Disaster Journals - Stories of disasters before, during and after.

The  coronavirus  COVID-19 is affecting  202 countries and territories  around the world and  2 international conveyances:  the  Diamond Princess  cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan, and the Holland America's  MS Zaandam  cruise ship. USA cases are 188,530. Deaths 3,889.  PERSONAL NOTES: Medcrams Youtube Update #46 had some interesting information about how COVID-19 may suppress the immune system during the initial infection.  This delays the bodies ability to fight off the virus.  The video shows examples of exposure to hot or cold temperatures causing the bodies immune system to increase in activity. SOURCE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFRwnhfWXxo One report indicates that the true case fatality rate (CFR) may be as low as 0.66% when considering the many people (50% to 86%) who have been infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus without being identified as having it. Fact check: Could your December cough actually have been coronavirus? Experts say more researc

The  coronavirus  COVID-19 is affecting  200 countries and territories  around the world and  2 international conveyances:  the  Diamond Princess  cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan, and the Holland America's  MS Zaandam  cruise ship.  There are 164.253 confirmed infected cases and 3,165 deaths in the USA. Pandemic Could Spark Unrest Among West's Urban Poor: Red Cross Aid Agency Social unrest could erupt among the urban poor and marginalized in the West's biggest cities as they lack sources of income amid the COVID-19 crisis, the head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Friday. ... He said the largest Western cities could see these problems emerge "in a few weeks". Your Guide To The Federal Stimulus Package You could be spreading the coronavirus without realising you’ve got it With more than 380,000 confirmed cases worldwide, one thing is clear about the new coronavirus: it is ver

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 199 countries and territories around the world and 2 international conveyances: the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan, and the Holland America's MS Zaandam cruise ship. As of March 30, 2020 at 01:26 GMT, there have been 142,004 confirmed cases and 2,484 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. Up to 200K deaths foreseen in US as Spain, Italy demand help The coronavirus outbreak could kill 100,000 to 200,000 Americans, the U.S. government's top infectious-disease expert warned on Sunday, as authorities urged people in and around the nation's deadliest hot spot, New York City, to limit their travel to contain the scourge. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made the dire prediction on CNN's “State of the Union,” adding that millions in the U.S. could become infected. White House Extends Social-Distancing Guidelines Un

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 199 countries and territories around the world and 2 international conveyances: the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan, and the Holland America's MS Zaandam cruise ship. As of March 29, 2020 at 02:04 GMT, there have been 123750 confirmed cases and 2227 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. California, Ventura County - Coronavirus: Region's hospitals search for supplies, ramp up beds for possible rise in patients Hospitals across Ventura County are planning potential bed expansions and searching for protective equipment to gear up for a possible surge of COVID-19 patients, officials said Tuesday. Admissions are already up but the influx is coming mostly from other illnesses and not the coronavirus, said Steve Carroll, administrator of Ventura County Emergency Medical Services. If a dramatic rise of COVID-19 patients emerges, it could mean the region’s eight hospitals n

The  coronavirus  COVID-19 is affecting  199 countries and territories  around the world and  1 international conveyance  (the  Diamond Princess  cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). As of March 28, 2020 at 00:16 GMT, there have been 102,464 confirmed cases and 1,607 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. Trump Signs $2 Trillion Virus Bill, Largest Ever U.S. Stimulus President Donald Trump signed the largest stimulus package in U.S. history on Friday, a $2 trillion bill intended to rescue the coronavirus-battered economy. “This will deliver urgently needed relief,” Trump told reporters at the White House, as he was joined by GOP leaders but no Democrats. “We’re going to keep our small businesses strong and our big businesses strong.” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus Rhode Island Police to Hunt Down New Yorkers Seeking Refuge Rhode Island police began stopping cars with New York plates Friday. On Saturd

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 199 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). As of March 27, 2020 at 01:20 GMT, there have been 85377 confirmed cases and 1295 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States.  Hospital Capacity Crosses Tipping Point in U.S. Coronavirus Hot Spots  Hospitals in U.S. pandemic epicenters have passed a tipping point in the fight against the new coronavirus as the relentless climb in infections forces some to move patients to outlying facilities, divert ambulances and store bodies in a refrigerated truck. New York, home to the nation’s largest outbreak of Covid-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, is rushing to build a temporary hospital in a Manhattan conference center in the hope of staying ahead of the fast-spreading disease. Hospitals in parts of New York City have become so full of critically ill patient

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 198 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). As of March 26, 2020 at 01:13 GMT, there have been 66048 confirmed cases and 944 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. Don’t “Flatten the Curve,” squash it! NYC morgues near capacity, DHS briefing warns The Department of Homeland Security has been briefed that New York City’s morgues are nearing capacity, according to a department official and a second person familiar with the situation.  Officials were told that morgues in the city are expected to reach capacity next week, per the briefing. A third person familiar with the situation in New York said that some of the city’s hospital morgues hit capacity over the last seven days. And a FEMA spokesperson told POLITICO that New York has asked for emergency mortuary assistance. Hawaii and North Carolina hav

