H5N1

Manitoba Hutterite colonies adjust communal lives as families isolate during COVID-19 pandemic

Via CBC News: Manitoba Hutterite colonies adjust communal lives as families isolate during COVID-19 pandemic. Excerpt:

When Tirzah Maendel and her family went into COVID-19 isolation just over two weeks ago, what they missed the most was their close-knit Hutterite community.  

"Shame and blame, there is no need for any of that. We're here to help each other," said Maendel, a member of the Baker Hutterite Colony, about 90 minutes west of Winnipeg. 

Earlier in August, Maendel's mother tested positive for the novel coronavirus during a visit to the hospital, something that surprised them all. It was the community's first case.  

As a result, her husband and three daughters also had to get tested, and went into isolation.  

"Neither she nor we had any kind of symptoms. It was quite a shock. But we took it seriously," said Maendel, 40. 

The community kitchen was shut down and communal meals ended. Most families picked up their meals and took them home to eat. The Maendel family's meals were delivered to them. 

Within a few days, the rest of the family all tested negative, but they all stayed in isolation, going on outings together to pass the time. 

"We had a day of hiking and biking and I think we ended up doing, what, 66 [kilometres] in a day? There's some local trails down the road off the Highway 34 that we wanted to explore and we made a day of it," she said. 

"It was a therapy day for us."  

Hutterites are communal and interdependent economically and spiritually. They eat, work and worship together. So one of the hardest parts of isolation was staying away from other family members and children in the colony.

Iowa's derecho and COVID-19: The real natural disaster

An opinion piece in the Cedar Rapids Gazette: The real natural disaster.

The derecho that hit Iowa on Aug. 10 was Iowa’s worst natural disaster, so far, after all 2020 has been a terrible year, and we shouldn’t give it any more ideas. In the aftermath of the storm, Iowans are congratulating each other on coming together to fill in the gaps of our failed government response. 

Business leaders are posting virtue-signaling selfies of themselves handing out groceries to poor people with the hashtag #IowaStrong. And Iowans are helping Iowans. And we are helping because our city and state have failed us. There is no accountability, except in neighborhoods, where people have stepped up to organize relief that our city and county couldn’t muster. 

But Iowans also are helping Iowans in another way: We are helping each other get COVID-19.  

In the days immediately after the storm, neighbors were helping neighbors up close and unmasked — breathing heavily, wiping sweat as we cut down trees and handed out food. It’s hard to think about social distancing when lifting a giant oak off your roof, but COVID hasn’t gone away just because we want to come together.  

Iowa’s infection rate is more than 15 percent, making us one of the worst states in the nation for infections per capita. During the past week, there have been an average of 571 cases per day. That’s an increase of 25 percent from the past two weeks. And it’s only going to get worse. 

In Iowa City, hordes of students are congregating in bars, swapping fluids and droplets. Do you know what you call a group of college students drinking at The Airliner? An outbreak.  

In the Iowa Storm Resource Recovery page, a popular post asked for space to plan a large-scale picnic to celebrate the recovery efforts. While some comments called out the foolishness of this idea, many others were quick to say, they weren’t afraid and weren’t going to live in fear. Which is fine for you, but in the pandemic, this isn’t about you, it’s about the people who are high-risk, whom you can pass the virus onto. It is about caring for your neighbor. 

And as easy as it is to blame individuals, this is a systematic problem. Iowans had to step up because our city and county and Red Cross left people homeless and waiting for help for four days and more. Iowans aren’t wearing masks simply because they don’t have to. Because we live in a state where the virus is allowed to burn through us faster than fires in a California forest. 

And I can hear the sound of your fingers clacking out angry emails already: But what about the anti-racist protests, you will write. But here is the thing: Like the storm, the pandemic is disproportionately affecting Americans of color because of systemic racism. The very Iowans you are clapping yourself on the back to help are the Iowans who are in danger the most because of the systems we built and refuse to question. No amount of free barbecue sandwiches is going to solve inequality. In fact, if given out without a mask, it’s only going to make it worse.  

So many of us were lucky to get out of the storm with our lives. More than 1,000 Iowans and more will not be able to say the same about the pandemic.

COVID-19 in Manitoba

An update from Province of Manitoba | COVID-19. "Communal living communities" is a euphemism for Hutterites, an Anabaptist sect like the Amish. Excerpt:

NEW Last updated: August 23, 2020  

Public health officials advise that the current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 2.7 per cent.  Seventy-two new cases of the virus have been identified as of 9:30 a.m. today, bringing the total number of lab-confirmed cases in Manitoba to 944.  

The data shows there were: 

• One new case in Northern Health region; 

• One new case in Interlake-Eastern health; 45 new cases in the Prairie Mountain Health region; 

• 16 new cases in Southern Health-Sante Sud; and 

• Nine cases in the Winnipeg region. 

