Big names get the attention but it's worth looking at Hong Kong too!

Even amidst the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic,

life's a beach for some, it seems!

 The sense one gets when in Repulse Bay is that

the (super) rich are different... 

Outside the Hong Kong Country Club though is a reminder

that the Wuhan coronavirus strikes the rich too

Before this week, Hong Kong had a grand total of two recorded deaths from the Wuhan coronavirus.  But just four days after news came of the territory's third fatality from this deadly disease has come that of Hong Kong's fourth death from the coronavirus that now has spread to over 131 countries (with the East African countries of Ethiopia and Kenya being among those reporting their first confirmed cases of infection today).

The city's confirmed number of Wuhan coronavirus infections also rose by three today to 134, with a 16-month-old baby being among the latest cases.  (So, no, that which really is a more severe disease than the flu doesn't just infect elderly people though people over 50 years of age do appear to be at higher risk than younger ones.)  

Another noteworthy, and disturbing, finding about Hong Kong's three latest cases is that they all were found to be infected on their return to Hong Kong from visits to Europe -- as were the toddler's parents (whose infections were confirmed in the past two days and who appeared, as with their child, to have been infected by a fellow passenger on their flight back from London).  Put another way: it looks like Hong Kong has experienced the "reverse infections" from another continent that China has voiced fears of happening to it now that the coronavirus looks to be spreading much faster in the West than Asia.

Interestingly, as the coronavirus has spread outside of East and Southeast Asia, it has infected the kind of people who many would have thought would be less susceptible to fall victim to serious fast-spreading diseases.  Iran's vice president and two ministers have been infected by the Wuhan coronavirus.  So have a number of Western government officials (including Britain's health minister and Australia's home minister).  

Probably the biggest "name" thus far to have tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus is Hollywood actor Tom Hanks.  On the same day (yesterday) that he and his wife, singer-actress Rita Wilson, made public their having been infected, two NBA players -- including the idiot who tried to make fun of the global pandemic by touching every single microphone and recorder in the media room he gave an interview just this Monday -- were also announced as having tested positive for the coronavirus, and the basketball league they play[ed] in announced the suspension of its season.     

Today, it was the turn of the English Premier League to announce its suspension -- tentatively "just" until next month -- after news came that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea player Callum Hudson-Odoi had tested positive for the Wuhan coronavirus, with a number of other players currently undergoing tests as well.  Oh, and the Canadian prime minister's wife also has been infected by this coronavirus, with her spouse probably being the first head of government to be obliged to work from home and self-isolating as a result of this coronavirus!

Maybe the news of these personalities testing positive for the Wuhan coronavirus will get people realizing that "anyone" (i.e., not just Asians or those of Asian ancestry) can come down with it. Maybe not.  Perhaps it will get some people finally realizing that the Wuhan coronavirus is a serious deal.  Perhaps not. 

Something that is being really clear to me in recent days is how much of the world outside of East Asia appears to not have been paying that much serious attention to what has been happening in this part of the world since as early as November last year and was known to be taking place in Mainland China by certain members of the medical community by late December (despite the Communist Chinese authorities trying to suppress information about it for weeks).  Belatedly though, articles have appeared in various Western media essentially urging people and administrations in the West to learn from the likes of Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan about how to deal with the Wuhan coronavirus.  

To be sure though, as can be seen from the additional fatality and cases of infection announced today, Hong Kong is not out of the woods yet -- and most certainly cannot afford to be complacent.  Still, I do believe that Hong Kongers -- even if not their government -- have been far more "clued in" as to what's been happening, and for a while, and, frankly.  Consequently, they managed to dodge a big bullet early on and, hopefully, will be able to do so for as long as is needed -- which, sadly, is looking like it will be for many more months, especially if idiots continue doing what they have been doing to help its spread.