Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-03 14:39 | Report Abuse

As US virus cases exceed 100,000, doctors decry scarcity of drugs and equipment

Doctors and nurses on the front lines of the US coronavirus crisis pleaded yesterday for more protective gear and equipment to treat waves of patients expected to overwhelm hospitals as the number of known US infections surpassed 100,000, with more than 1,600 dead.

Physicians have called particular attention to a desperate need for additional ventilators, machines that help patients breathe and are widely needed for those suffering from Covid-19, the respiratory ailment caused by the highly contagious novel coronavirus.

Hospitals in New York City, New Orleans, Detroit and other virus hot spots also have sounded the alarm about scarcities of drugs, medical supplies and trained staff while the number of confirmed US cases rose by 15,000 yesterday to just over 100,000.

That was down slightly from more than 16,000 new cases reported on Thursday, the largest one-day US surge to date, but kept the United States as the world leader in the number of known infections, having surpassed China and Italy on Thursday.

“We are scared,” said Dr Arabia Mollette of Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Centre in Brooklyn. “We’re trying to fight for everyone else’s life, but we also fight for our lives as well, because we’re also at the highest risk of exposure.”

The United States ranked sixth in death toll among the hardest hit countries, with at least 1,605 lives lost as of Thursday evening, marking the first time the country had recorded more than 300 deaths in a single day, according to a Reuters tally of official data. Worldwide, confirmed cases rose above 576,000 with 26,455 deaths, the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre reported.

Even as hospital patient numbers steadily climbed, shortages of key medical supplies abounded.

One emergency room doctor in Michigan, an emerging epicentre of the pandemic, said he was using one paper face mask for an entire shift due to a shortage and that hospitals in the Detroit area would soon run out of ventilators.

“We have hospital systems here in the Detroit area in Michigan who are getting to the end of their supply of ventilators and have to start telling families that they can’t save their loved ones because they don’t have enough equipment,” the physician, Dr Rob Davidson, said in a video posted on Twitter.

Emergency powers

US President Donald Trump yesterday invoked emergency powers to require General Motors Co to start building ventilators after he accused the largest US automaker of “wasting time” during negotiations.

He had previously resisted mounting calls for him to invoke the Defence Production Act, a Korean War-era statute that gives the president broad procurement powers in national emergencies, seeking to exert pressure on manufacturers to act voluntarily.

Sophia Thomas, a nurse practitioner at DePaul Community Health Centre in New Orleans, where Mardi Gras celebrations late last month fuelled a local outbreak in Louisiana’s largest city, said the numbers of coronavirus patients “have been staggering.”

“We are truly a hotbed of Covid-19 here in New Orleans,” she said, adding that her hospital was trying to cope in part by shifting some patients to “telehealth” services that allow them to be evaluated from home.

New York-area doctors say they have had to recycle some protective gear, or resort to the black market.

Dr Alexander Salerno of Salerno Medical Associates, a general medical practice with offices in northern New Jersey, described going through a “broker” to pay US$17,000 (RM73,572.60) for masks and other protective equipment that should have cost about US$2,500, and picking them up at an abandoned warehouse.

“You don’t get any names. You get just phone numbers to text,” Salerno said. “And so you agree to a term. You wire the money to a bank account. They give you a time and an address to come to.”

Nurses at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York said they were locking away or hiding N-95 respirator masks, surgical masks and other supplies that are prone to pilfering if left unattended.

“Masks disappear,” nurse Diana Torres said. “We hide it all in drawers in front of the nurses’ station.”

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-03 14:39 | Report Abuse

Economic relief

After days of wrangling, the US Congress passed a US$2.2 trillion relief package yesterday, sending the bill to Trump, who promptly signed it into law.

In addition to aiding hospitals, the package will send cash to businesses and unemployed workers suffering from the effects of stay-at-home orders that have had the side effect of strangling the economy.

