Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
National Body Bag Shortage Hampers Efforts To Maintain Dignity As U.S. Death Toll Climbs Past 85,000
Roll Call: National Body Bag Shortage Exacerbates Funeral Homes’ Problems
A national shortage of body bags is disrupting the work of funeral directors across the country, raising difficult questions about how to maintain the dignity of the deceased and reduce workers’ concerns about potential exposure to the coronavirus. The shortage of body bags is a grim reminder of the pandemic’s mounting death toll. (Kopp, 5/14)
The Wall Street Journal: Global Coronavirus Deaths Pass 300,000 As U.S. States Further Ease Restrictions
The confirmed global death toll from the coronavirus pandemic passed 301,000 as tensions flared over reopenings in the U.S. and some Asian countries rolled out large-scale testing to contain resurgent clusters of infections. Cases world-wide topped 4.4 million, with 1.4 million in the U.S., according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. U.S. deaths stood at more than 85,000. Experts say the official numbers likely understate the extent of the pandemic. (Ansari and Calfas, 5/14)
NPR: Tracking The Pandemic: How Quickly Is The Coronavirus Spreading State By State?
Since the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the United States on Jan. 21, over one million people in the U.S. have confirmed cases of COVID-19. On April 12, the U.S. became the nation with the most deaths globally, but there are early signs that the U.S. case and death counts may be leveling off, as the growth of new cases and deaths plateaus. The pattern isn't consistent across the country, as new hot spots emerge and others subside. (Renken and Wood, 5/14)
CIDRAP: Global COVID-19 Death Toll Exceeds 300,000
The number of COVID-19 deaths today passed the 300,000 mark, as another city in China went on lockdown to prevent a resurgence and more countries in Europe learned that low numbers of people were exposed in their outbreaks, meaning many are vulnerable to a second wave. Deaths climbed to 301,160 today, with cases rising to 4,413,597, according to the Johns Hopkins online dashboard. (Schnirring, 5/14)
