As the United States confirmed its seventh death from coronavirus on Tuesday, World Health Organization officials defended their controversial decision not to declare a pandemic, citing countries like Brazil that have little or no confirmed cases .
Michael Ryan, a doctor who heads the agency’s emergency program, also said at a press conference that containment efforts such as contact tracing cannot be mitigated at the expense of mitigation – mass treatment.
“One of the dangers of using the word pandemic is that you want containment to continue,” said Ryan. But he also said: “I urge all of our member states to prepare for very serious and lasting community transmission”.
Amesh Adalja, a senior researcher at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said it was time to move away from “this idea that it can be contained”.
Adalja told USA TODAY that resources should be focused on “the best use, which is not contact tracing. This is not quarantine. This is not travel screening. Help communication in public health, help in hospital preparation.
Here is the latest news on the COVID-19 epidemic:
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Test kit slowed tests in the United States
The CDC initially developed and sent test kits with three components, or reagents, to detect the COVID-19 virus. Some states have had difficulty validating one of the three components of the kits. A CDC official said on Friday that the agency had investigated the problem and determined using two components to accurately detect the coronavirus.
CDC officials said all state and local public health labs and qualified private labs should be able to test by the end of this week. Robert Murphy, executive director of the Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said more aggressive testing could have slowed the spread of the disease.
“The opportunity has been missed,” said Murphy. “There have been delays, and now there are going to be more cases.”
– Ken Alltucker
General surgeon: “We must not be afraid”
The American surgeon general urged calm as the number of coronavirus cases across the country increased to more than 100. Seven deaths have been attributed to the epidemic.
“We must be careful and take the appropriate steps to prepare and protect ourselves, but we must not be afraid,” said general surgeon Jerome Adams. “We have already experienced this, and no place in the world is better prepared to meet this challenge.”
Adams also – again – urged healthy people do not create a shortage of masks by supplying them.
“They do not provide you with respiratory protection against diseases like the coronavirus,” he said. “They protect others from your cough.”
Fed lowers interest rates at emergency meeting
The Federal Reserve cut interest rates in a rare emergency meeting, responding aggressively to the growing threat that the coronavirus poses to the economy and the markets. The Fed lowered its key federal funds rates by half a percentage point to a range of 1% to 1.25%, the central bank said in a statement. It is the first time that the central bank has cut its key rate between political meetings since the 2008 financial crisis and the largest drop since then. Policymakers have said that the US economy remains strong, but that the coronavirus poses “evolutionary risks” to economic activity.
– Paul Davidson
New York waives fees for coronavirus testing
Governor Andrew Cuomo has issued a new directive requiring New York health insurers to waive the costs associated with coronavirus testing, including emergencies, emergency care and office visits.
“We cannot let cost be a barrier to access to COVID-19 testing for all New Yorkers,” said Cuomo.
– Jon Campbell
US invests $ 37 million in global struggle
The United States will provide $ 37 million from an infectious disease emergency fund to help 26 countries affected by COVID-19 or at high risk of spread, the US Agency for International Development announced. The money goes to the World Health Organization and other agencies, said USAID. These are the first funds in a commitment of up to $ 100 million announced on February 7 by the State Department.
“These funds will help build preparedness and response capacities in vulnerable countries,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “WHO is grateful for your support in keeping the world safe.”
Diamond Princess passengers return home
Most of the 120 passengers on Princess Cruises’ Diamond Princess cruise ship still under quarantine at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio were released to return home on Tuesday, said Mayor Ron Nirenberg. All passengers without symptoms for 14 days would be released in an orderly fashion to minimize the risk of exposure for local residents, said the mayor. Their 14-day quarantine in the U.S., which started after they were already quarantined on board the ship, was scheduled to end on Monday.
“As mayor of this city, my main concern is to prevent the spread of the coronavirus to the local community,” said Nirenberg.
– Morgan Hines
California Newsom Governor Wants $ 20 Million To Fight The Virus
California Governor Gavin Newsom is asking the state legislature to provide $ 20 million from a disaster emergency account to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Newsom also activated the State Operations Center at its second highest level to support the state’s public health department and first responders. Ten laboratories across the state are currently testing, and another 10 are expected to be online soon, said public health officials.
Amtrak waives modification fees
Amtrak will waive the change fee on all current or new bookings made before April 30. The train service does not restrict any route, unlike the main American airlines. But Amtrak’s waiver comes on the heels of Jet Blue and American Airlines by exempting domestic travel change fees. One problem: travelers may have to pay the difference if the new route is more expensive than the original ticket.
“We will continue to monitor the coronavirus situation closely and adjust this policy if necessary,” said Amtrak’s notice of renunciation.
– David Oliver
Georgia confirms first 2 cases
Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey confirmed the first cases of COVID-19 in Georgia involving two residents of the Atlanta area living in the same household. One of them recently returned from Italy and the two have mild symptoms, said Toomey. The patients were isolated at home with other parents.
“Our team is working around the clock to prepare for any scenario,” said Governor Kemp. “They are confident that our efforts to prepare for this moment have allowed us to manage these cases appropriately and minimize the risks in the future.”
South Korea at war against infectious diseases
South Korean President Moon Jae-in described the virus epidemic as “a serious situation”.
More than 5,000 South Koreans tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday morning; 28 were dead. South Korea tests 10,000 people a day.
“The whole country has gone to war against an infectious disease,” he said.
Hoarding in Iran; 2000 cases in Italy
The head of the Iranian judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi, has pleaded with prosecutors to show “no mercy” for people who store medical supplies for profit in a country that has so far known 66 dead. Italy was also in shock, with more than 2,000 cases confirmed Tuesday morning and quarantines in effect in 11 cities in the north. So far, the coronavirus has killed 52 Italians.
How many people have died from coronavirus?
The death toll from confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide was 3,118 Tuesday morning, according to a coronavirus dashboard led by Johns Hopkins University. More than 2,900 of them were in mainland China and more than 2,800 of them were in Hubei Province, the epicenter of the epidemic. Iran has reported at least 66 deaths, Italy 52 and South Korea 28.
How many cases of coronavirus in the United States?
The Johns Hopkins University coronavirus dashboard identified 107 cases in the United States early Tuesday, although officials warned that the number was likely much higher. We will learn more as the testing efforts grow. Packets of tests are being shipped to health centers across the country, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are requesting more tests.
Vice President Mike Pence said on Monday that the epidemic in the United States includes more than 40 “domestic cases”, mainly in California and Washington, and more cases involving people from ‘other countries.
Common signs of infection are fever, cough, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. If the infection gets worse, it can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, or even death.
China sees ‘coming victory’ over coronavirus
China, where COVID-19 is from, remains the hardest hit nation, with 80,151 cases and 2,943 deaths, but its ambassador to the United Nations said on Monday evening that it had reached a milestone in the fight against disease.
“We are not far from victory,” said Zhang Jun, before daily figures released on Tuesday that showed new cases in China had dropped to 125, a six-week low. But optimism in China contrasts with a growing sense of alarm in other parts of Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States.
– Kim Hjelmgaard