Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Number Of Americans Infected With Virus Could Be 10 Times Higher Than Official Count, CDC Chief Warns
The Washington Post: CDC Chief Says Coronavirus Cases May Be 10 Times Higher Than Reported
The number of people in the United States who have been infected with the coronavirus is likely to be 10 times as high as the 2.4 million confirmed cases, based on antibody tests, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. CDC Director Robert Redfield’s estimate, shared with reporters in a conference call, indicates that at least 24 million Americans have been infected so far. (Sun and Achenbach, 6/25)
AP: US Health Officials Estimate 20M Americans Have Had Virus
The news comes as the Trump administration works to tamp down nationwide concern about the COVID-19 pandemic as about a dozen states are seeing worrisome increases in cases. The administration also looks to get its scientific experts back before the public more as it tries to allay anxieties about the pandemic while states begin reopening. Since mid-May, when the government began stressing the need to get the economy moving again, the panel’s public health experts have been far less visible than in the pandemic’s early weeks. (Miller and Marchione, 6/25)
Reuters: Coronavirus May Have Infected 10 Times More Americans Than Reported, CDC Says
If true, the estimate would suggest the percentage of U.S. deaths from the disease is lower than thought. More than 120,000 Americans have died from the disease since the pandemic erupted earlier this year. The estimate comes as government officials note that many new cases are showing up in young people who do not exhibit symptoms and may not know they have it. (Holland, 6/25)
Politico: CDC Chief: Covid-19 Infections Could Be 10 Times Higher Than Confirmed Cases
[Redfield] added that with cases spiking across the country, Americans should continue social distancing and wearing face coverings. He particularly singled out younger people, under the age of 50, who have accounted for an uptick in cases as states began to reopen. “I’m asking people to recognize we’re in a different situation today than we were in March and April where the virus was disproportionately being recognized in older adults,” he said. (Ehley, 6/25)
The Hill: CDC: Coronavirus May Have Infected 10 Times More Americans Than Known
Most people who contract the SARS-CoV-2 virus show few if any symptoms, and only a small percentage require hospitalization. But while the number of potentially infected people is multitudes higher than the number of confirmed cases, Redfield also said the relatively low percentage of Americans who have been infected means hundreds of millions more remain at risk. (Wilson, 6/25)
CNN: US Coronavirus: Millions Of People May Have Been Infected In The Past
Between 5% and 8% of Americans have been infected with the coronavirus, with the numbers varying by region. New York, once the epicenter of the pandemic, will have a higher percentage of people with past infections than some states in the West, Redfield said. That means 90% or more have not been infected and are susceptible to the virus, highlighting the need to act aggressively to combat rising infection rates, he said. Some cases went unnoticed partly because testing was at first limited to people who were very ill, Redfield said. As more people get tested, he added, it's clear a large percentage had mild symptoms or none at all. (Karimi, 6/26)
Meanwhile, the number of cases continues to spike across the country —
Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus Cases Hit New High As States Mandate Masks
The nation may be opening up, but the coronavirus is far from slowing down. In fact, COVID-19 is on the rise. There were 38,459 new cases of the virus reported nationwide on Thursday, a number that surpassed a record set the prior day of 38,115. (Kaleem, 6/25)
The Washington Post: New Coronavirus Cases Hit A Record, But Parts Of America Are Still In Denial
Americans are living through a split-screen pandemic: Their leaders are relaxing restrictions while their states set records for new coronavirus infections. Churches, beaches and bars are filling up, and so are hospital beds. Early in the outbreak, President Trump told governors they were on their own — for testing, medical supplies and stay-at-home orders. Now, in this new phase of soaring cases and reopenings, the effects of this decentralized decision-making are particularly noticeable and subject to politics, with some states making seemingly arbitrary decisions. (Thebault and Hauslohner, 6/25)
