Current Affairs Coronavirus Thread - Serious stuff !!!

[Barnfred 55]

UK coronavirus cases have more than halved in last week - ONS figures

The number of people with coronavirus has more than halved in the last week, according to the latest official figures.

Data released by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) showed 53,000 people in England had the virus at any one time during the last two weeks of May.

That's down from 133,000 in the last round of figures.

The ONS says there is now a consistent downward trend - from more than 0.4% of the population being infected at the end of April down to 0.1% at the end of May.

The data also shows an estimated 39,000 people a week are currently catching COVID-19, down from 54,000 last week.

It hasn't updated its estimate of the number of people who have had the virus over the course of the outbreak, which remains at 6.8%.

The analysis also found that 28% of excess deaths registered between 7 March and 1 May in England and Wales did not involve coronavirus, totalling 12,900 deaths out of 46,380.

Excess deaths is the number of deaths above the average total for this period in the last five years.

Many of the non-coronavirus excess deaths have occurred in older age groups, particularly those with underlying health conditions.

Around two-thirds of non-coronavirus excess deaths in this period were linked to dementia, Alzheimer's disease and "symptoms, signs and ill-defined conditions" mainly indicating old age, the analysis found.

But the ONS said undiagnosed COVID-19 is a "likely explanation" for some of the excess deaths of elderly people with underlying health conditions not linked to coronavirus.

The total number of deaths linked to COVID-19 recorded by the government currently stands at 39,904 - far lower than the 46,380 excess deaths counted by the ONS.

Many countries across the world have begun to ease their lockdowns, including the UK.

But a World Health Organisation spokeswoman said today there have been "upticks" in coronavirus cases in some countries as social distancing measures were loosened.

The UK has said it will be mandatory for commuters to wear face masks on public transport from 15 June, but the British Medical Association says this should be extended to all areas where social distancing is not possible.

A lot of pleasing trends in there regarding new infections.

 

[Tea_drinker]

A lot of pleasing trends in there regarding new infections.

Inevitable seeing as how many of the elderly and frail have already been wiped out.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

A lot of pleasing trends in there regarding new infections.

Someone will find negatives in it mate.

 

[Barnfred 55]

The reproductive rate of coronavirus could be as high as one in some parts of England, said the Government’s chief scientific adviser

Sir Patrick Vallance told a virtual briefing with journalists on Friday the R-number – the average number of people that will contract coronavirus from an infected person – for England was between 0.7 and 1, while it remained between 0.7 and 0.9 for the UK as a whole.

He said the prevalence of Covid-19 was on a “downward trajectory” in the UK, adding: “The prevalence of coronavirus, according to the ONS, is at 0.1%, with 53,000 people with Covid-19 in the past two weeks.”

He added the incidence rate was at 0.7% per week, which meant there were “roughly” 39,000 new coronavirus cases each week.

Sir Patrick said: “The latest R-value calculation is between 0.7 and 0.9 for the UK as a whole, it may be a little bit higher in England it may be between 0.7 and 1, and there is a bit of regional variation.”

He said there could be “some places” where the R-value is very close to one.

Then for Gods sake tell us where those places are, so the people there know that they are doing something wrong. I don't like name and shame as a general rule but in circumstances like this they need to be told. Otherwise they'll just carry on doing what they're doing thinking all is fine.

 

[Tea_drinker]

The story in private eye is that Johnson delayed imposing the lockdown cos he had a baby shower party lined up at chequers and didn't want to miss out. I can fully believe that take on it.

 

[davek]

A lot of pleasing trends in there regarding new infections.

They are figures pre-easing of the lockdown. The last fortnight in May will have been the optimal effect of the 2 months of lockdown.

Make no mistake, we are still a worrying outlier in Covid19 recovery, and we'll see a massive spike again in a second wave.

 

[carlos21]

View attachment 89789

Good afternoon Brian hope you are well today.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Good afternoon Brian hope you are well today.

I'm good mate. How's thing with you.

 

[davek]

The story in private eye is that Johnson delayed imposing the lockdown cos he had a baby shower party lined up at chequers and didn't want to miss out. I can fully believe that take on it.

Easily believable.

He couldn't give a flying one about anyone outside himself.

He knows his classical history. It's not Churchill he seeks to emulate, it's Caligula.

 

[ramacca]

Then for Gods sake tell us where those places are, so the people there know that they are doing something wrong. I don't like name and shame as a general rule but in circumstances like this they need to be told. Otherwise they'll just carry on doing what they're doing thinking all is fine.

Whitehall the epicentre in London.

 

[carlos21]

I'm good mate. How's thing with you.

I am good getting bored now like

 

[Toast]

He knows his classical history. It's not Churchill he seeks to emulate, it's Caligula.

Heaven knows I'm miserable now.

 

[Barnfred 55]

Someone will find negatives in it mate.

Of course they will. The figures themselves are, IMHO, still too high for us to be opening up the economy without a workable TTI in place. But the trends are good

 

[marnie]

That could be very dangerous over here,in more ways than one. lol

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Dont other countries provide them if they make it law it the governments' responsibility imo

Czech didn't, for the basic reason that globally there simply isn't enough, and they prioritised the good masks for hospitals. People ended up making their own.