A predicted 2,997 deaths from Breast Cancer in Australia will occur in 2020.

This is compared to 549 deaths from COVID-19 so far. If one doubles that figure for the rest of 2020, that is still far less than people dying from Breast Cancer.

Then there are those dying due to other medical conditions in Australia. These people are also forgotten and not recognised, with people directly affected seeming as if they have been left alone and treated like food rotting in a compost bin.

How are people dying from a range of medical conditions in Australia better recognised in these difficult times and how does one get empathy out to these people? I have tried during a COVID-19 epidemic, but have found to do so very difficult.

Nathan,

I hope nobody brings up suicides: Patrick McGorry in today's Australian points out that suicide numbers have not increased over last year's.

Just getting in first :)

Joe

Dear Nathan,

Yes there are people dying from all sorts of illnesses
in our country. However most of these illnesses are not
contageous (such as breast cancer that you mentioned).
They are not spreadable diseases - such as our current
pandemic - COVID-19 is. That's possibly why we don't hear
about them.

Also in this country we are very lucky in that - there
are support groups and help available - to cope with
illnesses such as cancer and mental issues - be it
depression, dementia, alzheimers, suicides, and many others.
I know from personal experience that help is only a phone
call away. I was diagnosed with cancer a while back, and my
mother suffered from dementia. Copying with it all was not
easy - but having someone to talk to helped a lot.

I wonder how many of these Pandemic casualties die with COVID-19 rather than from it !

Individual,

Are you channelling Trump :) I suspect that pretty soon, to minimise the number of deaths from the virus in the US, Trump will demand that hospitals do not count anybody as dying from the virus who has just possibly died from something else, even if it is a complementary feature, like pneumonia, actually brought on by the virus.

Good trick :)

Joe

I was thinking this morning that I am sick and tired of hearing the 'score' for deaths and new cases of the China virus every day. Yes, Nathan. There are more people dying of other things than the virus - year in and year out - and we are not constantly nagged about it. Sadly, it's all down to our rotten politicians, our rotten media, and the rotten 'experts' who are enjoying the limelight. As soon as I hear mention of the virus now, I switch off. Not interested. Don't care.

Good trick :)
Loudmouth2,
No trick, read ttbn's comment ! That's the reality of it all. If it helps to bring World economics back to a more sensible level then COVID-19 has done its job !

Ttbn & Individual,

Yes, the world is a bastard, there are too many people, especially the wrong ones. And now women are demanding rights, like voting and the control of their own money and so on. And all these people talking funny. Where did the good times go ? like in the fifties ? Black and white movies, 30 mph speed limit, everybody wearing hats ? The world is going to hell.

Joe

I see the death toll from common flu is way down this year.

It appears that the death rate from common flu & coronavirus combined is way less than that from flu in previous years.

..especially the wrong ones
loudmouth2,
So, what do you find so appealing about them that makes you try so hard to sound like one of them ?

Hi NathanJ,

That old deflection argument, there is nothing to see here, because there is more to see somewhere else. There seems to be a genuine disappointment from the Trump supporters on the forum because we haven't hit American levels of death and infection with Covid. They argue there was no need for government action, it was all a waste of time and money. It is precisely because of strong government action in Australia that we are at relatively low levels of infection, Unlike America where shambolic behaviour from Trump and others has led to 180,000 dead and millions infected.

Individual,

Sorry, who's 'them' ?

Joe

loudmouth2,
Stop playing silly, Silly !

shambolic behaviour from Trump and others
Paul1405,
By others I assume you're referring to those indisciplined mutts rioting & then blaming Trump for it ?
You really need to land back on Earth every now & then !

"There seems to be a genuine disappointment from the Trump supporters on the forum because we haven't hit American levels of death and infection with Covid". Paul.

Well that lefty bloke in Victoria has certainly been trying to correct that now, hasn't he? You have to ask, was the sending all the infected oldies to nursing homes with no facilities to handle them, a simple act of stupidity, or premeditated?

Hassy, the responsibility for nursing homes/aged care is in the hands of the Federal government. ScumO' has tried to abrogate that responsibility onto the States, whilst doing what he can to protect that fool of an Aged Don't Care Minister Old Richie Cockup! When Little Johnny Howard changed aged care so private operators could reap vast profits from it something had to give. You can't had operators driving around in Rolls Royce's and living in million dollar mansions and at the same time expect even the basics for the old folks! That is why it is a case of aged we don't care, poor treatment and facilities, inadequate and poorly trained and paid staff. All put in place so some can reap vast profits from the elderly. I hope for your sake you are NEVER put into such a "facility" for the last years of your life.

