Coronavirus Headlines Mar 3, 2020

 

This page will update all day. Check frequently to be updated.

As more tests are done, the percentage of serious and death rates will decrease.

Many governments are afraid to test and reveal the true number of cases thinking that it will cause panic in their population. However, as the percentage of serious cases and deaths decrease with the increase of the denominator (cases), then it may also allay fears.

Knowing who has the virus helps trace the sources of infection to isolate them and contain the spread.

Covid-19 Headlines for Mar 3, 2020

7 PM EST Update. An increase of 458 in cases and 8 deaths since 12 noon. Serious cases 7.6%. Deaths 3.4%

FEMA IS PREPARING FOR POSSIBLE CORONAVIRUS “EMERGENCY DECLARATION”

WASHINGTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency is planning for the possibility that President Donald Trump could make an emergency declaration to bring in extra funds and personnel to assist the administration’s coronavirus response, according to internal documents obtained by NBC News.

FEMA officials are preparing for an “infectious disease emergency declaration” by the president that would allow the agency to provide disaster relief funding to state and local governments, as well as federal assistance to support the coronavirus response, according to agency planning documents reviewed by NBC News.

DEFENSE DEPARTMENT EXPECTS CORONAVIRUS WILL ‘LIKELY’ BECOME GLOBAL PANDEMIC IN 30 DAYS, AS TRUMP STRIKES SERIOUS TONE

s President Donald Trump assured the public his administration was properly handling the new coronavirus, a document from the Department of Defense showed that officials are preparing for the possibility that COVID-19 may have a significant global impact.

The warning came as part of Thursday’s Joint Chief of Staff daily intelligence brief and, according to a document obtained by Newsweek, officials expect COVID-19 will “likely” become a global pandemic within the next 30 days.

Officials have expected global cases would spread. On Tuesday, the National Center for Medical Intelligence (NCMI) raised the Risk of Pandemic warning. It went from WATCHCON 2, a probable crisis, to WATCHCON 1, an imminent crisis, due to sustained human-to-human transmission outside of China, according to a report summary obtained by Newsweek.

A disconnect between Trump and health officials on virus

No, the scientists say, a vaccine is not just around the corner, although Trump has repeatedly suggested it is. Yes, they say, the U.S. appears to be more prepared than some other countries afflicted or threatened by the virus, but it’s too early to know how the plans will hold up. No, a “cure” is not in the offing for an infectious disease for which there is no treatment.

Third case of COVID-19 infection reported in Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters Tuesday that the third patient was the sister of a 29-year-old Hillsborough County woman whose infection has already been confirmed and who had recently traveled to northern Italy — one of the areas identified for restricted travel by federal authorities.

2nd COVID-19 case in New Hampshire linked to 1st

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A second New Hampshire resident has tested positive for the new coronavirus after being in close contact with the first, state health officials said Tuesday.

The first patient, announced Monday, is an employee at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon who had recently traveled to Italy. The state on Tuesday issued an official order of isolation after learning that the man attended a private social event Friday despite having been told to stay home.

The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Stephen Hahn, responded that the FDA has been working with a private company to get as many as 2,500 test kits out to labs by the end of the week. Each kit should allow a lab to run about 500 tests, he said. That would work out to 1.25 million tests.

But when senators on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee pressed on whether the government will meet its self-imposed deadline, health officials avoided making hard promises.

Looking for hand sanitizer? Good luck finding it

The alcohol-based gunk is convenient, but hand sanitizer isn’t the best way to clean your hands. For that, soap and water still reigns supreme, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency recommends first washing hands with warm or cold water and then lathering soap for 20 seconds to get it on the backs of hands, between fingers and under finger nails before rinsing off.

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S. Korea striving to improve supply of face masks amid mounting public anger

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) — South Korea is making all-out efforts to improve the supply of face masks as the country’s novel coronavirus situation worsens, but public anger is running high over its hastily orchestrated supply scheme.

The country last week approved a plan to limit face mask exports to a maximum of 10 percent of total output and distribute 50 percent through public retail platforms, claiming that this will supply 5 million protective masks to the domestic market daily.

However, the plan came under fire when people had to form long lines, waiting for hours to get masks at designated stores, with large number of citizens returning home empty-handed after the stores ran out of masks.

N. Korea quarantines over 7,000 over coronavirus: Seoul’s spy agency

SEOUL, March 4 (Yonhap) — North Korea has put at least 7,000 people under quarantine to prevent the new coronavirus from spreading into the country, Seoul’s spy agency told lawmakers Tuesday.

“There are possibilities that North Koreans who visited China before the borders were closed may have been infected with the virus,” Lee added.

Washing hands of coronavirus: Expect little help from insurers

Don’t look for much relief from insurers to cushion losses from cancelled events, travel disruptions and potential medical claims from the deadly Covid-19 virus that’s sweeping across the globe.

The world’s largest insurers have learned lessons from previous health crises, including the 2003 SARS outbreak. Over the years, they’ve tightened up their policies, inserting communicable-disease exclusions to prevent potential losses. That means consumers and companies will bear the brunt of the cost for disruptions related to the virus — which has infected 90,000 people and left more than 3,000 people dead.

