| 'I have a PhD': The spotlight is now on Peter Navarro's role in White House coronavirus response Posted: 06 Apr 2020 12:15 PM PDT  Peter Navarro has a Harvard degree, and he isn't shy about letting it be known. "You can always tell a Harvard man, but you can't tell him much," Navarro joked after President Trump introduced him last week as director of supply-chain issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.
|
| 'Who gets the kids?' I took an oath to serve my patients. My family didn't, but we're all in this together. Posted: 06 Apr 2020 05:52 AM PDT  A doctor treating COVID-19 patients sits down with her husband to make a will.
|
| Mideastern burial traditions clash with fears of contagion Posted: 06 Apr 2020 11:05 PM PDT  Mohammed al-Dulfi's 67-year-old father died on March 21 after a brief struggle against the new coronavirus, but it would take nine days for his body to find a final resting place in the Shiite holy city of Najaf in southern Iraq. On two occasions, the family rejected remote burial plots proposed by the government outside Baghdad for him and seven other coronavirus victims, al-Dulfi said. A fight broke out between the families and the Health Ministry's team.
|
| Trump on Biden call: 'We had a really wonderful, warm conversation’ Posted: 06 Apr 2020 04:05 PM PDT  President Trump on Monday said he and former Vice President Joe Biden had a "really wonderful, warm conversation" on the phone.
|
| U.S. Supreme Court sides with GOP on Wisconsin election, apparently rewrites state election law Posted: 06 Apr 2020 11:12 PM PDT  Wisconsin's local elections and presidential primaries will likely proceed on Tuesday after the conservative majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down an executive order Monday from Gov. Tony Evers (D) to delay the election to June 9 due to the coronavirus outbreak. There are open questions about how many polling places will be open and how many people will be able to vote by absentee ballot. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 on Monday night that Wisconsin voters must hand-deliver their absentee ballots by Tuesday evening or have them postmarked April 7, overruling a lower court that had extended absentee voting for six days.The U.S. Supreme Court, like the state court, split along ideological lines, siding with the state and national Republican Party. In the dissent for the four liberals on the court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg warned of "massive disenfranchisement" due to the conservative majority's "eleventh hour" intervention "to prevent voters who have timely requested absentee ballots from casting their votes." As of Monday, only 57 percent of the 1.3 million requested absentee ballots had been returned, The Associated Press reports, and "it's unclear how many of the outstanding 539,000 ballots will be in voters' hands by Tuesday to meet the April 7 postmark deadline."The court conservatives said Ginsberg's "entirely misplaced" dissent "completely overlooks" that the court is allowing the absentee ballots to be received by April 13, so long as they are postmarked April 7. But that changes Wisconsin election law, says Matthew DeFour, state politics editor for the Wisconsin State Journal.> There is no postmark requirement in state law. The lower court judge changed the date, but did not add a postmark. The U.S. Supreme Court has just written a new election law in Wisconsin.> > — Matthew DeFour (@WSJMattD4) April 6, 2020The state Supreme Court — one of whose 5 conservative members recused himself because he's on Tuesday's ballot — said Evers lacked the authority to change the election date. Evers had called the GOP-controlled legislature into special session over the weekend to shift the date or switch to all-mail-in-ballots, like Ohio did, but the Republican leaders gaveled in and out of season without taking any action, NPR News reports. Thousands of poll workers have refused to participate in the election over COVID-19 fears; heavily Democratic Milwaukee, for example, will have just five polling sites, not its planned 180. The National Guard has been asked to help.More stories from theweek.com What America needs to do before lockdown can end Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey pledges $1 billion to coronavirus relief Is Trump's 'campaign of retaliation' about to get worse?
|
| Defense secretary reportedly told Navy chief to apologize for bashing fired captain to crew of aircraft carrier Posted: 07 Apr 2020 09:19 AM PDT  The acting secretary did an about-face Monday night, apologizing for his remarks after saying hours earlier that he stood by "every word" he said.
|
| U.S. reports 1,200 coronavirus deaths in one day as China lifts lockdown Posted: 07 Apr 2020 03:48 AM PDT  Nation's top infectious diseases expert said he is "cautiously optimistic" that worst projections may be avoided "if we keep our foot on the accelerator."
