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COVID-19 101

From Worldometer:

           DAY USA  WORLD  Brazil     India   South Africa
June     9     1093    4732        1185       246         82
July    22     1205    7128         1293     1120        572
Aug    12     1504     6556       1242       835        130
Sept     3     1094     5886        830    1083        174
             9     1208     6222       1136     1168          82
Oct      8      957     6420          730      967        160
            9      909     5806          658      929       139
          10       723     5162            544      921        126   
          11       325     3874            270       813       107
          12       316     3757            203       710        83
          13       843    5006           354       723       165

Summary:  

  • Well, back to the expected, which is not good.  
  • The U.S. new cases figure was 51,534, which means that around the time of the presidential election on November 3, the deaths/day figure will be at least 500/day, and probably higher.

Today, everything you need to know about the science of this coronavirus that shook up Humanity:

  • Correct name:
    • The disease is called coronavirus disease 2019, or shortened to COVID-19.
    • The virus is termed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, or SARS-CoV-2.
    • Why are both necessary?  Medical science is very specific.  For example, HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.
    • Short clip of the SARS-CoV-2.
  • COVID-19 is closely related to cancer:
    • Both are linked to the dysregulation of proteins that drive human disease and interact with the host immune and inflammatory processes.
    • The incidence and mortality for certain races are higher in both ailments.
    • Note that there is no vaccine yet for cancer, and science has been working on this for many decades.
  • Two recent outbreaks were also caused by the coronavirus:
    • 2002:  severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)--from bats to civets to humans
      • only 8,000 cases in 29 countries
      • 10% mortality rate (note that the COVID-19 rate will probably end up at around 0.5% or less)
        • but half of those who were 65 or older died
        • only 1% died if under 24
      • no vaccine
    • 2012:  Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)--from camels
      • 2500 cases, and still now and then occurring.
      • South Korea in 2015
      • Saudi Arabia in 2018
      • 35% mortality rate
      • no vaccine
  • There are at least seven types of coronaviruses:
    • Four of them just give you a cold.
      • at least 200 different viruses cause a cold, the most due to the rhinovirus
      • one reason why there is no vaccine
      • there are some early signs that if you have recently had a type of cold, T-cells in the body can remember and provide some immunity to COVID-19
    • Apparently, none of them gives you the flu, which is mostly caused by HxNy viruses.
      • the 1918 pandemic was caused by the H1N1 virus
      • 1957-58 pandemic came from the H2N2 virus
      • 1968 pandemic from the H3N3 virus
      • 2009 pandemic from a different type of H1N1 virus:  HiNipdm09
I'll later go into depth regarding testing and vaccines, but here is a table providing a simple summary of testing types.


I'm now down to #77, with these two in contention:
It's a tie, but I'll pick Mr. Wonderful, maybe because Mr. reminds me of me.  Whoops, I've been writing so much about Donald Trump that I'm beginning to sound like him.  The song was written in 1955 for the Broadway musical of that name starring Sammy Davis Jr.

Peggy Lee was born in 1920 and passed away in 2002.  She sang for Benny Goodman, replacing Helen Forrest.  With husband David Barbour, they wrote a number of hits, including Golden Earrings, which she sang for the 1947 movie.  Her last big hit was Fever in 1957.  She was nominated for 12 Grammys

She also acted, and played opposite Danny Thomas in a remake of the Al Jolson film, The Jazz Singer.  Also in Pete Kelly's Blues where she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress.  All her studio masters were lost in that 2008 Universal Studios fire.

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