“While there is a significant risk of disruption, coronavirus-related claims will be low,” analysts at Moody’s Investors Service wrote in a note on Monday. “Business interruption claims will be limited as these policies commonly exclude outbreaks of infectious disease, and pay out only if physical damage occurs.”

The coronavirus exposes our health care system’s weaknesses. We can be stronger

To contain the virus, people will need to call health care providers as soon as they develop any flu-like symptoms. But will they do so if it means losing money? Not only do 26 million Americans lack health insurance, but nearly half of those with private insurance — another 60 million people — have high-deductible plans in which they can be on the hook for thousands of dollars. Already, the Miami Herald has reported on a man who was charged $3,270 for getting checked out at a hospital, and the New York Times profiled a man who is facing nearly $4,000 in bills after he and his daughter were quarantined following their return from China.

Passengers on flights from Asia to Australia alerted as coronavirus cases jump

Who is getting sick, and how sick? A breakdown of coronavirus risk by demographic factors

The new coronavirus is not an equal-opportunity killer: Being elderly and having other illnesses, for instance, greatly increases the risk of dying from the disease the virus causes, Covid-19. It’s also possible being male could put you at increased risk.

Lessons Learned from 72,314 COVID-19 Patients: A China CDC Study

Are Asians More Prone to Get the Covid-19?

Washington State risks seeing explosion in coronavirus cases without dramatic action, new analysis says

The author of the analysis, a computational biologist named Trevor Bedford, said there are likely already at least 500 to 600 cases of Covid-19 in the greater Seattle area. He urged health authorities and the public to immediately begin adopting non-pharmaceutical interventions — imposing “social distancing” measures, telling the sick to isolate themselves, and limiting attendance at large gatherings.

The genetic sequences of patients in the Seattle-King County region suggest the virus has been circulating there since about mid-January, when the first U.S. patient — a man who returned from Wuhan — was diagnosed, Bedford wrote in the analysis, published online.

Stopping the coronavirus requires health care access and paid sick leave. America’s in trouble.

A global health threat requires a maximally inclusive medical infrastructure that can comprehensively manage risks across the population. But the U.S. health care system excludes millions of people by design and makes critical health care services prohibitively costly for many poor families. Whether or not COVIC-19 becomes a full-blown crisis in the U.S., the health care system itself is a crisis, fueled by corporate greed and pernicious inequality.

While all service workers would be strained by a sudden virus outbreak, health care service workers would face a two-front battle: As critical front-line personnel, nurses often suffer from severe staffing shortages even under normal circumstances, making it difficult to take the sick time to which they are usually entitled. And a recent survey by National Nurses United also found that over half of nurses had not received information on preparing for COVID-19, and less than a third reported their employer was readily equipped with personal protective gear.

I Have Seen the Promised Land of Health Care! It’s in another Galaxy!

Why stocks tanked despite the Fed’s emergency rate cut

The stock market tumbled Tuesday, with investors apparently rattled rather than comforted by the Federal Reserve’s decision to deliver a rare, emergency rate cut aimed at shielding the economy from disruptions caused by the global spread of COVID-19.

“I think the Fed’s rate cut backfired in many ways. Instead of soothing the market, it’s reignited investors’ worst fears,” Michael Arone, chief investment strategist for State Street Global Advisors, told MarketWatch in a phone interview.

Stocks initially jumped after the Fed announced a half-point cut, but gains proved short-lived. The Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -2.94%  fell nearly 1,000 points at its session low and ended the day down 785.91 points, or 2.9%, at 25,917.41, while the S&P 500 SPX, -2.81%  dropped 2.8% and the Nasdaq Composite COMP, -2.99% lost 3%.

Three more die in Seattle area from coronavirus as U.S. promises 1 million test kits

Several of those who died had been residents of a long-term nursing care facility in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland called LifeCare, according to the Seattle & King County Public Health agency.

North Carolina reported its first presumptive positive case on Tuesday, in a person who had traveled to the same nursing home.

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters his administration may cut off travel from the United States to areas with high rates of coronavirus, but said officials were not weighing any restrictions on domestic travel.

China censored COVID-19 news for weeks, say researchers

BEIJING: China began censoring online discussions on the new coronavirus weeks before officially acknowledging the scope of the disease, according to a report published Tuesday (Mar 3).

Although Chinese authorities did not publicly acknowledge the severity of the virus until January 20, censorship began as early as December 31, said researchers at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab.

Even general terms such as “unknown Wuhan pneumonia” and “Wuhan Health Commission” were deemed taboo in the early weeks of the epidemic, said the report.

UAE to disable all schools and high educational institutions for four weeks: WAM

CAIRO (Reuters) – United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday that schools and higher educational institutions will be closed for four weeks starting on Sunday to avoid the spreading of coronavirus.

Supplies of vital protective gear to fight coronavirus ‘rapidly depleting’ worldwide, WHO says

The World Health Organization said Tuesday that understanding how the new coronavirus spreads was rapidly increasing, but warned the protective gear needed to fight the disease was “rapidly depleting”.

The UN health agency voiced concern that the masks, goggles and other protective equipment used by health workers was running out amid panic buying and manipulation of markets.