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 197 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). As of March 25, 2020 at 00:29 GMT, there have been 53655 confirmed cases and 698 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. California:  LA County Sheriff orders gun stores to close; adds 1,300 deputies to patrol  Italy: Army to patrol streets to avoid curfew breaches A third of the world under virus lockdown, as Olympics delayed Pentagon sees coronavirus crisis lasting several months NYPD Has Over 200 Coronavirus Cases, Thousands More Out Sick

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 195 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). As of March 24, 2020 at 02:33 GMT, there have been 43734 confirmed cases and 553 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. New York To Begin Clinical Trials For Coronavirus Treatment Tuesday, Cuomo Says New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Sunday that drug trials to test coronavirus treatments will begin in the state Tuesday, after President Trump on Thursday said the Food and Drug Administration approved one of the drugs for clinical trials , as New York becomes the epicenter for the pandemic in the U.S. During a Sunday press briefing, Cuomo said 750,000 doses of chloroquine, 70,000 doses of hydroxychloroquine and 10,000 doses of Zithromax were acquired by New York state for the trial. Chloroquine (an anti-malaria drug) and hydroxychloroquine (used for lupus and ar

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 192 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). As of March 23, 2020 at 00:44 GMT, there have been 33346 confirmed cases and 414 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. New Jersey 'stay at home' order issued to halt coronavirus spread, following footsteps of several states OHIO:  Gov. DeWine announces stay-at-home order for Ohio until April 6  Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s Business Lockdown Draws Questions, Complaints

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 188 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). As of March 22, 2020 at 00:40 GMT, there have been 26111 confirmed cases (up 6,468 cases or 32% over yesterday) and 324 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. California:  Bay Area coronavirus updates: Gavin Newsom deploys national guard to help distribute food The California Guard will first deploy personnel and logistical equipment to a food bank distribution warehouse in Sacramento County, and will then "conduct immediate site assessments statewide for those counties that have requested short-term support and stabilization." California: L.A. County gives up on containing coronavirus, tells doctors to skip testing of some patients  Los Angeles County health officials advised doctors to give up on testing patients in the hope of containing the coronavi

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 185 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). As of March 21, 2020 at 01:50 GMT, there have been 19643 confirmed cases (up 5,376 cases or 37% over yesterday) and 263 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. Gov. Newsom expands Bay Area shelter-in-place to all of California  Just three days after seven Bay Area counties instituted a shelter-in-place mandate to slow the spread of the COVID-19 disease, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a similar order over the entire state. Newsom said the new statewide mandate would take effect starting Friday and mirror the Bay Area’s mandate that took effect on Tuesday. “This is a moment in time, and it’s a challenging moment, and it may be many moments in the foreseeable future, but nonetheless we will process, we will work together through this moment of challenge and we will tr

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 179 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). As of March 20, 2020 at 01:45 GMT, there have been 14267 confirmed cases (up 4,998 cases or 53% over yesterday) and 218 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. Personal Note: My daughter returned home from U.C. Davis in Northern California last Sunday.  My wife and her are planning to drive 400 miles to the Davis hot zone tomorrow to retrieve her personal belongings which remain in her dorm room.  They will spend the night at a friends house in the area then drive home Saturday.  Currently, Davis residents are being asked to shelter-in-place . Trump Suggests Anti-Malarial Drug Chloroquine Is an Effective Treatment Against COVID-19 President Donald Trump at a White House press conference today said that using the anti-malarial drug chloroquine to treat COVID-19

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 173 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). The day is reset after midnight GMT+0 . As of March 19, 2020 at 00:15 GMT, there have been 9269 confirmed cases (up 2800 cases or 43% over yesterday) and 151 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. The Defense Production Act has been invoked by the president of the U.S.A. President Donald Trump said during Wednesday's White House press briefing that he will be invoking the Defense Production Act to help make up for potential medical supply shortages as the US battles the coronavirus pandemic . The Act contains three major sections. The first authorizes the  President  to require businesses to sign contracts or fulfill orders deemed necessary for national defense. The second authorizes the President to establish mechanisms (such as regulations, orders or agencies

The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting 165 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). As of March 18, 2020 at 01:30 GMT, there have been 6469 confirmed cases (up 1806 cases or 38% over yesterday) and 109 deaths due to coronavirus COVID-19 in the United States. Commentary: The hospital next to where I live, in Camarillo, California, just put up a triage tent next to their emergency room entrance. Listening to the emergency medical services in the county through Ventura County Fire revealed many calls for people having trouble breathing with comments from the dispatcher that the patient "Meets PPE criteria" (Personal Protective Equipment).  I assume those were for people potentially infected with the SARSCoV2 virus and having symptoms of COVID-19. Boston’s Carney Hospital To Treat Only Coronavirus Patients Carney Hospital in Boston will become the nation’s first