Trump administration says testing for virus would ramp up quickly as 700+ U.S. cases confirmed
The Trump administration has said that testing for the coronavirus would ramp up quickly in the coming weeks. “There will be more cases,” said Vice President Mike Pence. “But we simply ask for the American people to engage in common sense practices.” President Donald Trump appeared briefly at the start of the news conference yesterday to announce that the administration was considering a relief package for American workers harmed by the outbreak. More than 700 cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed in 35 states and the District of Columbia, not counting cases stemming from repatriation. But the number of cases could be much higher due to a lag in testing in the U.S. More here.
U.S. health officials warn Americans to not take cruises
U.S. officials are warning Americans to not take a cruise and some families may want to reconsider any travel plans. The CDC, which routinely posts travel health notices about countries, said in an alert this past weekend: “Because of the unusual nature of the novel coronavirus outbreak, the U.S. government is advising U.S. travelers, particularly those with underlying health issues, to defer cruise ship travel.” The advisories come after more than 65 people on two Princess Cruises ships were confirmed to have COVID-19. More here.
Seattle’s patient zero spread coronavirus despite Ebola-style lockdown -Bloomberg
The 35-year-old man who would become Seattle’s patient zero arrived at an urgent care clinic in a Seattle suburb on Jan. 19 with a slightly elevated temperature and a cough he had developed soon after returning four days earlier from a visit with family in Wuhan, China. His coronavirus test came back positive on Jan. 20, the first confirmed case in the U.S. By that evening, he was in a plastic-enclosed isolation gurney on his way to a biocontainment ward at Providence Regional Medical Center (Everett, WA), a two-bed unit developed for the Ebola virus. As his condition worsened, then improved over the next few days, staff wore protective gear that included helmets and facemasks. A robot equipped with a stethoscope took vitals and had a video screen for doctors to talk to him from afar. For more on Seattle’s patient zero, read here.
U.S. developments in fight against coronavirus
- Massachusetts: Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade will be canceled.
- Georgia: The Fulton County School System, Georgia’s fourth-largest district, announced all schools will be closed Tuesday after an employee tested positive for the new coronavirus. About 93,500 students attend the system’s 90-plus schools.
- Louisiana: The Louisiana Department of Health reported the state’s first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 on Monday. The patient is a Jefferson Parish resident hospitalized in Orleans Parish, said Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.
- Ohio: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said three Ohioans have tested positive for COVID-19. He also declared a state of emergency.
- States of emergency were declared in New Jersey, Florida, Illinois and Rhode Island.
- All 50 states can now test for COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus.
Italy extends emergency measures nationwide -BBC
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has ordered people to stay home and seek permission for essential travel. These measures were taken to protect the most vulnerable. “There is no more time,” he said in a television address. Italy’s death toll jumped from 366 to 463 on Monday. The number of confirmed infected also increased by 24% from Sunday. It is the worst-hit country after China. “We all must give something up for the good of Italy. We have to do it now,” he said. “This is why I decided to adopt even more strong and severe measures to contain the advance and protect the health of all citizens.” Read more about Italy’s restrictions here.
Chinese company donates tens of thousands of masks to Italy -Newsweek
Chinese consumer electronics company Xiaomi donated tens of thousands of FFP3 face masks to Italy’s government to help stop the spread of the coronavirus and to curb a shortage in the country’s health materials. Xiaomi Italia announced last week it was sending the first of multiple shipments of anti-coronavirus face masks to Italy’s Civil Protection Department. The company produces everything from smartphones to laptops and earphones and offered the FFFP3 masks as a token of gratitude for letting the electronics company settle in and feel “deeply integrated” after arriving in the European country two years before. Pictures of Xiaomi’s face mask crate shipments featured a quote from the ancient Roman philosopher Seneca. “We are waves of the same sea, leaves of the same tree, flowers of the same garden,” Xiaomi wrote on crates containing the Italian-bound face masks. Read more here.
Coronavirus symptoms “take five days to show” -BBC
It takes five days on average for people to start showing the symptoms of coronavirus, scientists have reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The U.S. research team analyzed known cases from China and other countries and found that most people who develop symptoms do so on or around day five. Researches also importantly noted that people may still be infectious carriers even after they have been symptom-free for 12 days. The researchers advise people who could be infectious, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, to self-isolate for 14 days to avoid spreading it to others. If they follow that guidance – which has already been adopted in the UK and US – it is estimated that for every 100 individuals quarantined for a fortnight, one of them might develop symptoms after being released, Annals of Internal Medicine reports. Read more here.
More coronavirus resources from The Journal of Healthcare Contracting:
- FAQ/Insights – Helpful and relevant links to help you keep track of the ongoing epidemic
- News