Italy's coronavirus deaths are staggering. They may be more a preview than anomaly.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

ROME — Italy has become the flash point of the coronavirus pandemic, with a death toll at 6,077 and counting — the highest in the world. More than 2,000 Italians have been killed by the virus in the past four days alone.

The staggering toll stands for now as a worst-case scenario for what happens when a country is caught unprepared. Italy’s high elderly population has exacerbated the problem.

But while some unique aspects have amplified the scale, doctors and health officials say other countries should regard Italy not as an outlier or an example of missteps, but as a harrowing preview for the hardships they might soon have at hand. Other countries could easily follow the pattern in Italy, with the number of casualties soaring weeks after an initial, drastic spike in cases.

The disaster in Italy does not stem from gross government negligence. Rather, analysts say it is partly a consequence of the weeks between the emergence of the outbreak and the government decision to absolutely lock down the population. And though many in Italy now argue their government waited too long, democracies across the West have been mulling the same decisions — and in some cases have acted less decisively.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/italy-s-coronavirus-deaths-are-staggering-they-may-be-more-a-preview-than-anomaly/ar-BB11BiLP?ocid=msn360

[Johnny2X2X]

1. 433 in US the last 3 days.

We’re catching up to Italy. Scary.

[sheshe2]

2. We are F**KED.

[Initech]

3. We need competent people in charge right now.

This is so fucking scary. If Trump ends the lockdowns prematurely, god help us.

[Yonnie3]

4. I thought I heard Dr. Birx state that things were improving in Italy this evening.

Last edited Tue Mar 24, 2020, 10:55 PM - Edit history (2)

I don't recall the exact wording but it was that data showed an encouraging trend and something about mortality. I looked at several websites and saw nothing encouraging about Italy.

Did anyone else hear this?

Edit to add quote from the Dr.

"I think those of you who are tracking this epidemic closely, like I am, you will begin to see that there is encouraging results coming out of Italy. We are impressed by the decreases that are seen in mortality, the number of people succumbing to this illness, and the number of new cases."

[BigmanPigman]

6. This morning I heard

that the deaths have stopped increasing and actually dropped for two straight days. People are cautious about being too hopeful since it could easily spike again.

[Yonnie3]

7. Looking at web reports it's not apparent

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries shows since yesterday 743 new deaths and the prior day shows 601.

Going on to https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/italy/ and viewing the death graph I see a teensy decrease in the slope. It doesn't seem significant to me. If it is a trend it will become apparent in a while. The recovery/death percentages graph has no change.

If you look at the deaths vs. new cases or total cases (not graphed together) perhaps you could draw the conclusion thing are better. Lots of new cases shown perhaps due to increased testing.

[BigmanPigman]

8. It looks like the # of deaths did decrease for two consecutive

days in Italy, March 22 and 23, and today (their yesterday) they went back up again. This is what the cable news anchor was referring to and was "hoping" it would continue. Damn! Bad news again.

[Yonnie3]

9. I'd expect that from a talking head

but not from the government expert. At least not in the past. I guess I.should in the present.

[lunasun]

5. Spain doesn't look so good either recently Almost 3000 dead already there too . Sad + frightening