|
| As New York Posts Highest One-Day Death Toll, Cuomo Says No Victim Died ‘Because We Couldn’t Provide Care’ Posted: 07 Apr 2020 10:30 AM PDT  New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that no victim of the coronavirus has died because the state could not provide health care for them, even as New York posted its highest number of deaths in one day."You can't save everyone. This virus is very good at what it does, and it kills vulnerable people," Cuomo said at his daily briefing providing updates on the outbreak. "The question is, are you saving everyone you can save? And there the answer is yes, and I take some solace in that fact.""Our health care system is operating. I don't believe we've lost a single person because we couldn't provide care," the Democratic governor continued. "People we lost we couldn't save despite our best efforts."A record 731 New Yorkers died between Monday and Tuesday, Cuomo reported. He cautioned that the death rate is a "lagging indicator," meaning that those who died are often sick for weeks before they pass. More than 138,000 people in the state have been infected with the respiratory illness, with 8,157 new positive cases on Tuesday, the lowest rate in a week. The number of patients being hospitalized and moved to intensive care has dropped as well.The governor warned Thursday that New York state only had enough ventilators for six days and was considering how to increase the supply. The state released 400 ventilators to New York City a day earlier. Cuomo has worked to get as many ventilators as possible to the city, which has emerged as the epicenter of the U.S. outbreak with nearly half the total deaths in the country. On Friday, the governor issued an executive order allowing the state to take ventilators and personal protective equipment from hospitals and transfer them to places that need them.New York has also received medical equipment from other states and countries, including Oregon and China, where the coronavirus outbreak originated.
|
| Scammers try selling world's tallest statue as pandemic boosts India's cyber crime Posted: 06 Apr 2020 10:46 PM PDT  Police in India lodged a case this week against an unknown online fraudster who tried selling the world's largest statue for $4 billion, claiming the proceeds would be used to help the Gujarat state government fund its fight against the coronavirus. With scams ranging from free mobile recharges, to offers of free Netflix subscriptions, federal home ministry officials say there has been 86% percent rise in cyber crime in the past four weeks. Police and internal security officials said scammers have created fake versions of the flagship 'PM CARES Fund' payments interface that look deceptively similar to the original and many Indians and Non-Residents Indians (NRIs) have fallen prey.
|
| Nurse says she was suspended after refusing to treat coronavirus patients without a mask Posted: 07 Apr 2020 08:22 AM PDT  A Kentucky nurse says she was suspended for refusing to treat COVID-19 patients after the hospital would not supply her with a protective respirator.
|
| Your Home (and Mind) Needs One of These High-Design Mobiles Posted: 07 Apr 2020 12:28 PM PDT |
| US sees coronavirus window to push Taiwan's global status Posted: 05 Apr 2020 09:32 PM PDT  The Trump administration is seizing the opportunity of the coronavirus pandemic to push a cause that has long been an irritant in U.S. relations with China: Taiwan. The virus has added yet another dimension to U.S.-China tensions that were already wracked by a trade war and heated discussions over intellectual property, human rights and Chinese policies in Hong Kong and the South China Sea. As the pandemic has grown, U.S. officials and lawmakers have stepped up alternately bashing China for a lack of transparency over the outbreak and praising Taiwan for its response to the outbreak.
|
| Coronavirus: Why China's claims of success raise eyebrows Posted: 07 Apr 2020 04:05 AM PDT  China has claimed its first day without a virus death, but faces lingering scepticism over its data.
|
| Letters to the Editor: Making masks to fight coronavirus is the average citizen's patriotic duty Posted: 06 Apr 2020 01:32 PM PDT  During World War II, civilians could plant 'victory gardens.' Today, we're making masks to show solidarity.
|
| 86-year-old and three sons die after contracting COVID-19 Posted: 07 Apr 2020 04:19 PM PDT  The mother and three sons all died within days of each other, the New Orleans Coroner's Office confirmed.
|
| Dr. Fauci says America getting back to normal and where it was before the coronavirus crisis 'might not ever happen' without a vaccine Posted: 06 Apr 2020 05:05 PM PDT  "If you want to get back to pre-coronavirus, that might not ever happen in the sense that the threat is there," Fauci said.
|
| Trump says he did not see memos by adviser Navarro warning of coronavirus risks Posted: 07 Apr 2020 03:30 PM PDT  President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he had not seen memos by White House trade advisor Peter Navarro warning of coronavirus risks, and that he retained confidence in Navarro. Navarro, a China hawk, sent a memo in late January warning the new coronavirus could create a pandemic and urged a travel ban for China, the New York Times reported. Asked if he still had confidence in Navarro, Trump said, "Of course."
