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Corona virus threat to birding (2 Viewers)

Two Spanish holiday makers have tested positive in Namibia and the first case is reported in Rwanda whilst

'Turkey has said it will be halting flights to and from nine European countries, including Germany and France, until 17 April, Reuters news agency reports. The ban begins on Saturday. The other countries concerned are Spain, Norway, Denmark, Austria, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands. Turkey had already suspended flights to and from Italy.

Turkey has reported five cases of the virus so far.

Also

The self-declared Turkish republic of Northern Cyprus has banned all non-residents from entering until 1 April.
The entity reported its first coronavirus case on Tuesday, a German tourist. Four more people have since tested positive.'

and of slightly less relavence to many of us

'Saudi Arabia will stop flights into the kingdom for two weeks starting from Sunday. The ban applies in all except "exceptional cases", the Saudi Press Agency said. There are a reported 86 cases in the country, but no deaths so far.

It's odd, watching the BBC news presenters, delivering advice on social distancing as they sit cosily, four abreast, all within about 3m when they're telling us to be 2m apart from the nearest person.
 
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Andrew Whitehouse said:
Some thoughts from a virologist on 'herd immunity':
https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-can-herd-immunity-really-protect-us-133583
Click to expand...

Does sound all a bit vague - don't really see much difference in essentially everyone just getting it! Which would be overwhelming for the health services, agreed.

This article deals with differences in lockdown in different society types (S Korea vs Italy)-

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020...ing-coronavirus-outbreak-200313062505781.html
 
For those in meltdown mode....

'No need to panic, says ex-patient

One of the first people in Scotland to contract Covid-19 has told the BBC about his recovery from the disease.

The man, in his 50s, was diagnosed almost two weeks ago following a trip to Italy. He returned home on 25 February, a Tuesday.

"I felt no symptoms. I was completely fine and went to work on the Wednesday and Thursday. Later on the Thursday evening, I started to feel a bit of a flu coming on. I had a mild fever, I felt shivery - but the biggest symptom was aches and pains, particularly in my legs.

"I was feverish. That continued through Thursday night and I didn't sleep too well."

On 1 March, he was diagnosed and hospitalised. But from this point on, he said his symptoms did not develop any further.

"By the time I went to hospital, I was feeling fine. The mild flu symptoms quickly dissipated, I had no leg pain, no fever, no cough and no shortness of breath."

He said he wanted to tell his story to the BBC so that people did not panic about exposure to the disease.'
 
A definite S Westerly bias to infection rate, under reporting / testing, less likely to travel in the East?
 

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andyadcock said:
A definite S Westerly bias to infection rate, under reporting / testing, less likely to travel in the East?
Click to expand...

Maybe it's the travel. My friend is a doctor on Germany and says they take it very lightly, no way they are significantly ahead in testing from Czech Republic, which literally freaks out (which is good imo). The western Europe might be just more world-connected? Also, a major source of european infection is Germany (that's where the Italian case is actually from), so Germany should be ahead - then again, there is a lot of commuting workers from Czech Republic to Germany, who even get an exemption from the travel ban ... Did I just realize my original argument makes no sense?
 
opisska said:
Maybe it's the travel. My friend is a doctor on Germany and says they take it very lightly, no way they are significantly ahead in testing from Czech Republic, which literally freaks out (which is good imo). The western Europe might be just more world-connected? Also, a major source of european infection is Germany (that's where the Italian case is actually from), so Germany should be ahead - then again, there is a lot of commuting workers from Czech Republic to Germany, who even get an exemption from the travel ban ... Did I just realize my original argument makes no sense?
Click to expand...

Europe is more connected, but I still remain surprised how this isn't just rampaging through India, Africa and S America ... maybe it will, but why hasn't it yet? (not just down to lack of testing imo).
 
dantheman said:
Europe is more connected, but I still remain surprised how this isn't just rampaging through India, Africa and S America ... maybe it will, but why hasn't it yet? (not just down to lack of testing imo).
Click to expand...

India and S America were fairly quick in cancelling visas and flights respetively, perhaps just in time?
 
andyadcock said:
India and S America were fairly quick in cancelling visas and flights respetively, perhaps just in time?
Click to expand...

Considering they already have cases in almost any country and that even a single uncontainted case can infect literally the whole country, it's still intensely puzzling. Especially India, soooo insanely densely populated in some parts.

I can't speak about countries I don't know, but if this breaks out in Chile for example, that's gonna be something - It's basically "US but a bit poorer" with lacking access to healthcare for all and extensive poverty, while at the same time being highly developed and urbanized, especially the cramped Santiago would be a nightmare. At least I already have most of the birds on the Chilean list :)
 
opisska said:
Also, a major source of european infection is Germany (that's where the Italian case is actually from)
Click to expand...
That's nonsense - no one knows where the first Italian case comes from.

Germany is still (far!) behind most Western European countries in deaths (and far ahead in number of people tested). However, based on the current increase this will soon change...
 
opisska said:
Considering they already have cases in almost any country and that even a single uncontainted case can infect literally the whole country, it's still intensely puzzling. Especially India, soooo insanely densely populated in some parts.

I can't speak about countries I don't know, but if this breaks out in Chile for example, that's gonna be something - It's basically "US but a bit poorer" with lacking access to healthcare for all and extensive poverty, while at the same time being highly developed and urbanized, especially the cramped Santiago would be a nightmare. At least I already have most of the birds on the Chilean list :)
Click to expand...

This is where the principal that we now live in a 'globale village' should kick in and they and other poor countries, should get all the help they need,we're all in this together.
 
Certainly affecting our birding plans

Just had trip to India, Nepal and Bhutan for March/ April cancelled, then Italy in mid May also cancelled - fortunately with full refunds apart for Airport parking and Indian e-visas which were cancelled.

Fully expecting trip to Sichuan in June to go the same way (but retain small hope it isn't) but KLM are giving refunds for flights up to 31 May so seems likely it will be.

I must be really impacting eco lodges and guides/staff in these and other places if people are not showing up at their peak times, also worried that in the absence of revenue and visitors trapping and poaching kick in.

I expect we will be doing a lot more UK birding in coming months with possible trip to Iceland in a next few weeks if we can get there.
 
andyadcock said:
Ha, ha, ha....

Has anyone else heard any good conspiracy theories? I just found one on a football forum, suggesting that the USA, introduced the virus to China during the 'Military World Games' which was held in Wuhan last year, with the intention of crippling China's economy. I wondered how long it would take.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Military_World_Games
Click to expand...

News reports here say those baseless theories are being spread now by the Chinese government to try to deflect criticism of their handling of the crisis.
 
andyadcock said:
Well I'm going to make the best of a bad job.

I'm going (try) to justify to my wife, spending another £100 on another book by pointing out that I almost certainly, won't get a trip this year!

If anyone's curious, it's this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beetles-Br...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=TQPYJ9EVGD28M54J2TM8
Click to expand...

Andy

Good luck with the beetles. A delicious irony is that the excellent author is married to the mother of someone whom you had a spat with on this forum very recently. Small world.

All the best
 
Agreed Peter - an interesting podcast from the Beeb and there is a lot of good stuff, including WuFlu19, on the World Service via the Sounds app:t:

Laurie -
 
Xenospiza said:
That's nonsense - no one knows where the first Italian case comes from.
Click to expand...

Obviously various theories out there on the Italian situation with one from the Partner of an organisation that advises our firm centering on travel from China to the area where the significant infection rates started. I believe his view was likely to be based on informed opinion but so difficult to tell anything currently. Of course, as with all European countries, there will be multiple sources for the current position.

All the best
 
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