One Of Good Things About Coronavirus Is That Most Cases Are Mild. But That’s What Could Make It A Pandemic.
Mild and asymptomatic cases make the virus harder to identify and then contain, unlike other outbreaks where the number of critical cases was high but allowed health workers to isolate patients. Meanwhile, in other news: a look at why the virus is spreading so quickly, a warning that warm weather might not slow it down, advice on how to prepare for an outbreak, an explainer on why patients who have a recurring case aren't infectious any more, and more.
The New York Times:
Most Coronavirus Cases Are Mild. That’s Good And Bad News.
As a dangerous new coronavirus has ravaged China and spread throughout the rest of the world, the outbreak’s toll has sown fear and anxiety. Nearly 3,000 deaths. More than 82,000 cases. Six continents infected. But government officials and medical experts, in their warnings about the epidemic, have also sounded a note of reassurance: Though the virus can be deadly, the vast majority of those infected so far have only mild symptoms and make full recoveries. It is an important factor to understand, medical experts said, both to avoid an unnecessary global panic and to get a clear picture of the likelihood of transmission. (Wang, 2/27)
The Wall Street Journal:
Why Coronavirus Spreads So Fast: Symptoms Are Mild And People Are Global
The novel coronavirus has quickly hopscotched from a food market in China around the world, to small towns in northern Italy and a major pilgrimage site in Iran. It spread through a megachurch in South Korea and sickened hundreds on a cruise ship docked in Japan. Countries that a few weeks ago never expected to have to combat the new infectious disease are realizing they likely can’t keep it out in today’s connected world. Popping up in disparate places, sometimes with no clear epidemiological links to the original outbreak in China, the virus is now all but impossible to stop, public-health officials and infectious-disease experts say. (McKay and Stancati, 2/27)
Los Angeles Times:
Scientists Warn That Warmer Weather May Not Slow The Coronavirus
Hoping that we make it to warmer weather before the coronavirus possibly arrives in the United States in force? Don’t bother, scientists say. Unlike with the seasonal flu, the change of seasons may not matter much to the coronavirus. While it is possible that this virus, like many other respiratory viruses, will not survive as readily in warm temperatures, it will be encountering a “completely susceptible” U.S. population, said Maciej F. Boni, an associate professor of biology at Penn State University. (Avril, 2/27)
The Wall Street Journal:
How To Prepare For The Coronavirus
Face masks? Zinc? Gloves? Americans are grasping for ways to brace for what public health experts say is inevitable: an outbreak of the new coronavirus. Public health experts advise staying calm and following the same precautions recommended for preventing flu or any other respiratory virus. Stick with the basics: Wash your hands, cover your coughs and sneezes, and stay at home from work or school when you’re sick. (Reddy, 2/27)
Reuters:
Recovered Coronavirus Patients Found Not To Be Infectious-Official
Recovered coronavirus patients who were discharged from hospitalization but later tested positive again have been found not to be infectious, an official at China's National Health Commission (NHC) said on Friday. (2/28)
Reuters:
Explainer: Coronavirus Reappears In Discharged Patients, Raising Questions In Containment Fight
A growing number of discharged coronavirus patients in China and elsewhere are testing positive after recovering, sometimes weeks after being allowed to leave the hospital, which could make the epidemic harder to eradicate. On Wednesday, the Osaka prefectural government in Japan said a woman working as a tour-bus guide had tested positive for the coronavirus for a second time. This followed reports in China that discharged patients throughout the country were testing positive after their release from the hospital. (Stanway and Kelland, 2/28)
CBS News:
Coronavirus: Face Masks Won't Prevent Illness But Washing Your Hands Will, Experts Say
As fears over the coronavirus outbreak spread, thousands of Americans are clamoring to buy face masks in an effort to protect themselves, sending prices soaring and leading manufacturers like 3M to ramp up production. However, experts say stocking up on face masks is actually misguided — and there's a much simpler thing you could be doing right now to protect yourself. (Capatides, 2/27)
The Wall Street Journal:
What We Know About The Coronavirus, From Symptoms To Who Is At Risk
Named for the crown-like spikes on their surfaces, they infect mostly bats, pigs and small mammals. But they mutate easily and can jump from animals to humans, and from one human to another. In recent years, they have become a growing player in infectious-disease outbreaks world-wide. Seven strains are known to infect humans, including this new virus, causing illnesses in the respiratory tract. Four of those strains cause common colds. Two others, by contrast, rank among the deadliest of human infections: severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, and Middle East respiratory syndrome, or MERS. (McKay, 2/27)
NBC News:
Where Did The New Coronavirus Come From? Past Outbreaks Provide Hints.
