Previous coronavirus daily briefing updates, March 23-24
Published Mar 26, 2020 2:05 PM EDT
Current daily briefings on the coronavirus can be found here. Scroll below to read previous reports, listed in eastern time.
Could loss of smell be an indicator that you've contracted COVID-19? It's very possible. Frontline health care workers have been raising awareness about coronavirus patients who have lost their senses of smell and taste, and the WHO this week said its health officials were looking into the phenomenon as a possible symptom, the medical website STAT reported. The American Academy of Otolaryngology took it a step further, given the prevalence of reports emerging, and made it part of the checklist used for COVID-19 screening. The loss of smell or taste in some cases has reportedly been the only sign of infection in some patients.
A feel-good moment was caught on camera in Madrid this week amid the rising death toll. Spain has seen the COVID-19 death toll soar to 2,800 and confirmed cases are upwards of 40,000 as the outbreak has worsened. But there was an encouraging moment this week, if fleeting, when the medical staff at a makeshift medical facility in Madrid discharged their first COVID-19 patient to have recovered from the illness. Nurses and doctors can be seen applauding and waving goodbye as the patient walks out the door. The entire clip lasts all of just 26 seconds, but is precisely the type of video the world needs more of right now.
Bike shops in Michigan were reporting an uptick in sales prior to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's executive order mandating all non-essential businesses close, AccuWeather's Blake Naftel reports. With the start of spring coinciding with the new era of social distancing and changing daily routines, many are taking to bike paths and roadways to exercise.
Ryan Maguire, general manager of Pedal Bicycles, located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, said he's noticed many of his friends still riding their bikes, but they are doing so by themselves. Maguire added that he's also seen more people buy more smart trainer bikes so they can ride on virtual roads while indoors.
Distilleries across the country are shifting the focus of their operations from booze to hand sanitizer to help in the fight against COVID-19. Tito's Vodka recently announced it was beginning to take steps to produce the product while other distilleries, such as 3 Daughters Brewing in St. Petersburg, Florida, have already been distributing their own homemade sanitizers to nonprofits and governmental agencies.
"We made it pretty potent. You don’t need to use a lot of it; it was designed not to smell pretty but to kill anything," 3 Daughters Brewing owner Mike Harting told AccuWeather's Jonathan Petramala.“There are some of us in our society that are unable to social distance. This to me is ‘you should do what you’re capable of doing,’” Harting said.
The U.S. stock market had one of its biggest days in history on Tuesday as Congress came closer to passing a major stimulus bill to help the economy recover some of its losses. The Dow surged more than 11% (2,112.98 points), the best day since 1933, boosting the index back above the 20,000-point mark. Despite Tuesday’s incredible gains, the Dow is still 30% lower than it was on Feb. 12, 2020, when the index closed at an all-time high of 29.551.42 points, according to CNBC.
With millions across the U.S. sheltered in place as the coronavirus spreads, President Trump is optimistic that life will return to normal sooner rather than later. “I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter,” Trump said during a virtual town hall on Fox News. “We’ll assess at that time and we’ll give it some more time if we need a little more time, but we need to open this country up.”
Trump’s comments come after the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. went above 50,000 with the death toll surpassing 600. People all across the world are being encouraged to practice social distancing to help flatten the curve to help slow the transitions of the coronavirus.
Severe thunderstorms are forecast to erupt across the central and southern U.S. this week, including Tuesday night in the Tennessee Valley. This could present a challenge for those who may eventually need to use a public storm shelter in the age of social distancing. In Bradley County, Tennessee, emergency management officials said Tuesday they will not be opening storm-ready shelters due to the spread of COVID-19 and limits on public gatherings imposed by Gov. Bill Lee.
Tuesday's threat area also includes northern Alabama. As a response to the severe weather forecast, and the ongoing mandate for social distancing, the Alabama Department of Public Health said, “The decision to seek shelter in a community storm shelter is certainly made more difficult by the consideration for COVID-19 and each individual will need to make an educated decision on where and when to shelter from a tornado."
The agency recommended that the public's first priority was to shelter from a tornado, but cautioned people to check if a shelter is being opened before going to one and also "explore other options that might keep you safer from severe weather and possibly limit your exposure to COVID-19.”
Global confirmed cases of COVID-19 surged to over 407,000 on Tuesday, according to data compiled by the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering. Just three days ago, cases around the world reached 300,000. The total number of recoveries is now more than 104,000. With more and more tests being administered, health officials expect the number of confirmed cases to grow rapidly.
ð¨World Health Organization warns U.S. could become new coronavirus epicenter as a result of a "very large acceleration" in infections. WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told Reuters that 85% of new cases of COVID-19 worldwide were from Europe and the U.S.. And of those, 40% were from the U.S., she said. Only Italy and China have more confirmed cases than the U.S., but the number of new infections has been dwindling in China. On Monday, Italy's Civil Protection Authority reported nearly 800 fewer infections than Sunday.
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi is instituting a 21-day lockdown for the country of 1.3 billion as the nation battles the coronavirus. "THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO NEED TO PANIC," he wrote on Twitter. "Essential commodities, medicines etc. would be available. Centre and various state governments will work in close coordination to ensure this. Together, we will fight COVID-19 and create a healthier India." India has more than 500 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
People play cricket at a deserted Marine on the Arabian Sea coast in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo once again called on the federal government to use the Federal Defense Production Act to manufacture ventilators, saying the state needs 30,000 of the devices. "The federal government must provide these ventilators," he said. "Only the federal government has the power to deliver."
