Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
While U.S. Deaths Climb Past 71,000, Projection Models Get Swept Up Into Partisan Politics
The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Deaths Top 71,000, As Impact On Nursing Homes Mounts
As the confirmed U.S. death toll from the new coronavirus grew to more than 71,000, new data showed the pandemic’s devastating impact on nursing homes. New York state has recorded at least 4,813 confirmed and presumed deaths related to the coronavirus at nursing homes and adult-care facilities, including 71 confirmed fatalities at one facility, according to state data released Monday night. The number has grown quickly. An April 22 tally showed 3,505 deaths in the facilities statewide. The figures included confirmed cases and probable cases from some nursing homes. Globally, the number of deaths rose past 254,000, with 3.6 million confirmed coronavirus cases, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. (Honan, Brody and Calfas, 5/5)
Los Angeles Times: California Sees First Drop In Weekly Coronavirus Deaths
California recorded its first week-over-week decline in reported coronavirus deaths, a promising if preliminary sign of progress as Gov. Gavin Newsom prepared to reopen some businesses this week. Two weeks ago, California reported its highest one-week death toll — 542 fatalities among people infected with the coronavirus between April 20 and April 26. Last week, the weekly death toll fell for the first time, dropping nearly 9% to 495 fatalities for the seven-day period that ended Sunday, according to a Times data analysis. (Lin and Lee, 5/5)
The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Coronavirus Cases Surpass 1.2 Million
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. passed 1.2 million, as the Trump administration said it was considering disbanding the White House coronavirus task force and various states and countries moved ahead with reopening plans. (Lin, 5/6)
The Wall Street Journal: The Tricky Math Behind Coronavirus Death Predictions
The near doubling of coronavirus death predictions in a closely followed model this week underscores a frustrating reality for officials weighing how and when to reopen society: Many basic facts about the new coronavirus remain unknown. Epidemiologists have created many computer models to predict surge capacity in the health-care system and guide policy-making. These seek to predict how many people might be infected, how many will die, and when and how transmission might slow or speed up. (Abbott and Overberg, 5/5)
The Hill: Models Under Scrutiny As Coronavirus Gets More Politicized
Models that estimate the rapid spread or quick extinction of the coronavirus have become the latest partisan flashpoint in a politicized pandemic that has Americans searching for answers — and finding sharply contrasting information... Conservatives contend that [models] are exaggerating the threat posed by the pandemic, spurring an economic catastrophe that will be worse than the virus itself. Those on the left see an administration downplaying the health risk and cherry-picking models that are hopelessly optimistic. (Wilson, 5/5)
Los Angeles Times: Coronavirus Could Make Southern California Heat Waves Deadlier
As summer descends on the U.S., public health experts are warning that the coronavirus could make intense heat waves deadlier, adding to the devastating death toll the country has suffered. High temperatures have rolled through the Southwest unusually early this year, scorching Phoenix and Las Vegas and sending droves of quarantine-weary Southern Californians to the beaches. (Phillips and Barboza, 5/5)