Six more coronavirus cases in NSW as authorities struggle to track virus victims

Forty staff members who work closely with the 53-year-old male doctor at Ryde Hospital have been isolated.

They include 13 doctors, 23 nurses and four other health workers. The infected doctor is in a stable condition at Westmead Hospital

However, authorities say the doctor had already come into contact with a “large and diverse” range of patients in his workplace.

Italy considers new red zone as coronavirus deaths toll jumps

ROME (Reuters) – Italian health authorities said on Tuesday they may set up a new quarantine red zone to try to contain the country’s coronavirus outbreak after the death toll and the number of cases jumped.

Twenty seven people died in Italy of the highly contagious illness over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of dead to 79, the Civil Protection Agency said.

I’m an emergency doctor. I expect to get coronavirus

I will likely become infected in the next few months. It’s just simple math that I have accepted. But I became a physician knowing the job incurred risk and that I have a duty to patients and society. Based on what we know today, my risk of getting severely ill or dying from Covid-19 is low. I am fortunate to be relatively young and healthy, but that is not the case for other medical colleagues who are likely to become infected as well.

Protecting our workforce is critical. Healthcare workers who are infected or exposed without protective gear won’t be able to work while contagious. Yet we need them to care for new Covid-19 cases as well as patients with all of the other diseases and traumatic injuries that will continue to occur. Heart attacks and strokes are not taking a break while the virus is here.

Nine coronavirus deaths now being reported in Washington state

SEATTLE – The Washington State Department of Health has now updated COVID-19 numbers for the state to include 9 deaths and 27 positive cases.

According to the Department, 21 cases and 8 deaths have been reported from King County while another 6 cases and one death have been reported in Snohomish County.

Experts warn of coronavirus’s invisible spread as WHO prepares for potential pandemic

Scientists have warned coronavirus appears to be spreading across Europe and Asia without showing symptoms, and even the most radical screening measures are likely missing most cases

The 80/20 Principle or the Principle of Inequality states that only a small number is actually responsible for the most results. The WHO has been quoted to say that the asymptomatic carriers are only 1%.

Who among the two people with the coronavirus would you be with? One who is coughing or one who is not? Of course, you would rather sit with the well-looking person. But, they may have the same viral load. I contend it is the asymptomatic carriers are the ones infecting the most. The asymptomatic carrier minority causes the majority of cases. 

Read more about the 80/20 Principle here:

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Argentine health minister confirms country’s first case of coronavirus

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentina Health Minister Gines Gonzalez Garcia on Tuesday confirmed the South American country’s first case of the fast-spreading new coronavirus.

The patient, a 43-year-old man, arrived in Argentina on March 1 after a two-week trip that included northern Italy, another health ministry official said.

Coronavirus cases in U.S. exceeds 100, Fed acts to shield economy

There are now 108 people in 12 states with confirmed cases, including 11 through person-to-person transmission, according to U.S. health officials.

The suburban Westchester County man was in serious condition, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement, adding that the confirmation was made by the city’s public health laboratory on its first day of testing.

Senegal confirms second case of coronavirus

DAKAR (Reuters) – Senegal’s health ministry said a second person who flew to the West African country from France last week tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, taking the total number of cases in sub-Saharan Africa to three.

Spain confirms country’s first death from coronavirus – health official

MADRID — A man in the Spanish region of Valencia died from coronavirus, marking the country’s first death from the outbreak, a local health official said on Tuesday.

Tests showed the man, who died on February 13, was killed by the virus, regional health chief Ana Barcelo said at a press conference.

Tests result way past the date of death. Did the results just come back today? Does it mean all who were exposed to him can get sick?

Vatican says pope only has a cold, symptoms not related ‘to other pathologies‘

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis, who canceled a Lent retreat for the first time in his papacy, is suffering only from a cold that is “without symptoms related to other pathologies,” the Vatican said on Tuesday.

A statement followed a report in an Italian newspaper that said the pope had tested negative for coronavirus. It did not say whether the pope had been given a test for the virus.

Any viral URI even a non-Covid-19 infection can put any 83 years old with only one lung at high risk for complications.

Saudi Arabia restricts entry for Gulf citizens, residents – SPA

RIYADH (Reuters) – Saudi Arabia on Tuesday barred citizens and residents of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries from entering the kingdom for 14 days after returning from outside the region due to coronavirus concerns, state news agency SPA reported.

A seventh person with coronavirus has died in the Seattle area of the US

A seventh person with coronavirus has died in the Seattle area of the US, but the infection wasn’t identified until after their death.

The New York Times has reported that the individual was brought to Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center on 24 Feb and died two days later, on Wednesday, before a crisis in the state began unfolding over the weekend.

“In coordination with Public Health, we have determined that some staff may have been exposed while working in an intensive care unit where the patient had been treated,” Gregg said.

Since testing was done late in this patient, then it could very well mean that all the paramedics, nurses, doctors involved in his care will need to be quarantined and result in understaffing their respective units.

France seizes control of masks; Virus deaths soar in Italy

PARIS (AP) — France requisitioned protective masks and sent tens of thousands of students home from school, deaths in Italy soared and Spain isolated dozens of health workers Tuesday as the new coronavirus spread further into Europe.

With the new virus taking firmer hold on the continent, Europe is facing many of the same complications seen in Asia weeks ago.