The governor also said that the apex of the pandemic is arriving sooner than officials thought and they expect it to occur within the next two to three weeks. New projections show the state will need 140,000 hospital beds, up from a previous estimate of 110,000. "We are scaling hospital capacity as fast as humanly possible," Cuomo said. New York has more than 23,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 13,000 of those are in New York City. The city's dense population is considered to be a big enemy in fighting the virus.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is shown to stay contagious in the air for hours and on some surfaces for as long as 72-hours. The virus was also detected on surfaces of a cruise ship up to 17 days after vacating, according to findings by the CDC. The studies conducted in the report are helping understand how the hidden transmission of the virus is spread. Findings show SARS-CoV-2 can be spread by talking, coughing, sneezing, or even just breathing. Researchers say one of the biggest differences between SARS-CoV-2 and previous coronaviruses is how the virus can be spread unknowingly to those vulnerable via healthy people showing no symptoms.The report helps reaffirm the importance of social distancing and washing hands.
Hospitals around the world are experiencing a shortage of personal protective equipment, with the U.S. having as little as three days left before running out, leading to some workers having to reuse masks for up to a week. People around the world are helping fight the shortage at home using 3D technology by 3D printing valves in Italy. In the U.S shields are being 3D printed for testing centers in Syracuse, New York. Those without 3D printers are also helping volunteer their time by making masks for health workers amid the crisis. Health care workers have also started using #GetUsPPE on social media to raise awareness for more volunteers.
New York and New Jersey are facing a frightening coronavirus attack rate, at least five times stronger than other parts of the U.S., Dr. Deborah Birx said at a press briefing on Monday. The attack rate, which is the percentage of a population that gets a disease, rose to about one in 1,000 in the New York metro area of New Jersey, New York City and parts of Long Island, Birx said. Roughly 28% of COVID-19 tests submitted in that region came back positive, compared to less than 8% in the rest of the country.
The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo have officially been postponed for one year. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a conference call Tuesday morning to discuss the "unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak," which is nearing 400,000 confirmed cases worldwide. The two officials released a joint statement confirming the postponement of the games.
"In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community," the statement read.
Two spectators take a selfie with the Olympic Flame during a ceremony in Fukushima City, Japan, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
China will lift the lockdown across much of Hubei province, according to The Associated Press. New confirmed cases have continued to drop in the province and city of Wuhan, which is considered to be ground zero for the COVID-19 pandemic. Wuhan will remain locked down until April 8, but residents elsewhere with a clean bill of health will be allowed to leave, the AP reported, citing the provincial government. The lockdown for Wuhan first went into effect Jan. 23.
On Monday, one new confirmed case was reported in Wuhan, the country's National Health Commission said, making it the first new case in the hard-hit city since March 17. Across mainland China, there have been 81,171 reports of confirmed cases and 3,277 deaths since the outbreak began.
Head-spinning number of people are under orders or are being asked to stay home. It may seem surreal, but The Associated Press estimates that about 1.5 billion people on Earth are under some form of isolation. This is quarantine life in the age of coronavirus. Of course, these extreme measures are being taken because of the rapid spread of COVID-19, which is equally head-spinning.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, "It took 67 days from the first reported case to reach the first 100,000 cases, 11 days for the second 100,000 and just four days for the third 100,000."
Here are the latest updated numbers, compiled by researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
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Total confirmed cases: 383,944
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Total deaths: 16,595
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Total recoveries: 101,911
With more than 40,000 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., knowing what symptoms to recognize is critical to slowing the spread and preserving your health. According to the CDC, some of the symptoms to look out for include fever, cough and shortness of breath. These symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure, so it is important to stay inside and avoid social interactions in case of contact with the virus, even if symptoms aren’t present right away. The CDC also advises keeping an eye out for what experts there are calling emergency warning signs, which include:
• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued a ’Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ order, telling all people across the state to remain at home with the exception of grocery shopping, visiting a doctor or fulfilling an essential work duty. Washington is the latest in a long line of states that have taken similar measures to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. According to CNN, the other states include:
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California
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Connecticut
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Delaware
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Illinois
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Indiana
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Louisiana
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Massachusetts
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Michigan
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New Jersey
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New York
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Ohio
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Oregon
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West Virginia
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has also issued a stay-at-home order for seven counties, including the cities of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, but not the entire commonwealth.
Residents across seven counties in Pennsylvania have been ordered to remain at home to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (Pennsylvania Department of Health)
A report released by the National Health Commission on March 23 confirms that there are no new cases in Hubei, the Chinese province where COVID-19 originated. There have not been any new confirmed cases in this province since March 17. On March 22, 447 patients were reportedly released from the hospital and there were 9 deaths as a result of the virus. The province has had a total of 67,800 cases, 3,153 deaths and 59,882 recoveries since the start of the outbreak, according to Johns Hopkins’ Coronavirus Resource Center.
Pope Francis called all Christians for prayer this Wednesday at noon as the coronavirus continues to spread worldwide. In a tweet he shared on Sunday, the Pope said that The Vatican wants “to respond to the virus pandemic with the universality of prayer, compassion and tenderness.”