A number of hotels in New York City, including the famed Plaza Hotel, the St. Regis and the Four Seasons, are making rooms available to medical workers fearful of carrying the virus home to their families after work, or to non-critical care patients, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

Marney Gruber, an emergency doctor who works in multiple hospitals around New York City, said commonly used medications were in short supply and hospitals were running out of oxygen tanks.

“These are staples in emergency medicine and ICUs — these are your bread and butter, truly, your very basic essentials,” Gruber said.

At least two New York medical schools, New York University and Columbia, have said they will graduate their fourth-year students early so they can begin treating patients with the coronavirus right away.

In the nation’s second-largest city, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said cases were spiking, putting the Southern California region on track to match New York City’s infection figures in the next five days.

The mayor spoke as he and California’s governor, who ordered all coronavirus-related evictions banned through May 31, toured a newly arrived naval hospital ship equipped with 1,000 patient beds at the Port of Los Angeles. Its sister vessel is to be deployed to New York Harbor in the near future.

At the Riverside County Fairground east of Los Angeles, California National Guard troops were setting up a 125-bed medical station to serve residents of the Coachella Valley, an area teeming with elderly retirees considered especially vulnerable to Covid-19.

The US military also is setting up field hospitals in Seattle and New York, the Pentagon said.

Posted by QuellingBlaster > 2020-04-03 14:41 | Report Abuse

First nation exceed 100,000 ... America First!

Posted by QuellingBlaster > 2020-04-03 14:41 | Report Abuse

Another Black Monday ahead?

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-03 14:43 | Report Abuse

ezy, just order drugs and equipment from china

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-03 14:45 | Report Abuse

alipay88, With tariffs, banning of Hua Wei sales and a string of foul language heap on China, do you think China would not feel the stab?
Xi told Trump, no priority, he can queue up to do the purchase. Xi can even ban sale as Trump has banned sale of chips to China.
The fool-hardly proud, short-sighted and evil man must be brought down to earth and respect others.

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-03 14:45 | Report Abuse

a US$2.2 trillion aid package approved by the U.S. Congress on Friday to cushion the blow to consumers and businesses — more than double what it pledged in 2009.

The end of covid-19 oredi got begin with the above US aid package.

Please no fight with all the central banks n world banks in the world.

No one can win including Mr Sorrow.

Posted by Elaine Tan > 2020-04-03 14:47 | Report Abuse

Hi guys, people oredi jumping with joy with the just born bull in the mkt.

Masuk first.

And u will not be left behind.

Just like what Arbb archieved!

Bravo

Posted by RevenueQueenie > 2020-04-03 14:49 | Report Abuse

Agree with Elaine Tan, Masuk first.

If not, later all of us will kena another pandemic FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-03 14:52 | Report Abuse

Good comment, revenue queenie. Beware of FOMO!

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-03 14:53 | Report Abuse

Its a very good time for buying shares

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-03 14:55 | Report Abuse

Tell the truth China will be most affected with current Covid19 global spread! As US and Eu engulf in uncontrol pandemic, China will have zero buyers for their goods! And if Covid19 suddenly makes a u-turn back to China, you think China will survive a mutated version! No chance

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-03 14:56 | Report Abuse

Bank Negara says World economy in recession,The global economy is expected to contract this year as the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has significantly weakened growth prospects, (say thank you to china,lol)

Posted by THEREALDEAL > 2020-04-03 14:58 | Report Abuse

Yes moneymaker168 central bank, in its 2019 Annual Report, said the International Monetary Fund has projected a recession for 2020 which is at least as bad as the global financial crisis in 2009, before recovering in 2021.

Posted by THEREALDEAL > 2020-04-03 14:58 | Report Abuse

“The pandemic wuhan virus has evolved into a global health crisis that is causing a sharp growth slowdown in affected countries, including most major advanced economies.