I'm not saying that every "facility" is at that level, but the bottom end of the market sure is!

the responsibility for nursing homes/aged care is in the hands of the Federal government.
Paul1405,
I'd have thought common decency by everyone would be responsible. John Howard realised that the Labor supporting Public Service could not be relied on so, he put the service into the hands of private operators.
I can easily imagine that reasoning when one looks & observes the doings of Public service unions which only concern themselves with their members' whims !
Now, again the leftists are dictating & interfering/meddling in matters private enterprise via 'free speech' & 'one size fits all' & political correctness etc & yes, the blame gets awarded to Govt.
Ask yourself, who is working in Govt ? Your mates, the Public funded Superannuation chasing bureaucrats !

For a relative example Breast cancer in America.

In 2019, 268,600 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 41,760 will die.

Covid-19 death claimed 181,791 in America since November. According to Johns Hopkins University, there are 3.30 million confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. as of Monday, July 13. The country’s census bureau reports the current population is 329.9 million.

Given the numbers who die from breast cancer and other illnesses, it's a good thing we have been able to limit the incidence of Covid-19 here. Imagine if the Covid deaths had been in the thousands or tens of thousands, and the health system and hospitals totally overwhelmed. Then we'd really have an issue with neglect of patients with other illnesses.

Disclosure: my mother died of breast cancer; I am currently under treatment for health issues (not cancer), seeing two specialists; no holdups, great care.

no holdups, great care.
cossomby,
probably no red tape bureaudroids between you & the Doctors.
All the very best, take care !

Ttbn: we are being nagged about the virus because there is actually something we can do to stop it getting out of hand, so it doesn't overwhelm the health system.

Hasbeen: Flu is down because the same actions that limit Covid also reduce flu transmission. Unfortunately these don't work for cancer etc, but by limiting Covid (and flu) we ensure that health services will be available for other illnesses.

Thanks Individual. We do have doctor teleconsulting, alternating with face to face visits, and I need a permit to cross the border. The latter is straitforward for medical needs, but there has been a lot of nonsense affecting farmers. That seems to reflect a lack of knowledge in cities about how the country (Australia, not just rural) actually works.

<<That old deflection argument, there is nothing to see here...>>

Paul I don't want to get into a discussion about Donald Trump either.

I agree for example, with COVID-19 people have died in India for example and that's terrible, but there are also lots of people in India living in tough conditions every day, it's just that many people don't really link with that. I saw a program about food in India and one religious group (I think it was), simply produces food all day, like a large factory and provides it for free to anyone who turns up. It was amazing to see.

It doesn't change though the fact, many are going through a range of medical conditions in Australia today, including many who are dying. Many simply won't talk about or focus on these people. They'd rather talk about Donald Trump for example. With many specialists, they still have to see their broad cross section of patients or many will simply die or go into a worse condition health wise.

The doctors, specialists etc. also need to consider COVID-19 as a high priority on top of their existing workload. Some work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I know from experience and it's very important the health conditions of others are given attention in a COVID-19 environment and not simply ignored as it's not the flavour of the month in Australia or front page news.

That's right Jose' nothing to be concerned about, that 180,000 plus dead in the US from Covid-19, they were eventually going to die from something at some time. In fact, news for you, everyone in the world, you, me, Donald Trump we are all going to die some day. So what is you point other than deflection?

Typical Trump, trying to sow seeds of doubt by insinuating his opponent could be on drugs.

Dear Cossomby,

I also am under specialist care at present - I'm a work
in progress. And am also finding great medical care and
support. This has been on-going for quite a few years now.
We are lucky to be living in this country. Our medical
care overall is outstanding.

Paul,

I don't think you understand about health. It is what it is, so yes, we're all going to die some time.

So here's an idea: what if only acute medical problems were treated in hospitals, like broken legs, fractured skulls, etc. and everything else, the minor stuff, was simply 'let go' since the patient, i.e. the whinger, was going to die sooner or later. After all, you and I are still alive so why should we worry, to cite the brilliant philosopher Alfred E. Neumann ?

Think of the billions that we could save that way ! Far less tax to be paid ! Fewer hospitals and those loafing health 'professionals'! And - the bonus - fewer people to clog up our roads.