|
| Supreme Court won't hear Catholic Church challenge to ban on religious advertising Posted: 06 Apr 2020 09:40 AM PDT  The case would have been the latest example of religious freedom appeals to be heard by the conservative-leaning court.
|
| Iran supreme leader approves withdrawal of 1 billion euros from sovereign wealth fund to fight coronavirus Posted: 07 Apr 2020 07:28 AM PDT  Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has approved the withdrawal of 1 billion euros from the country's sovereign wealth fund to help fight the coronavirus epidemic, President Hassan Rouhani's official website said on Monday.
|
| Acting Navy Secretary Resigns After Calling Capt. Crozier ‘Stupid’ Posted: 07 Apr 2020 12:15 PM PDT  Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned on Tuesday after he called Captain Brett Crozier, who was fired last week, "stupid" in a speech to the USS Theodore Roosevelt's crew on Monday. Modly faced swift backlash for his remarks, including calls by lawmakers for his resignation, which led to his public apology on Monday night after asserting earlier that he meant "every word." "Let me be clear, I do not think Captain Brett Crozier is naive nor stupid," he said in a statement. "I think, and always believed him to be the opposite. We pick our carrier commanding officers with great care."Modly submitted his resignation letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who confirmed in a statement that he has accepted it. Modly is also resigning from his role as permanent undersecretary of the Navy."He resigned on his own accord, putting the Navy and the Sailors above self so that the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt, and the Navy as an institution, can move forward," Esper wrote. "His care for the sailors was genuine."Esper said that he is appointing James McPherson, acting undersecretary of the Army, as a replacement for Modly, which President Trump has approved.Capt. Brett Crozier Tests Positive for Coronavirus: NYTCapt. Crozier was fired last week after a letter was published in The San Francisco Chronicle in which he pleaded with the U.S. Navy for resources to isolate more than 100 sailors infected with the novel coronavirus on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier. "This will require a political solution but it is the right thing to do," Crozier, who later tested positive for the virus, wrote in the stunning letter. "We are not at war. Sailors do not need to die. If we do not act now, we are failing to properly take care of our most trusted asset—our Sailors.""Removing the majority of personnel from a deployed U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier and isolating them for two weeks may seem like an extraordinary measure. ... This is a necessary risk," Crozier continued. "Keeping over 4,000 young men and women on board the TR is an unnecessary risk and breaks faith with those Sailors entrusted to our care."After the letter was published last Tuesday, Modly said that the U.S. Navy would evacuate the majority of the crew and the warship would be disinfected. At least 230 crew members have tested positive for the coronavirus as of Tuesday.Modly flew 8,000 miles to the island of Guam to visit the ship on Monday, but sailors told The New York Times he didn't take a tour of the vessel and instead addressed them over an intercom, blasting their fired commander. He told the crew of the virus-stricken ship that Crozier was either "too naive or too stupid" to be a leader and claimed that the commander intentionally leaked the letter to the media, which he condemned as a "betrayal."His handling of the alarming letter, the subsequent firing of the captain, and his profane rant, eventually prompted President Trump to consider intervening. "I may look into it," said Trump, who said he supported Crozier's removal, "from the standpoint that something should be resolved." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday called for the removal of Modly, saying that he "showed a serious lack of the sound judgment and strong leadership" in ousting Crozier and that his "actions and words demonstrate his failure to prioritize the force protection of our troops."Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.
|
| 3rd Guatemalan tests positive for virus after US deportation Posted: 07 Apr 2020 12:05 PM PDT  Guatemala said Tuesday that a third deportee has tested positive for the coronavirus after being flown home by the United States. The report came a day after authorities announced they were suspending deportation flights from the U.S. over concerns about spreading the virus. The Health Ministry said the latest positive case was a 37-year-old man who was deported March 26 from Mesa, Arizona, and had been in quarantine since his return.
|
| Coronavirus wreaks havoc in African American neighbourhoods Posted: 07 Apr 2020 02:32 PM PDT  Black Chicagoans account for 70% of coronavirus deaths, despite making up 30% of the population.
|
| Which countries have flattened the curve? Posted: 06 Apr 2020 12:01 AM PDT  The U.S. has been in social-distancing mode for about three weeks — it also has the most coronavirus cases in the world.
