U.S. prepares for coronavirus pandemic, school and business closures: health officials
. . . In coming weeks, if the virus begins to spread through U.S. communities, health authorities want to be ready to adopt school and business closures like those undertaken in Asian countries to contain the disease. Reuters.
Coronavirus: Rapid spread raises fears of global pandemic
Fears are growing that the coronavirus outbreak could reach pandemic scale as more cases emerge around the world. Most infections are in China but other nations like South Korea, Italy and Iran are battling the virus, which causes respiratory disease Covid-19.
New virus has infected over 79,000 people globally
A viral outbreak that began in China has infected more than 79,000 people globally. Reuters.
Coronavirus Cases In The United States Reach 34, And More Are Expected
At least 34 people in the United States are infected with the coronavirus spreading from China, federal health officials said on Friday. . . .all of the cases have been linked to overseas travel. But so far there has been no community spread of the infection in the United States, she added; all of the cases have been linked to overseas travel. NYT.
The coronavirus is picking up steam outside China, narrowing chances of eliminating it
There are worrying signs the coronavirus outbreak is entering a new phase, with spread outside of China — until recently at low levels — beginning to rapidly pick up steam. STAT.
Impact of the Coronavirus Ripples Across Asia: ‘It Has Been Quiet, Like a Cemetery’
Across the region, from Japan to Thailand, tourist sites, hotels and shops have emptied out as fear of the outbreak has shut down travel. NYT.
Europe Confronts Coronavirus as Italy Battles an Eruption of Cases
The country announced more than 150 cases, many in the densely populated region around Milan, as officials closed schools and canceled Venice’s carnival celebrations. NYT.
Global Stocks Plummet Over Coronavirus Concerns
U.S. markets were expected to start the week sharply lower, following a sell-off of shares in Europe after more infections were confirmed outside China. Spreading coronavirus outbreaks in Italy and in South Korea over the weekend incited broad slides in global stock markets on Monday, as investors feared that the economic disruption already seen in China might affect other economies as well. NYT.
By decoding its genome, scientists seek the upper hand against COVID-19
The genetic code of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is only about 30,000 characters long, but what a story it tells. Those nucleotides conceal secrets of the virus’ past, including its origins, its passage among families and its journey to distant ports. They signal how long it has been at large and whether it can hide by infecting people who show no outward signs of illness. And they can point the way to medicines, vaccines and public health strategies that might bring a runaway crisis under control. LATimes.
Don’t Send Them Here: Local Officials Resist Plans to House Coronavirus Patients
In California and Alabama, plans to house evacuees with the virus in federal or state facilities are meeting with resistance from local leaders. NYT
White House to ask Congress for emergency coronavirus funding
The White House is preparing to ask Congress to authorize more emergency funding for the coronavirus response, according to four people with knowledge of the situation, but may request only $1 billion, an amount public health officials worry will be insufficient. Politico.
Coronavirus threatens shortages of about 150 drugs
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the Food and Drug Administration has generated a list of roughly 150 prescription drugs that are at risk of shortage if the situation worsens, according to two people familiar with the list. China is a key player in the medical product supply chain, providing ingredients for the antibiotics, generics and branded medications without alternatives on the list. Axios.
Harvard School of Public Health webcast: The Coronavirus Outbreak: Tracking COVID-19An on-demand video will be posted after the event.
In this Forum, experts will take on pressing questions about COVID-19. What do we know about the virus itself? How likely is a future vaccine? How is China’s stressed health system coping, and how are U.S. hospital systems preparing for cases? What happens if COVID-19 emerges forcefully in areas of the world lacking infrastructure, and what does an effective global response look like? These and other key issues will be unpacked during this dynamic discussion, which will include timely insights from the Harvard China Health Partnership. HSPH.
U Of M Launches Novel Coronavirus Resource Center
The University of Minnesota announced Thursday it will offer a new online resource center to educate the public about the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19. The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy launched the CIDRP Novel Coronavirus Resource Center to highlight the latest news developments, relevant scientific literature and guidance from leading agencies. CIDRAP.