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-03 15:00 | Report Abuse

Yeah guys measures taken to contain the spread of Covid-19, including travel restrictions, enforced business closures and restricted social activities, while critical, are suppressing private sector activity

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-03 15:01 | Report Abuse

The latest indicators suggest that global growth will be significantly weak in the first half of the year.

Posted by THEREALDEAL > 2020-04-03 15:03 | Report Abuse

Seems like Purchasing Managers’ Indices (PMIs) for manufacturing and exports, which were showing incipient signs of recovery towards end-2019, declined sharply in the first three months of 2020.

Posted by THEREALDEAL > 2020-04-03 15:04 | Report Abuse

The big impact of China’s extended production shutdown and quarantine between late January and March is evident in the marked decline in the PMI for emerging markets guys.

Posted by THEREALDEAL > 2020-04-03 15:04 | Report Abuse

As advanced economies adopted similar containment measures in March, a similar trajectory was also observed,

Posted by THEREALDEAL > 2020-04-03 15:05 | Report Abuse

What should we expect IF it is projected by Bank Negara that 2020 will be a recession year and it will be as bad as 2008 financial crisis?

Posted by traderstrades > 2020-04-03 15:07 | Report Abuse

yo yo yo guys, seems like a good buy when there is blood in the street! yahoooo

Posted by Mredar > 2020-04-06 08:47 | Report Abuse

Managing expectations..colud Arbb toich 0.30 ¢ by end aprl

Posted by Mredar > 2020-04-06 08:47 | Report Abuse

Today expectation ?

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-06 13:09 | Report Abuse

Covid-19: Negative test doesn’t mean you’re home-free … and no, vitamin C doesn’t stop it

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-06 13:09 | Report Abuse

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): People whose test results for Covid-19 come back negative remain at risk of being infected with the virus, says the Health Ministry’s (MOH) family medicine specialist Dr Zienna Zufida Zainol Rashid.

She said that might happen if such individuals are exposed to risk, such as having close contact with a Covid-19 patient.

"In this situation, the person may get infected. ... if you tested negative once, (this) does not mean you will remain negative in the future, ” she said during the Ministry’s Facebook live-stream on ‘Kenali Covid-19’ (Get to know COVID-19) Friday (April 3).

The live-stream, which also included the Ministry’s medical specialist Dr Aizuniza Abdullah, was aimed at answering questions on Covid-19 posted by the public.

Elaborating, Dr Zienna said it was therefore important for people to adopt preventive measures such as washing their hands, social distancing, and staying at home to contain the spread of the outbreak.

Meanwhile, on claims that vitamin C could prevent Covid-19, Dr Zienna said so far no studies have proven it.

"Generally, vitamin C can be taken as a supplement but not to prevent Covid-19. No studies have suggested it, ” she said.

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-06 13:10 | Report Abuse

Haha, vit-c so powerful nowadays

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-06 13:11 | Report Abuse

Vitamin C ... the true n effective way to treat Covid-19 ! - No i am just joking, sometimes vitamin-c also could not prevent flu or cold... jajaja

Posted by mf > 2020-04-06 13:12 | Report Abuse

sell

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-06 13:14 | Report Abuse

Any supplement or what so ever can work if we constantly intake. otherwise buy or take lemon, cut it and drink with warm water...or can buy madu kelulut, 灵芝 also ok....Powerful supplement...

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-06 13:19 | Report Abuse

Covid-19: Govt should introduce free mass testing post-MCO

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-06 13:19 | Report Abuse

Malaysia must from learn from the best practices of other countries like South Korea, Singapore and China in the invisible war against the Covid-19 pandemic so as not to repeat the nightmares that other countries like Italy, Spain, France, United Kingdom and United States are undergoing.

There are many battles to be won in the Covid-19 pandemic. The first one is the information war — to make Malaysians understand why it is necessary to put the Malaysian economy and society in a lockdown to halt the spread of Covid-19 by breaking the chain of transmission of the virus.

