March 4, US Coronavirus Growth, and Government Action
The number of US cases jumped to 159. Subtracting the confined Diamond Princess 45 cases, gives 114. Last night, it was 80. That is a jump of 34 cases. As a fraction of the previous 80, it is 34/80 = 42.5%. The jump on March 3 was 33%. This is growing faster than just a fixed ratio, although with only two data points here. The data are from Johns Hopkins.
The government looked at the world deaths and cases and concluded that the reported death rate is 3.4%. However, the world data may not include all of the moderate cases where people do not seek health care and are not analyzed. So people still think it might be around 1% or less. Since we can’t test everybody, and advise moderate cases to stay home, the question is moot right now.
The House has passed an $8.3 billion bill to address the Coronavirus situation. $3 billion of this is to develop diagnostics and treatment, including vaccines. $1 billion is to state and local governments for testing. The bill passed 415-2. It now goes to the Senate.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has added a Coronavirus test to the coverage now required by health plans.
In 2018, 27.5 million Americans, 8.5% of the population, were without health care, and 44 million have high deductibles to pay for hospitalization. An LA Times editorial today urged the government to extend Medicaid to cover those who will be victims of the Coronavirus.
There are now 11 US deaths: 9 from Kings County, WA; 1 from Snohomish Co., WA; and 1 from Placer Co., CA. The two new deaths are another one from Kings County, and the Placer Co. one.
Again, the scary thing is that when someone gets sick and dies, the press finds out that they were on a cruise ship, or were not kept outside when they went to a health facility, and could have infected a dozen health care workers. Tracking down and home isolating all of the contacts is an enormous burden. Such voluntary isolation is probably violated just for shopping for groceries, medicines, and health care. The virus would also be spread among the household, if the patient indeed has the virus.
We look at outbreaks which are 3 cases or more in a city or county.
King Co., WA, now has 32 cases with 1R (recovery), a jump of 11 cases from 21 yesterday.
Snohomish Co., WA, has jumped by 2 cases to 8.
Santa Clara, CA, has jumped 3 cases to 14.
Westchester Co., NY, has 10 cases, a jump from 1 yesterday.
Los Angeles now has 7 cases, a jump from 1.
Orange Co., CA, still has 3 cases.
Canada increased 1 case to 34 with 6 R. The new case was in B.C., increasing it to 13. The main outbreak is in Toronto with 19 and 2R.
Mexico stayed the same with 5 cases.
