‘Things Will Get Worse’: Fauci Strikes Grim Tone To Congress When Asked About Scope Of U.S. Outbreak
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stressed that the coronavirus “is a really serious problem that we have to take seriously,” noting that it’s 10 times more lethal than influenza, which kills nearly 0.1% of Americans who get it each year. It was a notably different tone than the Trump administration has employed in recent days.
Politico:
'It’s Going To Get Worse': Health Officials Warn Of Coronavirus Escalation
The nation’s top health officials cautioned Wednesday that the U.S. will see more coronavirus cases as the domestic outbreak spreads, a stark warning that comes as Congress looks to head off the outbreak's economic impact and global health organizations declare it a full-blown pandemic. ...“How much worse… will depend on our ability to do two things: to contain the influx in people who are infected coming from the outside and the ability to contain and mitigate within our own country,” Fauci said. “Bottom line: It’s going to get worse.” (Forgey, McCaskill and Ehley, 3/11)
NPR:
Coronavirus: Over 1,000 Cases Now In U.S., And 'It's Going To Get Worse,' Fauci Says
While this coronavirus is being contained in some respects, he testified, the U.S. is seeing more cases emerge through community spread as well as international travel. "I can say we will see more cases, and things will get worse than they are right now," Fauci said. "How much worse we'll get will depend on our ability to do two things: to contain the influx of people who are infected coming from the outside, and the ability to contain and mitigate within our own country." (Chappell, 3/11)
The Washington Post:
Coronavirus Forecasts Are Grim: ‘It’s Going To Get Worse’
Experts have produced forecasts of likely numbers of infections and serious illnesses as well as death tolls, on the basis of what is known about the novel coronavirus and how past epidemics have played out. They suggest that the United States — which has surpassed 1,000 confirmed novel-coronavirus infections and 30 deaths — must prepare for a potentially historic pandemic. Most coronavirus patients have mild or moderate illnesses and recover without need for hospitalization. The people at elevated risk of serious illness are “older adults,” in the phrasing of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and anyone with an underlying chronic illness such as heart disease, lung disease or diabetes. (Achenbach, Wan and Sun, 3/11)
