If The Shit Hits The Fan Coronavirus

[seven]

6 minutes ago, Cherjam said:

I don't know how true this is, but I came across this on the net today, but if it is half true, it's scary 

Shouldn't be too hard to verify? 

[seven]

I just checked, it is actually true. Shit, scary stuff.

[seven]

I'm no fan of conspiracy theories, but this is actually rather creepy stuff:

 

You may have come across claims on various social media platforms that Dean Koontz’s 1981 fictional novel The Eyes of Darkness predicted the outbreak of the deadly novel coronavirus.

The 312-page book focuses on a mother who sets out on a quest to find out if her son, who was on a camping trip, really died a year ago or if he’s still alive.

 

Sections of the book have been widely shared in the past week, alleging eerie similarities between the Covid-19 virus and Wuhan-400, a fictional outbreak in the book.

 

In the book, Wuhan-400 was made in a Chinese military laboratory and aimed at eliminating some sections of the world’s population before China takes over.

The Standard Fact Check Desk found the earliest post drawing similarities between Wuhan-400 and Covid-19 on Twitter on February 16.

 

A Dean Koontz novel written in 1981 predicted the outbreak of the coronavirus! pic.twitter.com/bjjqq6TzOl

— Nick Hinton (@NickHintonn) February 16, 2020

 “… it was around then that a Chinese scientist named Li Chen defected to the United States, carrying a diskette record of China’s most important and dangerous new biological weapon in a decade,” an excerpt of the book shared online reads.

“They call the stuff Wuhan-400 because it was developed at their RDNA labs outside of the city of Wuhan.”

But while the book does mention Wuhan, which is believed to be the epicentre of Covid-19, the similarities between the fictional and the current outbreak have been rather stretched.

 

In fact, in the book’s earlier version, the fictional biological weapon is called Gorki-400, after a Russian city where it was created.

 

 

The name was changed to Wuhan-400 in the 2008 paperback re-issue of The Eyes of Darkness.

 

Further, in the book, Wuhan-400 is a human-made biological weapon. Covid-19, despite numerous rumours and fringe conspiracy theories, is not. We have fact-checked this claim in a past edition of this column that separated fact from fiction on coronavirus.

 

Other characteristics of Wuhan-400 don’t match Covid-19. First, the fictional outbreak has a 100 per cent fatality rate. The current fatality rate for the novel coronavirus, according to the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC), is on average 2 per cent. CCDC data additionally suggests the fatality rate is higher among men (2.8 per cent) than women (1.7 per cent).

 

The fictional Wuhan-400 also has an incubation period (the time it takes for the symptoms to appear after infection) of about four hours. CCDC notes that Covid-19’s incubation period is between two and 14 days.

 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) adds that it is still “working with an international network of statisticians and mathematical modellers to estimate key epidemiologic parameters of Covid-19”, with the incubation period likely to be updated as more information is made available.

 

 

The Eyes of Darkness also talks of a virus that can only affect human beings.

 

“And like syphilis, Wuhan-400 can’t survive outside a living human body for longer than a minute, which means it can’t permanently contaminate objects or entire places the way anthrax and other virulent microorganisms can,” the book says.

Scientists believe Covid-19 crossed into humans from bats, and possibly via a third animal.

 

“The current most likely hypothesis is that an intermediary host animal has played a role in the transmission,” WHO notes of the human-animal interface of the virus, adding that they are still investigating the case.

 

Further, Koontz’s fictional virus affects the brain stem, while Covid-19 is a respiratory disease.

 

 

The New York Times bestselling author has not claimed that his book was in any way a prediction of the future – people only started drawing parallels after the outbreak of Covid-19, which has so far killed more than 2,400 people.

 

By the time of going to press, Koontz had not responded to The Standard Fact Check Desk’s requests for comment.

 

As such, The Standard Fact Check Desk marks the claim as FALSE.

 

Another prophecy?

In the book End of Days: Predictions and prophecies about the end times, the authors detail a severe pneumonia-like illness that will spread throughout the world in 2020, attacking the lungs and bronchial tubes, and resisting all known treatment.