|
| The Bureau of Prisons just bought $60,000 worth of hydroxychloroquine, the unproved coronavirus treatment touted by Trump Posted: 07 Apr 2020 09:13 AM PDT  The novel coronavirus has been spreading rapidly throughout federal prisons, and the BOP reported Monday that eight inmates have died so far.
|
| U.K. Records Highest Daily Deaths With Johnson in Intensive Care Posted: 07 Apr 2020 11:58 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Boris Johnson was still being monitored in a critical care unit as the U.K.'s coronavirus crisis deepened, with the highest daily rise in deaths so far.After he was taken into intensive care Monday, Johnson, 55, remained in a stable condition receiving oxygen treatment, and has not been diagnosed with pneumonia or put on a ventilator, his officials said. A statement Tuesday evening said this was unchanged.But the prime minister's personal struggle to recover from Covid-19 leaves the U.K. without its leader at a critical time as the country prepares for cases to increase over the next 10 days. The death toll rose by 786, the Department for Health said Tuesday, bringing the total to 6,159.Asked why the U.K.'s death rates were so much higher than Germany's, England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty appeared to blame the British government's lack of wide testing for the virus.There were hints of better news elsewhere in the U.K. data, according to a televised briefing shortly after the death figures were published. There is no acceleration in the number of new cases, and it is "possible" that the infection curve is starting to flatten, said Patrick Vallance, the government's chief scientific adviser. The trend won't be clear for about another week, he said.With Johnson out of action, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is deputizing at the head of the government, with the peak of the outbreak expected in the days ahead. "I'm confident he'll pull through because if there's one thing I know about the prime minister, he's a fighter," Raab said at the same press conference on Tuesday evening.The cabinet is working collectively to deliver Johnson's instructions on fighting the pandemic, Raab said when asked how much power he has over government policy.Johnson was taken to St. Thomas' Hospital in London on Sunday evening after struggling to shake off virus symptoms for 10 days.Adding to the government's woes, Cabinet Minister Michael Gove -- a key member of Johnson's top team -- said he is in self-isolation after a family member displayed symptoms of coronavirus at the weekend. Gove has no symptoms himself and is continuing to work, he said in a Twitter post on Tuesday.Raab and the rest of the Cabinet face a series of key decisions in the days ahead -- on the process for easing the national lock down, and whether restrictions on people's movements should be lifted, extended or tightened even further.Trump SupportIt's an extraordinary turn of events for Johnson. Just over two months ago, he was at the peak of his powers, celebrating Britain's departure from the European Union after scoring an emphatic election victory.U.S. President Donald Trump, a supporter of Johnson, said at a press briefing that he has told pharmaceutical companies to get in touch with London to offer help. Trump cited "rather complex" therapeutic treatments for the virus with "really incredible results," but didn't specify them."When you get brought into intensive care, that gets very, very serious with this particular disease," Trump said.With Johnson out of action, the untested Raab will now need to get a grip on the government machine and coordinate the pandemic response. Britain's strategy for defeating coronavirus has already come under strain, with ministers accepting they had not done enough to test people for infections.Johnson himself was criticized by medical experts and members of his own Conservative Party for failing to act quickly enough to close schools and ban public gatherings.Cabinet DivisionsThere have been divisions among Johnson's officials during his period of isolation already, a situation that risks getting worse with Raab, who was a leadership rival to Johnson last year, now in charge. Gove and Health Secretary Matt Hancock also stood for party leader and are now in lead roles in the virus strategy.On Tuesday, Gove told the BBC the government is working "in a team way" and taking decisions "completely by consensus," as Raab chairs key meetings. "Physically, Boris is full of life and fit -- he is a keen tennis player and runner and he's a man of great zest and appetite for life," Gove told LBC radio later. "We hope and pray that he enjoys a quick recovery."Johnson revealed on March 27 he had tested positive for coronavirus and was going into isolation in his Downing Street apartment. His meals and official papers were left outside his door, but he continued to chair daily crisis meetings via video link.The premier recorded several "selfie" video messages for social media in recent days in which he insisted he was doing well and remained in charge. At times, though, he appeared short of breath and visibly unwell.After being taken into intensive care, the premier received well wishes from colleagues including his predecessors Theresa May and David Cameron, as well as his chief opponent, Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer. International leaders including Irish premier Leo Varadkar and President Emmanuel Macron of France also sent messages of support.Johnson's fiancee, Carrie Symonds, who is pregnant, also had symptoms of the virus and had been isolating.(Adds Downing Street statement on Johnson's health in second paragraph)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
|
| Ex-Vatican treasurer Cardinal Pell acquitted of sex offences, leaves jail Posted: 06 Apr 2020 05:13 PM PDT  Australia's highest court acquitted former Vatican treasurer George Pell on Tuesday of sexually assaulting two teenaged choirboys in the 1990s, freeing the 78-year-old cardinal after 404 days in jail. The Vatican welcomed the decision and praised Pell for having "waited for the truth to be ascertained". In a statement it said it always had confidence in Australian justice, that Pell had always maintained his innocence and that the Holy See reaffirmed its "commitment to preventing and pursuing all cases of abuse against minors".
