fall or winter of 2019, says Robert Garry, a microbiologist at Tulane University. Those same analyses refuted an earlier theory that the virus was genetically engineered in a laboratory. Garry says the reason is simple — the virus infects people in a way that scientists had never seen before: "The virus is just really too good at what it's doing," he says. "No human using a computer could do this. This is very clearly a natural process that occurred." In addition, he says, there are no signs of human genetic modification in the virus's code.

Although the exact route from nature to people remains a mystery, bats are the likely reservoir for the virus, says Simon Anthony, a researcher at Columbia University who specializes in emerging infectious diseases. Bats are believed to be the carriers of two other coronavirus diseases that can infect people: SARS, which was first identified in Asia in 2003, and MERS, which was first reported in the Middle East in 2012.

Just like the end of Contagion basically then.

 

[tsubaki]

It was the most polite and accurate adjective I could think of to describe him...I could think up some others if you wish.....

“stubborn” would be a far more appropriate one

 

[LinekersLegs]

 

[NilSatisOptimum]

What is Is all this Corbyn chat about, is it because some got a bit excited when General Nick Carter, the Chief of the Defence Staff for some reason yesterday had to mention Trident in the COVID19 briefing... 'Defending the homeland', nut job.

 

[summerisle]

Coronavirus Ireland: 'Serious concerns' raised about transparency of virus response decision-making

SERIOUS concerns over the transparency of decision making in the coronavirus crisis have been raised by Labour leader Alan Kelly.

www.independent.ie

 

[OGG]

The Institute of Actuaries (of which I am a member) is now producing a weekly analysis of “excess” deaths. So far this year to 13 April there were 25,000 deaths over what would be expected, pretty much all of them since mid-March. This is for England and Wales only - and shows a significantly higher number of deaths than current reports.

There is either a significant under-reporting of Covid-19 deaths (even allowing for those outside of hospitals) or some other big cause of additional deaths in England and Wales in the past month.

 

[LinekersLegs]

 

[jamieni]

The Institute of Actuaries (of which I am a member) is now producing a weekly analysis of “excess” deaths. So far this year to 13 April there were 25,000 deaths over what would be expected, pretty much all of them since mid-March. This is for England and Wales only - and shows a significantly higher number of deaths than current reports.

There is either a significant under-reporting of Covid-19 deaths (even allowing for those outside of hospitals) or some other big cause of additional deaths in England and Wales in the past month.

Would hazard a guess it’s a mixture of under-reporting and the indirect effects of the virus, i.e. people not seeking medical attention for other ailments.

The health minister in NI raised concerns the other day that attendance at A&E was 50% what it normally would be.

 

[Shevin Keedy]

What is Is all this Corbyn chat about, is it because some got a bit excited when General Nick Carter, the Chief of the Defence Staff for some reason yesterday had to mention Trident in the COVID19 briefing... 'Defending the homeland', nut job.

I see it on another forum I frequent as well as on here. Basically tory voters do not like facing the fact that the party that they have voted in are not handling the current situation very well and as such are being held to account.

The best thing they can come up with, bizarrely, is to have a go at Jeremy Corbyn, even though he lost the last election and has no bearing whatsoever on the current political climate.

Rather than accepting it is their choice of government who actually have the responsibility of taking care of the country, the tory voters prefer to deflect criticism away.

But did anyone really expect tory voters to 'own' this mess?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

No, I am saying that describing Corbyn as a bad leader because of the 2019 election is like saying Hannibal was a bad leader because of Zama and him going into exile a few years afterwards (the exile being ironically the result of idiot politicians looking to protect their own class instead of looking after the Carthaginian state as a whole).

edit: the second leadership election was in 2016

Was that the episode where they had to drug BA to get him on the plane?