Preliminary investigations indicate that the majority of the Prairie Mountain Health  (PMH) regional cases are linked to intentional testing related to known clusters in communal living communities. The Northern Health region case is linked to a previously announced case from PMH. There are seven cases related to the outbreak at Bethesda Place personal case home, a combination of staff and residents. Case investigations are ongoing and when they are completed, additional information will be provided as needed to inform of any public health risks. 

The data also shows: 

• seven current hospitalizations, with one individual in intensive care; 

• 356 active cases and 576 individuals have recovered from COVID-19; and 

• the number of deaths due to COVID-19 is twelve. 

Testing numbers show an additional 1,839 laboratory tests were completed on Saturday, bringing the total number of tests completed since early February to 125,300. 

Manitobans are reminded Prairie Mountain Health region has been elevated to the restricted level (orange) according to the #RestartMB Pandemic Response System. As of Monday, Aug. 24, masks will be mandatory in all public indoor places and at all indoor and outdoor public gatherings in the region. Public gatherings will also be restricted to 10 people, both indoors and outdoors. 

Manitobans within this region are encouraged to take these extra precautions immediately to help slow the spread of this virus. Public health officials continue to monitor the regions with increased cases closely to see if additional restrictions are necessary.

Republicans see 170,000 COVID-19 deaths as 'acceptable'

Via CBS News: Republicans see U.S. as better off now than 4 years ago ahead of convention. Excerpt, with some screenshots, and then a comment:

Republicans see an America — to borrow Ronald Reagan's famous test — better off today than it was four years ago, mainly, they say, because of their confidence in President Trump. 

For most Republicans, America is a nation where the economy is still fairly good, where the effort to handle the coronavirus is going at least somewhat well and the president is doing a very good job on it. For them, the virus elicits less concern in the first place. They believe the 170,000 fatalities is an overstated count and one which, for many, can so far be considered acceptable. And it is a nation where, for an overwhelming number of Republicans, there has been too much focus on racial discrimination of late.

Credit: CBS News

Given such attitudes, held by millions of Americans on essentially political grounds, an early end to the pandemic in the US seems highly unlikely. And what must healthcare workers think, when many of the people they care for think the US response to COVID-19 is "going well"?

From Ai Weiwei, a portrait of Wuhan’s draconian Covid-19 lockdown

Via The New York Times: From Ai Weiwei, a Portrait of Wuhan’s Draconian Covid Lockdown. Excerpt:

LONDON — In January, the Chinese city of Wuhan became the first in the world to undergo a lockdown to fight the coronavirus pandemic. In many ways this crucial period remains a mystery, with few images escaping the censors’ grasp. 

A new film by the Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei helps fill in some of that missing history. Although now living in Europe, Ai remotely directed dozens of volunteers across China to create “Coronation,” a portrait of Wuhan’s draconian lockdown — and of a country able to mobilize huge resources, if at great human cost. 

“The audience has to understand that this is about China,” Ai said in a telephone interview from Portugal. “Yes, it’s about the corona lockdown, but it is trying to reflect what ordinary Chinese people went through.”  

Despite early missteps, China has fared better than many other countries in taming the epidemic, with 4,700 deaths compared to more than 172,000 in the United States. The Communist Party goes to great lengths to squelch displays of grief and anger, but still retains broad domestic support for its efforts. 

The film reflects this broader story through vignettes that follow the events chronologically: It begins on Jan. 23 with a couple driving through a snowy night to return home to a suburb of Wuhan, and ends on April 8 with people burning paper money — a traditional offering to the dead — on a street corner. 

In between are scenes and stories remarkable for their rare access into the machinery of the Chinese state. These include up-close images of a hospital being built in a matter of days and an inside look at an intensive-care unit, scenes of medical staff being rewarded with membership in the Communist Party and of workers at a crematory kneading bags of human ashes so they will fit into urns.

The overall impression, especially in the film’s first half-hour, is one of awesome efficiency. Crews quickly bolt prefabricated rooms together, I.C.U. machines beep and purr. The new party members are sworn in with their right fists raised up and the crematory laborers work so hard that they complain that their hands ache. 

As the film progresses, the human costs become more apparent. A volunteer worker whose job is finished is not allowed to leave the quarantine zone, so he sleeps in his car in a parking garage. Mourners wail inconsolably at a crematory, and a man fights to be allowed to collect his father’s urn without government officials present — something authorities do not permit because they are afraid the mourning will turn to anger at the government for having allowed the virus to spin out of control.

South Korea: Spike in church COVID-19 infections grips greater Seoul, gov't warns of stern response

Via Yonhap: Spike in church infections grips greater Seoul, gov't warns of stern response. Excerpt:

SEOUL, Aug. 19 (Yonhap) -- A continued surge in church-related infections put the greater Seoul area on edge Wednesday, prompting the government to consider tougher measures against a church at the center of the COVID-19 resurgence. 