|
| Sweden, which refused to implement a coronavirus lockdown, has so far avoided a mass outbreak. Now it's bracing for a potential surge in deaths. Posted: 07 Apr 2020 05:16 AM PDT  Sweden urged people to practice social distancing but left shops and restaurants open, contrasting with many countries across Europe and the world.
|
| Iranian Health Official Calls Chinese Coronavirus Stats a ‘Bitter Joke’ Posted: 06 Apr 2020 05:05 AM PDT  Iranian health ministry spokesman Kianush Jahanpur on Sunday criticized Chinese government statistics on the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, appearing to blame those statistics for other countries' slow response to the emerging pandemic."It seems statistics from China [were] a bitter joke, because many in the world thought this is just like influenza, with fewer deaths," Jahanpur said during a video conference in remarks translated by Radio Farda. "This [impression] were based on reports from China and now it seems China made a bitter joke with the rest of the world."Jahanpur added, "If in China they say an epidemic was controlled in two months, one should really think about it."The remarks caused a spat with Chinese officials, with China's ambassador to Iran saying the country should " show respect to the truths and great efforts of the people of China." Jahanpur took to Twitter to criticize Chinese statistics yet again, but subsequently offered praise of China, an ally of Iran."The support offered by China to the Iranian people in these trying times is unforgettable," Jahanpur wrote on Monday.While Iran has reported over 60,000 cases of coronavirus with more than 3,700 deaths as of Monday, U.S. officials believe the extent of the outbreak is much wider than the government has revealed. In late February, Iranian parliament members criticized their own government for concealing "horrific numbers" of deaths in the country.
|
| McGrath outpaces McConnell in fundraising for Kentucky race Posted: 07 Apr 2020 06:27 AM PDT  Democrat Amy McGrath raised substantially more campaign cash than Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in the first three months of 2020, showing her staying power against the Republican lawmaker in setting a blistering fundraising pace in Kentucky. Hours after McConnell's campaign reported raising nearly $7.5 million in the quarter, McGrath upped the ante.
|
| Coronavirus: Japan to declare emergency as Tokyo cases soar Posted: 06 Apr 2020 04:54 AM PDT  The measures aim to avert a major outbreak in its major cities but fall short of a lockdown.
|
| Coronavirus map of the US: latest cases state by state Posted: 05 Apr 2020 10:56 PM PDT  * Coronavirus: world map of deaths and cases * Coronavirus – latest global updates * See all our coronavirus coverageThe number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 continues to grow in the US. Mike Pence, the vice-president, is overseeing the US response to the coronavirus.So far, 80% of patients experience a mild form of the illness, which can include a fever and pneumonia, and many of these cases require little to no medical intervention. That being said, elderly people and those with underlying conditions such as diabetes or heart and lung issues are the most vulnerable. The coronavirus death rate in China for people 80 or over, in the government's study of more than 72,000 cases, was 14.8%.default default default * Due to the unprecedented and ongoing nature of the coronavirus outbreak, this article is being regularly updated to ensure that it reflects the current situation at the date of publication. Any significant corrections made to this or previous versions of the article will continue to be footnoted in line with Guardian editorial policy.
|
| Why Army Helicopters Are Launching From a Navy Ship Posted: 07 Apr 2020 10:50 AM PDT  The USS Puller is acting as a floating base for Army attack helicopters.
|
| Is Trump leading a 'war' against the coronavirus? Posted: 06 Apr 2020 06:48 AM PDT  While the term "warfare" is a useful metaphor for the kind of mobilization necessary to save lives in this crisis, it's not a useful way to think about the primary responsibility of ordinary citizens right now, which is to stay at home.
