- The new coronavirus disease outbreak, initially identified in China, is continuing to grow more than 3 months after it was first detected in December.
- The disease is called COVID-19 and is caused by infection from the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which is one of multiple coronaviruses that can infect humans.
- Other examples include SARS, MERS, and even the common cold.
COVID-19 cases so far
- Globally, at least 155,000 people have contracted the virus in 141 countries.
- More than 5,800 deaths have occurred.
- U.S. cases have now topped 2,500 with 51 deaths.
Spain and France will start to implement nationwide lockdown as COVID-19 outbreak grows
With the center of the COVID-19 outbreak firmly in Europe, both Spain and France will join Italy in implementing nationwide lockdowns to contain the virus.
According to the BBC, all shops in Spain would be closed except for those selling food or other basic necessities. In France, restaurants, cafes, bars, and other nonessential stores would be closed.
Spain currently has over 6,000 cases with 191 deaths, while France reports over 4,000 cases with 91 deaths.
Travelers banned from U.K. and Ireland over COVID-19 fears; Trump tested for virus
Days after President Trump banned travelers from Europe over concerns about COVID-19, he expanded the ban to include people from the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Exemptions may be made for Americans or permanent residents.
Trump also said at the press conference that he has been tested for the virus, although the results have not yet returned.
The president came into contact with a member of the Brazilian delegation later found to have the virus at an event in Mar-a-Lago. At least two other people at the same event have contracted COVID-19.
The president initially said he didn’t believe he would need to be tested, but later relented.
Official says outbreak will likely “get worse before it gets better”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in an interview on “Good Morning America” that the COVID-19 outbreak is “certainly going to get worse before it gets better.”
Fauci explained the reason people need to avoid social gatherings right now is to reduce the number of cases occurring during the peak of the outbreak.
He explained that looking at past pandemic patterns, “you have a big spike, after much disease and suffering and death it comes back down again.”
Fauci also said it will likely take weeks or even months for the outbreak to mostly pass.
“It’s going to be at least a matter of several weeks,” he said. “It’s unpredictable but if you look at [it] historically, it’ll likely be anywhere from a couple of weeks for up to 8 weeks.”
What life is like in quarantine
Across the country, people who have been exposed to the virus are entering quarantine.
Two families in New Rochelle, New York where a cluster of COVID-19 cases was found talk about their experience being stuck at home during a pandemic.
National emergency declared
President Trump declared a national emergency in response to the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19.
The declaration will allow the government to use $50 billion earmarked for disaster relief to combat the crisis.
Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will be able to coordinate with local and state leaders to help better manage the outbreak.
He emphasized that the emergency orders he’s issuing will confer broad new authority to the secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), allowing him to “immediately waive provisions of applicable laws and regulations to give doctors, hospitals, all hospitals, and healthcare providers maximum flexibility to respond to the virus and care for patients.”
He stated that the Administration has been in discussions with pharmacies and retailers to make ‘drive-through’ testing available in critical locations identified by public health professionals. “The goal is for individuals to be able to drive up and be swabbed without having to leave your car.”
Trump announced the creation of a screening website, to be designed by Google, that will enable visitors to fill out a screening questionnaire, check symptoms and risk factors, and if found necessary — be informed where the nearest drive-through facility is located for them to receive the test.
However, later in the day, reports surfaced that the website was not yet functional and that Google may not have been aware Trump would be announcing their involvement during the press conference.
South Korea, widely praised for its testing measures, has been using drive-through sites to great effect, according to CNN, and New York State is one of the first states to introduce the practice so far.
In the United States, over 2,300 people in 49 states have contracted the disease, according to the New York Times.
A lack of testing supplies means the number of people with the illness is likely far higher.
Biden, Sanders speak about outbreak
Former Vice President Joe Biden, in his own speech on the pandemic, emphasized the universal nature of the risk COVID-19 presents.
“This disease could impact every nation and any person on the planet, we need a plan about how we’re going to aggressively manage here at home,” said Biden. He also forcefully disagreed that restricting travel is an effective method of containing the virus.
The Former Vice President also derided the Administration for a shortage of coronavirus testing kits, and insisted, “The White House should measure and report each day how many tests have been ordered, how many tests have been completed, and how many have tested positive.”
Additionally, presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders spoke Thursday and Friday about the impacts of the new coronavirus.
On Thursday he took on the Trump administration for their response.
“We have an administration that is largely incompetent, and whose incompetence and recklessness have threatened the lives of many, many people in our country,” he said.
On Friday, Sanders pointed out that the outbreak shows the “failures and vulnerabilities” of our current healthcare system.
“It means that people who are sick today, people who woke up this morning with symptoms of the coronavirus are saying you know ‘I feel sick but I can’t afford to go to a doctor,’” Sanders said. “When somebody is not treated for the virus, somebody who is unable to afford to go to that doctor, that means that infection can spread to many others putting us at risk.”
