Latest on the Coronavirus

Data from China shows the majority of people with Covid-19 only suffer mild symptoms, then recover (CNN)Most people who contract the novel coronavirus experience mild symptoms, according to data from China, where the worst of the epidemic now appears to be over. Last month, scientists from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention published a research paper analyzing the data for the first 72,314 people diagnosed with Covid-19.-- More... Japanese flu drug ‘clearly effective’ in treating coronavirus, officials say A Japanese flu drug has proven to be effective in treating the coronavirus in early trials, according to reports Wednesday. Medical authorities in China said they tested the antiviral drug favipiravir on 340 patients and found it reduces recovery time and improves lung condition of patients, according to the Guardian.-- More... Italy reports 427 new coronavirus deaths, overtakes China's death toll ROME (Reuters) - The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy rose in the last 24 hours by 427 to 3,405, overtaking the total number of deaths so far registered in China, officials said on Thursday. Thursday’s figure represented a slight improvement on the day before, when Italy recorded 475 deaths.-- More... Indian Political Activist Arrested for Selling Cow Urine as Coronavirus Treatment Indian political activist Narayan Chatterjee, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was arrested on Tuesday after one of his customers became sick from drinking the cow urine he was selling as a coronavirus treatment. AFP reported a civic volunteer became ill after drinking the unappealing bovine beverage on Tuesday during a “cow urine consumption event” organized by Chatterjee. The volunteer filed a report with police, who moved quickly to arrest Chatterjee the same evening.-- More... Famed NYC restaurateur Danny Meyer behind Gramercy Tavern and Jazz Standard lays off TWO THOUSAND workers 'due to near-complete elimination of revenue' caused by coronavirus shutdowns Union Square Hospitality Group, the New York City restaurant giant, has laid off 2,000 workers, or 80 percent of the company's workforce. Famed restaurateur Danny Meyer's company put the layoffs into effect on Wednesday morning 'due to a near-complete elimination of revenue,' the company told the New York Times.-- More...

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Prince Albert of Monaco, 62, tests positive for coronavirus Prince Albert of Monaco has tested positive for coronavirus, the royal palace said today. Authorities in the tiny state said the 62-year-old ruler had been tested for the pathogen at the start of this week. -- More... 99% of Those Who Died From Virus Had Other Illness, Italy Says More than 99% of Italy’s coronavirus fatalities were people who suffered from previous medical conditions, according to a study by the country’s national health authority. After deaths from the virus reached more than 2,500, with a 150% increase in the past week, health authorities have been combing through data to provide clues to help combat the spread of the disease.-- More... REPORT: Coronavirus Outbreak Could Have Been Reduced By 95% If China Acted Sooner A recently published study from the University of Southampton estimated that the global outbreak of the coronavirus could have been dramatically reduced had China’s communist government acted sooner. The study relied on research from a population mapping group called “WorldPop,” which created the models that were used in the study. -- More... Senate passes House's coronavirus response bill, sends to Trump The Senate on Wednesday passed the House's coronavirus legislation to provide sick leave, unemployment help and free testing to Americans, sending the second COVID-19 relief bill to President Trump. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., had criticized the legislation negotiated by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin as having "real shortcomings", but urged his members to "gag and vote for it anyway" to show bipartisan cooperation during the global pandemic.-- More... Ford, GM, Chrysler suspend production at all US, North American plants Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler are suspending production at all North American plants in an effort to help prevent the spread of the coronoavirus (COVID-19), the companies announced Wednesday. The suspension of operations at Ford will begin after the evening shifts on Thursday, March 19, while GM said it will close its facilities in a cadence being determined by manufacturing leadership, with both firms instituting the stoppage until March 30.-- More... Coronavirus closure: Honda shutting US, North American factories through March 31 Honda is shutting all of its North American plants for six days in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The closures include eight manufacturing locations in the U.S. and will continue until March 31. The company said affected employees will receive full pay during the hiatus, and that the facilities will be thoroughly sanitized before they reopen.-- More... Hayward: China Threatens to Cut Off Medicine, Throw America into ‘Mighty Sea of Coronavirus’ An article in China’s state-run Xinhua news service last week threatened to impose restrictions on medical exports so the United States will be “plunged into the mighty sea of coronavirus.” The Xinhua piece, published on March 4 and entitled “Be Bold: The World Owes China a Thank You,” was largely composed of standard Chinese Communist Party propaganda about how the world stands in awe of China’s amazing response to the coronavirus outbreak. Naturally, it neglected to mention how the virus ran wild in the first place because of Chinese bureaucratic incompetence and cover-ups.-- More...

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Victor Davis Hanson says China's handling of coronavirus 'ruined their international brand'

Hoover Institution Fellow Victor Davis Hanson said on Wednesday that China’s handling of the coronavirus “ruined their international brand,” having potential serious repercussions on its economy as foreign companies may exit. “[China] knew that that virus was not only epidemic but infectious and could be deadly to older people. They didn’t tell anybody. They didn’t tell us. In fact, they did something far worse -- they accused us of causing it and then they threatened to cut off supplies of medical needs and pharmaceuticals,” Hanson told “The Brian Kilmeade Show,” noting the thousands of Chinese tourists coming into the U.S.-- More... Trump announces US, Canada closing border to 'non-essential traffic' amid coronavirus fears President Trump on Wednesday announced that the U.S. and Canada are closing their shared border to non-essential traffic as part of the effort to tackle the coronavirus pandemic. "We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic," Trump tweeted. "Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!"-- More... Ohio Jail Releases Hundreds To Protect Them from Coronavirus Despite No Known Cases Do you know what we need during a national emergency? More alleged criminals out on the streets. This is apparently the lesson we’re supposed to take away from officials in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, the jurisdiction in which the city of Cleveland is located. Ohio’s second-most populous county has decided to release hundreds of inmates from the Cuyahoga County jail over COVID-19 fears.-- More... DHS considering plan to turn away asylum-seekers, people who crossed southern border illegally Fox News has learned that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering a plan that would turn away asylum seekers and anyone who has crossed the southern border illegally, in light of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The idea is currently being developed by DHS staff, but there is still more work to do to be done, before it's presented to President Trump for a final decision.-- More...

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Coronavirus brings life in the US to a grinding halt as federal, local governments work to stop spread Federal, state and local governments, in the past 72 hours, have taken unprecedented steps to try and slow the coronavirus’ spread, and bolster small businesses, first-responders and hospitals that prepare for an influx of patients exhibiting serious symptoms.-- More...Elective operations canceled for three months in England amid coronavirus pandemic National Health Service England is canceling all non-urgent operations for the next three months to free up beds for coronavirus patients. Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS, told staff that 30,000 beds would be needed to cope with the expected surge in cases. In a letter to NHS bosses, Stevens said the coronavirus was "the greatest challenge the NHS has faced since its creation".-- More... China Revoking Credentials of American Reporters After US Curbs Its Media China says it will revoke the credentials of Americans at three U.S. newspapers in response to new U.S. restrictions on Chinese media. In a news release posted online, the foreign ministry said early Wednesday that China demands American journalists working for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Washington Post whose credentials are due to expire before the end of 2020 to hand back their press cards within 10 days.-- More...

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