|
| Spain's coronavirus death rate quickens again Posted: 07 Apr 2020 02:43 AM PDT  Spain's daily toll of coronavirus deaths rose on Tuesday for the first time in five days, with 743 people succumbing overnight compared with 637 in the previous 24 hours, but there was still hope the national lockdown might be eased soon. As officials worked on a plan to lift some of the social and economic restrictions imposed to halt the virus' spread, the Spanish unit of Germany's Volkswagen said it may partially reopen a plant in the Navarra region on April 20. Health Minister Salvador Illa said 60,000 randomly chosen people would be tested over three weeks to gauge the spread of the virus.
|
| Pelosi reportedly tells Democrats next coronavirus relief package will top $1 trillion Posted: 06 Apr 2020 07:55 PM PDT  During a private conference call with Democrats on Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said at least $1 trillion will be needed for the next coronavirus relief package.Last month, Congress passed a $2.2 trillion stimulus package, and Pelosi said the next bill will build onto that, people on the call told Bloomberg News. Pelosi said there will have to be more direct payments to individuals, extended unemployment insurance, and additional funding for food stamps and the Payroll Protection Plan, which provides small business loans.One lawmaker told Bloomberg News Pelosi also said the bill should help state and local governments, particularly in areas with no more than 500,000 residents. While the House isn't scheduled to be back in session until April 20 at the earliest, Pelosi said she wants the package passed this month. President Trump was asked on Monday evening about a second round of direct payments to Americans, and he said it is "absolutely under consideration."More stories from theweek.com What America needs to do before lockdown can end Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey pledges $1 billion to coronavirus relief Is Trump's 'campaign of retaliation' about to get worse?
|
| Congo mine gun attack kills three Chinese nationals: Xinhua Posted: 07 Apr 2020 07:24 AM PDT  A gun attack in a mining area in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed three Chinese nationals, China's official Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Chinese embassy in the mineral-rich central African country.
|
| Asia virus latest: Wuhan travel ban lifted, Japan under state of emergency Posted: 07 Apr 2020 12:16 PM PDT  Here are the latest developments in Asia related to the coronavirus pandemic:
|
| Maeve Kennedy McKean's body is recovered after canoe search Posted: 07 Apr 2020 06:19 AM PDT  Maeve Kennedy McKean and her son were last seen in a canoe off Chesapeake Bay in Maryland last week.
|
| Israeli security agency says it arrested alleged Iran spy Posted: 07 Apr 2020 08:49 AM PDT |
| Coronavirus outbreak delayed his liver transplant. Then doctors found a solution. Posted: 07 Apr 2020 10:38 AM PDT  Rapid coronavirus testing allowed doctors to give Zach Branson the liver he needed. The pandemic has led many hospitals to postpone transplant operations.
|
| Dr. Anthony Fauci: There are 'good signs' in US battle against coronavirus, but we're far from 'claiming victory' Posted: 06 Apr 2020 09:02 PM PDT  Drs. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx say there are encouraging signs after weeks of mitigation, but stress the U.S. is far from a coronavirus victory.
|
| Coronavirus Model Used by White House Changed to Reflect Decrease in Projected Fatalities Posted: 06 Apr 2020 07:27 AM PDT  A coronavirus projection used by the White House to warn that the country could face between 100,000 and 200,000 deaths in a "best case scenario" has dramatically reduced its estimates, cutting the number of hospital beds needed by 58 percent and the death forecast by 12 percent.The IHME model, produced by the University of Washington, updated its numbers overnight to show that projected deaths decreased from 93,531 to 81,766, and the projected total bed shortage fell from 87,674 to 36,654, after projected needed hospital beds fell 45 percent from 262,000 to 141,000 and needed ICU beds decreased 26 percent from almost 39,700 to 29,200. While the model remained unchanged in estimating a peak of April 15, it also moved forward its projected date of fewer than 200 daily deaths from June 3 to May 18.A state-by-state breakdown suggested that a number of the U.S.'s hotspots were gaining ground on the virus, with death projections falling for California, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Washington State, and others. New Jersey's projection rose dramatically from 2,100 to 9,690, while the projection for Illinois remained essentially the same.The University of Washington model, led by Professor Chris Murray, has been widely cited and circulated to illustrate the seriousness of the coronavirus outbreak. Its estimates were also used by Dr. Debbie Birx, the coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, to inform her own models."If you go on [Murray's] website, you can see the concern that we had with the growing number of potential fatalities," Birx told reporters last week.The model also helped inform a projection made by Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the task for and head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, that the country would face "a best case scenario" of 100,000 to 200,000 coronavirus deaths.
