Althouse: "The health official leading Iran’s coronavirus task force has tested positive."

February 25, 2020

"The health official leading Iran’s coronavirus task force has tested positive."

The NYT reports.

42 comments:

Howard said...: That's what happens when you choose the wrong superpower Ally; 2/25/20, 8:49 AM
Dave Begley said...: I heard today on CNBC that an AMERICAN company has already come up with what might be a vaccine within 30 days. One industry person said that was an "indoor record." The rest of the story is that the company will give it to the Chinese and they will probably test it on prisoners; bypassing all of our safeguards.

Worth noting that America leads the world in pharma and biotech. Iran has next to nothing.; 2/25/20, 8:51 AM
Nonapod said...: Some "health official". I wouldn't interact with anyone who was even remotely suspected of having coronovirus without a Tyvek suit and respirator.; 2/25/20, 8:53 AM
mccullough said...: The Mullahs are going to shoot down another plane in anger; 2/25/20, 8:54 AM
rhhardin said...: It's transmitted by the male gaze.; 2/25/20, 8:57 AM
Lucid-Ideas said...: After traveling all over the world, you realize that many countries and cultures have these archaic cleanliness regimes that were - at one point - cleaner than their ancestors were for an as yet not globalized planet, but are little more than window dressing now.

The lack of hygiene in Arab and ME countries is really shocking, especially when you consider how important 'cleanliness' is supposedly within Islam (haram prohibitions against spoilage, foods, etc. etc.). If you live among them for any length of time you realize this immediately. Absolutely NOT clean or hygienic. But you can expect that from countries which truly believe female immodesty causes earthquakes and communal prayer in the mosque renders one 'invulnerable' to disease during that time on holy ground.

Other cultures other than in ME also have this problem. Superstitions ranging from TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) to lack of understanding personal space and physical contact (like greeting everyone with a kiss).; 2/25/20, 8:59 AM
Dave Begley said...: I understand that China doesn't have decent restrooms. And per a WSJ story from about 10 years ago, babies don't wear diapers. They just run around without bottoms and poop all over the place.; 2/25/20, 9:03 AM
Dave Begley said...: I read "Generation Kill" after I read "One Bullet Away." Both are about the same Marine Corps platoon during the Iraq invasion. The two books are very different. But in "Generation Kill" one Marine said many of the problems in the ME could be solved if they had flush toilets.; 2/25/20, 9:07 AM
Eleanor said...: The problem with the "moderates" going after Biden to get him out of the race is Bernie is the second choice of a lot of Biden's supporters, not one of the "moderates".; 2/25/20, 9:08 AM
Leland said...: Now that is motivation!; 2/25/20, 9:09 AM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: Never take your work home with you.; 2/25/20, 9:18 AM
Char Char Binks, Esq. said...: At last, some good news!; 2/25/20, 9:21 AM
Mr Wibble said...: This really is the Best Timeline.; 2/25/20, 9:22 AM
Howard said...: Apparently a Massachusetts drug company is ready to ship and companies in California and Texas are on the verge.; 2/25/20, 9:26 AM
Nonapod said...: Who knows how far the virus may have spread in Iran? My sense is that assuming a few Chinese government officials visiting Iran were responsible for the initial transmission, it may just be confined to a few high level people in the Iranian regime. If so, those few people could be quarantined. But if it gets out to the general populace of Iran, they'd be in really big trouble.; 2/25/20, 9:26 AM
Howard said...: If the Iranians don't control it and it decimate the population one could imagine that having a destabilizing effect.; 2/25/20, 9:28 AM
narayanan said...: Blogger Nonapod said...

Who knows how far the virus may have spread in Iran? My sense is that assuming a few Chinese government officials visiting Iran were responsible for the initial transmission, it may just be confined to a few high level people in the Iranian regime
____+++++
I hope that includes mullah-tollahs; 2/25/20, 9:28 AM
mockturtle said...: Gee, maybe he didn't wash his hands. /sarc; 2/25/20, 9:30 AM
Iman said...: Q: What does the average Iranian male do when his wife withholds her affections at night?

A: Ghotzbadeh; 2/25/20, 9:34 AM
ga6 said...: Do a search on the term "benjo ditch".; 2/25/20, 9:35 AM
MadisonMan said...: This time, it's personal. I hope he makes a full recovery.; 2/25/20, 9:36 AM
MadisonMan said...: A: Ghotzbadeh

Wasn't that a Carnac the Magnificent joke?; 2/25/20, 9:36 AM
Openidname said...: It isn't news until he dies.; 2/25/20, 9:40 AM
tcrosse said...: Wasn't that a Carnac the Magnificent joke?

Al Franken, actually.; 2/25/20, 9:43 AM
Greg the class traitor said...: The ME's problem is that Mohamed was apparently OCD about cleanliness, but with 6th century understanding of disease, and very limited access to potable water. Along with no access to trees for making toilet paper. So he imposed a lot of rules, that were good for the time. and limitations

Their other problem is that they're still following his directions, rather than updating.; 2/25/20, 9:52 AM
Jack Klompus said...: The Gulf countries have pretty advanced infrastructure. The biggest problems I noticed were the enormous, obese children and the utter lack of any desire to lift a finger to do any work for themselves.; 2/25/20, 10:05 AM
Sebastian said...: "The health official leading Iran’s coronavirus task force has tested positive."