Actor Tom Hanks, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 along with his wife, actress Rita Wilson, two weeks ago in Australia, posted on Twitter that the couple is feeling better after spending time in self-quarantine.
In a statement, Hanks wrote: "Sheltering in place works like this: You don't give it to anyone - You don't get it from anyone. Common sense, no? Going to take awhile, but if we take care of each other, help where we can and give up some comforts, this too, shall pass. We can figure this out. Hanx."
Another video from inside an overwhelmed hospital, this time in Spain, has emerged, and the footage is devastating. One of Madrid's hardest-hit hospitals is buckling as hundreds of patients with COVID-19 symptoms sit on the floor in hallways waiting to be treated, the video, obtained by La Razon, shows.More than 180 patients were reportedly on a waiting list due to a lack of beds at the hospital. Some patients have waited as long as three days to be admitted, and in the video can be heard coughing as they wait for a chance to be treated. To help reach even more patients, the IFEMA complex in Madrid, which normally hosts fairs and serves as an exhibition center, has been transformed into an emergency hospital. Spain has reported more than 33,000 cases of COVID-19 and at least 2,200 fatalities. Click here to see the full video from inside the hospital.
The United Kingdom has announced strict orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus. “The time has now come for us all to do more. From this evening I must give the British people one simple instruction: Stay at home,” U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday. Effective immediately “we’ll stop all gatherings of more than 2 people in public, excluding people you live with.” The only reasons that people can leave their homes will be:
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Shopping for basic necessities
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Any medical needs
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One form of exercise per day
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Traveling to and from work, but only when absolutely necessary
“If you don’t follow the rules, the police will have the powers to enforce them, including through fines and disbursing gathering,” Johnson said. “We will beat the coronavirus, and we will beat it together.”
Rhode Island has become the latest in a long line of states that have delayed the 2020 presidential primary. Voters were slated to head to the polls in Rhode Island on April 28, but now they will need to wait until June 2 to cast their vote. According to Axios, primaries have also been delayed in:
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Mississippi
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Indiana
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Connecticut
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Wyoming
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Louisiana
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Georgia
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Kentucky
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Maryland
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Ohio
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued an order on Monday telling people to stay home to the maximum extent possible. “Failure to comply with the order will be considered an immediate danger to public health,” Brown said. “Staying at home as much as possible during this time will save lives.” In a move mirroring several other states, essential businesses, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and pet stores, are allowed to stay open. Restaurants can continue to operate, but only for take-out or delivery services.
“None of us have ever been through this before, and that means there is no way to know exactly what lies ahead,” Brown said in the order. “We don’t know yet when this outbreak will end, or what changes this will bring for our state and for our country. But I want to make sure that we’ve done all we can to end it as quickly as possible.”
Italy reported more than 600 COVID-19 fatalities on Monday, bringing the country's death toll to over 6,000, The Associated Press reported, citing Italy's Civil Protection Agency. The beleaguered nation may be on the precipice of some good news, however. The 4,789 new cases on Monday were fewer than the 5,560 reported on Sunday, the AP said. According to Johns Hopkins University data, the country now has 63,927 confirmed cases, second only to China's 81,496. There have been more than 7,400 recoveries in the country.
In a decision that would have seemed shocking just weeks ago, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) appears to be in position to postpone the Summer Olympic Games, which are currently scheduled to begin on July 24 in Tokyo, Japan. “On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” IOC member Dick Pound told USA Today reporter Christine Brennan. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.” An official announcement has not been made by the IOC and President Thomas Bach told reporters on Sunday that he was going to take the next four weeks to decide the fate of the Games.
How fast has the COVID-19 outbreak been accelerating? Astonishing data released by the WHO shows the spread has been exponential as the world reached 300,000 total cases. "It took 67 days from the first reported case to reach the first 100,000 cases, 11 days for the second 100,000 and just four days for the third 100,000," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday." Click here for a visual of what that sort of growth looks like. By mid-day, more than 350,000 cases of COVID-19 were being tracked by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
With many temporary testing sites and medical facilities being constructed around the country to help combat the spread of COVID-19, AccuWeather is doing its parts to help ensure that these vital services are protected against weather risks. March through May typically brings the highest risk of severe weather across the country.
The company announced it is supporting hospitals, medical institutions and public health agencies battling the coronavirus pandemic. The company will "donate at no cost its warnings for severe weather and severe local storms to reduce risk for vulnerable, temporary structures that healthcare workers are using for Coronavirus testing and triage. The service will provide a specialized version of AccuWeather’s SkyGuard warning service, including advanced warnings for the threat of lightning, wind gusts, flash flooding and tornadoes impacting temporary outdoor hospital sites."
In his Monday morning press briefing, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state is now testing up to 16,000 people daily, up from 1,000 since testing in New York began on March 13. It comes as no surprise then that the state's numbers of confirmed cases continues to climb. In a span of 24 hours the number of COVID-19 cases jumped from over 15,000 to over 20,000. At least 157 people have died in the state, which is the current epicenter of the outbreak in the U.S.
"We need the federal government to use the Defense Production Act so that we can get the medical supplies we desperately need," Cuomo said. "We can’t just wait for companies to come forward with offers and hope they will. This is a national emergency."
