Coronavirus Update for Wednesday, June 17, 2020

It has been a few days since my last entry here. Not entirely sure why there was that unexpected three day break from publishing anything here. Not sure if it was laziness, or being busy doing other things, or that I did not know exactly what to post, or anything.

However, I am back. My girlfriend tested positive for Covid-19 a little more than two weeks ago, but she had very mild symptoms, and her period of quarantine is over. She is now back at work, and life is, more or less, getting back to relative normality. At least the normality that existed during this whole Covid-19 pandemic.

As for me, I tested negative. Still also had to self-quarantine, which I did. But it also has been two weeks, and I am set to return back to my normal schedule late this week, into the weekend. With a mixed blend of pleasure to go back, and some reluctance as well. On some level, admittedly, it was nice staying home and not driving anywhere at all some days. The last time that I got gas was maybe a week and a half ago, maybe even two weeks ago now. Other than vacation, the last time that I could say that was well over twenty years ago, and maybe more like over a quarter of a century ago. Plus, it was a relaxing few weeks, and I feel relatively well-rested, even though I was actually working from home, with my job having provided a laptop to make it possible. 

For that, I am most appreciative. After all, I get paid, and it was nice. Strange to work from home, to be able to get up and open the refrigerator and get a snack or a glass of water, or make some coffee, or whatever, while technically working. It was a bit strange, but pleasant, mostly. And yes, admittedly, this new, temporary routine will be missed. 

In any case, while at least one very personal chapter of the coronavirus - one that obviously hit home quite literally - ends for us, the pandemic continues.

I see more and more people questioning the seriousness of it, and the need to wear masks. Some are outright implying that it was all a hoax, and that the media jumped from that to the collapsing economy to the race riots, and now back to the coronavirus, and that they are keeping us in fear. On some level, I understand and can even agree. But on the other, I also know that many of these same Americans subscribe to Donald Trump's version of the truth, that this was all one big hoax to hurt him, or America, or weaken the American economy. And that, frankly, is just an unacceptable conspiracy theory, one that no thinking person with an ounce of objectivity should give into without question, as so many seem to have done. 

The crisis is real. Frankly, it is hard to believe that so many people have a hard time believing in it, since outbreaks of deadly diseases and pandemics have, in fact, been the norm throughout world history, consistently through recorded history. 

As of right now, there have been over 8,393,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 around the world. Over 4,400,000 have recovered, while over 450,000 have died, globally. 

The United States still has far more confirmed cases than any other nation, with more than 2, 234,000 confirmed cases. There have been nearly 120,000 deaths from the coronavirus in the United States as well. Both of those stats remain far and away higher than any other country, and the United States, with under five percent of the world's population, has more than a quarter of all the confirmed cases of, and all of the deaths from, Covid-19.

However, the level of severity of the coronavirus pandemic in Brazil has been making the biggest news in recent weeks, as that nation has jumped ahead of all other countries except for the United States, both in confirmed cases and deaths. Brazil has seen over 960,000 cases, and suffered well over 46,000 deaths from the coronavirus. 

The next country that has raised eyebrows with how quickly the coronavirus pandemic has dramatically increased there is India. This is not entirely a surprise, as India has the second largest population of any country in the world, right behind China. And there are many poor people packed tightly into slums, where practicing social distancing is extremely difficult, if not impossible, perhaps even more than Brazil. India has over 367,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19, which is the fourth highest total of any country in the world, behind the United States, Brazil, and Russia (a little more on Russia shortly). For now, India's death total remains relatively low, at just over 12,000. 

Europe as a continent remains a hotspot for the coronavirus. Russia has the most confirmed cases, with over 553,000, although their total death from coronavirus remains relatively low compared to other nations, with less than 7,500. The United Kingdom has the next most confirmed cases, with over 299,000, the fifth most of any nation in the world. And it has suffered over 42,000 deaths from the disease, the third most of any nation in the world. Spain has over 291,000 cases, with over 27,000 deaths, and Italy has over 237,000 cases, with over 34,000 cases. Germany has more than 190,000 confirmed cases, but a relatively low death count of less than 9,000. France has over 158,000 confirmed cases, with a relatively high death count of over 29,000. 

Some other hotspots scattered around the world include Peru and Chile in South America, Turkey in both Europe and Asia, Mexico in North America, and Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in Asia. South Africa has the most confirmed cases of any African nation at over 80,000, although the death count is relatively low at under 1,600.