Coronavirus Special Coverage

A collection of news posted throughout the week for those that want signal, not noise.

  • Previous coverage - all of our posts in this ongoing series.
  • Coronavirus status page - learn how to prepare for possible spread to your area. Scenarios, shopping lists, background info and everything else you need, all in one place.

COVID-19: key developments for Wednesday, March 4, 2020

A collection of key developments in the fight against COVID-19 (the actual virus is SARS-COV-2), posted throughout the week for those who just want the signal and not the noise. If there’s something you think we should include, sound off in the comments thread attached to the post.

Visit our Wuhan coronavirus status page and learn how to prepare for possible spread to your area. Scenarios, shopping lists, background info, and everything else you need, all in one place.

Previously: The previous day’s key developments post is here.

Cases grow conspicuously in Washington (+12), California (+ 6), and New York (+5).

The US has now has 154 cases and 11 deaths.

Public Health of Seattle and King Counties calls for seniors over the age of 60 to begin social distancing measures.

An Amazon worker in Seattle is sick and in quarantine. Fellow Amazon workers have been informed that they are at low risk for contracting SARS-CoV-2 if they have not been in close contact, defined as working for a prolonged period within 6 feet of the infected employee.

Microsoft asks their main campus workers in King County to work from home when possible, stressing that accommodations should be made for those at elevated risk–those who: are over 60, have chronic diseases, have a compromised immune systems, or are pregnant.

In anticipation of a growing number of cases, King County picks a quarantine site.

More cruise ship trouble as the Placer County patient who died today was likely infected on a previous cruise. The patient may have been symptomatic while on the last cruise—Princess Cruises has recalled the potentially contaminated ship to port in San Francisco, scuttling plans to continue to Ensenada per its original itinerary. Some current guests of the Grand Princess have been asked to self-quarantine on board until cleared by the CDC. Some passengers may already be sick:

An 8.3-billion-dollar measure has been negotiated in a bipartisan effort to fund the fight against the spread of the novel coronavirus. The agreement slates funds for the purchase and distribution of drugs, personal protective equipment, medical supplies, state expense reimbursement, and CDC rapid response and deployment to outbreak locations in the US.

A large number of Israelis, up to 100,000, are under quarantine. Netanyahu speaks to the danger of the current “global epidemic.”

Here’s a helpful guide to current COVID-19 vaccine and drug development.

It look like a medical screener at LAX got sick despite wearing personal protective equipment.

Today’s Coronavirus Task Force press briefing:

12% of confirmed cases in the Lombardy region of Italy are health care workers.

Italy moves to close schools.


  • 2 Comments

    • Jeremiah Johnson

      Civil unrest is starting now it would appear

      Washington state urges patience as Covid-19 test delays stoke anger:

      “We have had patients presenting here, angry that they cannot be tested for COVID-19, yelling, cussing, throwing their dirty mask at us and even spitting their secretions on the floor and walls on their way out,”..

      https://news.trust.org/item/20200305021522-ny0rr

       

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      • Stephanie ArnoldContributor Jeremiah Johnson

        I don’t understand the delays in testing. I do understand that people will get angry about it. I hope testing ramps up quickly.

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