|
| Saudi Arabia says it could reach 200,000 coronavirus infections Posted: 07 Apr 2020 08:07 AM PDT  The new coronavirus could eventually infect between 10,000 and 200,000 people in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom's health minister said on Tuesday, urging the public to adhere more closely to state directives against mixing and movement. The country of some 30 million has so far reported 2,795 cases and 41 deaths, the highest in the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), despite halting all passenger flights, suspending most commercial activities and imposing a 24-hour curfew in major cities including the capital Riyadh. "We stand today at a decisive moment as a society in raising our sense of responsibility and contributing together with determination to stop the spread of this pandemic," Health Minister Tawfiq al-Rabiah said in a rare televised address.
|
| Spain Reports New Coronavirus Cases at Lowest Since March 22 Posted: 06 Apr 2020 02:46 AM PDT  (Bloomberg) -- Spain reported the lowest number of new coronavirus cases in more than two weeks, a sign that Europe's biggest outbreak is slowing. New infections were 4,273, taking the total to 135,032, according to Health Ministry data on Monday. The death toll rose by 637 to 13,055 in the past 24 hours, a smaller gain than Sunday's 674 and the lowest number of daily fatalities since March 24.With more fatalities from the disease than China, where the pandemic originated, public opinion of the government's management of the crisis has consistently deteriorated. Just 27.7% of voters approve the administration's actions, compared with 35.1% three weeks ago, according to a GAD3 poll published Monday by Spanish newspaper ABC.With the entire country under lockdown since March 14, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced over the weekend that he will seek parliamentary approval to extend the current state of emergency by two weeks to April 25.Under the extension, certain activities, such as construction, will be able to restart as part of government efforts to ease the strain on the battered economy, which is particularly hard-hit by widespread travel restrictions.Restrictions are likely to be prolonged even further, though the Spanish leader said there will be changes to manage the return to normal life.To bolster the overwhelmed health service, Spain's government has called on the armed forces, deploying some 7,000 personnel in the military's biggest peace-time operation. Soldiers are setting up 16 temporary hospitals, flying medical gear in from China and transporting patients, according to Defense Minister Margarita Robles.To cushion the economic impact of the pandemic, Sanchez's administration announced a 100 billion-euro ($108 billion) stimulus package and has temporarily waved certain payment obligations for self-employed workers and small- and medium-sized companies.The government is also looking at putting in place some form of guaranteed basic income "soon" that will remain even after the crisis subsides, Economy Minister Nadia Calvio said Sunday.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.
|
| Obama suggests lawmakers follow Elizabeth Warren's coronavirus recovery plans Posted: 06 Apr 2020 02:26 PM PDT  Former President Barack Obama is handing out an endorsement of sorts.Even though she ended her presidential campaign a month ago, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has continued to crank out plans for how she'd like the government to be run. They've continued throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and, on Monday, got a stamp of approval from Obama.Linking to Warren's appearance on the Vox podcast The Ezra Klein Show, Obama described Warren as providing a "cogent summary of how federal policymakers should be thinking about the pandemic in the coming months." In the discussion, Warren outlined plans for protecting health care workers and stemming disease spread, federal deficit spending to save the economy, and collecting data to improve future response measures.> As she often does, @SenWarren provides a cogent summary of how federal policymakers should be thinking about the pandemic in the coming months. https://t.co/zkX0E7ncK5> > -- Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 6, 2020To some observers, it looked like an endorsement of Warren's policy agenda. And to NBC News' Mike Memoli, it looked like a wholesale endorsement for former Vice President Joe Biden's potential 2020 vice presidential pick. > TO: J.Robinette.Biden@JoeBiden.com > FROM: 44@barackobama.com > SUBJECT: Your VP Search https://t.co/pnjjZhvGsP> > -- Mike Memoli (@mikememoli) April 6, 2020More stories from theweek.com What America needs to do before lockdown can end YouTube bans coronavirus conspiracy videos after livestreamer falsely links virus to 5G networks Trump just ousted the inspector general overseeing coronavirus relief spending
|
