There are two ways to test a patient for Covid-19 coronavirus; the pure science method and the clinical method. The pure science method uses nucleic acid tests to detect the presence of a virus or bacteria. The clinical method, on the other hand, assumes the virus from the results of CT scans of infected lungs. The sharp increase in Hubei deaths is partly the result of Chinese health authorities including both sets of data in their reports for the first time yesterday February 12, 2020.
A Sharp Increase in Deaths Across Hubei
Hubei is the size of Washington State where 7.5 million Americans live. However, the Chinese province has a population 58.5 million people and an average population density of 820 per square mile. This difference makes isolation of infected areas harder, but easier for the virus to transfer between people especially in cold weather.
The inclusion of clinically diagnosed cases significantly increased the number added on February 12, 2020. There was a sharp increase in Hubei deaths with 242 reported that day. This contrasted sharply with the previous trend of deaths leveling out. 13,332 of Hubei province’s 14,840 new infections relied on clinical diagnosis. Of the 242 deaths in Wuhan itself, only 107 of the Covid-19 patients underwent nucleic acid tests.
It’s ‘Way Too Early’ to Predict the End of the Epidemic
Head of emergencies at World Health Organization Michael Ryan told BBC and other media the outbreak could spread in any direction. I think we can find a vaccine, he said. This will take some time. We cannot develop a vaccine overnight. But there is a window of opportunity
There are 13 cases confirmed in the United States. U.S. Centers for Disease Control is preparing for Covid-19 to take a foothold. The Diamond Princess cruise ship with a number of North Americans on board is still in lockdown off Yokahama in Japan. There are now 174 cases among her increasingly desperate passengers and crew.
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Preview Image: Rice Fields in Hubei Province