NBA suspends season; Broadway goes dark
The NBA has suspended the rest of the season after two players on the Utah Jazz tested positive for the virus. Players on five other teams the Jazz played in recent days will also need to be quarantined.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a ban on gatherings of 500 people, which effectively means all shows on Broadway will be canceled.
The President of the NCAA announced that the iconic March Madness basketball tournament will also be canceled.
We talked to experts about why it’s key to shut down these major events in order to stop the spread of the virus.
Tom Hanks says “no crying in baseball” after contracting COVID-19
Actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson gave an update on their condition days after they announced they contracted the novel coronavirus.
The pair was in Australia, where Hanks is shooting a movie when they started to develop symptoms.
In an update on Twitter, Hanks thanked the medical team caring for them and said they remain in isolation to avoid making others ill.
“There are things we can all do to get through this by following the advice of experts and taking care of ourselves and each other, no?” he wrote. “Remember, despite all current events, there is no crying in baseball.”
WHO declares COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic
The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 a worldwide pandemic this week.
Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO, pointed out that cases outside of China have increased “13-fold” in just 2 weeks.
Virus shedding is high early in illness, study finds
A new study examined 9 people with the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. The researchers wanted to understand virus shedding (when the virus leaves its host) during illness to determine how infectious the disease may be.
Conducted by German researchers, though not yet peer-reviewed, the findings suggest that viral shedding occurred in high levels from the throat during early phases of illness for the patients studied.
However, the rate of shedding dropped after the fifth day in all patients except for two experiencing signs of pneumonia. They continued to shed COVID-19 at high levels until the 10th or 11th day, according to researchers.
“The present study shows that COVID-19 can often present as a common cold-like illness. SARS-CoV-2 can actively replicate in the upper respiratory tract, and is shed for a prolonged time after symptoms end, including in stool,” the study authors wrote.
Scientists also found that people with COVID-19 may shed over 1,000 times more virus than emitted during peak shedding of the 2003 SARS infection. They say this could explain why COVID-19 has spread so rapidly.
New York Governor calls in national guard for ‘containment zone’
Governor Andrew Cuomo has called in the national guard to assist with the creation of a containment zone in the town of New Rochelle, New York where the state’s outbreak has been located.
Large gatherings and schools will be barred in the town, which is north of New York City. The national guard will be used to help with cleaning public spaces and ensuring everyone has access to food.
COVID-19 has 5-day incubation period; CDC warns at-risk groups to prepare
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health analyzed publicly available data to find COVID-19 has roughly a 5-day incubation period from exposure to onset of symptoms.
The analysisTrusted Source also suggests that about 98 percent of people who develop symptoms will do so within 11.5 days of exposure.
Researchers said this average time from exposure to onset of symptoms suggests that the CDC’s 14-day quarantine period for people who were likely exposed to the virus is reasonable.
“Based on our analysis of publicly available data, the current recommendation of 14 days for active monitoring or quarantine is reasonable, although with that period some cases would be missed over the long-term,” said senior study author Justin Lessler, PhD, associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in a statement.
Another recent study from Sun Yat-sen University in China has discovered that SARS-CoV-2 may have an ideal temperature at which it spreads most easily.
Researchers analyzed the cumulative number of all confirmed cases in all affected cities and regions from Jan. 20 to Feb. 4, 2020. Their findings suggest it spreads most easily at about 48°F (8.89°C).
“The study found that, to certain extent, temperature could significant[ly] change COVID-19 transmission, and there might be a best temperature for the viral transmission, which may partly explain why it first broke out in Wuhan,” wrote the study authors. “It is suggested that countries and regions with a lower temperature in the world adopt the strictest control measures to prevent future reversal.”
The CDC now estimates that over the next year, many people in the United States will be exposed to SARS-CoV-2. However, most won’t be severely affected.
“It’s fair to say that, as the trajectory of the outbreak continues, many people in the United States will at some point in time, either this year or next, be exposed to this virus. And there’s a good chance many will become sick,” Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), said in a telebriefingTrusted Source with reporters on Mar. 9.
“But again, based on what we know about this virus, we do not expect most people to develop serious illness,” Messonnier added.
Messionnier also warned that people who are at high risk, including people older than 60 or those with underlying health conditions, should start to prepare for the outbreak by stocking up on supplies in case they get sick or don’t want to venture out in the community for groceries.
Italy faces lockdown to curb spread of virus
In Italy, where cases of COVID-19 have soared in recent weeks, the government is effectively locking down the country.
The prime minister of Italy declared that virtually all commerce will be banned except for grocery stores and pharmacies.
Recently, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus called on countries to make fighting the disease their “highest priority.”