South Korea reported 297 new infections, the largest number of cases since early March, which has raised the country's total caseload to 16,058, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). 

A civil servant working at Seoul City Hall was confirmed to be infected with the virus. City authorities closed the main building for disinfection work. 

While infections were reported at various other facilities, including several other churches in the capital, the majority of the recent infections were tied to Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul. Its pastor Jun Kwang-hoon has led anti-government street rallies. In the most recent large-scale demonstration held in Gwanghwamun on Saturday, thousands of people chanted slogans, sitting close to one another. 

The number of cases linked to Sarang Jeil Church reached 623 as of noon Wednesday, according to the KCDC. 

Jun himself has tested positive, and health authorities are screening church members and demonstrators based on a list submitted by the church. The list, however, has turned out to be inaccurate, raising concerns over infected people unconsciously spreading the virus across the country. 

"The screening tests have not yet been completed as the church has not submitted an accurate list amid concerns of a nationwide spread," Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said in a daily government response meeting.  

"At the moment, it's a fight against time," he said, "The Seoul city government should closely cooperate with the prosecution and police to push for legal means, such as a compulsive administrative inspection to secure (an accurate) list." 

Chung emphasized that the government will take stern action, such as filing a compensation suit, against those who disturb ongoing screening tests and epidemiological studies.

South Korea warns of crisis as it battles its worst COVID-19 outbreak in months

Via The Globe and Mail, a Reuters report: South Korea warns of crisis as it battles its worst coronavirus outbreak in months. Excerpt:

South Korea warned on Monday of a looming novel coronavirus crisis as new outbreaks flared, including one linked to a church where more than 300 members of the congregation have been infected but hundreds more are reluctant to get tested.  

The outbreak linked to the Sarang Jeil Church in Seoul is the country’s biggest in nearly six months and led to a tightening of physical-distancing rules on Sunday.  

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 197 new cases as of midnight on Saturday, mostly in the Seoul metropolitan area, marking the fourth day of a three-digit tally. 

South Korea has been one of the world’s coronavirus mitigation success stories but it has nevertheless battled persistent spikes in infections. The latest cases brought its total infections to 15,515 including 305 deaths. 

“We’re seeing the current situation as an initial stage of a large-scale transmission,” KCDC director Jeong Eun-kyeong told a briefing. 

“We’re facing a crisis where if the current spread isn’t controlled, it would bring an exponential rise in cases, which could in turn lead to the collapse of our medical system and enormous economic damage.”

South Korea: New COVID-19 cases hit 5-month high of 279

Via Yonhap: New virus cases hit 5-month high of 279. Excerpt:

SEOUL, Aug. 16 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's new coronavirus infections jumped to a five-month high of 279 on Sunday due mainly to a surge in church-related cases in the greater Seoul area.  

This brought the country's total caseload to 15,318, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Of the total, 267 were locally transmitted cases.  

It marks the highest figure since March 8 when the new daily infections stood at 367 after hitting a record high of 909 on Feb. 29, with Daegu and its neighboring North Gyeongsang Province at the center of the mass outbreak. 

It also marked a three-digit number for the third straight day, following 103 infections Friday and 166 Saturday. 

Of the local transmissions, 141 cases were reported in the capital city of Seoul and 96 were from the surrounding Gyeonggi Province. Seoul and the Gyeonggi Province accounted for 85 percent of the new infections, the KCDC said.  

Alarmed by a resurgence of infections in recent days, the government raised social distancing in Seoul and its neighboring areas by one notch to Level 2 in the three-tier system Sunday for two weeks. 

But health authorities are concerned about the further spread of the virus out of the capital area because sporadic cluster infections have shown no signs of letting up.  

As of 2 p.m., infections tied to the Sarang Jeil Church in northern Seoul have swelled to 249, while cases linked to the Woori Jeil Church in Yongin, south of Seoul, increased to 126. Local authorities have ordered the churches' congregations to take COVID-19 tests. 

Sporadic infections have also been reported in recent days from the fast-food franchise Lotteria, an investment company, offices, schools and coffee shops. 

Twelve people arriving from abroad were also confirmed to have the virus Sunday, up from 11 cases a day earlier.  

The central government and the Seoul metropolitan government said they will separately file a complaint against Jun Kwang-hoon, the pastor of the Sarang Jeil Church for allegedly violating self-quarantine rules and hampering the authorities' efforts to constrain the spread of the pandemic.  

Jun and his followers took part in a massive anti-government rally in central Seoul Saturday after the Seoul city government banned large gatherings out of COVID-19 concerns, including one organized by his church. The pastor defied compliance with the self-quarantine order to participate in the rally, according to city officials. 