Around 120 French schools were ordered to close, most in Brittany and the Oise region north of Paris, which have been hit hard by COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Around 100 health workers were being kept under isolation in northern Spain and at least 120 more were being closely watched by authorities after at least five doctors and nurses were infected in hospitals, said the Basque health regional minister, Nekane Murga. Health authorities in northern Spain were also speedily hiring new doctors to fend off a possible shortage of health professionals in the coming months, Murga said.

The number of experienced and skilled health professionals are limited and stretched even without an epidemic. Any reduction will cause a severe strain in health provision. All patients including the ones that have other medical problems like heart attacks and strokes will feel the shortage.

France reports fourth coronavirus death, requisitions masks

The fourth victim was a 92-year-old man in the Morbihan department in the western region of Brittany.

Macron has also signed a decree to requisition all stock and production of protective face masks.

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New York City school cancels classes after suspected coronavirus case

(Reuters) – An Orthodox Jewish school in New York City canceled classes on Tuesday to allow for precautionary measures after a suspected case of coronavirus turned up within its community.

The Latest: Virus deaths in Italy soar, the most after China

Italian officials say the number of deaths of coronavirus patients in Italy has more than doubled in a 24-hour period to 79 overall, the most so far outside of China.

According to the national Civil Protection Agency, since a briefing Monday, 45 additional deaths were reported. Officials say nearly all the deaths have occurred in elderly people or patients with serious chronic health problems such as kidney failure, heart disease or cancer.

Officials said Tuesday that the number of virus cases in Italy, the epicenter of Europe’s COVID-19 outbreak, rose by nearly 500 to 2,502 cases.

Authorities say 229 patients, or roughly 10% of Italy’s positive cases, are in intensive care.

Italy’s serious cases of 10% and the death rate of 3.1% almost parallel the worldwide data shown on the Covid19.app table that is regularly updated here.

Italy’s health care system is one of the world’s top ten.

Overview of Italian Healthcare

Italy has a national health plan (Servizio Sanitario Nazionale), which provides for hospital and medical benefits. In Italy, healthcare is considered a right and the national health plan is designed to provide for all Italian citizens and residents, including U.S. and Canadian citizens who are legal residents of Italy.

With the Servizio Sanitario Nazionale most care is free or low-cost, including consults with a general physician, hospital visits, lab work, and medications. However, each region is responsible for managing its own care, so expect differences between regions and carefully research the specific region you want to retire in.

Healthcare Costs in Italy

Though costs vary based on a number of factors including region and whether you have private insurance or not, expats report costs as reasonable. One expat couple based in the south reports paying just $236 per year to cover their health insurance. And hospital visits are reportedly free in urgent cases. In non-urgent cases, a small co-pay may be expected.

Italy’s health care system may be another reason why the number of cases are high. Since Italians don’t have to worry about the cost of testing and hospitalization, they can afford to get checked. Unlike in the US where the cost of seeing a doctor or getting a test done may prohibit many from seeing a doctor. Read below

How much will getting coronavirus cost you?

Millions of Americans are uninsured — 27.5 million at last count in 2018. For them, even going to the hospital to get tested can come at a steep cost. Business Insider estimated that the average visit to the doctor could cost anywhere between $149 to $1,151, not including the cost of any testing.  

Even those who are insured face tough numbers. In Miami, a man who returned to the U.S. from a work trip in China went to the hospital fearing he may be infected with COVID-19.

Osmel Martinez Azcue told the Miami Herald he would normally have gone to CVS for over-the-counter medicine to treat his symptoms, but felt he had a responsibility to get tested amid fears of a coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. Azcue tested positive for the flu and went home with a bill for $3,270, which cost him $1,400 after insurance. 

If people are prohibited from getting tested because of cost, they may opt to stay home, continue to spread the virus and end up getting worse.

Just because the case numbers of certain countries like South Korea and Italy are high does not necessarily mean it’s bad and low case numbers do not always mean everything is hunky-dory.

The Latest: Outbreak of virus continues to wane in China

The outbreak continues to wane in China, where the virus was first detected in December.

The health ministry on Tuesday announced just 125 new cases of the virus detected over the past 24 hours, the lowest number since authorities began publishing nationwide figures on Jan. 21. Another 31 deaths were reported, all of them in the hardest-hit province of Hubei. The figures bring China’s total number of cases to 80,151 with 2,943 deaths.

China’s U.N. ambassador says the government believes that “victory” over the coronavirus won’t be far behind the coming of spring.

Zhang Jun told a news conference at U.N. headquarters in New York that “China’s fight against the coronavirus is indeed making huge progress, and the situation is really becoming stable.”

President Jokowi urges calm amid signs of panic buying after Indonesia’s first COVID-19 cases

AKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Tuesday (Mar 3) urged people to remain calm amid signs of panic buying in supermarkets and drugstores after the country announced its first COVID-19 cases.

“People don’t need to buy daily necessities in bulk,” the president told a press conference at the State Palace.

Seven new COVID-19 cases in Malaysia, all related to previous case with travel history to Shanghai

All seven new cases are Malaysians who were close contacts of Case 26, including a paramedic who provided treatment, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The seven cases were identified through contact tracing and are currently all in stable condition, the ministry added.

