Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: Community Transmission and Pandemic Status

An update on coronavirus (a.k.a. COVID-19), including discussion of community transmission within the US, and whether it's time to call the outbreak a pandemic.

Some recommended Twitter accounts to follow for COVID-19 updates:

[altafalinaushad]

Being a physician in Kerala, south India, I was rationally fearful when the first cases in the whole of India were detected in my state in mid January from 3 patients who had visited China in the weeks prior. Thankfully no new cases have been tested positive after that. Keep in mind the health services in the state of ~15mil population has been keeping close tabs on around 3000 suspected cases, vast majority of whom were tested negative subsequently. People have been highly cooperative for the most part with the Public Health Service and I’m glad the surveillance here has been so robust. That said I agree that we are likely going to see a spike of cases here and outside because of the presymptomatic spread of this virus. Hope everyone is safe out there and please take necessary precautions and cooperate with local health services where ever you are. Have a great day!

[stevensasy]

Politics in the WHO is interfering with their primary purpose

[phillancaster]

Thanks for one of the clearest and most rational presentations I have seen on this subject. I believe you hit the sweet spot between panic and reasoned alarm at both the capacity of the disease and the challenges it presents to governments and medical authorities.

[kanadetachibana]

It's been a pandemic since January

[diseasessimplified]

Wash hands with soap and water, use at least 75% alcohol or Clorox to wipe surfaces, stay at home and avoid unnecessary travel, be aware of which countries have travel ban.

[StrongMed]

These comments are moderated. Respectful discussion is 100% welcome. Profanity, conspiracy theories, and trolls are not.

Also, please be aware when reading comments left by others (on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter) that there has been a worldwide, coordinated effort by unknown actors to spread misinformation about coronavirus/COVID-19 as a way to cause fear, confusion, and a general distrust of government institutions (e.g. WHO, CDC). Part of remaining vigilant about the pandemic includes remaining skeptical of sources of unknown reliability which endorse extreme positions (e.g. the WHO should be disbanded, the coronavirus is a hoax, we are all going to die, etc...).


A general response to those criticizing the "politics" in the video's last 2 minutes: One can't honestly discuss America's response to the pandemic without critiquing the decisions and statements made by those in charge of that response. It would be like a sports pundit discussing a football game without discussing the in-game decisions made by the coach. The only reason this might superficially seem like I'm "politicizing" the pandemic is because the American President put politicians in charge of America's response instead of scientists and public health experts.


EDIT: As correctly pointed out by several viewers...while Trump has previously attempted to reduce the CDC's budget and most recently threatened to attempt to do so again in early February, Congress has declined to approve such requests (i.e. the cuts never actually happened). The incorrect statement in this video that Trump had cut the CDC's budget (i.e. that he was successful in his budget request) is in the process of being edited out.

[albertdowrn]

As an RN I can speak to the lack of CDC testing on the patient you mentioned at UC Davis. Whenever my hospital suspects a bug regardless of test results we implement precautions. If we had to wait for a stool sample for c. difficile spores could be everywhere. If they suspected Covid-19 then they should have implemented appropriate precautions and thus quarantined and mitigated possible spread to their employees and patients. BTW using your videos and other references I recently became a CCRN and CEN. Thanks for what you do.

[stevensasy]

It’s in a pandemic. Multiple countries now like China, South Korea, and Iran.

[butterflybreath]

Thank you. Good information given calmly and objectively.

[bubalontv]

Most people with mild symptoms won’t go to the doctor because they cannot afford it.
They don’t get sick pay days and don’t have insurance.

[mpeqirb]

I much prefer "2019-CoVfefe Virus"
But that's just me.

Not Time to Panic, it's Time for some Hard Work for EVERYONE!

[woodyjrable]

thank you for the update. It is a shame that we can't get the full picture out of any of the government, CDC or WHO!!

[md.mehedi]

1st here and keep up the good work Dr. Strong

[tunnelrabbit]

Those who have already panicked, have beat the rush.

[marktumminello]

Very fair and fact based journalism- well done 🎞👍🏼

[richardeastman]

1. Too much emphasis on Wall Street financing new vaccine research.
2. Too much maximizing profitability of that approach by waiting to long before recommending measures and before declaring pandemic.
3. Too much deceit by reporting only confirmed cases and confirmed deaths when the confirmation process is expensive, under equipped, and time consuming; and while confirmed deaths overlooks China arresting the self-quarantined when their temperatures reach 100.5 F. and incinerating alive, the flames visible from space and those wo die at home are not counted.
4. The politicians do not want to be blamed for lack of equipment and so the limit confirmed cases to the number of beds and respirators available.
5.WORST OF ALL ARE THE TWO THING THEY ARE NOT EVEN MENTIONING. FIRST, THE NEED FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CRASH CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM OF PNEUMONIA VENTILATORS, WHICH GREATLY CUT DEATH RATES OF THOSE CONTRACTING PNEUMONIA. SECOND, THEY NEED HONESTY, ESPECIALLY FOR HOUSEHOLD TO SELF-QUARANTINE, INFO ABOUT THE DIFFERENT COURSES THE DISEASE MAY TAKE AND WHAT WORKS BEST. RIGHT NOW THEY SAY TO LEAVE ALL THAT TO THE DISEASE CONTROL EXPERTS, IN THE U.S. THE CDC IS TELLING PEOPLE NOT TO WEAR MASKS UNLESS DIRECTED TO DO SO BY CDC PROFESSIONAL -- WHAT BETTER WAY TO SIGNAL THAT NOTHING IMPORTANT IS HAPPENING THAN FOR PEOPLE TO SEE THAT NO ONE IS WEARING MASKS ON THE STREETS OR IN GATHERINGS. SECOND MANY JOBS WILL EVENTUALLY BE SHUT DOWN, LESS SUPPLY THEY SAY, BUT FAR FAR MORE IMPORTANT IS THE FALL IN AGGREGATE CONSUMER DEMAND, WHEN DEMAND FALLS BECAUSE PEOPLE CAN'T DO THEIR JOBS, PRODUCTS IN STORES DON'T SELL, FEWER ORDERS ARE PLACED WITH PRODUCERS. These are the most important truths that these disaster-capitalism organized-crime officials are not telling us and that will cost the lives of your family members and mine.

[mpeqirb]

I have been wondering of the effectiveness of spraying a dilute solution of Betadine Iodine on a Normal Industrial Dust Mask and whether it would have to be kept moist for Antiviral Protection.

[blackiecortez]

Thank you Dr Strong. I am concluding that the current President’s policies which would address the Covid 19 epidemic are not adequate to protect the citizens of the US.

[kurootsuki]

This is great! I've been looking for a statistics breakdown on COVID, this is perfect. I'm mainly here for your haematology content, but nice to see this as well!

[SAFA-ewmg]

I have a question if you allow a doctor, a girl who is approximately 24, who suffers from dizziness, imbalance and tremors with her right hands, like a second electric tree, and she goes back to her, especially for those who sleep more and more times her head ache from the back
She did medical analyzes everything perfectly except minus D3 and magnesium on the edge

She currently follows the Quito system, but before this system suffers from this thing

I want to know how to diagnose the condition