Question of the day
Friday, Jan 31, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* NBC 5…
The infant grandson of a Chicago man who was diagnosed with coronavirus has developed a fever and is being tested for the virus, family members told NBC News.
The baby and other family members who had close contact with the man were under isolation following the recent diagnosis. The infant was taken to an area hospital after his fever developed, though it remains unclear if the child was experiencing any other symptoms and the cause of the fever remained unclear.
At least 21 people were under investigation for potential coronavirus exposure in Illinois as of Thursday, state health officials said.
The child’s grandfather this week became the second person to test positive in the state and the first case of human-to-human transmission in the U.S., health officials announced. The man’s wife, who had traveled to Wuhan, China - the epicenter of the recent outbreak - was diagnosed with coronavirus last week.
* The Question: How concerned are you about the coronavirus? Explain.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 2:51 pm:
I’m not freaking out about it, but I take the El everyday, as do my kids. I like to think that on-going exposure to so many strangers and their germs helps strengthen my immune system, but once this thing get loose in the general population, I’m more likely to come in contact with it.
Now I’m going to go and wash my hands again.
- Keyrock - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 2:52 pm:
Mild concern at this time. I’m more concerned about the effects on our republic of the U.S.Senate’s sham impeachment trial.
- Ron Burgundy - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 2:59 pm:
Not very. Only isolated cases here and it seems like a different strain of the flu in terms of its intensity. Bad for vulnerable populations but not something of Stephen King level.
- Just Me 2 - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:00 pm:
Somewhat. I live next to a super cute Chinese community in Chicago (one where they hang ducks in the windows and have big New Year celebrations) but I’m not going to those businesses and restaurants for a while. I’m flying through ORD in a couple weeks and was getting concerned until the airlines stopped Chinese service today. Maybe I’m concerned over nothing but I’ve lived through some crazy stuff man, and I don’t want a stupid virus to be what does it in for me.
I still wanna’ see Blago the day he gets released!
- Tom Collins - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:01 pm:
Mildly nervous. The Chinese probably are under-reporting the scope of the epidemic, which means this could be more contagious than disclosed. That said, which is more dangerous: Coronavirus or the U.S. flu that’s killed 8,000?
- SSL - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:01 pm:
I have concern, particularly for all those with compromised immune systems. The hidden incubation period suggests that the numbers are going to get much bigger.
- Last Bull Moose - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:02 pm:
Mild concern but rising. I don’t think we are getting the whole story. China has quarantined a city of some ten million people. I hope our CDC is playing straight up, but in the government of Trump anything can be a lie. (Not wearing my tinfoil hat yet, but keeping tinfoil on hand. )
Does not help that each of the four members of my household is in a high risk group.
- wildcat12 - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:03 pm:
Only slightly concerned. The flu is transmitted the same way, if I’m not mistaken, and it kills thousands every year. The only thing that makes me a little more wary is that there is no vaccine against the coronavirus.
- pool boy - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:10 pm:
Slightly, I am more concerned with Mike Madigan.
- North Park - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:10 pm:
It worries me that people think the flu is more dangerous because the number of people who die from it is higher.
The flu kills about 0.1% of people who get it. This coronavirus, if the numbers out of China are accurate, is killing 2% of those infected. That’s incredibly more lethal.
- Drake Mallard - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:13 pm:
I am taking it more serious than the regular flu. Medical face masks sales are depleting shelves in a lot of City. I made sure I got some. Better to have and not need the need and not have
- 32nd warder - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:15 pm:
i’m more concerned about dipping the first chip in the taco dip at the super bowl party, and the ensuing GI problems i will experience.
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:20 pm:
===Bad for vulnerable populations but not something of Stephen King level.===
Until they name one “Captain Trips” I’m not worried.
- Nagidam - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:23 pm:
I’m concerned at the speed at which this virus is moving and the lack of protection against it like a flu shot. The lethality is alarming. If china says they have 10K cases that means they have triple that. I can’t remember if during the SARS scare countries were closed down. That is alarming.
- Twirling Towards Freedom - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:26 pm:
North Park’s point is valid, but you also have to consider the likelihood that the number of infections is underreported. A person may be infected but not seek medical treatment because the symptoms are not severe. That person would not be diagnosed and therefore would not be included in the numbers. So the lethality of the virus is probably lower than the numbers would suggest.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:26 pm:
===during the SARS scare countries were closed down.===
The feds just declared a “public health emergency” which means they can deny entry to any foreign national who poses a risk of spreading it. Not that this administration needed any further incentive to close the borders, but you never want to let a crisis go to waste.
- Soccermom - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:27 pm:
I am way more concerned about measles.
- Seriously? - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:27 pm:
I’m more concerned about the economic implications as more and more regions are quarantined for unknown amounts of time.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:35 pm:
Only a little concerned right now but I would be very concerned if China loses containment. And I have very little faith that China is being transparent in its process - I suspect both the number of cases and fatalities is much higher than they’re claiming.
As long as the outbreak is contained, my biggest concern is the economic impact, which is already going to be pretty substantial.
- A Guy - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:37 pm:
I’m paying attention and keeping it in focus. Not alarmed. But definitely aware.
- illinifan - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:51 pm:
Not concerned. The flu right now is actually more devastating than this virus. The CDC estimates around 10000 persons have died from flu this season. The core is remember to wash hands. In DuPage County the head of the Health Department also stressed that the flu is currently higher risk than this virus.
- phocion - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 3:54 pm:
When SARS was a concern, Ken Dunkin represented Chinatown and reassured everyone that all is well. Where are the statesmen we need today?
- JS Mill - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 4:01 pm:
I am concerned about the flu in general, it is spreading like wildfire in our school. Corona virus? Not much.
My greatest concern is the insidious power creep of the religious right and their Trump hypocrisy.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 4:13 pm:
Somewhat concerned for society not especially concerned personally. It seems like it will probably impact the very young and very old the worse, which is bad, but I don’t think I’m personally at risk.
- West Sider - Friday, Jan 31, 20 @ 4:24 pm:
Two weeks ago, my college student kid told me they were doing their required fall semester abroad- in China. Where I asked? Some place I’d never heard of- but now- everybody has- Wuhan.