Viral pneumonia is a common cause of death in this country, and it's implicated in 100's of thousands of deaths & hospitalisation each year. Death's from flu or flu like symptoms are common but strangely enough full viral testing is not.

I was reading that some of the other Coronaviruses that do the rounds each year as 'common colds' can kill upwards of 8% of those that end up in ICU from them. Unfortunately though studies of common Coronaviruses and their impacts on mortality & severe hospitalisation have been limited when in comparison to influenza and other viruses.

What is known though that Coronaviruses frequently co-infect with other viruses and bacteria. That's to say for example that you could be infected with Influenza and a coronavirus at the same time - not great for anyone. 

Presumably the cabinet and all Downing Street staff should now be tested.

In fact, using the PM as a way to track spread would be interesting - unlike most people, his movements and meetings over the last 2 weeks are a matter of public record. So it should be possible to make a list of everyone he has met and test them. I suspect it would be a long list and not practical however.

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I know what you mean Caz - He doesn't look well. I hope he recovers soon - BJ and Sunak seem to be doing a damned good job of things atm.

 

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I really do wonder now just how many millions have had this given how widespread it is.

It really wouldn't surprise me if millions have had it and just not known

That is what we really need to find out. The official statistics are total rubbish, as some of us have been saying for a long time.

For example, the idea that China only had @ 80k positives?

 

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Sunak comes across very well most of the time but I thought his display in front of the Treasury Select Committee was very poor. Still at least he had the wisdom to listen to the criticism he got there, and from a lot of the conservative party the next day, and change tack.

Tangential but a work anecdote: I work in software development. We have a virtual team of people all round the world - most people work from home so the current effect on our working practices is very minor. (Our clients' business will be hit by this, but it will take some time)

I have many colleagues in the UK - first thing I do when I start work is check mail and see what's happened during the morning in the UK. Usually I have around 20 actionable things to catch up on which takes me a good portion of the day.

Today there is nothing. This has only happened before on Christmas Day or when the e-mail server goes down (and it's up, I checked!)

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Turns out Angela Rayner has tested positive too.

So me and Boris Johnson having the virus is pure coincidence- honest 😳

— Angela Rayner 🌈 (@AngelaRayner) March 27, 2020

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I can't wait for the antibody test to give us info on how many people have had CV, if nothing other than to stop all the speculation on here! Since the UK is not testing all suspected cases, and an unknown number of cases will show very mild/no symptoms anyway, the number of cases is likely to be far, far higher than the official number, I think Whitty did speculate it could be as high as 1000x the number of deaths. Was a bit disappointed when watching the news last night to see a reporter talk about the official number of positive tests as if it was a figure that was 100% reflective of infection rate in the general population.

From me, one of my housemates could have it at the moment although their symptoms seemed very mild and disappeared quickly, still means I have to self-isolate for 14 days although I had been pretty much self-isolating for several weeks anyway. One of my co-workers is about 40 and has had it (no official test but they have had quite bad symptoms for several weeks now) but seems to be on the mend. 

More disturbing news I am afraid:

Spain's health emergency chief has said that 9,444 health workers have tested positive for the coronavirus in the country, Reuters reports. 

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South Africa, officially the worst affected country on the continent with more than 1,000 cases, has begun enforcing a three-week lockdown. Police in Johannesburg fired into the air to clear streets in the city's townships but some homeless people said they had nowhere to go.

At least 93 people have died from the coronavirus across Africa, with the number of confirmed cases standing at 3,579 - a 1,957 percent increase from the figure a fortnight ago.

The rise over the same period has been even starker in sub-Saharan Africa, with cases soaring by more than 4,500 percent.

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Prophylactics are going to be in short supply:

https://www.news18.com/news/world/condom-shortage-looms-after-coronavirus-lockdown-shuts-worlds-top-producer-2553967.html

"A global shortage of condoms is looming, the world's biggest producer said, after a coronavirus lockdown forced it to shut down production.

Malaysia's Karex Bhd makes one in every five condoms globally. It has not produced a single condom from its three Malaysian factories in the past 10 days due to a lockdown imposed by the government to halt the spread of the virus.

That's already a shortfall of 100 million condoms, normally marketed internationally by brands such as Durex, supplied to state healthcare systems such as Britain's NHS or distributed by aid programmes such as the UN Population Fund.

"We are going to see a global shortage of condoms everywhere, which is going to be scary,” Karex Chief Executive Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters this week.

"My concern is that for a lot of humanitarian programmes deep down in Africa, the shortage will not just be two weeks or a month. That shortage can run into months.""

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One good reason to keep the immune system in good shape. That won't stop C-19 as the system needs to configure itself to the new threat, but it at least helps deal with other infections, particularly bacterial ones, that will naturally take advantage in such circumstances.

 

 

Mologic are saying the test won't be available in the UK for 3 to 4 months. If there was a high likelihood of other companies delivering massively in the next few weeks it would not be worthwhile for them to continue development?

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/26/covid-19-self-test-could-allow-return-to-work-says-public-health-england 

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The stress he must have endured recently can't have done his immune system any favours.

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Matt Hancock positive too

There were several people I've knew who died as a result of Common Cold. 

Sweden has moved (but not a lot PD):

The Swedish government has decided to ban all public gatherings of more than 50 people to stop the spread of the coronavirus, Reuters reports.

Schools remain open, as do restaurants and bars.

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For most healthy people that's simple, but for the many who either have deficient immune systems or have been prescribed immuno suppressant medication, the solution is not that simple. 

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Following medical advice, I was advised to test for #Coronavirus.

I‘ve tested positive. Thankfully my symptoms are mild and I’m working from home & self-isolating.

Vital we follow the advice to protect our NHS & save lives#StayHomeSaveLives pic.twitter.com/TguWH6Blij

— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) March 27, 2020

Yes, just heard that on R4.

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Michael Gove will be holding the daily press conference from Downing Street today

Latest Scottish data

• 1,059 cases +165


• 72 patients in intensive care


• 33 deaths +8 on yesterday

There have been 8 further deaths and 165 new cases in Scotland in the last 24hrs

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So we've had updates about a few celebs and the odd couple of politicians, but just as important, we've not had an update on your symptoms Brian?

 

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 How thoughtful!

Temperature and blood oxygen saturation remain normal. Slept well last night and didn't cough at all.

 

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