Is the CIA finally doing something useful?; 2/25/20, 10:38 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: I doubt that anyone is shipping vaccines yet, but apparently an antiviral that appears to work against COVID-19 (the Wuhan Coronavirus) has been shipped to the Chinese. Vaccines have to be individualized, because they often mutate fairy rapidly (hence the problem that flu (somewhat similar to coronaviruses) vaccines often mismatch the flu strains that we actually encounter). Also, as I understand it, vaccines have to be grown, which takes time, while antiviral medications are manufactured. The Chinese are good at making both, maybe best in the world. We tend to invent them, the Chines make them, and then they send them back to us. Keep in mind that the Wuhan Coronavirus was named less than two months ago (12/31/19).; 2/25/20, 11:00 AM
RichardJohnson said...: Bruce Hayden
The Chinese are good at making both, maybe best in the world. We tend to invent them, the Chines make them, and then they send them back to us.

It was not good policy for the US to import pharmaceuticals from China. We should make our own.; 2/25/20, 11:03 AM
Ignorance is Bliss said...: Sebastian said...

Is the CIA finally doing something useful?

I'm sure they're trying their best, but Trump is a germaphobe, and so far that has thwarted their efforts...; 2/25/20, 12:00 PM
David Begley said...: Gilead is the American company CNBC referenced.; 2/25/20, 12:54 PM
Howard said...: https://www.wsj.com/articles/drugmaker-moderna-delivers-first-coronavirus-vaccine-for-human-testing-11582579099; 2/25/20, 12:59 PM
pacwest said...: The economic consequences of this are pretty big. While the American economy is going to slow for a couple of quarters (1.5% GDP growth?) the flight of supply chains out of China which had already started because of the trade war is going to intensify. Mexico and SE Asia are going to be the winners. China is going to take a massive hit. There is going to be some political fallout too.

If it turns into a full blown pandemic at the same time that Trump is realigning the world order it's hard imagine the changes that could take place.

2 cents; 2/25/20, 1:03 PM
chuck said...: I think Iran has the potential to be a coronavirus disaster if it isn't already.; 2/25/20, 1:15 PM
Jim at said...: The Mullahs are going to shoot down another plane in anger ... and leftists will again blame Trump.; 2/25/20, 1:19 PM
Ray - SoCal said...: SE Asia may have the same CoronaVirus issues as China soon.

Or

CoronaVirus May due poorly in hotter areas, and with warmer temperatures will recede.

South Korea, Wuhan, Qoms, and northern Italy are all pretty cold this time of year.

The lack of rapid growth in number of cases in HK and Taiwan is heartening.; 2/25/20, 1:51 PM
Ray - SoCal said...: The lack of a quick way to test is a big issue. As of a week ago Hawaii has zero test kits per the WSJ.

Some countries are not testing at all. A test costs a couple hundred to process right now.; 2/25/20, 1:54 PM
Nichevo said...: chuck said...
I think Iran has the potential to be a coronavirus disaster if it isn't already.

Sad!; 2/25/20, 1:58 PM
Scott M said...: scha·den·freu·de /ˈSHädənˌfroidə/ noun - pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune. Example: "The health official leading Iran’s coronavirus task force has tested positive."; 2/25/20, 2:53 PM
Scott M said...: I think Iran has the potential to be a coronavirus disaster if it isn't already.

It took me a whole two seconds to think of what I would do if I were in power in Iran and truly wanted to hurt the Great Satan.; 2/25/20, 2:54 PM
Gk1 said...: As much as I can gather from Facebook most liberals are more concerned on how best to weaponize this coronavirus outbreak against Trump. They really have only one shot at this and want to make sure he's blamed even if it means millions dying. Keep hope alive!; 2/25/20, 3:16 PM
Balfegor said...: Re: Nonapod:

Who knows how far the virus may have spread in Iran? My sense is that assuming a few Chinese government officials visiting Iran were responsible for the initial transmission, it may just be confined to a few high level people in the Iranian regime. If so, those few people could be quarantined. But if it gets out to the general populace of Iran, they'd be in really big trouble.

Assuming their diagnoses on cause of death are accurate, no way it's confined to a few high level people. They say 12 dead. There's a law of small numbers effect, but the overall mortality rate is a little under 3%, largely from Wuhan. You extrapolate that out, and 12 deaths implies something like 400 infected. They've identified 95 cases so likely a majority of cases are still undetected. Again, law of small numbers here, extrapolating from only 12 deaths, so they could have a lot more, or a lot less. On the "lot more" side, mortality outside of Hubei province is <1%, so 12 dead could translate into >1200 cases, worse than Korea.; 2/25/20, 5:21 PM