 

However, the book co-authored and published in 2008 by American psychic and spiritual teacher Sylvia Browne, does not pass for a prediction as it was published a few years after the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) outbreak.

 

Sars, a fatal respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus, first broke out in 2002 in China. WHO says it hit 26 countries and affected more than 8,000 people. Since the end of the global epidemic in July 2003, Sars has reappeared four times – three of these times as the result of laboratory accidents.

Koontz, a prolific US novelist best known for works including Demon Seed and Odd Thomas, has yet to respond to the discovery.

[ArchieBunker]

9 hours ago, rxpharm said:

There's a saying that applies to this situation is don't try to catch a falling knife - so it is best not to buy in until the market stops falling. Right now be on  the sidelines and consider buying in when things have stabliized. If new cases continue on for the next couple of weeks and a pandemic is announced, I am pretty sure a full blown recession will occur.

As for the US - when President Trump (who is the smartest man he knows) announces that everything is under control in and there should only be minor effects, is contradicted by his Health and Human Services Secretary, Alex Azar, that doesn't inspire confidence. No doubt Alex will be asked to resign after the the crisis passes.

Yeah but trying to time the bottom is nigh impossible. If you have a long term outlook, then but before it hits bottom. Time is your friend. I have a feeling we will look back in a few years and remark that they couldn’t believe they got some of these quality companies at such good prices. 
 

i thought the same thing after the crisis in 2007/2008 and there were some total bargains to be had. Fortune favors the brave. 

[Ashoka]

7 hours ago, seven said:

Mike Pence, who enabled an HIV outbreak in Indiana, will lead US coronavirus response

Pence has a track record of ignoring public health evidence

Vice President Mike Pence will take charge of the US response to the new coronavirus, President Donald Trump announced today. “Mike is not a czar,” Trump said. “I don’t view Mike as a czar.”

Pence is not a public health expert, either. Instead, as governor of Indiana, he slashed public health spending and delayed the introduction of needle exchanges, which led to the state’s worst outbreak of HIV. He takes over from Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar who has been heading the White House coronavirus task force since the beginning of January. 

Yale epidemiologist Gregg Gonsalves, who conducted the research linking the Indiana HIV outbreak to Pence’s policies, tweeted that the decision “speaks to a lack of seriousness by the White House.”

 

"Oh my f—cking god. He’s putting @VP Mike Pence in charge of #coronavirususa. This is a man that totally botched HIV outbreak in Indiana. This is not a good idea and speaks to a lack of seriousness by the @WhiteHouse."

 

 

Considering they want to thin out America's population so that they have lower amounts spending of social security, food stamps..

He's perfect for the plan.

[Quietguy]

14 hours ago, Cherjam said:

The  brit gov don't seem to be worried about it, boris has decided he will have a meeting about it after he get's the weekend out of the way first, you couldn't make it up!

He has told us to wash our hands!

[Woodie]

Just contacted a friend in China. He was in a 14 day self quarantine a couple of weeeks ago. He is in North East China. In charge of a museum which was closed.

He said that they have been told if things go well they should be back to something approaching normal by May. We will see.

[annat555]

Well Good News I am not coming next month - even though my operation was a success.

I am in top 10% to meet my maker if I get it.

So will wait, to have fun with a beautiful longhaired Thai boy in make-up and wearing a very short dress and heels

Expect I might be able to play some cricket this summer, so looks like September. Warning to then! to Grunt might get to see you and Katty girls again!

My best friend has cancelled from end of March to end of April and will move it on if needs must. He said Thai Air had pleanty of seats out to Thailand but coming back a different matter, wonder why?

Yes, it has arived in the colony of Wales, only 16 miles from me at Swansea!

[Tomcat]

8 hours ago, Quietguy said:

He has told us to wash our hands!

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/common-questions/

What about the NHS website ,,,why wait for Boris to spell it out.  The Genies out the bottle now anyway.. with the border between Iran and Iraq so porous and the Shia move freely so the virus will be spreading well through Arabia by now...the Shia travel back and forth to the holy shrine where the issue was. 

