Month: April 2020

Via Detroit Free Press:

LANSING – A Democratic state representative from Detroit is crediting hydroxychloroquine — and Republican President Donald Trump who touted the drug — for saving her in her battle with the coronavirus.

State Rep. Karen Whitsett, who learned Monday she has tested positive for COVID-19, said she started taking hydroxychloroquine on March 31, prescribed by her doctor, after both she and her husband sought treatment for a range of symptoms on March 18.

“It was less than two hours” before she started to feel relief, said Whitsett, who had experienced shortness of breath, swollen lymph nodes, and what felt like a sinus infection. She is still experiencing headaches, she said.

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Why do men lust for power over other men? Here, I refer to “men” in the classical sense, as in “mankind.”

Such men are never content to be masters of their own fate. They are doggedly determined to be masters over others as well.

This ubiquitous human failing is rooted in hubris, ignorance and insecurity. It has also proven to be as contagious and deadly as any plague. Genocides have grown out of such tyranny when people tried too late to reject authoritarianism and the sick ideologies that have often accompanied it.

Some, including myself, are stupefied by how few people understand the difference between being asked to do something and being ordered with the power and force of government to do it.

Before the coronavirus changed life as we knew it, we saw numerous manufactured protests over false stories and petty grievances. The primary complaint was usually that the offending word or action constituted tyranny. On its face, it was ridiculous.

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Today, those same leftist agitators and protesters could not have rushed fast enough to comply with orders that are the very definition of tyranny. Not only have they complied but they’ve been among the first to bully those who dare to question or maybe even protest!

How did we arrive at a place where so few Americans understand the definition and the preciousness of liberty?

Indeed, it appears that we are dealing with an ugly virus that is deadlier to some age groups and geographic areas than others, but the same politicians who have zealously shut down entire states have stubbornly rejected any good news. They are committed to ramping up fear that makes it conveniently more likely that citizens will view their extreme orders as necessary and proper.

It took Colorado Gov. Jared Polis 30 minutes into one of his numerous news conferences to mention that nine out of 10 people won’t require any medical treatment at all — not even an aspirin. We’re thankful this isn’t the Bubonic plague. If it were, heightening public fear would hardly be necessary.

The more that Americans dutifully comply with increasingly strict orders from politicians and government bureaucrats to shut down their lives and their livelihoods and confine themselves to their homes, the stricter and more stringent those orders continue to become.

In Laredo, Texas, people are now required to wear a face mask when going out in public or risk a $1,000 fine.

New York’s socialist mayor didn’t just demand that churches and synagogues close, but threatened to shut down churches and synagogues.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is telling families to distance themselves from one another even inside their own homes. Can video policing be far behind? In some states, government officials are using cellphone location data to enable mass enforcement of stay-at-home orders.

Authoritarianism breeds even more authoritarianism and, like a virus, it spreads.

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We now have “social shaming” and spying on one’s neighbors, all with the nodding encouragement of the same government bureaucrats who continue to ramp up fear and intimidation.

The virus of tyranny has also spread from governor to governor, from “asks” to orders, and then, to fines, punishment and threats of imprisonment. It hasn’t mattered how biased, subjective or extreme their dictates and demands have been.

For example, pot shops and public transportation have been deemed essential in Colorado, but visiting Hobby Lobby is considered “non-essential” and therefore forbidden. Is it merely a coincidence that the former two things have been perennial favorites of the left while Hobby Lobby has always been detested?

What sort of a mentality cannot tolerate the rights of others to self-determination, personal freedom and responsibility? Take away responsibility, and you take away freedom as well. That’s why it’s not surprising that the first endeavor of socialists is to take away responsibility from a willing public with a velvet glove and then take away their freedom with an iron fist.

Perhaps most disturbing is that so many Americans don’t understand that they live in the most exceptional country in history precisely because it was created to afford every citizen the greatest possible individual freedom and personal responsibility.

America’s power and prosperity, which socialists have so desperately wanted to blunt, was built on exactly those values.

