ABU DHABI

    From Worldometer (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):

        DAY  USA  WORLD    Brazil    India    South Africa

2020

June     9     1093     4732         1185        246       82

July    22      1205     7128         1293      1120     572

Aug    12      1504     6556        1242        835     130

Sept     9      1208      6222       1136       1168       82

Oct     21      1225      6849         571        703       85

Nov    25       2304    12025        620        518      118

Dec    30       3880    14748       1224       299      465

2021

Jan     14       4142    15512       1151        189     712

Feb      3       4005    14265       1209       107      398

Mar      2       1989     9490        1726       110      194

April     6        906    11787         4211       631       37

May     4        853     13667        3025      3786     59 

June    1        287    10637         2346      3205      95

 July    7         251      8440        1595        817      411

Aug     4         656    10120        1118        532      423 

Sept   22      2228      9326          839       279     124

Oct      6       2102      8255          543       315       59

Nov    3        1436      7830         186        458       23

Dec     1       1633      8475          266        477       28

2022

Jan     7        2025      6729         148         285     140

Feb     2        2990   12012          946        991      175

Mar     2        1778     7756          335         173       28 

Apr     1          439      4056         290          52       12

May    5          225      2404         151            ?        64

June    2         216      1413         130          10        31

July    6          316      1627         335           35       12 

Aug    4          311       2138         258          70         ?

Sep    1          272       1732         174            ?         ?

Oct     6          281       1305         119            9         ?

Nov    3          167         980           16            ?         ?

        10          148         985           42            6         ?

        19            66         567           36           21        ?

        24           311       1205          102            5        ?

Summary:

• Well, predictions of an upturn in cases during the fall/winter months when people stay indoors are materializing.  Looks like the pandemic will be with us through next spring.
• The USA new deaths figure yesterday jumped to what it was in August.  
• We were #1, with German #2 at 163 and Japan #3 at 160.
• The World also saw a major increase in new deaths with 1205 yesterday.          T
• The World had 440,414 new cases yesterday.
• #1      Japan  133,361
• #2      S. Korea  70,324
• #3      France  49,188
• #4      Germany  38,336
• #17    China  2,719
• I need to focus on China, for my prediction that it will become #1 in new cases next year needs to be adjusted.
• China does not count asymptomatic cases as new cases, and their asymptomatic rate is close to 90%.  
• Thus, you need to multiply their reported new cases count by factor of 10, bringing the new case count yesterday to 27,219.
• The Star Advertiser today reported that there were 28,127 new China cases yesterday, which coincides.
• One-third of of these new cases were in Guangdong, close to Hong Kong.
• You can expect imperious measures to soon be taken in the whole Guangdong and Shenzhen region, and....maybe even Hong Kong.  Already, a swath of residents in the 11 million-people city of Shijiazhuang has been told to stay home for mass testing.
• Global stock markets will fall on this news.
• It would not surprise me now if China becomes #1 in new cases sometime THIS YEAR, if not soon.
• They already began easing restrictions on foreign visitors.  I would not be shocked if all that and more will shortly be reversed.
• THE PROBLEM IS THAT SO FEW RESIDENTS HAVE THUS FAR BEEN INFECTED WITH COVID-19.  THEIR VACCINES ARE NOT TARGETED FOR THE OMICRON VARIANTS SO THERE WILL BE WIDESPREAD INFECTIONS.  YET, THE MORTALITY RATE SHOULD BE REASONABLY LOW.  PROBABLY 0.03 OR LESS.
• The World mortality rate since the beginning of the pandemic averaged out at 0.07, which has dropped to 0.03 today.
• The mortality rate of the seasonal flu is around 0.01.

By now you must know that Dubai and Abu Dhabi are states of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  For a quick history read my blog of yesterday.  

I've been to Qatar and UAE in the past.  There is something about being an oil-rich country governed by a dictator.  While there are human rights problems, the society works, and cities of these countries are dynamic, awesome and safe.  The architecture is extraordinary.  Typically, there are 10-15% citizens and 85-90% expatriates who serve them.

So with that introduction, let me begin with what I couldn't show yesterday, our tour to Sir Bani Yãs.  Lots of animals and birds.  Cheetahs, antelopes, oryxs, the Giant Eland (which weighs in at one ton), peacocks, and a lot more.

We had dinner with Paige and Greg at Pacific Rim.

So today we toured Abu Dhabi, focusing on the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.  Opened in 2007, the cost was $545 million.  I usually get bored with mosque/church tours.  This one was grand indeed and very colorful.  There is a very strict dress code.

Abu Dhabi also has its share of tall and beautiful skyscrapers.  In the back, the Fairmont Hotel.  Regent will put us up in the Singapore Fairmont when we finally arrive there.  We were also taken to the United Arab Emirates Heritage Village, which has animals like a camel.

Back to the Explorer, we made it just in time for lunch.

I guess splurging is an enjoyable part of life, but having already had an earlier breakfast, we had too much lunch, again.  Carrot/mushroom truffle soup, lettuce sandwich salad and spaghetti bolognese.

Tonight, Prime 7 with Page and a Greg.  Our ship soon departs for Oman.  Tomorrow a tour of Khasab.  What, you don't know anything about Khasab?  It is the local capital of the Musandam Governate, dubbed the Norway of Arabia.  Located across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran.  Note the proximity to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha (Qatar).  

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