 

[Pdoggg]

9 minutes ago, Tomcat said:

What about the NHS website

Quote

to other parts of mainland China or South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or Macau in the last 14 days and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath

to other parts of northern Italy (anywhere north of Pisa, Florence and Rimini), Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos or Myanmar since 19 February and have a cough, high temperature or shortness of breath

It doesn't mention the Philippines but the destination of choice for Korean mongers is Angeles City.

[bumblebee]

On a lighter note for a moment, I have heard that some venues in Pattaya now have some type hand sanatizers at the entrance.  My brother was in the Windmill the other night and he said it looked quite funny, and appropriate, seeing customers come through the curtain rubbing their hands together. 

[deleted]

Just now, bumblebee said:

On a lighter note for a moment, I have heard that some venues in Pattaya now have some type hand sanatizers at the entrance.  My brother was in the Windmill the other night and he said it looked quite funny, and appropriate, seeing customers come through the curtain rubbing their hands together. 

Haha. Well that’s a good start. One of my pet peeves about Pattaya and Thailand in general are the nasty community cloth hand towels in almost every wash room, especially in LB bar loos. I never use them. Always wipe me hands on my pants after washing. Is it that expensive to install paper towel dispensers ffs? 

[seven]

3 hours ago, Pdoggg said:

It doesn't mention the Philippines

Nor Iran, Norway and Sweden. Seriously, a list like this is just arbitrary. No way you can list the countries that have cases with 100& accuracy. 

Haven't heard of any from North Korea, for example.

18 minutes ago, bumblebee said:

On a lighter note for a moment, I have heard that some venues in Pattaya now have some type hand sanatizers at the entrance.  My brother was in the Windmill the other night and he said it looked quite funny, and appropriate, seeing customers come through the curtain rubbing their hands together.

Oh dear. I can't think of any worse place to visit right now honestly, well maybe a whorehouse in Wuhan.  Last time I visited Windmill  a very drunk farang ate pussy right on the middle stage for a good 10 minutes. It can't be a good idea to vist this place at the moment.

[xyzzy]

1 hour ago, Sylvester said:

One of my pet peeves about Pattaya and Thailand in general are the nasty community cloth hand towels in almost every wash room, especially in LB bar loos.

I have many kebabs while in Pattaya and they are rolled up by bare hands. Much street food is prepared by bare hands. There are so many bad hygiene possibilities in Pattaya. Perhaps Pattaya is aided by warm weather? Well from corona not salmonella...  I have licked a pussy or two (OK more) at Kink.     

Sorry a slight venture off topic. This winter was the first time the Listerine I buy in Thailand had a child proof cap. I had to show a few LBs how to open the bottle... 

[xyzzy]

Washington state (USA) investigating possible coronavirus outbreak at a nursing facility.

Two confirmed cases with one 70 year old in serious condition. 50 showing symptoms.

Hard to imagine a worse place for the virus to hit.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/01/health/washington-state-possible-coronavirus-outbreak/index.html

[Woodie]

Just had a message from friends in China. They are being told that the virus will be contained by the end of April. We will see. Also said that a number of businesses have gone under.

[rxpharm]

Here's a humorous take on the situation from John Oliver

 

[sydneyjohn57]

3 hours ago, rxpharm said:

Here's a humorous take on the situation from John Oliver

"This video is not available".

Taken down by youtube or not available in my country I wonder?

[Pdoggg]

7 hours ago, sydneyjohn57 said:

"This video is not available".

Taken down by youtube or not available in my country I wonder?

It's playing for me in Thailand.

[cobber32]

3 hours ago, Pdoggg said:

It's playing for me in Thailand.

Yes. I just watched it (in Thailand) too. Full of humour but makes you think as well.

[stoolpusher]

This must be the latest version of DIY mask .

[Woodie]

11 hours ago, cobber32 said:

Yes. I just watched it (in Thailand) too. Full of humour but makes you think as well.

I cant watch it here either, so what is the gist of his comments???.

[Woodie]

6 hours ago, stoolpusher said:

This must be the latest version of DIY mask .

What the hell did you cut up your bra for??. You looked great with it on!.

[xyzzy]

2 hours ago, Woodie said:

I cant watch it here either, so what is the gist of his comments???

I can watch it in the US. It's a 20 minute comedy skit that also presents some good basic facts about the virus along the way.