In decline?

Worldwide (Stats ) 
February 24, 2022 - 429,508,650 confirmed infections; 5,917,000 deaths
February 25, 2021 - 112,534,400 confirmed infections; 2,497,100 deaths
Vaccination data & map >>

US (Map) 
February 24, 2022 - 78,731,000 confirmed infections; 942,000 deaths
February 25, 2021 - 28,335,000 confirmed infections; 505,850 deaths

SA (Coronavirus portal) 
February 24, 2022 - 3,662.100 confirmed infections; 98,868 deaths
February 25, 2021 - 1,507,450 confirmed infections; 49,525 deaths

News blues…

Despite predictions to the contrary, the US has not yet reached the 1 million and more dead from Covid-19. That good news indicates Omicron has been less fatal than Delta, although “nursing homes and other long term care facilities have lost a record number of residents and staff to COVID-19…

[Such numbers represent] about a quarter of all COVID deaths  in [the US].
Now, the industry is suffering through a historic staffing shortage, further exacerbated by omicron. Workers have quit in record numbers since the pandemic started. And during the worst of omicron many frontline staff had to stay home because of breakthrough infections.

Read or listen to “The pandemic pummeled long-term care” >> 

According to a recent statement from WHO,

The Omicron variant of concern is currently the dominant variant circulating globally, accounting for nearly all sequences reported to GISAID. Omicron is made up of several sublineages, each of them being monitored by WHO and partners. Of them, the most common ones are BA.1, BA.1.1 (or Nextstrain clade 21K) and BA.2 (or Nextstrain clade 21L). At a global level, the proportion of reported sequences designated BA.2 has been increasing relative to BA.1 in recent weeks, however the global circulation of all variants is reportedly declining.

Read WHO’s full statement on omicron sublineage BA.2 >>

Doh! Ivermectin fails another COVID trial as study links use to GOP politics >> 

***

The Lincoln Project:
Weakness  (1:24 mins)
Four decades living in the US indicated being a “commie” was about the worst kind of American. Not so anymore. Thanks to Trump, “Commies”, Putin, et al are “good”. Right wing Americans now beat the drums against “socialists”, the “woke”, and supporters of Black Lives Matter.
The Donald sews mayhem:
Trump loyalties  (1:30 mins)
And, where The Donald goes there goes Fox News: Fox loves Putin  (0:55 mins)
Last Week in the Republican Party - February 22, 2022  (2:20 mins)

Healthy planet, anyone?

As Midlands KZN copes with almost too much rain, California and the American West considers desalination as a cure to its lack-of-water woes >> 
According to GRID – Arendal,  the Number of wildfires will rise by 50% by 2100 and, surprise, governments are ill-prepared >> The organization,

calls on governments to adopt a new ‘Fire Ready Formula’, with two-thirds of spending devoted to planning, prevention, preparedness, and recovery, with one third left for response. Currently, direct responses to wildfires typically receive over half of related expenditures, while planning receives less than one per cent. To prevent fires, authors call for a combination of data and science-based monitoring systems with indigenous knowledge and for a stronger regional and international cooperation.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch…

Almost finished recycling rusty patio furniture. It looks “good enough”; happily, I paid less than ZAR 300 (equivalent to about 20 Yankee Dollas) – plus sweat equity – to accomplish this feat. I placed a cushion on one of the refurbished chairs and thoroughly enjoy the peace, the cool late afternoon breeze, and the sounds of assorted birds.
Nothing I do in the DIY department is perfect, but I’m replete with good intentions and try my best. Many can do a more professional, more skilled job, but I wager our joyous sense of accomplishment is similar.

***

The area of KZN I occupy – semi-rural/sub-urban - is replete with social media. Today’s social media posted a warning from a local resident:

Take note: people stage minor accidents then demand compensation.
Between 9:30 and 9:45 my wife and I travelled in a westerly direction [and] suddenly heard a dull thud on the left side of my vehicle
I asked my wife, “What that was?”
We saw two males approaching the vehicle, at a fast pace. … I turned left at the robot and stopped outside the hospital.
The accomplice, in a very friendly manner, inquired whether my vehicle was damaged.
I replied, NO.
The second male was holding his right arm which he said was very sore.
I accompanied him to the clinic at the local hospital where the doctor suggested an X ray examination.
The X ray was returned, and the doctor found no fractures.
The patient received medication from the clinic. I signed and paid for doctor including the X ray, an amount of R850.
The sister in charge at casualty warned me that these type of accidents occur frequently. She said that [people] deliberately stage minor accidents and then demand money. She advised me to accompany the patient to the local police station where we’d both sign an affidavit agreeing that his injury was appropriately attended and that he had no further financial claim.
He, however, refused to sign this affidavit. He argued furiously with the police and was absolutely determined to be remunerated for the accident, regardless of the medical findings and expense incurred.
I reported the accident to the Howick police and signed an affidavit.

One more negative thing to look out for while in the world. 

Humans. 

Hard to live with ‘em, hard to live without ‘em….