If liberty isn’t held as a moral imperative, a virus — or anything else — can and will become the excuse to rob us of it.

As the virus of tyranny continues to spread through our nation, it is essential that we take care of our liberties as well as our health. If we don’t, we will lose both.

The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website.

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

After losing more than 16,000 of its citizens to the coronavirus, Italy has been forced to buy back medical equipment it donated to China during the initial disease outbreak, according to a new report.

Spectator USA, quoting a high-ranking Trump administration official, reported that Italy sent loads of personal protective equipment to China as the novel coronavirus began to spread throughout Hubei province and eventually other parts of China earlier this year.

The Trump administration official said Italy, the country that has been hardest hit by the coronavirus in terms of deaths reported with more than 16,500, was charged for the return of the PPE.

“Before the virus hit Europe, Italy sent tons of PPE to China to help China protect its own population,” the anonymous administration official told Spectator USA.

The anonymous source said that not only did China neglect to return the donation in its entirety but it charged for what it did send back.

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“China then has sent Italian PPE back to Italy — some of it, not even all of it … and charged them for it,” the source said.

The anonymous official also told the outlet that China’s communist government is responsible for the global pandemic because it withheld vital information about the virus from the global health community.

“It’s so disingenuous for Chinese officials now to say we are the ones who are helping the Italians or we are the ones who are helping the developing world when, in fact, they are the ones who infected all of us,” the person said.

Numerous reports indicate that China, upon discovering the severity of the virus in Hubei’s capital city of Wuhan, immediately began a campaign of disinformation and punished health care workers for speaking about the virus.

News that China charged Italians for the return of its donated PPE is the latest piece of evidence that the authoritarian regime is acting in bad faith as it attempts to portray itself as a global leader in humanitarian COVID-19 aid.

A week ago, counties across Europe and the Mediterranean reported equipment it received from China was defective.

Health officials in the Netherlands reported that 600,000 face masks the country received from China were faulty and could not be used, the BBC reported.

After reporting issues with the masks, Dutch health officials said in a statement, “The rest of the shipment was immediately put on hold and has not been distributed.”

“Now it has been decided not to use any of this shipment,” the officials added.

RELATED: Trump Admin Considers Legal Action Over Apparent Chinese Mask Hoarding Scheme

Spanish officials also purchased hundreds of thousands of COVID-19 test kits from China but soon found that 60,000 of the test kits did not work in regard to being capable of discovering the presence of the coronavirus in patients.

Turkish officials reported similar issues with faulty test kits, the BBC reported.

According to Fox News, Georgia and the Czech Republic are among the countries that received faulty coronavirus test kits from China.

Many are questioning whether China has misrepresented the number of cases and deaths it has reported.

Bloomberg reported that three anonymous U.S. intelligence officials said China has intentionally concealed its actual number of cases.

As of Monday, China has reported only about 82,000 total COVID-19 cases among its population of 1.4 billion people, while the global number of cases reported currently sits at more than 1.3 million, according to Johns Hopkins.

By contrast, Italy has reported more than 132,00 cases and more than 16,500 deaths among its population of approximately 60 million.

There are others questioning China’s apparent efforts to halt the global spread of the virus as a way to bolster its geopolitical standing.

Writing for The Hill, Mark Minevich said, “Chinese officials have recently stated that the regime will take advantage of the coronavirus pandemic to build a ‘Health Silk Road.’ This should serve as a big wakeup call to all. A world under China would be a nightmare.”

“The disinformation that China has put out is crippling responses around the world. We were a month behind because the Chinese did not share information,” the anonymous Trump administration official told Spectator USA.

“It’s hard for the world to accept that even the information that they’re putting out now is accurate and acceptable from an epidemiological standpoint. We’re operating on some level with a hand tied behind our back,” the person concluded.

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Those who choose to go into law enforcement know the amount of sacrifice their career choice may require, yet they pursue it anyway for the greater good.

Here are some of the heroes who gave their lives to protect their communities in March 2020.

