by Mark
Interesting bit of actual data (link) on the positivity rate for Covid-19 testing in some countries.
Number of tests and positivity rate for Covid-19 as of today
- UK: 7,132 concluded tests, of which 13 positive (0.2% positivity rate). [source]
- Italy: 9,462 tests, of which 458 positive (4.8% positivity rate), awaiting results: unknown. [source]
- France: 762 tests, of which 17 positive (2.2% positivity rate), 179 awaiting results. [source]
- Austria: 321 tests, of which 2 positive (0.6% positivity rate), awaiting results: unknown. [source]
China and South Korea have managed to test hundreds of thousands of people, Italy is in the midst of testing many thousands. Even Iran, late to the party, has managed to test more than 1,750. Austria had its first case yesterday and has already put up results from 321 tests!
I wish I lived in an advanced country with the technical, medical and fiscal ability to do such things…. Wait, I am in the Unites States where we haven’t yet cracked 500 people tested (445 for those counting at home) and apparently can’t make a reliable testing kit. Good thing about not sampling anyone across the country is that we have prevented any active spreading in our communities…right? But I heard that from the CDC. Oh, wait, yesterday they said that ‘community spread appears imminent, and disruption to U.S. communities could be significant.’
Everyone should grab their towels and revisit the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – DON’T PANIC!