China news roundup / Nachrichten 2020-01-26
English news:
Coronavirus: 100,000 may already be infected, experts warn
"it could be between 30,000 and 200,000"
--- Doesn't sound too far-fetched, considering the situation in Wuhan at the moment.
Coronavirus Exposes Core Flaws, and Few Strengths, in China’s Governance
"This is a continuous theme in central-local relations in China. You do not want to be the one to bring bad news"
--- One reason: Killing the messenger is still a major theme in China.
"Mr. Xi’s tightening grip may make local leaders all the more wary of releasing information that could invite his wrath."
--- Lose-lose situation. Tell the boss, something's wrong, & you get blamed for bringing bad news. Don't tell him, the situation gets worse & you are held responsible for that.
"results take precedence over procedure or accountability, and in which it is all leaders for themselves"
--- The usual mafia network.
China coronavirus 'spreads before symptoms show'
"the sale of all wildlife in China would be banned from Sunday"
--- Much easier than to teach people how to handle things properly. Just ban it.
cf: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-01-china-virus-outbreak-revives-wildlife.html
"the incubation period - during which a person has the disease, but no symptoms yet - ranges from between one and 14 days"
--- That explains some of the confusion from recent days. Some said it's 3-7 days, others said 10-14.
"From Wuhan, a city of 11 million people in Hubei province, the disease spread to neighbouring cities and provinces in smaller numbers."
--- Hmm, the mayor said that 5 million people have left the city before the lockdown & that now 9 million are left.
China says coronavirus can spread before symptoms show -- calling into question US containment strategy
"I know of no evidence in 17 years of working with coronaviruses -- SARS and MERS - where anyone has been found to be infectious during their incubation period."
--- Could be that the Chinese scientists are just incompetent. But, then again, these viruses tend to mutate quite quickly. Furthermore, it seems that the Wuhan virus often only causes mild symptoms which might be overlooked & that could count as asymptomatic.
cf: A familial cluster of pneumonia associated with the 2019 novel coronavirus indicating person-to-person transmission: a study of a family cluster
Coronavirus: from one food market to global panic
"on 27 December, even city authorities may not have known that the virus had started spreading around the city"
--- Dubious. For what I know, genetic research has shown that the first infection was probably around end of November & beginning of December. Mid December there were already rumours of a virus disease spreading in Wuhan.
"There is growing concern that a failure to carry out comprehensive testing during the early days of the outbreak could have helped the virus spread."
--- It sure did. Even last week they still sent people home without testing, although they showed symptoms.
‘It was like a horror movie’: In one Wuhan hospital, long lines, fear and frustration over coronavirus
"Wuhan residents describe scenes of chaos from one swamped hospital struggling to cope with crowds"
--- Includes some interesting videos showing the chaos.
In Pictures: Proposed Hong Kong virus quarantine building firebombed during protest
"Protesters threw petrol bombs on Sunday night at an empty public housing complex in Hong Kong that had been earmarked to become a temporary quarantine zone"
--- Not in our neighbourhood!
Not necessarily the most reasonable course of action, though understandable considering the recent situation.
The Responsibility to Counter China’s Ambitions Falls to Us
"From economic power proceeds political power, from political power proceeds foreign-policy power, and from foreign-policy power proceeds strategic power. That is China’s strategy."
--- The responsibility to counter should fall on all Western democracies' shoulders.
Video News:
--- DW News: "China expects Coronavirus outbreak to accelerate"
--- BBC: "China coronavirus 'spreads before symptoms show'"
--- CBC News: "Coronavirus Q&A"
--- Channel 4 News: "Inside Wuhan: Daily life in China's coronavirus quarantine zone"
Not in the news (yet):
Wuhan hospital situation
--- People are even treated in the streets. While others are panic-buying food. Or trying to.
While traveling in China can be a quite relaxed experience now.
HK police state, another version
Deutsche Nachrichten:
Virus-Angst im Riesenreich
"Die Zahl der Toten ist laut Regierung auf 80 gestiegen. 2300 Menschen sind infiziert."
--- Offizielle Zahlen. Die Realität ist um ein Vielfaches schlimmer. Mindestens 30.000 Infizierte, bis zu 200.000.
"Die Inkubationszeit beträgt im Schnitt zehn Tage."
--- Von 1 - 14 Tage, & auch ohne Symptome infektiös. Wird also extrem schwierig, die Ausbreitung einzugrenzen.
Raus aus Wuhan
"Frankreich, Japan und die USA kündigen Rückholaktionen ihrer Bürger aus Wuhan an"
--- Vermutlich völlig überflüssige Aktion. Ist allerdings verständlich, allein schon, weil die Krankenhäuser in Wuhan völlig überlastet sind.
Chinas Politbüro beruft Krisensitzung ein
"Mit dem Vorgehen demonstriert die Partei- und Staatsführung die Bedeutung, die sie dem Kampf gegen die Ausbreitung von 2019-nCoV beimisst"
--- Die Hauptnachrichten scheinen dem Thema nicht ganz dieselbe Bedeutung beizumessen.