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COVID WAVES

Before getting into the topic of the day, a few notes about the state of politics in the USA.

  • There won't be any trial anytime soon, but these details further diminish Trump's hope to be re-elected.
  • Basically, there are four charges of conspiring to overturn the November 2020 election and the attack on the U.S. Capitol on 6January2021.
  • According to Smith, Trump and his allies desperately attempted to provide fraudulent electoral votes from seven states.
  • Specifically mentioned Vice President Mike Pence as being pressured to accept these illegal votes, showing evidence from Pence about what happened.
  • Directing the angry mob to the Capitol that day.
  • Chutkan said Trump has until October 17 to reply.

The COVID pandemic came in waves. 

  • The pandemic was named by the World Health Organization of the United Nations on 11March2020.
  • Early on, the mortality rate was around 4.9% in Wuhan and 3.4% for the World.
  • In comparison, the mortality rate for SARS was 9.6%, MERS 34% and Swine Flu 0.02%, but seasonal flu at 0.05%.
  • The number of new cases in 2020 never reached a peak until 7January2021 at 849,965.  As the mortality rate then was around 2%, 17,000 of those cases died.  Because of immunity benefits and vaccinations, the mortality rate is now lower than 1%.
  • The second wave peaked on 29April2021 at 903,574.
  • Third wave:  19August2021 at 751,042.  Many thought there would be further declines, for people were getting vaccinated from many months before.
  • But no, the dreaded Winter came and the fourth wave peaked on 21January2022 with 3,827,656 new cases/day, when the Omicron BA1.1.529 subvariant gained prominence.
  • There was a fifth wave on 17March2022 at 2,168,893 new cases/day.  There was a drop to 477,702 on 24April2022.
  • Wave six peaked on 13May2022 at 963,802 cases/day.
  • Wave seven peaked on 12July2022 at 1,203,608.
  • Wave 8 peaked on 13December 2022 at 743,188.  Finally, falling.
  • A low of 28,295 new cases/day on 3July2023.
  • Wave 9 peak of 88,181 on 8Aug2023.
  • Finally, hopefully, wave 10 on 12December2023 of 172,353 new cases/day, which is double that of wave 9.
  • The World is now averaging less than 10,000 new cases/day, with Russia or the USA generally the highest.  However, many countries have stopped counting, and I would still be worried about India and China, plus breakouts here and there, like on cruise ships.  However, there have been no COVID of recent, as CDC report the following outbreaks of mostly norovirus.
2024 outbreaks
Cruise LineCruise ShipSailing Dates Causative Agent
Royal Caribbean InternationalRadiance of the Seas9/20-9/27, 2024Salmonella
P&O CruisesArcadia9/3-10/3, 2024Norovirus
Celebrity CruisesCelebrity Summit 5/24-5/31, 2024Norovirus
Royal Caribbean Cruise LineAllure of the Seas5/20-5/24, 2024Unknown
Princess CruisesSapphire Princess4/5-5/7, 2024Norovirus
Royal Caribbean InternationalRadiance of the Seas4/8-4/22, 2024Norovirus
Silversea CruisesSilver Nova 3/31-4/16, 2024E. coli
Holland America LineKoningsdam2/17-3/24, 2024Norovirus
Cunard LineQueen Victoria1/22-2/6, 2024Norovirus
Celebrity CruisesCelebrity Constellation1/3–1/12, 2024Norovirus
  • Now there are around 4 COVID deaths/day, for a mortality rate of 0.04, very close to that of the seasonal flu.

Here is one graphic comparing USA and European waves:



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