When first responders like paramedics, firemen, and police are quarantined because of exposure, 911 response time will take much longer.

The story above in Malaysia exemplifies why testing is very important. If you know the carrier, you can identify and test contacts who may have the infection but also the carrier who infected the carrier.

The chain of infection upstream and downstream can be identified. Then that chain can be isolated. That is how epidemics are contained. Right now, it’s not happening in the US.

How The Super Rich Are Preparing For The Coronavirus

“Resources like money and transportation and information give people head starts on protective and preventive measures, and can help create more comfortable scenarios for people to cope with disaster. That’s where you really get to see disparate needs.”

Is the Covid-19 epidemic Fake News?

Iran COVID-19 deaths now 77 as emergency services chief infected

TEHRAN: COVID-19 has claimed 77 lives in Iran, officials said on Tuesday (Mar 3), as the emergency services chief became the latest high-ranking official to be infected in the deadliest outbreak outside China.

Iran has scrambled to halt the rapid spread of the virus, shutting schools and universities, suspending major cultural and sporting events, and cutting back on work hours.

Bagged bodies in Iran awaiting burial – Video with translation

Twitter staff told to work from home over virus fears

Twitter staff across the world were asked to work from home starting Monday in an effort to stop the spread of the deadly new coronavirus epidemic.

At the same time, thousands of staff at Google’s European headquarters in Ireland were told to stay away for the day after one employee reported flu-like symptoms.

Hong Kong virus fears stoke ‘unprecedented’ mental health issues

HONG KONG – As Hong Kong tries to contain the coronavirus outbreak, medical experts say many people in the financial hub are reeling from increased anxiety and an unprecedented level of mental health issues.

The COVID-19 epidemic came after months of tumultuous anti-government protests that had already led to a sharp increase in depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, they said.

A University of Hong Kong survey found that a third of adults in the special administrative region reported symptoms of PTSD, up from 2 percent in 2015, while 11 percent reported depression, up from 2 percent during the Occupy protests in 2014.

What will happen to people who cannot get their medicines for mental health?

Wuhan doctor who worked with whistle-blower Li Wenliang dies after contracting coronavirus on front line

Ophthalmologist Mei Zhongming, 57, said to have been infected after working long hours treating patients
He is the third doctor from the hospital to die from Covid-19

Mei is the third doctor from the hospital to die from Covid-19. Two days ago, Jiang Xueqing, head of thyroid and breast surgery, also died from the disease at the age of 55.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran put its armed forces on alert Tuesday to assist health officials in battling the new coronavirus that’s killed at least 77 people, an outbreak that has sickened top officials and pushed even its supreme leader into wearing disposable gloves while trying to reassure the nation.

Even as government officials sit meters (feet) away from each other at meetings now in an effort to stop its spread, the virus is ravaging both its civilian leadership and its Shiite theocracy. A top emergency official and at least 23 members of parliament reportedly contracted the virus and now suffer from the COVID-19 illness it causes. Others have died.

Opinion: Why the Fed cut: The coronavirus is taking aim at consumer spending, the heart of the American economy

With the Federal Reserve dramatically cutting interest rates, we need to stop assuming that the coronavirus outbreak will have only a minor impact on the U.S. economy. With the virus that causes COVID-19 now spreading in communities around the country, it’s becoming more likely that the epidemic will slam consumer spending, at least for a few months.

A recession cannot be ruled out.

Simply: To keep the virus from spreading throughout the population, lots of people will need to stay home.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks whipped up and down Tuesday after the Federal Reserve swooped into the market with an emergency interest-rate cut in hopes of shielding the economy from the effects of the fast-spreading virus.

The market shot higher after the surprise announcement, which was the first time the Fed cut rates outside of a regularly scheduled meeting since the 2008 financial crisis. The gains evaporated within 15 minutes, then indexes bounced higher, then lower. By late morning major U.S. indexes were down 1%.

G7 seeks to inoculate global economy against coronavirus

“We stand ready to take appropriate and targeted measures, as necessary and commensurate with the underlying risks,” European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde said in a statement.

The Bank of England will “take all necessary steps” to support the UK economy from coronavirus fallout, said governor Mark Carney ahead of the G7 talks.

The International Monetary Fund and World Bank issued a joint statement Monday pledging to help countries deal with the fallout from the epidemic.

Handshake? No thanks: coronavirus changes global habits

Say no to a handshake, refuse every peck on the cheek and definitely avoid hugging. Instead, try a direct gaze, or maybe a hand gesture.

Around the world people are changing their habits at work, home and in worship to reduce the risk of contracting the new coronavirus and prevent it from spreading any further.

New advice for health professionals who have been in areas with persistent spread of coronavirus  for Norway

Both health and care service employees and other travelers who develop respiratory symptoms within the first 14 days of returning home should isolate themselves at home and contact the GP on the phone. If you do not get in touch with the GP, call an emergency room on telephone 116 117.

32 people positive for coronavirus in Norway

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health has today confirmed that another 6 * people have tested positive for coronavirus. None of them are seriously ill. A total of 25 are infected with coronavirus in Norway.

