Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
How The World Is Faring
AP: Big Wedding In Fictional Home Of 'The Godfather' Fuels Virus
The Sicilian town of Corleone, made famous by the fictional Mafia clan in “The Godfather,” has ordered schools closed and a limited lockdown after a spate of coronavirus infections were tied to a big wedding there last week. The city administration told all 250 guests at the Sept. 12 wedding and anyone who lives with them to self-isolate and inform their doctors and city health authorities while awaiting virus tests. In a Facebook post, Mayor Nicolò Nicolosi said he expected “maximum cooperation to overcome the current crisis.” (9/18)
AP: UN Food Chief Urges Rich To Help Keep Millions From Starving
The World Food Program chief warned Thursday that millions of people are closer to starvation because of the deadly combination of conflict, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic and he urged donor nations and billionaires to help feed them and ensure their survival. The U.N. program’s chief David Beasley told the U.N. Security Council that the response to his warning five months ago of a potential “hunger pandemic” had averted famine and kept people alive but the work wasn’t done. (Lederer, 9/18)
The Washington Post: Churches Have Become South Korea's Coronavirus Battleground
In South Korea, Christians find themselves at the center of pandemic controversy after places of worship and Christian communities were blamed by President Moon Jae-in for two waves of coronavirus infections.The ensuing dispute has mixed religion, epidemiology and politics in a nation where more than 1 in 4 people identify as Christian and where those who do often lean conservative, putting them at odds with Moon’s center-left government. (Joo Kim, 9/17)
AP: Asia Today: India's Coronavirus Cases Jump By Another 96K
India’s coronavirus cases jumped by another 96,424 infections in the past 24 hours, showing little sign of leveling. The Health Ministry on Friday raised the nation’s total past 5.21 million, 0.37% of its nearly 1.4 billion people. It said 1,174 more people died in the past 24 hours, for a total of 84,372 fatalities. Experts say India’s death toll may be a significant undercount. (9/18)