As the country's new daily cases jumped to 279, President Moon Jae-in warned of stern responses to unlawful acts by some church members. 

"It is a clear challenge to the national disease control and prevention system, and an unforgivable act that threatens the lives of the people," Moon wrote on his Facebook page, adding the government will take "very stern and strong" measures even by resorting to compulsory means. 

He said the coronavirus outbreak is at a serious stage, and the government will make all-out efforts to get the virus under control. 

South Korea, meanwhile, reported no additional fatalities, keeping the death toll at 305. The fatality rate was 1.99 percent.

South Korea: Shincheonji leader arrested on charges of obstructing anti-COVID-19 response

Via Yonhap: Shincheonji leader arrested on charges of obstructing anti-virus response.

SUWON, South Korea, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The leader of a minor religious sect at the center of the early coronavirus outbreak in South Korea was arrested early Saturday for allegedly obstructing the government's efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic.  

A local court in Suwon, south of Seoul, issued an arrest warrant for Lee Man-hee, the founder of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus. 

Lee, 89, is suspected of submitting false documents to health authorities on the number of participants at the sect's gatherings and where the gatherings took place in February, when the fringe religious sect became a hot spot of the virus spread in the early phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. 

He is also accused of embezzling 5.6 billion won (US$4.68 million) from church funds and holding unauthorized religious events from 2015-19. 

"There is some room for contention about the suspect's alleged crimes, but some charges have been ascertained. Moreover, there have been circumstances indicating systematic attempts to destroy evidence. Considering his status, it cannot be ruled out that there will be similar attempts in the future," said Judge Lee Myeong-chul.  

The judge also noted that Lee is old and has chronic ailments but is not deemed unfit for imprisonment. 

Prosecutors questioned him twice, on July 17 and 23, and filed for his arrest warrant Tuesday. The court held a hearing to review the request Friday. 

Seven senior officials from the group's headquarters were indicted on July 28 on charges including violation of the infectious disease control law and obstruction of justice. Three of them were arrested on July 8. 

Shincheonji issued a statement later in the day, vowing all efforts to unveil the truth in upcoming court hearings. 

"The court's issuance of an arrest warrant doesn't mean a guilty verdict. All possible efforts will be made to unveil the truth in the upcoming court trials," the statement said. 

It also argued that Shincheonji had never attempted to interfere with authorities' quarantine efforts, saying it had only expressed concerns about authorities' excessive demand for personal information of its followers.  

Some 4,000 followers, most of whom were from its branch in the southeastern city of Daegu, were infected with the coronavirus. 

South Korea's COVID-19 caseload increased by 31 to 14,336 on Saturday, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). More than 5,000 of them are infections associated with Shincheonji.

Africa approaches 1 million COVID-19 cases

A news release from WHO AFRO: Over 10 000 health workers in Africa infected with COVID-19. Excerpt:

Brazzaville/Cairo, 30 July 2020 – COVID-19 infections in Africa will exceed one million cases in the coming days as the pandemic surges in several hotspot countries. In a little more than three weeks, the number of cases on the continent almost doubled to 889 457, with 18 806 deaths.   

Overall, the pandemic is accelerating with the number of new cases increasing by 50% during the last 14 days compared with the previous fortnight. However, only five countries account for about 75% of the cumulative COVID-19 cases – they are Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa. South Africa alone accounts for around half of the continent’s total cases. Deaths are also increasing. A total of 4376 new deaths were recorded during the last 14 days, representing a 22% increase from the previous two weeks.   

Seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa which had imposed lockdowns and have now started easing them have experienced a 20% jump in cases over the past two weeks. Some countries such as the Republic of the Congo and Morocco have had to re-implement partial restrictions because of an increase in cases.   

“As Africa approaches one million cases, the continent is at a pivotal point,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “The virus has spilled out of major cities and spread into distant hinterlands. Countries need to keep apace and urgently decentralize their key response services. We can still stop COVID-19 from reaching full momentum, but the time to act is now.”   

One of our most important collective responsibilities is to protect front line health workers, who are at high risk. Forty-one African countries have reported nearly 14 000 health worker infections. In 16 countries which reported health worker infections over the past month, nearly a quarter recorded an increase in the past two weeks compared with the preceding fortnight.    

Expanding the scale and quality of public health measures such as testing, contact tracing, isolation and care of patients remain central to the response, as well as preventing infection through handwashing, physical distancing and wearing of masks. Lifting of lockdowns that have helped to slow down the spread of COVID-19 should be evidence-based, phased and targeted.

As borders start to re-open and with the Islamic holiday, Eid al-Adha, about to begin on Friday marked by social and religious gatherings, there is a concern that the virus could spread further, even to areas that are still untouched by COVID-19, if necessary precautions are not taken.