7-month-old tests positive for COVID-19 in South Carolina, 3-year-old infected in New Jersey. So much of the narrative around COVID-19 has focused on how devastating the illness can be to older people -- and it undoubtedly is, but in recent days health officials have been warning it can target younger people, even children. Courtney Doster of Elgin, S.C., is speaking out so other parents take the warnings seriously after her infant son, Emmett, tested positive. "Stay home people please!" Doster implored in a Facebook post. "Nothing worse than your 7-month-old running 104 fever, being poked and prodded over and over, and then being told he's positive." In Ridgewood, NJ, a suburb of New York City, a 3-year-old tested positive for COVID-19, the town's mayor announced in a Facebook post over the weekend.
Avoid wearing contact lenses, experts say. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), guarding your eyes, as well as your hands and mouth, can help reduce the spread of coronavirus. The AAO lists several precautionary techniques, including for those who wear contacts to switch to glasses for a while. Contact lens wearers touch their eyes more frequently, according to the AAO. “Consider wearing glasses more often, especially if you tend to touch your eyes a lot when your contacts are in. Substituting glasses for lenses can decrease irritation and force you to pause before touching your eye,” said ophthalmologist Sonal Tuli, MD, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser has ordered the National Guard to help restrict access to crowded areas around the cherry blossoms on Sunday.Bowser also restricted pedestrian and bicycle traffic around the National Mall. Road traffic remains closed around the Tidal Basin which includes the Jefferson Memorial until further notice. The Cherry Blossom Festival was originally scheduled from March 20 - April 12 but a majority of the events surrounding The Cherry Blossom Festival were canceled due to COVID-19. The weather late last week was unseasonably warm as spring began, which could've been a factor in drawing people outdoors. The AccuWeather forecast is calling for temperatures still above normal this week, but closer to average in D.C.
A 17-year-old who asked not to be named wears a yellow hazmat suit, gas mask, boots, and gloves as he walks with his family, from Gaithersburg, Md., under cherry blossom trees in full bloom along the tidal basin, Sunday, March 22, 2020, in Washington. "I'm not worried for me since I'm young," says the 17-year-old, "I'm wearing this in case I come into contact with anyone who is older so that I won't be a threat to them." He plans to wear his protective outfit for coronavirus each time he leaves the house. Sections of the National Mall and tidal basin areas have been closed to vehicular traffic to encourage people to practice social distancing and not visit Washington's iconic cherry blossoms this year due to coronavirus concerns. The trees are in full bloom this week and would traditionally draw a large crowd. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
South Korea is reporting 64 new cases of COVID-19, its lowest number of new cases in four weeks. According to the BBC, infection rates peaked in the country four weeks ago and have since steadily declined as the country introduced dramatic preventive measures and instituted rapid testing. The BBC reports nearly 20,000 people are tested daily in South Korea, which is more per capita than any other country. In total, South Korea has more than 8,900 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and at least 111 deaths.
COVID-19 is virtually "out of control" in Italy's worst-hit hospital, Stuart Ramsay of Sky News reported this weekend. Ramsay gained access to an "emergency ward" (the ICU was already beyond capacity) at the primary hospital Bergamo, about an hour northeast of Milan. The scene he captured was positively chilling. Patients' heads are contained in plastic bubbles, which are connected to breathing ventillators. Many of them are seen gasping for air, suffering from severe cases of pneumonia brought on by COVID-19. Italian health officials are sounding the alarm to other parts of Europe and the U.S., pointing to the catastrophe in Bergamo as an example of what can happen if strict lockdown orders aren't enacted. Click here to see the full video.
The Canadian and Australian Olympic teams announced over the weekend that they will not be sending any athletes to the 2020 Summer Olympic Games unless the event is postponed. In separate statements, each country's Olympic committee asked for the Games to be held in 2021 instead. Kaori Yamaguchi, a former Judo athlete and current Japan Olympic Committee member, broke ranks on Friday when she told the Asian Review that the Games should be postponed due to some athletes' inability to train this season.
Here are the latest updated statistics compiled by researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
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Total confirmed cases: 341,722
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Total deaths: 14,765
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Total recovered: 98,869
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 21-22
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 18-20
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 15-17
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 12-14.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 10-11.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 7-9.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 5-6.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 2-4.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from Feb. 27 to March 1
Reporting by Lauren Fox, John Murphy, Brian Lada, Mark Puleo, Maria Antonieta Valery Gil, Kevin Byrne, Chaffin Mitchell, Adriana Navarro, Dexter Henry, Bill Wadell, Jonathan Petramala, and Monica Danielle
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Health
Previous coronavirus daily briefing updates, March 23-24
Published Mar 26, 2020 2:05 PM EDT
Current daily briefings on the coronavirus can be found here. Scroll below to read previous reports, listed in eastern time.
March 24, 9:50 p.m.
Could loss of smell be an indicator that you've contracted COVID-19? It's very possible. Frontline health care workers have been raising awareness about coronavirus patients who have lost their senses of smell and taste, and the WHO this week said its health officials were looking into the phenomenon as a possible symptom, the medical website STAT reported. The American Academy of Otolaryngology took it a step further, given the prevalence of reports emerging, and made it part of the checklist used for COVID-19 screening. The loss of smell or taste in some cases has reportedly been the only sign of infection in some patients.
March 24, 8:55 p.m.