Officer Brent William Perry Scrimshire

Arkansas officer Brent William Perry Scrimshire, 33, passed away on March 10, 2020, after getting shot during a traffic stop. He is survived by his wife and two young children.

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He served with the Hot Springs Police Department for eight years before his death, according to KATV.

Corporal James R. O’Connor

Cpl. James R. O’Connor, 46, was shot and killed while serving an arrest warrant in Philadelphia on March 13.

He served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 23 years and was on the SWAT team for 15 years, according to the police department.

O’ Connor is survived by his wife and two adult children.

Officer Christopher Ryan Walsh

Springfield, Missouri, Police Officer Christopher Ryan Walsh died after being shot while heroically attempting to save a shooting victim at a local gas station.

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The 32-year-old Army veteran had served with the Missouri police department since 2016; he is survived by his wife and daughter.

“Chris died a hero, rushing in without regard to his own safety to protect members of his community,” Chief of Police Paul Williams said in a statement. “His courageous actions serve as an example to us all.”

Deputy Kenterrous Taylor

While responding to a burglary incident, 27-year-old Bibb County Sheriff’s Deputy Kenterrous Taylor died in a car accident in Georgia, according to WGXA.

He was sworn-in nearly one year ago.

Senior Deputy Christopher Scott Korzilius

Sr. Deputy Christopher Korzilius was killed while on-duty in a car accident on March 18 near Austin, Texas. According to KXAN, a two-door car crossed over the road and collided with the Ford Escape Korzilius was driving.

Austin-Travis County EMS pronounced the officer dead on the scene. He had been serving with the Travis County Sheriff’s Department since 2016.

Officer Kaia LaFay Grant

First Responders from all across our region have come together to pay their respects to Springdale Ohio Police Officer Kaia Grant.

May she rest in peace. #serviceaboveself#NeverForget pic.twitter.com/PANwFz23lF

— Cincinnati Police Department (@CincyPD) March 29, 2020

Springdale, Ohio, Police Officer Kaia LaFay Grant, 33, died on March 21 after a car chase suspect crashed into two police cruisers. She had served with the department since 2012, according to WXIX.

Grant was the first officer in the department to die in the line of duty.

Trooper Justin R. Schaffer

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Trooper Justin R. Schaffer, who died in the line of duty today. Justin passed away at the age of 28 after serving 7 years with WSP. This is a time of enormous grief for our agency, family and the community he served. pic.twitter.com/9YV6SgJUgN

— WA State Patrol (@wastatepatrol) March 25, 2020

Washington State Patrol Trooper Justin R. Schaffer was struck and killed during a high-speed chase on March 24.

According to KIRO-TV, the 28-year-old trooper left his patrol car to place spikes on the road in order to deflate the suspect’s tires; while doing so, he was hit by an oncoming vehicle.

He served with the WSP for seven years before his death.

Trooper Nolan Sanders

We are saddened to share the news on the death of North Carolina State Trooper Nolan Sanders. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. @NCSHP pic.twitter.com/uRLqBlUChT

— TN Highway Patrol (@TNHighwayPatrol) March 28, 2020

North Carolina State Highway Patrol Trooper Nolan Sanders died in a car accident while on duty on March 27.

He served with the highway patrol for five years before his death.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, his family was only able to hold a small memorial service for the fallen officer, according to WITN. A public memorial will be planned for a later date.

Sergeant Ben Jenkins

Sgt. Ben Jenkins of the Nevada Highway Patrol was tragically shot and killed on March 27 after he pulled over to check on a car on the side of the road.

The suspect, who has since been charged, allegedly shot the 47-year-old officer and stole his uniform and patrol car, according to KVVU.

Jenkins was a veteran of both the Army National Guard and Air National Guard.

Jenkins is survived by his wife, his mother, four children and five grandchildren.

Commander Greg Carnicle

Phoenix Police Department Commander Greg Carnicle died as a result of injuries after responding to a domestic violence call in a north Phoenix neighborhood on March 29.