‘What should I do?’: Japanese mothers struggle to cope after virus shut schools

In a country where nannies and babysitters are uncommon and mothers are still expected to be responsible for child-rearing, the measure is forcing many employed mothers to limit their working hours. The situation is even harder for single parents and those with children who have disabilities.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe requested last Thursday that schools nationwide close from Monday until the end of the month. He said the coming period is critical in determining whether Japan can take control of the outbreak. Nearly 1,000 people, including 706 from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, have been infected in the country and 12 have died.

Here in the US, once the number of cases significantly increase and school and daycares have to close, some nurses may not report to work to take care of their children.

Honda to cut output at two Japan plants as virus disrupts parts supply

Honda Motor Co. will reduce vehicle output at two of its plants in Saitama Prefecture for a week or so this month over worries about a stable supply of parts from China, where the coronavirus outbreak continues to disrupt production, according to sources.

Japan’s second-largest automaker has been able to maintain the same production levels as before the health crisis by increasing output of models for which the company had sufficient parts in stock.

Global supplier India curbs drug exports as coronavirus fears grow

BENGALURU/NEW DELHI (Reuters) – India, the world’s main supplier of generic drugs, has restricted the export of 26 pharmaceutical ingredients and the medicines made from them, including paracetamol, as the coronavirus outbreak plays havoc with supply chains.

China is the largest manufacturer of the active ingredients in over the counter and prescription medicines.

Covid-19 Can Cause Drugs and Medical Supply Shortages Worldwide

12 noon EST update. An increase of 1,461 cases and  38 deaths since 5 am today. Serious cases 7.6%. Death rates 3.4%

Patients with mild symptoms seen spreading viral infections in Japan, experts say

Patients with mild symptoms are believed to be playing an important role in spreading the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19, a government panel of experts has said.

As most patients above age 10 and below 40 only suffer mild symptoms of the virus and people in that age group interact with others frequently, they may be causing further infections unknowingly, the panel said Monday.

The Secondary Attack Rate of Covid-19

Virus spurs suburban Seattle schools to mull online classes

SEATTLE (AP) — A suburban school district north of Seattle was closed Tuesday for training on conducting remote lessons in the event of prolonged school closures due to virus outbreak and a private school said it will conduct classes online only until the end of March.

The schools took the steps after researchers said the virus that causes the disease called COVID-19 vmay have been circulating for weeks undetected in Washington state, and experts said more cases will probably be reported soon.

LONDON (AP) — British authorities laid out plans Tuesday to confront a COVID-19 epidemic, saying that the new coronavirus could spread within weeks from a few dozen confirmed cases to millions of infections, with thousands of people in the U.K. at risk of death.

Officials hope the most drastic measures won’t be needed. Britain may not be able to stop the virus, but it has one vital advantage in fighting it: a head start.

Unlike harder-hit neighbors such as Italy or France, the U.K. has seen just 51 confirmed cases of the new illness and little social disruption. Health officials have advised people to work, socialize and travel as usual — as long as they remember to wash their hands often in warm soapy water.

The Secondary Attack Rate of Covid-19

2nd case of COVID-19 virus confirmed in New York

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A man in New York City’s suburbs was hospitalized in serious condition with the COVID-19 virus Tuesday after becoming the second person to test positive in the state, prompting schools to close and raising the possibility that the virus is spreading locally.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the 50-year-old lawyer from New Rochelle had no known travel history to countries where the outbreak of the new coronavirus has been sustained, though he had been recently to Miami.

The man, who commuted to work in Manhattan and lives in a home with school-age children, had an underlying respiratory illness that potentially put him in more danger from the disease, Cuomo said.

IOC insists Tokyo 2020 will go ahead

The International Olympic Committee has insisted it expects Tokyo 2020 to go ahead as planned despite fears the Games might have to be delayed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Iran: 23 MPs infected as 300,000 soldiers and volunteers mobilised

Iran has announced plans to mobilise 300,000 soldiers and volunteers against the deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus outside China, as state television quoted an MP saying 23 members of parliament were infected.

Virus fatalities mostly elderly patients with underlying diseases

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) — Most victims of the novel coronavirus quickly spreading across South Korea were elderly people with preexisting health issues and special care is necessary to reduce further virus-related fatalities, health authorities here said Tuesday.

S. Korea’s virus cases near 5,200; President Moon declares war on virus

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) — South Korea’s new coronavirus caseload approached 5,200 on Tuesday, with an alarming cluster of infections continuing to swell in the southeastern city of Daegu. President Moon Jae-in declared a “war” on the fast-spreading virus.

The 374 new cases, which were identified over the past 16 hours on Tuesday, brought the nation’s total number of infections to 5,186, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said.

UK sets out ‘battle plan’ to try to contain spread of coronavirus

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain unveiled its “battle plan” to tackle the spread of coronavirus on Tuesday, warning that as many as a fifth of employees could be off work at the peak of the outbreak.

Second coronavirus case confirmed in New York state, U.S. cases top 100

NEW YORK (Reuters) – A man who lives in a New York suburb and works in Manhattan tested positive for the novel coronavirus, bringing the total confirmed cases in the state to two, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday.

Multiple Erie County residents being tested for coronavirus

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Erie County Department of Health says it is testing an undetermined of people in the county for coronavirus.