A feel-good moment was caught on camera in Madrid this week amid the rising death toll. Spain has seen the COVID-19 death toll soar to 2,800 and confirmed cases are upwards of 40,000 as the outbreak has worsened. But there was an encouraging moment this week, if fleeting, when the medical staff at a makeshift medical facility in Madrid discharged their first COVID-19 patient to have recovered from the illness. Nurses and doctors can be seen applauding and waving goodbye as the patient walks out the door. The entire clip lasts all of just 26 seconds, but is precisely the type of video the world needs more of right now.
March 24, 7:55 p.m.
Bike shops in Michigan were reporting an uptick in sales prior to Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's executive order mandating all non-essential businesses close, AccuWeather's Blake Naftel reports. With the start of spring coinciding with the new era of social distancing and changing daily routines, many are taking to bike paths and roadways to exercise.
Ryan Maguire, general manager of Pedal Bicycles, located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, said he's noticed many of his friends still riding their bikes, but they are doing so by themselves. Maguire added that he's also seen more people buy more smart trainer bikes so they can ride on virtual roads while indoors.
March 24, 6:15 p.m.
Distilleries across the country are shifting the focus of their operations from booze to hand sanitizer to help in the fight against COVID-19. Tito's Vodka recently announced it was beginning to take steps to produce the product while other distilleries, such as 3 Daughters Brewing in St. Petersburg, Florida, have already been distributing their own homemade sanitizers to nonprofits and governmental agencies.
"We made it pretty potent. You don’t need to use a lot of it; it was designed not to smell pretty but to kill anything," 3 Daughters Brewing owner Mike Harting told AccuWeather's Jonathan Petramala.“There are some of us in our society that are unable to social distance. This to me is ‘you should do what you’re capable of doing,’” Harting said.
March 24, 5 p.m.
The U.S. stock market had one of its biggest days in history on Tuesday as Congress came closer to passing a major stimulus bill to help the economy recover some of its losses. The Dow surged more than 11% (2,112.98 points), the best day since 1933, boosting the index back above the 20,000-point mark. Despite Tuesday’s incredible gains, the Dow is still 30% lower than it was on Feb. 12, 2020, when the index closed at an all-time high of 29.551.42 points, according to CNBC.
March 24, 3:52 p.m.
With millions across the U.S. sheltered in place as the coronavirus spreads, President Trump is optimistic that life will return to normal sooner rather than later. “I would love to have the country opened up and just raring to go by Easter,” Trump said during a virtual town hall on Fox News. “We’ll assess at that time and we’ll give it some more time if we need a little more time, but we need to open this country up.”
Trump’s comments come after the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. went above 50,000 with the death toll surpassing 600. People all across the world are being encouraged to practice social distancing to help flatten the curve to help slow the transitions of the coronavirus.
March 24, 3:23 p.m.
Severe thunderstorms are forecast to erupt across the central and southern U.S. this week, including Tuesday night in the Tennessee Valley. This could present a challenge for those who may eventually need to use a public storm shelter in the age of social distancing. In Bradley County, Tennessee, emergency management officials said Tuesday they will not be opening storm-ready shelters due to the spread of COVID-19 and limits on public gatherings imposed by Gov. Bill Lee.
Tuesday's threat area also includes northern Alabama. As a response to the severe weather forecast, and the ongoing mandate for social distancing, the Alabama Department of Public Health said, “The decision to seek shelter in a community storm shelter is certainly made more difficult by the consideration for COVID-19 and each individual will need to make an educated decision on where and when to shelter from a tornado."
The agency recommended that the public's first priority was to shelter from a tornado, but cautioned people to check if a shelter is being opened before going to one and also "explore other options that might keep you safer from severe weather and possibly limit your exposure to COVID-19.”
March 24, 1:51 p.m.
Global confirmed cases of COVID-19 surged to over 407,000 on Tuesday, according to data compiled by the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering. Just three days ago, cases around the world reached 300,000. The total number of recoveries is now more than 104,000. With more and more tests being administered, health officials expect the number of confirmed cases to grow rapidly.
March 24, 1:19 p.m.
ð¨World Health Organization warns U.S. could become new coronavirus epicenter as a result of a "very large acceleration" in infections. WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told Reuters that 85% of new cases of COVID-19 worldwide were from Europe and the U.S.. And of those, 40% were from the U.S., she said. Only Italy and China have more confirmed cases than the U.S., but the number of new infections has been dwindling in China. On Monday, Italy's Civil Protection Authority reported nearly 800 fewer infections than Sunday.
March 24, 12:33 p.m.
India Prime Minister Narendra Modi is instituting a 21-day lockdown for the country of 1.3 billion as the nation battles the coronavirus. "THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO NEED TO PANIC," he wrote on Twitter. "Essential commodities, medicines etc. would be available. Centre and various state governments will work in close coordination to ensure this. Together, we will fight COVID-19 and create a healthier India." India has more than 500 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
People play cricket at a deserted Marine on the Arabian Sea coast in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)
March 24, 12:11 p.m.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo once again called on the federal government to use the Federal Defense Production Act to manufacture ventilators, saying the state needs 30,000 of the devices. "The federal government must provide these ventilators," he said. "Only the federal government has the power to deliver."
The governor also said that the apex of the pandemic is arriving sooner than officials thought and they expect it to occur within the next two to three weeks. New projections show the state will need 140,000 hospital beds, up from a previous estimate of 110,000. "We are scaling hospital capacity as fast as humanly possible," Cuomo said. New York has more than 23,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and more than 13,000 of those are in New York City. The city's dense population is considered to be a big enemy in fighting the virus.