It is worth noting that Nepal imposed a full lockdown on March 24 when it had a second case of Covid-19. Eleven days later on April 3, it has six confirmed cases but no death.

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-06 13:20 | Report Abuse

Second, we must win the public health war against Covid-19, to contain the transmission of the novel coronavirus. Until a vaccine against Covid-19 is developed in 12 — 18 months’ time, social distancing through lockdown is the only way to break the chain of transmission and “flatten the curve”.

We must boost the Covid-19 testing facilities to track down people with symptoms, identify their contacts and quarantine them until they are no longer infectious, as well as ramping up the number of ventilators and hospital beds.

South Korea had been among the most aggressive when it comes to testing. The country prioritised identifying and isolating people testing positive for the disease, and developed capacity to run about 15,000 diagnostic tests a day. It has conducted more than 300,000 tests to date, free of charge, including in drive-through testing booths since replicated elsewhere.

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-06 13:20 | Report Abuse

Malaysia’s Covid-19 testing capability is now increased to 11,500 a day and aims to reach 16,500 a day. When the Covid-19 outbreak began, Malaysia’s testing capability was only at 3,500 a day.

As part of a “whatever it takes” approach to win the invisible war against Covid-19, the government should immediately ramp up Covid-19 testing in Malaysia to introduce mass testing freely and widely available to all Malaysians so that
Covid-19 mass testing becomes a vital post-movement control order (MCO) strategy to revive the Malaysian economic engine.

The third war is for Malaysia to survive and win the post-MCO coronavirus pandemic economics.

In Germany, Covid-19 pandemic economics will see almost half a million companies in Germany sending their staff on short-term working schemes — known as “Kurzarbeit” — to trim their payroll costs with immediate effect.

Short-term working worked well as a tool to prevent massive layoffs during the last financial crisis in 2008. It sends people home or slashes their hours substantially, but keeps them officially employed with the state funding around two-thirds of their salary.

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-06 13:20 | Report Abuse

Essentially, workers get as much as two-thirds of their pay even if they don’t work. And the company is not burdened by staff costs in times of severe economic stress.

The German government expects some 2.35 million people to be drawing “Kurzarbeitergeld” during the Covid pandemic, which could cost the German Federal Labor Office more than 10 billion euros.

In United Kingdom pandemic economics, the government is covering 80 per cent of workers’ pay, up to 2,500 pounds a month.

The Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, should give serious consideration to these good practices for the Covid-19 pandemic economics for his long-awaited second economic rescue package, which should prioritise the government’s rescue of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) omitted in his first rescue package.

Posted by Wellington Sky > 2020-04-06 13:21 | Report Abuse

A blind mass screening is wasteful! The best method is applying AI screen where infected patients pass movement could be traced through their smartphone hence sending out alert to bystanders who came near them during those crucial 2 weeks! This way, disinfection can be focused and bystanders can be screen effectively!

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-06 13:23 | Report Abuse

AI screening? Suddenly privacy is not an issue anymore?

Posted by Elaine Tan > 2020-04-06 13:25 | Report Abuse

Happy, enjoying my fattening lunch today

Posted by RevenueQueenie > 2020-04-06 13:26 | Report Abuse

Agreed with Wellington Sky, mass screening is waste of valuable/limited resources because a negative test result today did not prevent you from infected by others tomorrow. The best is assume we are all infected and wear mask, social distancing and washing hands to prevent us from spreading the virus to others.

Posted by RevenueQueenie > 2020-04-06 13:28 | Report Abuse

By the way, Elaine Tan so happy today, mostly one of the reasons is Arbb price going up pace by pace stably!

Posted by QuellingBlaster > 2020-04-06 13:31 | Report Abuse

ho ho

Posted by QuellingBlaster > 2020-04-06 13:32 | Report Abuse

an antibody test is coming soon.......

Thailand already has one.......


an antibody test can confirm u already have immunity...and u are then free to do what u want.............and will not be a danger to others.