Cruise ship with confirmed cases docks in California
A cruise ship that’s been held off the coast of California after passengers tested positive for the virus was finally able to dock.
The ship docked at the Port of Oakland, but passengers and crew weren’t able to simply disembark.
Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 will be taken to a healthcare facility. Everyone else on board will have to spend 14 days quarantined in a federally run facility.
The crew will remain on board for 14 days for their quarantine.
At least 21 passengers or crew members tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
“The City of Oakland, Alameda County, and the Port of Oakland are stepping up in a major way, and their residents deserve universal praise. They are showing the world what makes our state great — coming to the rescue of thousands of people trapped aboard this ship and helping tackle a national emergency,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement.
Health officials in Placer County, California, said the first person to die from the virus in California had likely contracted the virus while on the cruise ship from San Francisco to Mexico. The person was an older adult with underlying health conditions.
Local U.S. health departments warn they don’t have enough tests
With increasing numbers of people reporting symptoms of COVID-19 across the country, local health departments are warning they don’t have enough testing kits.
This month, a letter from Dr. Raul Perea-Henze, the deputy mayor of health and human services in New York, reported the city was given just two test kits.
“New York City must receive additional testing kits as soon as they are available from the CDC,” Perea-Henze wrote. “With multiple positive cases, NYC needs maximum testing capacity to enable successful implementation of the public health strategies that best protect New Yorkers. The slow federal action on this matter has impeded our ability to beat back this epidemic.”
After initial test kits sent by the CDC were delayed in February, the federal government has come under increased pressure to provide test kits in order to gauge the extent of the outbreak in the United States.
Vice President Mike Pence said that testing would be more widely available to Americans over the coming weeks, according to The New York Times.
But he also said, “We don’t have enough tests today to meet what we anticipate will be the demand going forward.”
Nurses sound alarm over coronavirus response
A survey by the union that represents nurses, National Nurses United, found a significant portion of nurses say they feel hospitals are unprepared for a major outbreak of the new coronavirus.
The survey included responses by 6,500 nurses in 48 states. It found a significant number of them don’t have clear information about how to handle patients who may be suspected of having SARS-CoV-2.
But nearly a quarter said they’re not sure if there’s a plan to isolate patients with COVID-19 symptoms. Just under 30 percent report they know there’s a plan to isolate patients with symptoms of COVID-19.
Additionally, access to medical supplies is becoming an issue. Only 63 percent of nurses report having access to the N95 respirator face mask in their workplace.
In addition to the survey, during a press conference, a statement was read from a nurse in California who cared for a patient with COVID-19.
The unnamed nurse reported they developed symptoms of COVID-19 but haven’t been tested yet despite both their doctor and county health officials wanting them to be tested.
According to their statement, the CDC determined that because they were wearing protective gear while caring for the patient, they weren’t able to contract the virus.
“What kind of science-based answer is that?” questioned the registered nurse in her statement released by the union.
She continued: “[The CDC] claim[s] they prioritize running samples by illness severity and that there are only so many to give out each day. So I have to wait in line to find out the results. This is not the ticket dispenser at the deli counter; it’s a public health emergency! I am a registered nurse, and I need to know if I am positive before going back to caring for patients.”
“I am appalled at the level of bureaucracy that’s preventing nurses from getting tested,” she said. “That is a healthcare decision my doctor and my county health department agree with. Delaying this test puts the whole community at risk.”
You touch your face 16 times an hour
Public health experts have advised people to stop touching their face to cut down on your risk of contracting the new coronavirus. But that’s easier said than done.
We talked to experts who told us how we can train ourselves to avoid touching our face constantly. More information can be found here.
Governors declare state of emergency; aid bill passes
Multiple governors including those of California, New York, Maryland, and Washington have now declared a state of emergency to better deal with the outbreak in their states.
“The State of California is deploying every level of government to help identify cases and slow the spread of this coronavirus,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. “This emergency proclamation will help the state further prepare our communities and our healthcare system in the event it spreads more broadly.”
Health officials have been trying to stop the virus from spreading widely in the United States, but multiple cases of unknown origin have been detected across the country.
The federal government recently passed an $8.3 billion aid bill to provide funds to help fight the outbreak.
A new summary found that one way to slow the disease may be by simply getting a thorough travel history from patients.
The WHO says the fatality rate is around 3 percent for COVID-19
In a press briefing, officials from the WHO said the fatality rate for COVID-19 may be higher than previously realized.
Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO, said in a statement that SARS-CoV-2 doesn’t appear to spread as efficiently as the flu.
“This virus is not SARS, it’s not MERS, and it’s not influenza. It is a unique virus with unique characteristics,” he said.
But it may be more deadly.
“Globally, about 3.4 percent of reported COVID-19 cases have died,” he said. “By comparison, seasonal flu generally kills far fewer than 1 percent of those infected.”