March 24, 11:24 a.m.
The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is shown to stay contagious in the air for hours and on some surfaces for as long as 72-hours. The virus was also detected on surfaces of a cruise ship up to 17 days after vacating, according to findings by the CDC. The studies conducted in the report are helping understand how the hidden transmission of the virus is spread. Findings show SARS-CoV-2 can be spread by talking, coughing, sneezing, or even just breathing. Researchers say one of the biggest differences between SARS-CoV-2 and previous coronaviruses is how the virus can be spread unknowingly to those vulnerable via healthy people showing no symptoms.The report helps reaffirm the importance of social distancing and washing hands.
March 24, 10:09 a.m.
Hospitals around the world are experiencing a shortage of personal protective equipment, with the U.S. having as little as three days left before running out, leading to some workers having to reuse masks for up to a week. People around the world are helping fight the shortage at home using 3D technology by 3D printing valves in Italy. In the U.S shields are being 3D printed for testing centers in Syracuse, New York. Those without 3D printers are also helping volunteer their time by making masks for health workers amid the crisis. Health care workers have also started using #GetUsPPE on social media to raise awareness for more volunteers.
March 24, 9:41 a.m.
New York and New Jersey are facing a frightening coronavirus attack rate, at least five times stronger than other parts of the U.S., Dr. Deborah Birx said at a press briefing on Monday. The attack rate, which is the percentage of a population that gets a disease, rose to about one in 1,000 in the New York metro area of New Jersey, New York City and parts of Long Island, Birx said. Roughly 28% of COVID-19 tests submitted in that region came back positive, compared to less than 8% in the rest of the country.
March 24, 8:58 a.m.
The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo have officially been postponed for one year. International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach and Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a conference call Tuesday morning to discuss the "unprecedented and unpredictable spread of the outbreak," which is nearing 400,000 confirmed cases worldwide. The two officials released a joint statement confirming the postponement of the games.
"In the present circumstances and based on the information provided by the WHO today, the IOC President and the Prime Minister of Japan have concluded that the Games of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo must be rescheduled to a date beyond 2020 but not later than summer 2021, to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community," the statement read.
Two spectators take a selfie with the Olympic Flame during a ceremony in Fukushima City, Japan, Tuesday, March 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
March 24, 7:58 a.m.
China will lift the lockdown across much of Hubei province, according to The Associated Press. New confirmed cases have continued to drop in the province and city of Wuhan, which is considered to be ground zero for the COVID-19 pandemic. Wuhan will remain locked down until April 8, but residents elsewhere with a clean bill of health will be allowed to leave, the AP reported, citing the provincial government. The lockdown for Wuhan first went into effect Jan. 23.
On Monday, one new confirmed case was reported in Wuhan, the country's National Health Commission said, making it the first new case in the hard-hit city since March 17. Across mainland China, there have been 81,171 reports of confirmed cases and 3,277 deaths since the outbreak began.
March 24, 7:29 a.m.
Head-spinning number of people are under orders or are being asked to stay home. It may seem surreal, but The Associated Press estimates that about 1.5 billion people on Earth are under some form of isolation. This is quarantine life in the age of coronavirus. Of course, these extreme measures are being taken because of the rapid spread of COVID-19, which is equally head-spinning.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, "It took 67 days from the first reported case to reach the first 100,000 cases, 11 days for the second 100,000 and just four days for the third 100,000."
March 24, 6:33 a.m.
Here are the latest updated numbers, compiled by researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
Total confirmed cases: 383,944
Total deaths: 16,595
Total recoveries: 101,911
March 23, 9:45 p.m.
With more than 40,000 cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., knowing what symptoms to recognize is critical to slowing the spread and preserving your health. According to the CDC, some of the symptoms to look out for include fever, cough and shortness of breath. These symptoms may take up to 14 days to appear after exposure, so it is important to stay inside and avoid social interactions in case of contact with the virus, even if symptoms aren’t present right away. The CDC also advises keeping an eye out for what experts there are calling emergency warning signs, which include:
• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face
March 23, 8:52 p.m.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued a ’Stay Home, Stay Healthy’ order, telling all people across the state to remain at home with the exception of grocery shopping, visiting a doctor or fulfilling an essential work duty. Washington is the latest in a long line of states that have taken similar measures to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. According to CNN, the other states include:
California
Connecticut
Delaware
Illinois
Indiana
Louisiana
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Oregon
West Virginia
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has also issued a stay-at-home order for seven counties, including the cities of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, but not the entire commonwealth.
Residents across seven counties in Pennsylvania have been ordered to remain at home to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (Pennsylvania Department of Health)
March 23, 8:30 p.m.
A report released by the National Health Commission on March 23 confirms that there are no new cases in Hubei, the Chinese province where COVID-19 originated. There have not been any new confirmed cases in this province since March 17. On March 22, 447 patients were reportedly released from the hospital and there were 9 deaths as a result of the virus. The province has had a total of 67,800 cases, 3,153 deaths and 59,882 recoveries since the start of the outbreak, according to Johns Hopkins’ Coronavirus Resource Center.
March 23 7:30 p.m.