As scientists and public health officials around the world scramble to contain the deadly coronavirus outbreak, some researchers are also racing to solve the enduring mystery of where the newly identified virus came from. The coronavirus, which first sickened people in China in December, is thought to have passed from animals to humans, like many similar pathogens, but nothing has been confirmed yet by any peer-reviewed scientific research, global public health agency or academic expert. Beyond that, little is known about its origin. (Chow, 2/28)
The Wall Street Journal:
Coronavirus: How We Got Here And What It Means For You
In the nearly two months since the novel coronavirus was identified, it has spread to every continent except Antarctica. There have been more than 82,100 cases in 45 countries, with at least 2,800 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. (2/27)
NPR:
Antibody Test For COVID-19 Virus Would Help Solve Clinical Mysteries
As the coronavirus spreads more widely around the globe, scientists are starting to use a powerful new tool: a blood test that identifies people who have previously been exposed to the virus. This kind of test is still under development in the United States but it has been rolled out for use in Singapore and China. (Harris, 2/28)
The Washington Post:
CDC’s Facial Hair Guide For Health Workers Resurfaces More Than Two Years Later
Mutton chops, chin curtains and the ever-popular beard have to be shaved off the fighters against coronavirus in the United Kingdom, the Press Association reported. Leaders of the University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust sent an organization-wide email about shaving beards so masks can properly fit on their faces, according to the PA. (Beachum, 2/27)
The Washington Post:
Key Terms Of Coronavirus Outbreak, Explained
With health officials trying to prevent and prepare for the spread of the coronavirus in the United States, there is much panic and confusion and many questions. Here are some key terms and facts to know. (Wan, 2/27)
NBC News:
Coronavirus Epidemic: U.S. Retailers Could See Some Empty Shelves By Mid-April
Coronavirus has the potential to become a global pandemic, temporarily emptying retail store shelves in the coming months and depressing some consumer-facing businesses, experts say, with government officials advising families to take measured steps to stock up on certain essentials. A pandemic is the rapid spread of an infectious disease to a large amount of people in a short period of time across international boundaries. (Popken, 2/27)
The Wall Street Journal:
Makers Of Wipes And Hand Sanitizers Step Up Production As Coronavirus Spreads
Companies that make household cleaning products such as Purell hand sanitizer and Lysol wipes are boosting production as they brace for a surge in demand because of the spread of coronavirus. U.S. health officials have recommended disinfecting frequently touched surfaces with household-cleaning sprays and wipes to help stop the virus’s spread. They also recommend alcohol-based hand sanitizers if soap and water are unavailable. (Terlep, 2/27)
Reuters:
Amazon Bars One Million Products For False Coronavirus Claims
Amazon.com Inc has barred more than 1 million products from sale in recent weeks that had inaccurately claimed to cure or defend against the coronavirus, the company told Reuters on Thursday. Amazon also removed tens of thousands of deals from merchants merchant offers that it said attempted to price-gouge customers. (2/27)
Kaiser Health News:
Growing Concerns Of Coronavirus Should Spur Plans – Not Panic – In The Workplace
Chances are, if you work for a large company, you received an email like one sent to Volkswagen employees Monday: Coronavirus concerns mean some limits on business travel, everyone should remember to “wash your hands frequently” and stay home if sick. As the viral disease, dubbed COVID-19, continues to spread, some employers are canceling conferences and limiting travel, checking supplies and dusting off their emergency preparedness plans, just as they have for previous outbreaks or for natural disasters, such as hurricanes or earthquakes. (Appleby, 2/28)