In Europe , between 1 - 11% of the people have already been infected and when tested negative on the antigen test but positive on the antibody test...........these are the supermen to the rescue.............

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-06 13:37 | Report Abuse

Free subsidy test screening follow by medicine drug Remdesivir must be easily accessible at all pharmacies besides public hospital. Let private sector also help to cure fast, if any.Test is pre-emptive fast to identify at early stage as many not even know when they get infected and may be too late by the time showing symptoms

Posted by alipay88 > 2020-04-06 13:39 | Report Abuse

Govt should introduce free mass testing post-MCO — Lim Kit Siang

post-MCO, when ppl in the high risks areas in known clusters are tested,identify,isolated & treated, it is timely to move mass testing of the population, pending the availability of new vaccines to deal with covid19.

Mass testing is the only way to identify the silent asymptomatic carriers who can spread the covid19 virus to ppl, n eradicate the menace from our population.

Posted by MoneyMaker168 > 2020-04-06 13:41 | Report Abuse

If Tested positive must be isolated for treatment. Guess human are prune to phobia of social isolation causing many avoid go for test even if its free

Posted by QuellingBlaster > 2020-04-06 13:41 | Report Abuse

ho ho

Posted by Elaine Tan > 2020-04-06 13:43 | Report Abuse

Its true RevenueQueenie

RevenueQueenie By the way, Elaine Tan so happy today, mostly one of the reasons is Arbb price going up pace by pace stably!

Posted by THEREALDEAL > 2020-04-06 13:46 | Report Abuse

My experience sharing in i3investor

“A wise man adapts himself to circumstances, as water shapes itself to the vessel that contains it.”

I started sharing in i3investor from the knowledge I have acquired through some of the super investors in US and a couple from locally. I started with writing comments and sharing some investing strategies such as the Magic Formula, Cold Eye 5 yardsticks, high dividend yield investing strategy, as well as asset-based investing. Many people in i3investors asked me if their stocks met those criteria, and I have taken the time and trouble to find out through the financial statements and answered them accordingly based on quantitative analysis. I still remembered many of those stocks which I suggested meeting the criteria jumped in prices. Those were the good times and I think I have sowed some goodwill in i3investor.

Posted by THEREALDEAL > 2020-04-06 13:47 | Report Abuse

the financial interpretation and analysis and valuation of the stocks in the portfolios. The first portfolio generated a return of 146%, compared with the benchmark index’s return of 20% over the five-year period; and the second 175% versus the benchmark of 10% over the same period.

Even then, there were numerous attacks on me personally for investing in a couple of companies (out of 20) which did not perform well, and on a microcap company which its share price actually rose way above its perceived intrinsic value in a short-term of a couple of months. That raised the doubt of my value investing strategy. I had to spend quite some time to “defend” them. That was really a waste of my time. This was my main reason which I do not wish to share my stock pick to the public. What for?

Posted by THEREALDEAL > 2020-04-06 13:47 | Report Abuse

There are so many academic researches and the experience of many super investors in the world showing that it works, it always works in the long-term, as well as the short-term, but not all the time true in the latter though?

There are other reasons which I do not wish to tell what stocks I buy.

I could be wrong in my assessment, and I might have cut loss later. I do not wish to inform anyone or justify those mistakes nor my action. I have better thing to do with my time.
My personal risk profile and time horizon is different from yours. I could be investing for cyclic stocks at the low cycle for potentially high gain in short to midterm. Or I could be investing in high quality stock for long-term and it takes a long time for things to play out, and meanwhile if you follow me, you will be cursing that when other stocks are booming but mine not
The kind of business I am interested is different from yours, for example I may like to invest in high dividend yield and high free cash flows liquor company, tobacco and gaming but you don’t like sin stuff. You may like banking stocks, but I may not.
My knowledge in other companies is limited, but they could be better companies to invest in. Hence following me may miss your chance of better investment.