Pope Francis called all Christians for prayer this Wednesday at noon as the coronavirus continues to spread worldwide. In a tweet he shared on Sunday, the Pope said that The Vatican wants “to respond to the virus pandemic with the universality of prayer, compassion and tenderness.”
March 23, 7:02 p.m.
Actor Tom Hanks, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 along with his wife, actress Rita Wilson, two weeks ago in Australia, posted on Twitter that the couple is feeling better after spending time in self-quarantine.
In a statement, Hanks wrote: "Sheltering in place works like this: You don't give it to anyone - You don't get it from anyone. Common sense, no? Going to take awhile, but if we take care of each other, help where we can and give up some comforts, this too, shall pass. We can figure this out. Hanx."
March 23, 6:05 p.m.
Another video from inside an overwhelmed hospital, this time in Spain, has emerged, and the footage is devastating. One of Madrid's hardest-hit hospitals is buckling as hundreds of patients with COVID-19 symptoms sit on the floor in hallways waiting to be treated, the video, obtained by La Razon, shows.More than 180 patients were reportedly on a waiting list due to a lack of beds at the hospital. Some patients have waited as long as three days to be admitted, and in the video can be heard coughing as they wait for a chance to be treated. To help reach even more patients, the IFEMA complex in Madrid, which normally hosts fairs and serves as an exhibition center, has been transformed into an emergency hospital. Spain has reported more than 33,000 cases of COVID-19 and at least 2,200 fatalities. Click here to see the full video from inside the hospital.
March 23, 5:15 p.m.
The United Kingdom has announced strict orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus. “The time has now come for us all to do more. From this evening I must give the British people one simple instruction: Stay at home,” U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday. Effective immediately “we’ll stop all gatherings of more than 2 people in public, excluding people you live with.” The only reasons that people can leave their homes will be:
Shopping for basic necessities
Any medical needs
One form of exercise per day
Traveling to and from work, but only when absolutely necessary
“If you don’t follow the rules, the police will have the powers to enforce them, including through fines and disbursing gathering,” Johnson said. “We will beat the coronavirus, and we will beat it together.”
March 23, 3:50 p.m.
Rhode Island has become the latest in a long line of states that have delayed the 2020 presidential primary. Voters were slated to head to the polls in Rhode Island on April 28, but now they will need to wait until June 2 to cast their vote. According to Axios, primaries have also been delayed in:
Mississippi
Indiana
Connecticut
Wyoming
Louisiana
Georgia
Kentucky
Maryland
Ohio
March 23, 2:54 p.m.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown issued an order on Monday telling people to stay home to the maximum extent possible. “Failure to comply with the order will be considered an immediate danger to public health,” Brown said. “Staying at home as much as possible during this time will save lives.” In a move mirroring several other states, essential businesses, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and pet stores, are allowed to stay open. Restaurants can continue to operate, but only for take-out or delivery services.
“None of us have ever been through this before, and that means there is no way to know exactly what lies ahead,” Brown said in the order. “We don’t know yet when this outbreak will end, or what changes this will bring for our state and for our country. But I want to make sure that we’ve done all we can to end it as quickly as possible.”
March 23, 2:33 p.m.
Italy reported more than 600 COVID-19 fatalities on Monday, bringing the country's death toll to over 6,000, The Associated Press reported, citing Italy's Civil Protection Agency. The beleaguered nation may be on the precipice of some good news, however. The 4,789 new cases on Monday were fewer than the 5,560 reported on Sunday, the AP said. According to Johns Hopkins University data, the country now has 63,927 confirmed cases, second only to China's 81,496. There have been more than 7,400 recoveries in the country.
March 23, 1:49 p.m.
In a decision that would have seemed shocking just weeks ago, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) appears to be in position to postpone the Summer Olympic Games, which are currently scheduled to begin on July 24 in Tokyo, Japan. “On the basis of the information the IOC has, postponement has been decided,” IOC member Dick Pound told USA Today reporter Christine Brennan. “The parameters going forward have not been determined, but the Games are not going to start on July 24, that much I know.” An official announcement has not been made by the IOC and President Thomas Bach told reporters on Sunday that he was going to take the next four weeks to decide the fate of the Games.
March 23, 1:04 p.m.
How fast has the COVID-19 outbreak been accelerating? Astonishing data released by the WHO shows the spread has been exponential as the world reached 300,000 total cases. "It took 67 days from the first reported case to reach the first 100,000 cases, 11 days for the second 100,000 and just four days for the third 100,000," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday." Click here for a visual of what that sort of growth looks like. By mid-day, more than 350,000 cases of COVID-19 were being tracked by researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
March 23, 12:42 p.m.
With many temporary testing sites and medical facilities being constructed around the country to help combat the spread of COVID-19, AccuWeather is doing its parts to help ensure that these vital services are protected against weather risks. March through May typically brings the highest risk of severe weather across the country.
The company announced it is supporting hospitals, medical institutions and public health agencies battling the coronavirus pandemic. The company will "donate at no cost its warnings for severe weather and severe local storms to reduce risk for vulnerable, temporary structures that healthcare workers are using for Coronavirus testing and triage. The service will provide a specialized version of AccuWeather’s SkyGuard warning service, including advanced warnings for the threat of lightning, wind gusts, flash flooding and tornadoes impacting temporary outdoor hospital sites."
March 23, 12:05 p.m.