Abandon this namby-pamby health system, I say. Let those who are living, live life a bit fuller.

Joe

Hi Joe,

There is all kinds of perverted logic. Why bother with car safety, after all, road trauma was once a real problem in Australia, but not any more, its now down to a "manageable" level, no longer a problem. Seat belts, airbags, speed limits, breath testing etc etc why bother with all that necessary nonsense? Like covid-19 in Australia, more people die from breast cancer according to one bod, so why worry about it.

News Joe,

Two new moko's one niece in Sydney baby girl on 27th, her sister baby boy yesterday in NZ. That makes, I don't know how many moko's now. Last month a moko, gave us a grand-moko, we have some real breeding stock in our family. The son and his partner, due Xmas day.

We won't know how many people died of the disease and ancillary reactions for a while yet. Methods of counting are so different across countries, states and jurisdictions that immediate comparison is fraught.

Recently the UK reduced its official WuFlu death toll by 5000 by redefining its counting method. Even then its still more open than that applying in Germany, which is different to Italy which is different to Spain. Equally there are numerous ways of counting deaths amongst the various US states. Remember how New York changed its methods of counting in order to reduce the official nursing home death rate.

Here, also, its unclear if counted WuFlu deaths includes people who died of or with the virus.

So we await the official calculations of total national deaths from all causes to determine the actual WuFlu effect.

In the year so far, less than 1 million people (830 thousand) have died from the China virus, but in the same period:

5.3 million people have died from cancer,
8.5 million from communicable disease.

Even alcohol-related deaths beat the China virus - 1.6 million.

Yet, there are no breathless, alarmist, daily news reports and earbashings on these deaths, that have been occurring prior to the China virus - deaths that will continue occurring after the China virus fades into history.

Their is a lack of concern for others and consistency including by viruses (generally) that have spread for years throughout parts of Africa and don't get that much attention, other than a news story or two, but COVID-19 does in high levels, as it affects the western world.

People in Africa get little attention, in fact Australia's foreign aid budget is terrible. A lot of people show little sympathy for them.

"On average, Australians think we invest 16% of the Federal Budget on overseas aid, and believe that we should be spending something closer to 12%. In reality, Australia spends $4.044 billion dollars on overseas aid – that's just 0.21% of our gross national income, or 21 cents in every $100."

http://www.worldvision.com.au/get-involved/advocacy/australian-aid

Recently Chadwick Boseman Dies: ‘Black Panther’ Star falling to Cancer At 43.

You've heard about him, as he's high profile. Putting that aside, he kept his diagnosis and four-year struggle against the disease quiet from the public. Boseman died on Friday at home in Los Angeles with his wife and family present, according to his publicist.

http://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/chadwick-boseman-dies-star-black-022241621.html

There are people going through this type of situation every day. You won't hear about these people during a COVID-19 epidemic - and that includes people from all places and of all backgrounds.

By all means inform about COVID-19, but keep the balance fair and reasonable.

Nathan, we certainly heard the news coverage about Chadwick Boseman death the Black Panther Star with bowel cancer. Can you tell me the name of one person who has died of Covid-19?

Josephus,

In the four figures actually :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_deaths_due_to_COVID-19

Joe

This Black Panther character had to die before I heard of him. Does the MSM really think that the average (particularly the non-American) punter is interested in such scum.

loudmouth2, I assume you knew all these people?

J,

As many as anyone else: Tim Brooke-Taylor, Ellis Marsalis, among many others. Out of the million or vso who have died from this 'minor' virus.

Christ, have some of you no compassion at all ?

Joe

Suddenly, every death is from COVID-19. Whatever happened to good old AIDS, Cancer etc. & last but not least that dreadful decease called old Age !
Road deaths too appear to have gone out of fashion.
We're programmed to perish from our first breath. Some live long & fulfilled lives, many have long miserable lives. Many get sick or have accidents & die far too you young whilst even more just hang in for too many years longer than the deserving ones.
But to blame it all on COVID-19 now seems rather unrealistic. If any blame is to laid at all for COVID-19 then it's the travel industry & the reckless travel junkies !

Individual,

Straw-man arguments: put up an idiotic notion, that let's say, all deaths are due to Covid-19, then pull that idea apart. Good for scaring the littlies, but not proper for genuine adult discussion.

Joe

I think it's generally the case that the more easily preventable those deaths are, the more you hear about them.