Duterte 'inclined' to extend COVID-19 quarantine to April 30

President Rodrigo Duterte is "inclined" to extend the enhanced community quarantine currently in place over Luzon to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a televised address on Monday night, Duterte said government was looking to extend the quarantine to last until April 30.

"We are inclined to extend the lockdown up to April 30. Tingnan natin after that," Duterte said.

"In the meantime, magdo-double time kami doon sa tinatawag ninyong middle class," Duterte said. —JST, GMA News

11 to 100,000: What went wrong with coronavirus testing in the U.S.

“We have it totally under control.”  — President Trump, in an interview, on Jan. 22

“We're in great shape in our country. We have 11, and the 11 are getting better. ”   — Trump, in remarks, on Feb. 10

“You may ask about the coronavirus, which is very well under control in our country.”  — Trump, in a news conference, on Feb. 25

“It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear.” — Trump, in remarks, on Feb. 27

“Anybody that needs a test, gets a test. They’re there. They have the tests. And the tests are beautiful.”  — Trump, in remarks at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, March 6

When the first U.S. case of the novel coronavirus was confirmed, President Trump assured the American people that the situation was “totally under control.” Cabinet officials, the vice president and the president repeated that refrain throughout February. By the end of that month, as global financial markets and the American public started to quiver, Trump held firm: “You may ask about the coronavirus, which is very well under control in our country.” 

With the clarity of hindsight, it is obvious the situation was very much not under control. In reality, a lack of testing gave a false picture of how many people across the country were infected.

Through government documents, testimony, news reports and interviews, The Fact Checker video team has reconstructed events that left the government blind to the virus’s spread, and examined how those errors opened the door for 11 confirmed cases to balloon to more than 100,000 in less than six weeks. 

The Facts

The novel coronavirus was first detected in early December in Wuhan, China. Chinese officials reported the pneumonia-like disease to the World Health Organization (WHO) at the end of December, but neglected to mention growing evidence that the virus could spread by human-to-human transmission through airborne droplets.

Still, China’s previous failures to be forthcoming about public health crises meant that public health officials elsewhere already were wary of its government’s official statements. As reports of the mysterious virus increased, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned Americans against traveling to China and activated an emergency management tool used to direct operations, deliver resources and share information.

Despite the alarm bells and increased intelligence briefings, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar struggled to get Trump’s attention for weeks. 

'I conquered coronavirus': Diabetic teacher, 26, tells how she battled back to health

A teacher who has diabetes and a debilitating lung and liver condition, has spoken out after battling back to health from Covid-19.

Sarah Hall, who had her 26th birthday while suffering last week, gave her harrowing account.

Her symptoms started when she started to feel more tired than usual, and freezing cold, before the tell-tale cough arrived.

She started self-isolating and gradually felt more dizzy and struggled to breath.

She told the Telegraph: "I struggled to breathe and felt constantly dizzy – I felt like I was about to pass out, but I tried to keep calm, drink plenty of water and keep as busy as I could.

"By Friday I think I’m feeling better. I’m not coughing as much, my breathing is steadier and my fever isn't as erratic...oh how wrong I am!

"Friday afternoon and I’m sweating. The first sign that I’m not over this. Then – bam! I flop on the couch. Black out. Vomiting. Coughing fit. Stop breathing for a second.

"Over the next few hours I fluctuate quite rapidly between feeling better to feeling horrendous. By the end of the day I’ve been sick four times and I’ve had multiple dizziness or black out episodes."

Unsure if she should go to hospital and take up a space, she called 111, who confirmed her symptoms.

She was told she would have to wait about 10 hours for an ambulance, but eventually was driven to the hospital by her boyfriend.

Sarah was diagnosed with covid-19, and given fluids before eventually being discharged and is recovering at home.

She added: "By day seven of the virus I felt better and the symptoms started to lessen. My birthday was ruined though – I couldn't blow out candles!

"It's not pleasant but I have a lung condition as well as diabetes and I conquered the virus."

Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/

Coronavirus: Thai king self-isolates in Alpine hotel with harem of 20 women amid pandemic

Thailand’s controversial king has been self-isolating in a luxury hotel in the Alpine resort town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen with his entourage.

King Maha Vajiralongkorn, also known as Rama X, is said to have booked out the entire Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl after the four-star hotel received “special permission” from the district council to accommodate his party.

The 67-year-old king’s entourage included a “harem” of 20 concubines and numerous servants, reported German tabloid Bild. It is unclear if his four wives are living in the hotel with the rest of the group.

Guesthouses and hotels in the region were ordered to close due to the coronavirus crisis, but a spokesperson for the local district council said the Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl was an exception because “the guests are a single, homogenous group of people with no fluctuation”.

However, 119 members of the entourage had been reportedly sent back to Thailand on suspicions they contracted the highly contagious respiratory disease.

News of Vajiralongkorn’s apparent self-isolation in a luxury location was met with anger by tens of thousands of Thai people, who risked breaking the country’s lèse-majesté laws by criticising him online.

Under the laws, anyone who insults or criticises the monarchy could be imprisoned for up to 15 years.

But a Thai hashtag which translated to “Why do we need a king?” appeared 1.2 million times on Twitter within 24 hours after an activist claimed Vijaralongkorn was travelling on holiday in Germany while the outbreak continued to spread across Thailand.

The Thai Ministry of Public Health announced on Saturday 109 new cases in the country, bringing the total number of infections to 1,245.

Activist Somsak Jeamteerasakul, who lives in exile in France, posted a series of Facebook posts that claimed Vajiralongkorn was flying from Switzerland to various points in Germany from early March out of “boredom”.

Mr Jeamteerasakul is a vocal critic of Thailand’s monarchy and lèse-majesté laws, and said in one post: “[Vajiralongkorn will] let the Thai people worry about the virus. Even Germany is worried about the virus [but] it’s none of his business.”

The Thai king has not made a public appearance in his home country since February, reported The Times.

His reign in Thailand began in 2016 after the death of his father, Bhumibol. Although there is no way to gauge his popularity among Thais because of severe lèse-majesté laws, it is believed he is not as well-loved as his father, who ruled for over 70 years.

Source: msn news