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Will Coronavirus Snowball Into A Pandemic? Some Optimistic It Can Be Avoided, But Others Aren’t So Sure

February 4, 2020 Morning Briefing

Scientists map out the potential paths the coronavirus outbreak could take. Many say that although it’s likely to escalate, it could operate like other seasonal pathogens and die out when the hot and humid summer months hit. In other news, despite the fact that experts say surgical face masks don’t do much to help healthy people, there’s been a global rush on them. And where did this virus come from? It’s looking like the culprit is bats.

As Coronavirus Cases Rise In China, Researchers Forecast Outbreak Is Headed In Direction Of Global Pandemic

February 3, 2020 Morning Briefing

“It’s very, very transmissible, and it almost certainly is going to be a pandemic,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. “But will it be catastrophic? I don’t know.” Meanwhile, Dr. Mike Ryan, the head of the WHO’s Emergencies Program, says it’s not too late to try to contain the virus. In other news on the outbreak: first death outside China reported; criticism mounts against China’s response in the early days of the crisis; a look at the hospital China built in just 10 days; and more.

Health Officials, Doctors Scramble To Counter Coronavirus Misinformation That’s Spreading As Fast As Outbreak

February 3, 2020 Morning Briefing

As worries escalate, scared Americans are being inundated with a flood of false or misleading information about the virus. “It is much faster to make something up while waiting for information to come in,” says Johns Hopkins Associate Professor Mark Dredze. Meanwhile, scientists race to find out more about the virus, such as how it’s transmitted, how contagious it is, and whether an Ebola drug might work as a vaccine.