This comes after at least two people in the state tested positive for the illness. They were identified as a health care worker in New York City and a man living in Westchester County.

Tokyo falls back, other Asian markets track Wall St gains

Japan’s Nikkei 225 lost 0.8% to 21,164.22 after gaining 0.5% in the morning. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 1.1% to 6,462.10 after the Reserve Bank of Australia cut its key interest rate to a record low 0.5%.

2nd person believed to have COVID-19 in Massachusetts

BOSTON (AP) — A second person in Massachusetts tested positive for the new coronavirus, the state Department of Public Health said in a news release Monday.

The woman in her 20s had recently traveled to Italy with a school group. She lives in Norfolk County, where she is recovering at home.

How Seattle-area is responding to America’s largest coronavirus outbreak

• All of Washington state’s cases are clustered in two counties in the greater Seattle area
• Several deaths have been linked to a nursing care facility in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland
• Government resources are already stretched: firefighters and police officers who transported infected patients are in quarantine.
• With more cases looming, King County Executive Dow Constantine opened a news conference Monday with the jarring disclosure that the county will use emergency authority to buy a motel to isolate what could be scores of patients.

Concerts, sports events in UAE canceled, postponed as virus spreads in Gulf

DUBAI (Reuters) – Major concerts and events in the United Arab Emirates, an air transit center as well as a tourism and business hub, have been canceled or postponed as the coronavirus spreads in the Gulf.

Australia to use biosecurity law to restrict movements of coronavirus patients

“Under the biosecurity act, you could have the prevention of movement from persons in and out of particular places,” Porter told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“You might have a major sporting event where people would be in very, very close proximity to each other and… it might be determined that the risk of transmission at a venue like that was too high.”

Ukraine reports first coronavirus case – health official

The man was hospitalized on Saturday in the western city of Chernivtsi, having traveled to Ukraine from Italy via Romania, Kuzin said.

Chinese cities impose quarantine as ‘imported’ cases rise

Eight people, all connected to a restaurant in Italy, have returned to China and been diagnosed with Covid-19
Chinese officials report further decline with record low of 125 new cases

Bank of England to take steps in potentially large virus economy shock

Mark Carney told the House of Commons Treasury committee the Bank of England’s role in the coronavirus outbreak was “to help UK businesses and households manage through an economic shock that could prove large but will ultimately be temporary”.

South Korean president declares war on coronavirus as sect leader tests negative

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s president declared war on the coronavirus on Tuesday, ordering additional hospital beds and more face masks to be made available as the number of cases rose by 974 in the worst epidemic of any nation outside China.

The leader of the sect and self-proclaimed messiah Lee Man-hee tested negative for the virus on Monday, having been threatened with arrest unless he agreed to be examined.

He had earlier apologized for the sect’s role in spreading the virus and called the epidemic a “great calamity”.

In the firing line: the women in China’s war on the coronavirus

In the country’s war on the coronavirus, women are taking on the tough jobs and holding up half, or even more, of the sky, analysts and feminists say – though they are also in the firing line for blame, and at the centre of a controversial state media campaign.
The highest profile is Sun Chunlan, vice-premier in charge of culture, education and public health and the only woman in the ruling Communist Party’s 25-member Politburo. The 70-year-old has spent more than a month on the front line in Wuhan, Hubei province, where the new virus strain first emerged in December, leading the government’s response on the ground.

She has been the stern face of the Politburo in the crisis, seen in state media talking to medical staff, stressing the importance of admitting patients to hospital and treating them as quickly as possible, checking on progress of new facilities being built, and warning local officials that “there must be no deserters, or they will be nailed to the pillar of historical shame forever”.

UK not planning to cancel mass events, health minister says

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain is not planning to cancel mass gatherings or large sports events over the concerns about coronavirus, but will need legislation in case it needs to take action in the future, British health minister Matt Hancock said on Tuesday.

NBA to players: Avoid high-fives as virus concern grows

MIAMI (AP) — The NBA has told players to avoid high-fiving fans and strangers and avoid taking any item for autographs, the league’s latest response in its ongoing monitoring of the coronavirus crisis that has spread to most corners of the planet.

The league, in a memo sent to teams on Sunday and obtained Monday by The Associated Press, offered 10 recommendations to players with hopes of decreasing risks of getting the virus — among them, not taking items such as pens, markers, balls and jerseys from autograph seekers.

Germany reports 31 new coronavirus infections

BERLIN (Reuters) – The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany rose to 188 on Tuesday, up from 157 on Monday afternoon, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) said.

Thirteen of Germany’s 16 federal states have now reported cases of the novel coronavirus, with the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia being most affected, according to the RKI.

Beijing to quarantine travelers from South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy

BEIJING (Reuters) – All travelers entering Beijing from the virus hotspots of South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy will have to be quarantined for 14 days, the Deputy Secretary General of the Beijing Municipal Government, Chen Bei, said on Tuesday.

More testing sheds light on how virus is spreading in US

SEATTLE (AP) — An increase in testing for the coronavirus began shedding light Monday on how the illness has spread in the United States, including in Washington state, where four people died at a nursing home and some schools were closed for disinfection.

