States Scramble To Contain Outbreak As Coronavirus Cases In U.S. Sail Past 200
State officials across the country are asking thousands of residents to self-quarantine in a desperate hope of heading off an outbreak in the country. At least three states have declared emergencies to better ramp up their response efforts. Among the states that are confirming cases are California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington and Texas.
CNN:
Thousands Of US Residents Have Been Asked By State Governments To 'Self-Quarantine.' Here's What That Looks Like
With US coronavirus cases topping 220 across 19 states and the death toll climbing to more than a dozen, state governments have asked thousands of residents to seclude themselves from the rest of the community to help contain the virus. In New York alone, more than 2,500 people were instructed to self-quarantine as health officials scour for anyone who may have been exposed to the state's first coronavirus cases. At least 22 have tested positive and are in isolation. (Maxouris, 3/6)
The Hill:
Coronavirus Fears Disrupt Daily Life
The steady spread of the coronavirus is disrupting basic aspects of daily life in the U.S. as health officials rush to contain the outbreak. Schools, businesses and places of worship near hotspots across the country are temporarily closing or scaling back gatherings to prevent the spread of the virus. Public events and private conferences have been canceled, and public health officials are warning against international travel. (Lane and Budryk, 3/6)
Reuters:
King County, Washington Says 20 New Confirmed Cases Of Coronavirus
Twenty new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in King County, Washington, health officials there said on Thursday, bringing the total to 51. "This is a critical moment in the growing outbreak of COVID-19 in King County. All King County residents should follow Public Health recommendations. Together, we may potentially impact the spread of the disease in our community," the county said. (3/5)
The New York Times:
‘It’s A Weird Feeling’: Seattle Hunkers Down Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
Just after dawn on Thursday morning, a Microsoft shuttle bus idled at its regular stop in North Seattle — but no passengers were there to board. The day went on like that: Coffee shop sales were way down. Schools were closed in one suburban area. The downtown was oddly quiet. Traffic was a breeze. People were hunkering down. A new reality has set in for the Seattle area, the first region in the United States where the authorities have issued sweeping recommendations that people stay home to slow the spread of coronavirus. (Weise and Johnson, 3/5)
The New York Times:
‘We Anticipate She Has The Coronavirus. We Do Not Anticipate Her Fighting.’
The hardest day of Debbie de los Angeles’s life had been the day she put her mother into a nursing home. That was before coronavirus. As fatal infections spread through the Life Care Center in suburban Seattle, where her 85-year-old mother lived, Ms. de los Angeles had tried not to worry. Nurses were monitoring her mother’s temperature. They reassured Ms. de los Angeles that her mother had no fever, cough or other signs of infection. But at 4:15 a.m. on Tuesday, a nurse called with troubling news. Her mother, Twilla Morin, had developed a 104-degree fever. They were giving her Tylenol. Then the nurse confirmed her do-not-resuscitate orders. (Healy, Weise and Baker, 3/5)
Reuters:
Prepared Yet Vulnerable, A Battle-Tested New York Confronts Coronavirus
By the time the global coronavirus outbreak arrived in New York this week, the city was armed with hundreds of hospital beds, a growing stockpile of diagnostic testing kits and enough disinfectant to wipe down the entire subway system. Mayor Bill de Blasio's vaunted health department had honed its response to the potential crisis in recent years by tamping down swine flu, Ebola and other epidemics before they could paralyze the nation's financial capital and most crowded metropolis. (Allen and Layne, 3/5)
The New York Times:
Coronavirus In N.Y.: 2,733 People Are Under Quarantines In City
The number of confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in New York State doubled on Thursday to 22, with officials announcing eight new cases in Westchester County, one on Long Island and two patients in New York City who are critically ill. But the virus’s potential reach was underscored by a much larger number: The city Department of Health is keeping tabs on 2,773 New Yorkers currently in home isolation, most of them in self-quarantine, city officials said on Thursday. (Paybarah and Goldstein, 3/5)
The Wall Street Journal:
New York State Coronavirus Cases Rise To 22
The two patients were confirmed to have the virus late Wednesday night, the officials said. One is a Manhattan man in his 40s, and the other is a Brooklyn woman in her 80s, the officials said. Mayor Bill de Blasio said the man had an underlying respiratory issue from smoking and vaping and the woman had age-related health issues. Meanwhile, a city teacher who had recently traveled to Italy and had shown symptoms of the virus tested negative, Mr. de Blasio said. (Honan, Vielkind and King, 3/5)
The New York Times:
Coronavirus In N.J.: A Second Positive Test In The State
Officials in New Jersey announced Thursday that a second person in the state had tested positive for the new coronavirus, just one day after they said that a 32-year-old man in Fort Lee was the first in New Jersey to test positive for the virus. The announcement came as more than 150 cases of the virus were confirmed across the United States in 18 states. New Jersey’s Department of Health said it was waiting for a more detailed analysis by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm “presumptive positive results” from both tests, which were conducted in a state laboratory. (Gold, 3/5)
Politico:
Maryland Declares State Of Emergency As 3 Coronavirus Cases Confirmed
Maryland declared a state of emergency today as three Montgomery County residents tested positive for coronavirus, state officials said Thursday evening. The patients, who contracted the virus while traveling overseas, are in good condition and are isolated in their homes, state officials said. Two of the patients are a couple in their 70s, and the third is a single woman in her 50s. They returned to the U.S. on Feb. 20, officials said. (Goldberg, 3/5)
The Baltimore Sun:
First Three Coronavirus Cases Confirmed In Maryland, All In Montgomery County; Hogan Declares State Of Emergency
Gov. Larry Hogan announced Thursday night that the state’s Public Health Laboratory in East Baltimore confirmed the cases, which are all in Montgomery County. Two are a married couple in their 70s and the third is an unrelated woman in her 50s who had traveled with them. They are all in isolation in their homes. Officials did not say where they had traveled, citing privacy reasons, but said they returned Feb. 20. Health officials had been in phone contact with people returning from several heavily affected countries, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified the state Tuesday that the three needed to be tested. All three had symptoms, which were not severe and are now abating, officials said. (Cohn and Wood, 3/6)
Los Angeles Times:
Deputies Called After Costco Customers Balk At Shortages
Sheriff’s deputies were called to a Costco in Chino Hills on Thursday when a crowd of customers became unruly after finding that items such as water, paper towels and toilet paper were out of stock, presumably because of coronavirus-inspired buying, authorities said. San Bernardino County deputies sent to the store in the 13000 block of Peyton Drive at 10:15 a.m. were told that a large group of customers had become frustrated after learning certain products were not available, department spokeswoman Cindy Bachman said. (Money, 3/5)
The Hill:
First Colorado Patient Tests Positive For Coronavirus As Outbreak Spreads
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) announced Thursday that health officials have confirmed the first presumptive case of the coronavirus within the state. The patient in question is considered a “presumptive” case because they tested positive in a state-administered test but have not yet received results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Moreno, 3/5)
Reuters:
Harris County, Texas, Confirms First Two Cases Of Coronavirus
The first two cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Harris County, Texas, public health officials there said on Thursday, in a man and woman from an unincorporated area north of Houston. (3/5)
KQED:
First Two San Francisco Cases Of Coronavirus Detected
The first two cases of novel coronavirus infection have been detected in San Francisco, Mayor London Breed announced at a press conference Thursday. The two patients are being treated in isolation at separate hospitals in San Francisco, and the cases appear unrelated. (Arcuni, 3/5)
Boston Globe:
Team Of CDC Experts Now In Rhode Island Trying To Contain Coronavirus Outbreak
Health officials from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now in Rhode Island to try to contain an outbreak of the coronavirus that arose from a private school’s trip to Europe during February vacation, state officials said Thursday. Five experts from the CDC’s epidemic intelligence service are “embedded” with state health officials, according to Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, director of the state Department of Health, “building our capacity to respond to the emergency event.” (Fitzpatrick, 3/5)
The Associated Press:
Washington, DC, Gets Its First Coronavirus Pop-Up Shop
The nation's capital has pop up shops for food and drink, even marijuana. And now, coronavirus prevention supplies. As local stores sell out of masks and hand sanitizer, Adilisha Patrom, owner of a co-working and event space next to Gallaudet University, saw an opportunity and jumped on it. Inside, her storefront, different models of face masks and hand sanitizer bottles in various sizes are displayed along a stack of information sheets from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Thursday, one man stopped by, asked how much the masks cost and then left. (Khalil, 3/6)
Kaiser Health News:
Blood Drives — And Donors — Fall Off As Coronavirus Worries Grow
Mounting warnings that Americans should stay home and avoid crowds to stop the spread of a deadly new coronavirus are triggering an unexpected — and potentially ominous — downside: a drop in the nation’s blood supply. Dozens of blood drives have been canceled and regular donors are no-shows, industry officials said, especially in states like Washington and California, where the virus is spreading more broadly within communities and health officials are urging residents to avoid public gatherings to reduce risk. (Aleccia, 3/6)
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
Coronavirus: Milwaukee Health Officials Prepare For The Worst
Health officials are preparing for the novel coronavirus' arrival in Milwaukee by making changes to the 911 dispatch system, holding meetings to hash out roles and responsibilities, and determining how to best protect both workers and residents from the virus. When the virus might come to Milwaukee is unknown, but experts speaking at public meetings Thursday said there is little doubt it will come. (Dirr and Diedrich, 3/5)
Detroit Free Press:
Michigan Tests 8 More People For COVID-19 As New Test Kits Arrive
Michigan more than doubled its novel coronavirus testing capability Thursday, when a new batch of tests were received from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The added test kits will allow state health officials to test more than 300 Michiganders for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. (Seamus, 3/5)
