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A faulty CDC coronavirus test delays monitoring of disease's spread
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/02/25/cdc-coronavirus-test/
Experts fear the small number of U.S. covid-19 cases reflects limited testing rather than a lack of infections.
By Carolyn Y. Johnson, Laurie McGinley and Lena H. Sun
Feb. 25, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. EST
Problems with a government-created coronavirus test have limited the United States’ capacity to rapidly increase testing, just as the outbreak has entered a worrisome new phase in countries worldwide. Experts are increasingly concerned that the small number of U.S. cases may be a reflection of limited testing, not of the virus’s spread.
While South Korea has run more than 35,000 coronavirus tests, the United States has tested only 426 people, not including people who returned on evacuation flights. Only about a dozen state and local laboratories can now run tests outside of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta because the CDC kits sent out nationwide a week and a half ago included a faulty component.
U.S. guidelines recommend testing for a very narrow group of people — those who display respiratory symptoms and have recently traveled to China or had close contact with an infected person.
But many public health experts think that in light of evidence that the disease has taken root and spread in Iran, Italy, Singapore and South Korea, it’s time to broaden testing in the United States. Infectious disease experts fear that aside from the 14 cases picked up by public health surveillance, there may be other cases, undetected, mixed in with those of colds and flu. What scares experts the most is that the virus is beginning to spread in countries outside China, but no one knows whether that’s the case in the United States, because they aren’t checking.
</snip>
Experts fear the small number of U.S. covid-19 cases reflects limited testing rather than a lack of infections.
By Carolyn Y. Johnson, Laurie McGinley and Lena H. Sun
Feb. 25, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. EST
Problems with a government-created coronavirus test have limited the United States’ capacity to rapidly increase testing, just as the outbreak has entered a worrisome new phase in countries worldwide. Experts are increasingly concerned that the small number of U.S. cases may be a reflection of limited testing, not of the virus’s spread.
While South Korea has run more than 35,000 coronavirus tests, the United States has tested only 426 people, not including people who returned on evacuation flights. Only about a dozen state and local laboratories can now run tests outside of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta because the CDC kits sent out nationwide a week and a half ago included a faulty component.
U.S. guidelines recommend testing for a very narrow group of people — those who display respiratory symptoms and have recently traveled to China or had close contact with an infected person.
But many public health experts think that in light of evidence that the disease has taken root and spread in Iran, Italy, Singapore and South Korea, it’s time to broaden testing in the United States. Infectious disease experts fear that aside from the 14 cases picked up by public health surveillance, there may be other cases, undetected, mixed in with those of colds and flu. What scares experts the most is that the virus is beginning to spread in countries outside China, but no one knows whether that’s the case in the United States, because they aren’t checking.
</snip>
More good news...
3 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
scientists . . .
This began in January 2020 or so, ya think requesting funding for CDC would have occurred then, but oh noes, the proclaimed genius of everything told America that when it gets warm/hot, the heat will kill the virus.
Matter of fact, if the cold couldn't contain it (always cold in the hospital) then logic would suggest that heat would fan the virus even more.
Dumbass.
