Coronavirus briefing: Some good news from China, other updates for Tuesday, March 10
In a sign of some possible good news on coronavirus, China recorded its lowest level of new infections since the disease first emerged there in a central province.
The virus, first reported in China, has swept across Asia and there are cases now in every country in Europe and in many communities across the United States.
More than 115,000 cases of the COVID-19 virus have been confirmed worldwide with more than 4,000 deaths as of March 10, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 750 confirmed cases with 26 deaths.
The World Health Organization has labeled the coronavirus outbreak a “very high” risk of spread and impact, but has so far stopped short of declaring it a global pandemic.
Good news: Cases dropping in China
More than 80,000 people had confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in China since the virus first emerged in the central Hubei province in December. More than 3,000 people have died from the disease in China, according to Johns Hopkins University.
China said Tuesday it recorded only 19 new COVID-19 cases, according to the Associated Press. That’s the lowest number reported since China started releasing the daily numbers on Jan. 20, the AP reported.
The number of new infections has been dropping steadily, Reuters reports, pointing to some possible good news as the virus continues to spread around the world.
“We must stay cautious, not be blindly optimistic and must not have war-weariness,” Chen Yixin, secretary general of the Communist Party’s Politics and Law Commission, said, according to Reuters. “We should not reduce the vigilance against the epidemic and the requirements of prevention and control.”
Italy on lockdown, more cases in Europe
The entire country of Italy is on lockdown, expanding restrictions that were already in place for the north of the country, CNN reports.
“All the measure of the red zones are now extended to all of the national territory,” Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said, according to CNN.
More than 9,000 people in Italy have been infected by the virus and 463 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
The government banned all public gatherings and the prime minister told people to “stay at home,” The Guardian reports.
“I am going to sign a decree that can be summarized as follows: I stay at home,” he said, according to The Guardian. “The whole of Italy will become a protected zone.”
Possible COVID-19 exposure one step from Trump
Several lawmakers are in self-quarantine after coming into contact with someone infected with the virus at the Conservative Political Action Conference.
Those Republicans include Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who rode with President Donald Trump on Air Force One on Monday, according to CNN.
They also include Rep. Doug Collins from Georgia, who shook hands with the president when Trump was in Atlanta to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CNBC reports. Neither congressman are showing any symptoms of being infected with the virus, according to CNBC.
“The President has not received COVID-19 testing because he has neither had prolonged close contact with any known confirmed COVID-19 patients, nor does he have any symptoms,” White House Spokesperson Stephanie Grisham said, according to NPR. “President Trump remains in excellent health, and his physician will continue to closely monitor him.”
What’s going to happen to March Madness?
As cases of the virus continue to climb in the United States, college hoops lovers have one important question: what about March Madness? The annual basketball tournament is still set to go on as planned at 14 stadiums around the country, but NCAA officials are looking at what it could mean to play with no fans to cheer on the teams, USA Today reports.
“Let’s say that we discover that COVID-19 is an illness where the public health is really threatened,” Dr. Brian Hainline, the NCAA’s chief medical officer, said on CNN.
“The only people that are in the building are the players and the referees and the necessary personnel. The fans aren’t there and we know that the risk mitigation is superb and that the people there are without risk of transmission,” Hainline said on CNN. “We painted all of those scenarios and so we’re prepared for that.”
In a March 6 statement, the NCAA said, “The key is for all stakeholders and athletes to practice risk mitigation at all events. At present the panel is not recommending cancellation or public spacing of athletic and related events scheduled to occur in public spaces across the United States.”
Tips to help protect yourself from coronavirus
There’s no vaccine for the COVID-19 virus, and experts say one may be months away from mass production.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest avoiding close contact with people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth, staying home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
The agency also advises washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
The CDC does not advise that healthy people wear face masks, but says they should be worn by coronavirus patients to help avoid spreading the illness.
This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 8:34 AM with the headline "Coronavirus briefing: Some good news from China, other updates for Tuesday, March 10."