He pointed out one reason for those different fatality rates is that there are vaccines and antiviral medications to help treat flu symptoms. But nothing yet for COVID-19.
Additionally, he said that according to evidence from China, only 1 percent of COVID-19 cases have no symptoms, and many people develop symptoms later on.
How to stock your medicine cabinet for the coronavirus
As the outbreak continues to spread, there are ways you can prepare. Among them is simply stocking up your medicine cabinet with over-the-counter cold and flu medications.
While they can’t cure the virus, they can help relieve symptoms of mild cases.
Coronavirus Outbreak Live Updates – Research finds new ways the virus can spread
Researchers are studying how people with the virus shed it and what impact it’s having on affected populations.
One new study has found answers that many won’t find comforting.
Testing and confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection is currently carried out by oral swabs. But research published Feb. 17 in Emerging Microbes & Infections finds evidence that there’s an oral-fecal transmission route.
The scientists reported that viruses’ genetic material can be detected in both anal swabs and blood samples. Crucially, evidence of the new coronavirus was found in anal swabs and blood — even when it wasn’t detected using oral swabs.
According to the study, this was particularly true for those patients receiving supportive care for several days.
Who’s most at risk?
Although medical staff, people with illnesses, and older adults are most at risk, more than 80 percent of COVID-19 cases have been mild, according to a new report from the Chinese CDC.
Hubei province in China, where the infection is believed to have originated, is the hardest hit, according to the report.
The province’s death rate is almost 3 percent, compared with just under a half percent in the rest of the country.
A lack of paid sick leave in the U.S. could make the outbreak worse
One of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of illnesses like COVID-19 or the flu is simple: Encourage employees to stay home when they’re sick.
But since the United States doesn’t have a national paid sick leave policy, taking a sick day remains a financial sacrifice for 32 million workers who lack paid sick leave benefits.
Without paid sick leave, workers are more likely to come into work sick, exposing their co-workers to an illness. This means if SARS-CoV-2 starts spreading widely in the United States, it could be difficult to stop.
The disease gets a new name
The WHO announced Feb. 11 in a tweet that the disease from this new coronavirus will now be called COVID-19. The virus itself is called SARS-CoV-2.
Previously, it had been called 2019nCoV, although many media outlets referred to the virus simply as coronavirus — even though that refers to a larger family of viruses.
Coronavirus Outbreak Live Updates – Will the outbreak stop this summer?
Experts are still learning a lot about this new virus. But some have hoped that warmer weather will mean a drop in cases, similar to how flu season ends in the spring.
But medical experts warn it’s too soon to tell whether the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak will diminish this summer.
Because it’s a totally new virus, people lack immunity, so even in warm weather months it may still spread across the globe.
Coronavirus Outbreak Live Updates – How to treat the new coronavirus
Since SARS-CoV-2 is so new, there’s currently no cure. But doctors have been able to use supportive care and other antivirals to try to help patients.
Early studies show some evidence that certain medications, including those that treat HIV, may help fight the virus.
What to do if you have symptoms of COVID-19
If you have COVID-19 or suspect you have the virus that causes COVID-19, you should seek medical care.
You have several options for obtaining medical care, including being seen by your primary healthcare provider. The CDC recommends calling your provider first so that they can take the necessary steps to prepare for your visit and protect others from possible exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19.
Some healthcare providers also offer virtual visits through your smartphone or laptop, so you may not need to leave your home for an initial assessment.
If you don’t have a primary healthcare provider, you can use this tool to find a local primary care office in your area.
If you have a medical emergency, call 911. Notify the operator that you have COVID-19 or suspect exposure to the virus that causes it. If possible, put on a face mask before emergency medical services arrive.
Disclosure: Healthline maintains a partnership with some of the providers linked above and may receive compensation for services provided.
Coronavirus Outbreak Live Updates – Will we get a vaccine soon?
Multiple organizations are already working on a vaccine for the new coronavirus, but it’s unlikely to be widely released within the year.
That’s because rigorous testing is needed to ensure that the vaccine is both safe and effective.
Where did the virus come from?
Experts are still investigating, but early research suggests the virus originated in bats and then was transmitted to humans via an intermediary animal.
What’s the intermediary animal? Potentially a snake or type of anteater called a pangolin.
How to talk to kids about the outbreak
A global outbreak is frightening enough for adults. For kids, it can be overwhelming.
We talked to experts about the best way for parents to talk to their kids about what’s going on and how to reassure them.
Parents should also check in with themselves and consider how their fears may be influencing their children.
“When a parent is anxious, their child is going to feel that anxiety and take it on, regardless of how well they think they mask or hide their anxiety,” said Haley Neidich, a licensed mental health professional and practicing psychotherapist.
