robnplunder

(@Eikokurai - Did you recover from fever?) Kidding aside, I now believe Japan is heading to where Italy have went. I hope I am wrong on this like 51% of my sumo predictions but Japan has too many things going wrong at this point: inept leadership, terrible strategy, culture (just not the right fit for fighting COVID 19), and just too late. The virus is already gone where only the draconian measures will tame. Shelter in place anyone?

I use google, too, and my imagination. Now the question is if his beya mates and others are also infected. If so, how many? All indication is that COVID 19 is widespread in Japan. I don't think he is the only one in the sumo business to be infected. The summer basho is very unlikely unless the Japanese government and its citizens come together to fight the virus.

Negative!

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20200410-00000143-spnannex-spo He tested positive.

I think this is spot on. Based on my observation, it will take a very long time for Japan to put this virus under control. "Please stay home" is not a short term strategy.

???? What ???? I really hope it is nothing.

What stocks are you buying? Let us know, please. My past time hobby now is to watch sports highlights of the past. Enho's basho videos (all 15 of them) are my favorite. Midorifuji vs Enho would be interesting. I'd look closely to see who is taller of the two. On the record, Midorifuji is listed as a centimeter or two taller and a few kg heavier. I have my doubts.

Hot off the press. Rikishi may have been infected. To be announced tomorrow. As I have been saying, given how widespread the virus is, this was bound to happen. BTW, my prediction of 400+ new infections was exceeded greatly. Japan reported 510+ new cases, shattering the previous daily record. https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20200409-00000000-spnannex-spo

You goad me into posting an update. Tokyo just reported 144 new infections, its highest daily tally yet. Streets are definitely emptier which is good. It will have meaningful impact which will show up in several weeks. Until then, the numbers will continue to go up. I predict Japan will report over 400 new cases for today, breaking the daily record again.

If they are serious about holding the basho in May, I would suggest they test everyone involved in holding the basho ASAP and self isolate until the basho's start. Things are still not looking good. Japan has not changed its testing strategy. And amazingly, tests are done in reduced capacity during weekends. That can't be called "emergency." Today, there were about 360 new cases with some prefectures not testing close contacts of the infected. They asked those to stay home and observe.

https://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20200407-24070474-nksports-fight Self-quarantine as a precaution.

If Japan does everything well against COVID 19 from now, July basho can happen. I will believe it once they start testing people proactively. Waiting for someone to have 4 days of high fever will not do. Those people will continue to spread their virus to others (including doctors, nurses) until they are tested positive. 20000 test capacity per day, 1-hour test result finding (less accurate?) won't do much if the test qualification process limits the number of tests.

Hot off the press (and a little bit of my editorials): 1) State of Emergency to be declared tomorrow for Tokyo, and other key areas. A week late but this is a step in the right direction. 2) JSK is still in wait and see mode on the May basho. They are in denial. 3) Japan has increased testing capacity to 20000 per day. They have been woefully under- testing against the announced capacity. So, what is the point keep increasing the capacity? My feeling is, they will change the testing qualification process. If not, it will take much longer to end the outbreak and they know it. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ now lists total tests, tests per million by country.

And there is no excuse for that if they paid attention to Wuhan. How many doctors and nurses died there? We'd never know b/c, well, it is Chinese government reporting the stat. Doctors and nurses were still being infected with their hazmat suit, goggles, gloves, and masks. When the outbreak happened in Washington DC & Spain, I saw medical staff with nothing but a surgical mask moving patients. I knew then, the US and Spain would be in for a shock. The same mistakes happen everywhere since. The US just announced the use of masks for the mass. And the Brazilian president's attitude toward the virus? Ditto for Belarus's leader? Sweden's strategy of letting its population develop immunity? The experts must lead this crisis, not the politicians! If every country did what Taiwan did to control the virus, we'd be ok. The government moved quickly to implement drastic measures from the start. Despite its proximity to China, they only have 400 infections today. If there is COVID 19 part II next year, my golf clubs and I are moving to Taiwan to ride it out.

I believe that. Their high infection to death ratio says they are in deep doo doo. But there are plenty of other countries in the same sad situation.