[conspire] Two pieces of excessive non-cheer COVID-19

[Deirdre Saoirse Moen]

1. Unwelcome news in the form of possible fecal-oral xmission comes from this UK academic news release:

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/197114/coronavirus-identifies-virus-entry-points-into/

> The two key entry proteins ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were also found in cells in the cornea of the eye and in the lining of the intestine. This suggests another possible route of infection via the eye and tear ducts, and revealed a potential for fecal-oral transmission.

Oh. yay.

This does possibly explain why some people have severe diarrhea as a symptom (as I did in what I think was my case), which was *not* on the initial symptom list, and not something that happens with the flu. As a celiac, I’m probably more prone to expression of gastrointestinal symptoms than the average humanoid, but let’s just say this was Extra Special and leave it at that.

2. Heart. Rupture.

It will surprise no one who knows me well to know that I have read more than my fair share of autopsy reports. :P It’s my interest in failure analysis, and, frankly, they’re more interesting than most JIRA tickets.

Admittedly, I find some of the science papers hard to glean the right info out of as they are deliberate in their cool understatement, but in this case, I think it’s pretty clear that:

1. There wasn’t significant cardiac history or factors for same (apart from rather common obesity for age in the US).
2. A 2 cm x 1 cm rupture in the heart (left ventricle) is the cause of death, and there’s COVID-19 hanging out there.
3. COVID-19’s also hanging out in the trachea, lung, intestines.

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Exclusive-Autopsy-report-of-first-known-15226422.php

https://www.sfchronicle.com/file/607/2/6072-Dowd_Patricia_Cabello_-_Autopsy.pdf (pp. 3, 6, 7 are most interesting/relevant)

Rick’s comment when I told him, “Did Michael Crichton write this?"

Deirdre