In his Monday morning press briefing, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the state is now testing up to 16,000 people daily, up from 1,000 since testing in New York began on March 13. It comes as no surprise then that the state's numbers of confirmed cases continues to climb. In a span of 24 hours the number of COVID-19 cases jumped from over 15,000 to over 20,000. At least 157 people have died in the state, which is the current epicenter of the outbreak in the U.S.
"We need the federal government to use the Defense Production Act so that we can get the medical supplies we desperately need," Cuomo said. "We can’t just wait for companies to come forward with offers and hope they will. This is a national emergency."
March 23, 11:27 a.m.
7-month-old tests positive for COVID-19 in South Carolina, 3-year-old infected in New Jersey. So much of the narrative around COVID-19 has focused on how devastating the illness can be to older people -- and it undoubtedly is, but in recent days health officials have been warning it can target younger people, even children. Courtney Doster of Elgin, S.C., is speaking out so other parents take the warnings seriously after her infant son, Emmett, tested positive. "Stay home people please!" Doster implored in a Facebook post. "Nothing worse than your 7-month-old running 104 fever, being poked and prodded over and over, and then being told he's positive." In Ridgewood, NJ, a suburb of New York City, a 3-year-old tested positive for COVID-19, the town's mayor announced in a Facebook post over the weekend.
March 23, 10:46 a.m.
Avoid wearing contact lenses, experts say. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), guarding your eyes, as well as your hands and mouth, can help reduce the spread of coronavirus. The AAO lists several precautionary techniques, including for those who wear contacts to switch to glasses for a while. Contact lens wearers touch their eyes more frequently, according to the AAO. “Consider wearing glasses more often, especially if you tend to touch your eyes a lot when your contacts are in. Substituting glasses for lenses can decrease irritation and force you to pause before touching your eye,” said ophthalmologist Sonal Tuli, MD, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
March 23, 10:08 a.m.
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser has ordered the National Guard to help restrict access to crowded areas around the cherry blossoms on Sunday.Bowser also restricted pedestrian and bicycle traffic around the National Mall. Road traffic remains closed around the Tidal Basin which includes the Jefferson Memorial until further notice. The Cherry Blossom Festival was originally scheduled from March 20 - April 12 but a majority of the events surrounding The Cherry Blossom Festival were canceled due to COVID-19. The weather late last week was unseasonably warm as spring began, which could've been a factor in drawing people outdoors. The AccuWeather forecast is calling for temperatures still above normal this week, but closer to average in D.C.
A 17-year-old who asked not to be named wears a yellow hazmat suit, gas mask, boots, and gloves as he walks with his family, from Gaithersburg, Md., under cherry blossom trees in full bloom along the tidal basin, Sunday, March 22, 2020, in Washington. "I'm not worried for me since I'm young," says the 17-year-old, "I'm wearing this in case I come into contact with anyone who is older so that I won't be a threat to them." He plans to wear his protective outfit for coronavirus each time he leaves the house. Sections of the National Mall and tidal basin areas have been closed to vehicular traffic to encourage people to practice social distancing and not visit Washington's iconic cherry blossoms this year due to coronavirus concerns. The trees are in full bloom this week and would traditionally draw a large crowd. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
March 23, 9:56 a.m.
South Korea is reporting 64 new cases of COVID-19, its lowest number of new cases in four weeks. According to the BBC, infection rates peaked in the country four weeks ago and have since steadily declined as the country introduced dramatic preventive measures and instituted rapid testing. The BBC reports nearly 20,000 people are tested daily in South Korea, which is more per capita than any other country. In total, South Korea has more than 8,900 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and at least 111 deaths.
March 23, 7:53 a.m.
COVID-19 is virtually "out of control" in Italy's worst-hit hospital, Stuart Ramsay of Sky News reported this weekend. Ramsay gained access to an "emergency ward" (the ICU was already beyond capacity) at the primary hospital Bergamo, about an hour northeast of Milan. The scene he captured was positively chilling. Patients' heads are contained in plastic bubbles, which are connected to breathing ventillators. Many of them are seen gasping for air, suffering from severe cases of pneumonia brought on by COVID-19. Italian health officials are sounding the alarm to other parts of Europe and the U.S., pointing to the catastrophe in Bergamo as an example of what can happen if strict lockdown orders aren't enacted. Click here to see the full video.
March 23, 7:09 a.m.
The Canadian and Australian Olympic teams announced over the weekend that they will not be sending any athletes to the 2020 Summer Olympic Games unless the event is postponed. In separate statements, each country's Olympic committee asked for the Games to be held in 2021 instead. Kaori Yamaguchi, a former Judo athlete and current Japan Olympic Committee member, broke ranks on Friday when she told the Asian Review that the Games should be postponed due to some athletes' inability to train this season.
March 23, 6:55 a.m.
Here are the latest updated statistics compiled by researchers from Johns Hopkins University:
Total confirmed cases: 341,722
Total deaths: 14,765
Total recovered: 98,869
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 21-22
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 18-20
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 15-17
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 12-14.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 10-11.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 7-9.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 5-6.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 2-4.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from Feb. 27 to March 1
Reporting by Lauren Fox, John Murphy, Brian Lada, Mark Puleo, Maria Antonieta Valery Gil, Kevin Byrne, Chaffin Mitchell, Adriana Navarro, Dexter Henry, Bill Wadell, Jonathan Petramala, and Monica Danielle
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