Trying to keep a lid in this is going to be very very difficult. Some countries will cope better than others but I don't see how we can stop a pandemic now.

Originally Posted by: Ally Pally Snowman 

Trying to keep a lid in this is going to be very very difficult. Some countries will cope better than others but I don't see how we can stop a pandemic now.

Originally Posted by: Ally Pally Snowman 

There are only 23 countries that currently have the virus so I think we have a way to go yet. 

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

25 if you include Indonesia and NK which almost certainly have it.

And you only need sustained transmission in 1 to get a pandemic. Exponential growth in South Korea, Iran and potentially Japan too.

The chance of stopping a pandemic is diminishing by the hour.

Originally Posted by: Quantum 

North Korea called off its Pyongyang Marathon scheduled for April after imposing a border lockdown and travel curbs to prevent a coronavirus outbreak.

Surely it is only a matter of time before the Tokyo Olympics are called off. July is not that far away.

Originally Posted by: Maunder Minimum 

The World Health Organization defines pandemic as the worldwide spread of a new disease. 

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

And when sustained local transmission is occuring in China, Iran, South Korea and probably Japan, North Korea and Indonesia what are the chances of stopping the worldwide spread of the disease?

Originally Posted by: Quantum 

There are only 23 countries that currently have the virus so I think we have a way to go yet. 

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

Unlike you, I prefer to focus on what is actually happening rather than panicking about what could happen. I continue to lead a normal life and am looking forward to the comedy festival I'm attending this weekend.

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

It's 32 including Taiwan,  Macau  and Hong Kong,  9 only have one case though, but we are only at the very beginning of this. 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%25E2%2580%259320_Wuhan_coronavirus_outbreak&ved=2ahUKEwjSzLOq9-LnAhUYHMAKHVcNBHkQFjAAegQIBhAB&usg=AOvVaw2XfJy5i-ODaEcBouI1HXvE

Originally Posted by: Ally Pally Snowman 

And this is the danger of complacency when it occurs at the highest level. Donald Trump literally had passengars from the diamond princess fly commercially back to the US. Two later tested positive.

Originally Posted by: Quantum 

It's far easier to prevent alarm in the future if sensible precautions are taken in the present. The time to put out a fire is not when it has blown wildy out of control.

Originally Posted by: Quantum 

 To be fair it is coming to all us. It's simply a matter of timing so there's little point in stressing too much about it. 

Originally Posted by: Brian Gaze 

You still think it's sensible to cancel all social events when there is only one case in the UK then?

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

you are wrong and I was too. There are only currently 22 confirmed countries with current cases. 9 countries have fully resolved all their cases with no deaths and the Philippines has no cases with one death.

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

You still think it's sensible to cancel all social events when there is only one case in the UK then?

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

Exactly what am I losing by cancelling social events? I still see friends/family just not in large groups.

Originally Posted by: Quantum 

Maybe you lose nothing but I have an active social life so would lose a lot.

Originally Posted by: speckledjim 

 Exactly what am I losing by cancelling social events? I still see friends/family just not in large groups.

Originally Posted by: Quantum 

Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons 

I don't think it's inevitable, but I've no idea about the probability. It could well be 50/50.

No point in worrying too much about it as you say. Losing sleep about it would probably be more harmful.

Originally Posted by: xioni2 

Made me smile too!  

I really don’t think it’s possible to contain the virus by some methods described on here because that would mean knowing exactly where it is and nobody actually knows that.  It’s obviously spreading but as the symptoms aren’t immediately evident, we don’t know the extent of the spread.  All we can realistically do is develop a vaccine.  

Originally Posted by: Caz