COVID-19 in other countries 2021

US is one of many countries revising their death figures up. Could be closer to the mil

CDC reviewing higher COVID-19 death toll from independent group, considering revising official count -Walensky

Beau from Florida (Beau of the fifth column) has said he believes his whole family had Covid while the state government was insisting there was no covid in the state ... and many in surrounding towns were sick/died but reluctant to go to the doctors, and hence no testing

 

Such a nightmare - and expected to continue for another 2-4 weeks. On the ground counts of actual deaths, versus official deaths, claim deaths are under reported by 5-10x

India's Covid crisis: The newsroom counting the uncounted deaths

River burials are common in India, but usually it's 2-3 bodies recovered - currently 10x that number

India: Bodies of suspected COVID-19 victims wash up on Ganges riverbanks | DW | 11.05.2021

Nepal is in an even worse state but limited reporting

Nation ‘staring into COVID abyss’

 

When you consider what has transpired in many countries around the 'Globe', we certainly can be thankful of living in the 'Lucky' country.

 

Ironically, in the book that this phrase is from, it was intended to have the opposite meaning! Wikipedia says ‘The title of Horne's book comes from the opening words of the book's last chapter:

Australia is a lucky country run mainly by second rate people who share its luck. It lives on other people's ideas, and, although its ordinary people are adaptable, most of its leaders (in all fields) so lack curiosity about the events that surround them that they are often taken by surprise.[2]’

‘Horne's intent in writing the book was to portray Australia's climb to power and wealth based almost entirely on luck rather than the strength of its political or economic system, which Horne believed was "second rate". In addition to political and economic weaknesses, he also lamented on the lack of innovation and ambition, as well as a philistinism in the absence of art, among the Australian population, viewed by Horne as being complacent and indifferent to intellectual matters. He also commented on matters relating to Australian puritanism, as well as conservatism, particularly in relation to censorship and politics.’ Source The Lucky Country - Wikipedia

 

I love these Australian borders. Girt by sea.

 

Not much has changed then ... except Australia is a country of great innovation and "world stage" ambition, hamstrung by the political weakness and indifference to intellectual matters.

Time to stop simply digging up and value add/innovate

**off topic

 

Lucky we didn't have to build a wall

 

Spain confirmed today vaccination passports valid for entry from May 20 with no test or quarantine required, and a few hours later my holiday rental here got booked from the Netherlands, nice !

 

Sadly, the result was a given

Half of repatriation flight from India unable to board after coronavirus tests

 

It is pretty bad over there.
I have some Indian friends, who have family over in India. Fearing for their lives.
Some of them haven't gone outdoor for 4 weeks.

Note - they don't even trust the hospital stats given out... It is far worst than it is being reported even this week.

 

Really sad. Say maybe 1/3rd of tests come back positive, and India has a huge problem.

 

Would hope, next time, they have a group on "stand by". Seems such a waste of opportunity and resources

 

Great idea

 

Island nations facing covid 19 crises

Short interview on the ABC with my niece who is in PNG but had been on the ground in Fiji previously.

Doesn't sound promising in PNG but Fiji is having a 4 day lockdown to take stock.

 

That is a worry. I thought Taiwan was a country that had managed Covid extremely well since the beginning. Numbers were very low.

Australia is doomed just a matter of time for us to feel full effects of a out of control outbreak.

 

I timely reminder that - if you get the opportunity - get your jab. In Taiwan, with very low cases, many of those eligible turned up their noses at the AZ on offer so, instead of allowing the vaccines to go to waste (expire), the government allowed all and anyone to get their shot.

Now that they've had a sudden outbreak, vaccine demand is through the roof and they can't get enough supplies for the demand for another month.

Outbreak of Just 23 Cases Sees Rush on Vaccines in Taiwan

 

Interesting that the Seychelles has had a large % of their population vaccinated, and yet the Virus is continuing to be a real menace, with cases going up daily.