New diagnoses in several states pushed the tally of COVID-19 cases past 100, and New Hampshire reported its first case, raising the total of affected states to 11. Seattle officials announced four more deaths, bringing the total in the U.S. to six.

North Korean swagger may conceal brewing virus disaster

As a new and frightening virus closes in around it, North Korea presents itself as a fortress, tightening its borders as cadres of health officials stage a monumental disinfection and monitoring program.

That image of world-defying impregnability, however, may belie a brewing disaster.

North Korea, which has what experts call a horrendous medical infrastructure in the best of times, shares a porous, nearly 1,450-kilometer (900-mile) border with China, where the disease originated and has since rapidly spread around the world. The North’s government has also long considered public reports on infectious disease — or, for that matter, anything that could hurt the ruling elite — matters of state secrecy.

This has raised fears that North Korea, which claims zero infections, may be vastly unprepared for a virus that is testing much more developed countries across the globe — and even that infections could already be exploding within its borders.

4:50 am EST. The first install of headlines.  An increase of 649 cases and 31 deaths from yesterday. Serious cases 7.7%. Deaths 3.4%.

China asks overseas citizens to reconsider travel plans

Chinese authorities have asked overseas-based citizens to reconsider or minimise their travel plans as the coronavirus epidemic spreads across the world and prompts an uptick of imported cases arriving in the country, Reuters reports.

Taiwan completes synthesis of potential COVID-19 drug

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s Development Center for Biotechnology (DCB) announced on Monday (March 2) that it has successfully completed the synthesis of favilavir, a drug that could be potentially used to treat Wuhan coronavirus,

DCB deputy director Chuang Shih-hsien (莊士賢) said that the center focused on synthesizing favilavir, which was developed by a Japanese pharmaceutical company and approved for sale in Japan in March 2014. The drug is mostly used to treat flu patients who do not respond to Tamiflu and Relenza Rotadisk, the report said.

Favilavir has been used by both Japan and China to treat severe cases of COVID-19, and the DCB team expects it to become a significant drug in treating the disease, according to the report.

COVID-19 and the economy: Rich nations weigh joint action to avert global meltdown

G-7 leaders plan to hold discussions Tuesday on how to limit the damage to the global economy from the coronavirus. The Group of Seven is composed of the U.S., U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell are slated to take part in the call before the U.S. stock market opens in the morning. Investors increasingly believe the Fed and other central banks will cut interest rates soon to help shore up growth.

Seven new COVID-19 cases in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: Seven new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Malaysia on Tuesday (Mar 3), bringing the national total to 36 cases.

Currently, 14 cases are being treated at Hospital Sungai Buloh and Hospital Kuala Lumpur while 22 others have been discharged, the Health Ministry said in an update.

“All of the patients are in stable condition,” the ministry added.

Why children aren’t getting sick from coronavirus

Australia’s chief medical officer Brendan Murphy noted this in his update on Tuesday morning.

“I think the evidence around the world is that when children are infected, [their symptoms] are incredibly mild, in fact so mild that they almost don’t have symptoms.”

Professor Allen Cheng, director of the infection prevention unit at Alfred Health, has been examining the spread of coronavirus closely and suspects two possibilities.

“One is simply that the small number of cases we see in children mean that they are mainly not getting infected at all,” Professor Cheng said.

“The other is that they still getting it at the same rate as adults, but they just don’t come to hospital very commonly because they have far milder symptoms than adults. These are the things we just don’t know yet.”

Lessons Learned from 72,314 COVID-19 Patients: A China CDC Study

Pope tests negative for coronavirus, Italy report says

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis, who canceled a Lent retreat for the first time in his papacy because he is suffering from a cold, has tested negative for coronavirus, the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero reported on Tuesday.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said he had no immediate comment on the report. The 83-year-old Roman Catholic leader, who had part of one lung removed because of an illness decades ago, also canceled most audiences last week.

India restricted the export of 26 pharmaceutical ingredients

India, the world’s main supplier of generic drugs, has restricted the export of 26 pharmaceutical ingredients and drugs made from them, including paracetamol, as concern mounted the coronavirus outbreak could turn into a pandemic.

Indian pharma companies get almost 70% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for their medicines from China, Reuters reports.

Covid-19 Can Cause Drugs and Medical Supply Shortages Worldwide

Virus alarms sound worldwide, but China sees crisis ebbing

BEIJING (AP) — Iranians hoarded medical supplies, Italians urged doctors out of retirement and South Koreans prepared to pump billions into relief efforts Tuesday as the virus epidemic firmed its hold around the globe.

Mushrooming outbreaks in the Mideast, Europe and South Korea contrasted with optimism in China, where thousands of recovered patients were going home. A growing outbreak in the United States led schools and subways to sanitize, quickened a search for a vaccine, and spread fears of vulnerability for nursing home residents.

Related Reading:

1. 6 Ways Exercise Protects against Infections
2. Not enough U.S. hospital beds once Covid-19 epidemic is full-blown
3. Is the Covid-19 epidemic Fake News?
4. The Secondary Attack Rate of Covid-19
5. Thermometer Guns are Inaccurate for Covid-19 Screening
6. Covid-19 Can Cause Drugs and Medical Supply Shortages Worldwide
7. Covid-19 and Pets

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