According to the Phoenix Police Department, he served with the department for 31 years and was only months away from retiring. He was the first commander to lose his life in the line of duty.

Carnicle is survived by his wife, four children and four grandchildren, with two more on the way.

Sheriff Kirk A. Coker

Sheriff Kirk A. Coker died in a single-vehicle crash near Fritch, Texas, on March 29. The Texas Department of Safety ruled that the crash was a result of a “medical event.”

He served with the Hutchinson County Sheriff’s office for over 12 years, three of which as sheriff.

“Sheriff Coker passed away doing what he loved, going to a call with his Deputies,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook.

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

A tiger at the Bronx Zoo has tested positive for the new coronavirus, in what is believed to be the first known infection in an animal in the U.S. or a tiger anywhere, federal officials and the zoo said Sunday.

The 4-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia — and six other tigers and lions that have also fallen ill — are believed to have been infected by a zoo employee who wasn’t yet showing symptoms, the zoo said.

The first animal started showing symptoms March 27, and all are doing well and expected to recover, said the zoo, which has been closed to the public since March 16 amid the surging coronavirus outbreak in New York.

The test result stunned zoo officials: “I couldn’t believe it,” director Jim Breheny said.

He hopes the finding can contribute to the global fight against the virus that causes COVID-19.

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“Any kind of knowledge that we get on how it’s transmitted, how different species react to it, that knowledge somehow is going to provide a greater base resource for people,” he said in an interview.

The finding raises new questions about the transmission of the virus in animals.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which confirmed Nadia’s test result at its veterinary lab, said there are no known cases of the virus in U.S. pets or livestock.

“There doesn’t appear to be, at this time, any evidence that suggests that the animals can spread the virus to people or that they can be a source of the infection in the United States,” Dr. Jane Rooney, a veterinarian and a USDA official, said in an interview.

The USDA said Sunday it’s not recommending routine coronavirus testing of animals, in zoos or elsewhere, or of zoo employees.

Still, Rooney said a small number of animals in the U.S. have been tested through the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories, and all those tests came back negative except Nadia’s.

The coronavirus outbreaks around the world are driven by person-to-person transmission, experts say.

There have been a handful of reports outside the U.S. of pet dogs or cats becoming infected after close contact with contagious people, including a Hong Kong dog that tested positive for a low level of the pathogen in February and early March.

Hong Kong agriculture authorities concluded that pet dogs and cats couldn’t pass the virus to human beings but could test positive if exposed by their owners.

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Some researchers have been trying to understand the susceptibility of different animal species to the virus, and to determine how it spreads among animals, according to the Paris-based World Organization for Animal Health.

The American Veterinary Medical Association and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been recommending that out of an abundance of caution, people ill with the coronavirus should limit contact with animals — advice that the veterinary group reiterated after learning of the tiger’s test result.

In general, the CDC also advises people to wash their hands after handling animals and do other things to keep pets and their homes clean.

At the Bronx Zoo, Nadia, her sister Azul, two Amur tigers and three African lions developed dry coughs, and some of the cats exhibited some wheezing and loss of appetite, said Dr. Paul Calle, the zoo’s chief veterinarian.

The staff figured there could be a relatively routine explanation for the cats’ symptoms but tested Nadia for coronavirus out of “due diligence and an abundance of caution,” Breheny said.

Only Nadia was tested because it takes anesthesia to get a sample from a big cat, and she had already been knocked out to be examined.

Calle said the test was different from the one used for people and was carried out by a veterinary school laboratory, not one that handles human samples.

“There is no competition for testing between these two very different situations,” he said.

The seven sickened cats live in two areas at the zoo, and the animals had contact with the same worker, who is doing OK, zoo officials said.

They said there are no signs of illness in other big cats on the property.

Staffers who work with the cats will now wear infection-protection garb, as primate keepers have done for years because of the animals’ closer genetic ties to human beings, Breheny said.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as a fever and cough that clear up in two-to-three weeks.

For some, especially older adults and people, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and can be fatal.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.