SARS-CoV-2: Electric Superflu

Politics & News
3567

Here’s an update from some European countries:

  • The number of confirmed cases in the Netherlands has risen by 637 to a total of 3,631, health officials say, while the death toll has risen by 30 to 136
  • Bosnia has recorded its first coronavirus death - the manager of a hospital in the northwestern town of Bihac, according to Reuters news agency
  • In Switzerland , health authorities say 6,100 infections have been confirmed - a 25% increase on the previous day - with 56 deaths
  • Portugal says the death toll has doubled overnight to 12, with 1,280 infected
  • Neighbouring Spain has recorded its biggest daily jump in deaths: a rise of 324, bringing the total to 1,326. It’s thought to be the heaviest-hit country in terms of deaths behind Italy, Iran and China. Local media report that hospitals, especially in Madrid, are struggling to cope.
  • South Korea has warned that it might have to close religious, sports and entertainment centres if citizens ignore government advice to avoid group gatherings. Authorities there have reported 100 new cases in the last 24 hours - this is the second time it has happened in a week, suggesting the virus is not yet under control.
  • Meanwhile, for the first time, China has reported no new domestically transmitted cases over the last 24 hours. But 41 new cases of imported infection were confirmed on Friday - 14 of them in Beijing and nine in Shanghai.
  • Georgia’s Prime Minister told reporters he has asked the country’s president to declare a state of emergency over coronavirus. Authorities have reported 47 cases nationally.
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3568

Something I’ve mentioned before in other threads on markets and food is that you need to overproduce food and things that make that happen (like corn ethanol) are good. A shortage in food, for even a short time, is intolerable. Real free markets are efficient. They neither intentionally under nor overproduce and hence are prone to short-term under or oversupply when conditions change. That’s fine for some things and not for others. The supply of hospital beds is driven by the current demand and limited by cost and the profit motivation of the health insurance industry. There’s constant pressure to limit the number and nothing that creates space for idle capacity.

3569

Agreed that’s the line of the last few days - politicians will always be able to prove they flattened the line / sombrero.

May be a relatively poor country like Switzerland didn’t learn about flattening the curve?

In 7 days CR will be a Spain… but then, you’ll still be claiming you flattened the curve, before the end of the curve is known (Just like the UK)

3570

Did you say “lol a few weeks”

3571
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3572

For sure. This is going to change society in ways I don’t think any of us can predict at this point.

3573

You can be as miserable as you like. I see positivity and I’m normally the cynical one in any group. Hell even by the standards here I’m cynical.

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3576

NY airports stopping flights due to employee shortages.

3577

Thanks I just puked up 1/90th of my food stores looking at haggis.

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3578

Just being realistic. The CR numbers will be there in 7 days. I hope they are lower.

As an aside, you also need to look into countries that lockdown too early - what may look good now will look worse when lockdown lifted

3579

Jesus

3580

I am trying to get a unstuck guillotine co-op going.

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3581

good thinking eating that spider, cole! try something like that again!

3582

You live in the 1920s?

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3583

They have done vending machine challenges on Top Chef before and I think some challenges with spam over the past 87 seasons.

3584

France reports 112 more deaths

France has reported 112 more deaths from coronavirus, bringing the country’s death toll to 562, according to the health ministry.

Europe sneezes, US catches a cold

3585

Ok you’re the president. How often would you get tested for corona virus? Every day? I feel like I’d keep a doctor in a fucking bubble in the White House and go visit him every single day to monitor my health and I’d have several secret service guys with Clorox wipes wiping down everything in my path and screaming at me if I touched anything and I’d have a guy who’s like the trainer at a football game who runs out during a timeout and squirts Gatorade in the players mouths except it’s a guy with a bottle of Purell.

3586

I never considered that before. Good point.

3587

Cool that no other countries are following South Korea.

3588

I’m reading that this was temporary and they are back up.