18 April 2013 (01:40 UTC-07 Tango)/07 Jumada t-Tania 1434/29 Farvardin 1391/09 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
In less than 24 hours there were five new human cases of H7N9, according to the Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission.
Shanghai reports yet another case, while Zhejiang Province reported four new cases.
There were no details about the death.
17 April 2013 (09:52 UTC-07 Tango)/06 Jumada t-Tania 1434/28 Farvardin 1391/08 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
China has increased its holdings of U.S. Treasury bonds (aka U.S. government debt). Last year at this same time China held $1.16 trillion USD of U.S. bonds, now it’s at $1.22 trillion.
According to the U.S. Treasury, the $9.16 billion increase took place in February. Apparently China still thinks the U.S. is good for the money.
17 April 2013 (09:40 UTC-07 Tango)/06 Jumada t-Tania 1434/28 Farvardin 1391/08 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
Shanghai reports another human case, making the total number of confirmed infections for China 78.
In Beijing the seven years old girl who was sick, has been released from the hospital, considered recovered. Her H7N9 tests are now negative.
A four years old boy is still in quarantine, in Beijing. He has no symptoms but tested positive for H7N9, and is considered a carrier.
A child in Shanghai was sick, but recovered, as well as a young adult. So far it looks like the younger you are the better your chances of recovery. Most older people who’re sick are still in the hospital.
In Taiwan, health officials have been reporting an increase in ‘suspected’ cases. But so far, everyone has tested negative.
17 April 2013 (01:36 UTC-07 Tango)/06 Jumada t-Tania 1434/28 Farvardin 1391/08 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
South Korean media reporting that the Japanese ambassador announced his country is prepared to sign a military intelligence pact with Republic of Korea. It turns out Japan and ROK was supposed to sign the military pact in July 2012! It was put off because of protests by South Koreans. If you understand the violent recent history between Korea and Japan then you’ll understand the significance of such a pact.
ROK media also reporting that U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, told Chinese officials that the United States was willing to reduce its missile systems in the area, if the DPRK gave up nuclear weapons.
North Korea insists that its nuclear program is not negotiable. DPRK media has published front page articles telling people to prepare for war. Articles also point out that North Korea has every international right to its own nuclear program. In 2003 the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea pulled out of the UN’s Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
16 April 2013 (12:18 UTC-07 Tango)/05 Jumada t-Tania 1434/27 Farvardin 1391/07 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
“We have much to contribute to China, including banking, high-tech, environmental products, and we have much to collaborate on with China in another way, as China is developing rapidly with a great amount of capital available.”-Jerry Brown, Governor of California
Recently California became the U.S. state with the biggest economic trade deals involving China. Governor Jerry Brown has decided that trade with China is now so important, that he’s spending tax money (supposedly it’s partially funded with private money as well) to open a California ’embassy’ in Shanghai!
It’s not the first time for the California-China Office of Trade and Investment in Shanghai. The office was closed down ten years ago. Governor Brown and his wife were at the re-opening ceremony, apparently not concerned about the deadly H7N9 spreading throughout Shanghai.
California’s bid to get some-o-that China cash might be a disaster, as Governor Brown is promoting the very industries that are failing miserably: “I want to promote climate-change technologies, renewable energy, building and plants efficiency, low-carbon fuel from California to China with more collaborations in the future.”
Ah well, there’s already been a major implosion for one China-California deal. The $1.7 billion USD Hunters Point housing construction deal in San Francisco, involving a major California contractor and two Chinese companies, crashed and burned today. There were various reasons for the implosion, from disagreements between Chinese and Californian contractors, to the fact that the former U.S. Navy property has been found to be contaminated with radioactive cesium 137!
In muscles Wisconsin’s evil Right to Work You Over Governor Scott Walker. He’s in Beijing trying to strike Chinese gold as well, and he’s not worried about H7N9 either. His first big success is winning a $200 million deal for ginseng. No he’s not buying ginseng from China, he’s selling Wisconsin grown ginseng to China!
16 April 2013 (11:38 UTC-07 Tango)/05 Jumada t-Tania 1434/27 Farvardin 1391/07 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
The number of human infections in China is now at 77, a result of 14 more people testing positive in the past 24 hours. 16 people now dead.
Two people died in Shanghai. The UN’s World Health Organization is sending medical researchers to China, to help study the new killer virus.
Health officials are even disinfecting the homes of people who’ve tested positive.
Ministry of Agriculture officials say H7N9 was detected in one pigeon sample from Jiangsu Province, and four chicken samples from Zhejiang Province. Reports say the pigeon is the first wild bird to test positive. Last week pigeons tested positive in Shanghai, but they were domesticated.
15 April 2013 (11:26 UTC-07 Tango)/04 Jumada t-Tania 1434/26 Farvardin 1391/06 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
It’s now becoming routine that every 24 hours you can expect more human infections and deaths from H7N9.
Jiangsu Province reports another death, as well as a new infection.
Anhui and Zhejiang provinces reporting one new case each.
15 April 2013 (00:40 UTC-07 Tango)/04 Jumada t-Tania 1434/26 Farvardin 1391/06 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
“…..You might ask why the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation should come to the Pacific region. The answer is very simple.
Today’s NATO is a new NATO. It’s a NATO with a global perspective. It’s a NATO with global partners. And Japan is our longest-standing global partner…..NATO and Japan are like-minded……we can help the United Nations and the international community to reinforce the rules-based international system……we need common approaches and responses…….To confront global threats such as terrorism, cyber attacks, and proliferation…..And I am delighted that later today, Prime Minister Abe and I will sign a Joint Political Declaration to guide our future work.”-Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO Secretary General, from statement made on the morning of 15 April 2013, Japan National Press Club
15 April 2013 (21:27 UTC-07 Tango 14 April 2013)/04 Jumada t-Tania 1434/26 Farvardin 1391/06 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
Beijing Center for Disease Control and Prevention say they’ve identified a human carrier of the deadly H7N9 virus; a four years old boy!
The boy tested positive for the virus, but is not sick. The boy is the neighbor of the seven years old girl that became Beijing’s first human case of H7N9. She is sick in the hospital. The boy is now under quarantine in a hospital.
The four years old carrier was discovered after health officials tested 24 people who were in contact with the girl. Apparently he was the only one who tested positive for the virus. The families all raise poultry.
Up until this discovery Chinese health officials said they had no proof of human to human transmission.
14 April 2013 (09:53 UTC-07 Tango)/03 Jumada t-Tania 1434/25 Farvardin 1391/05 Bing-Chen (3rd month) 4711
Overnight the number of infected humans has jumped from 51 to 60! 13 people now dead.
Shanghai reported three new cases, as well as two deaths.
Jiangsu Province reported two new cases.
Zhejiang Province reports four more people infected, all in critical condition.