Boston has the first confirmed case of coronavirus (Harvard: homes, universities)

[Bettafish]

So it begins....
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A man who recently traveled back to Boston from Wuhan, China, has been diagnosed as the first Massachusetts resident with the new coronavirus, and the eighth case confirmed in the U.S., state health officials said Saturday.

https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local...setts/2070535/

[parentologist]

So, a man in his 20's in Boston who had recently traveled back from Wuhan? Whaddya think the odds are that he's a student at one of the Boston universities? Who lives in crowded circumstances? Who may have visited a crowded university campus while contagious, but before he was diagnosed and quarantined?

Naaah. Probably was a solitary online worker who lived alone, never saw anyone, in the whole time since he got on the plane in China. Nothing to be concerned about. Everything is under control. Oh, and we're stopping entry to non-US nationals who've been in China recently... tomorrow night.

[Bettafish]

Originally Posted by parentologist

So, a man in his 20's in Boston who had recently traveled back from Wuhan? Whaddya think the odds are that he's a student at one of the Boston universities? Who lives in crowded circumstances? Who may have visited a crowded university campus while contagious, but before he was diagnosed and quarantined?

Naaah. Probably was a solitary online worker who lived alone, never saw anyone, in the whole time since he got on the plane in China. Nothing to be concerned about. Everything is under control. Oh, and we're stopping entry to non-US nationals who've been in China recently... tomorrow night.

Most cities in China have traced those who traveled to Wuhan recently and monitor/quarantine them. Probably the US should do the same.
Several days ago, a Chinese friend of mine said her mother just came to Los Angels from Wuhan and nobody asked her anything at LAX.

[masssachoicetts]

Hainan Airlines flights to PVG and PEK have been suspended as of tomorrow.

[parentologist]

Perhaps? PERHAPS???? We should have denied entry from China about a week ago, except for US citizens being brought back under controlled circumstances with a 14 day individual quarantine, and viral nasopharyngeal swab testing for those people, too. A half-hearted policy is being implemented tomorrow night, but it's already too late.

Think of all the Chinese students who have come back to US campuses, some of whom are surely infected, and contagious, before they develop symptoms. Think of what is going to happen when it gets out that there is coronavirus on US campuses - it's already happening at ASU. Students are going to flee home to their parents' homes, and some of them will already be infected, and spread it there. That will be unstoppable.

[redplum33]

I read an article that said surgical masks are completely sold out everywhere in RI. But I don't think it's because RIers are anticipating a problem. I think people bought them all up to send to China. I would assume the same thing will happen in MA (if it hasn't happened already).

[parentologist]

He is a UMass Boston student. Aren't those largely commuter students (thankfully)? If so, and if he hadn't yet gone to class, he might not have spread it. Spring semester classes began Jan 27th, so maybe he hadn't gone to class yet.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by parentologist

He is a UMass Boston student. Aren't those largely commuter students (thankfully)? If so, and if he hadn't yet gone to class, he might not have spread it. Spring semester classes began Jan 27th, so maybe he hadn't gone to class yet.

He would probably take public transportation. Red line to JFK/UMass?

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by masssachoicetts

Hainan Airlines flights to PVG and PEK have been suspended as of tomorrow.

Too late, as has been most of the response to this. Harvard sent out a long message to students, faculty and staff instructing them to report any sickness. I am sure they have many students from the Wuhan area who have returned to the US and campus in the past few weeks.

[Bettafish]

Originally Posted by porterhouse

Too late, as has been most of the response to this. Harvard sent out a long message to students, faculty and staff instructing them to report any sickness. I am sure they have many students from the Wuhan area who have returned to the US and campus in the past few weeks.

Wuhan is the largest city in central China, with a population of 11 million. Pretty much all major US cities have people from there every week.