The COVID-19 Pandemic: First US Deaths Occurred Weeks Earlier than Previously Thought; African Americans Continue to Die Disproportionately; and More

World News:

SARS-CoV-2, the novel virus that causes the disease COVID-19, has now killed over 181,000 people worldwide, according to statistics website Worldometer. There are now over 2.6 million confirmed cases across the globe, with the virus making its presence felt in 210 countries and territories, and making a foothold on every continent except Antarctica.

Advertisement

Outside of the US, the countries with the most confirmed infections remain:

• Spain: 208,389 confirmed cases; 21,717 deaths.
• Italy: 187,327 confirmed cases; 25,085 deaths.
• France: 158,050 confirmed cases; 20,796 deaths.
• Germany: 149,401 confirmed cases; 5,165 deaths.
• UK: 133,495 confirmed cases; 18,100 deaths.

COVID-19 Will Drive Global Carbon Emissions Down 6%

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says that global carbon emissions are expected to fall 6% this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “This crisis has had an impact on the emissions of greenhouse gases,” said WHO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas during a virtual press briefing. “We estimate that there is going to be a 6% drop in carbon emissions this year because of the lack of emissions from transportation and industry and energy production.” Taalas said while this is “short-term” good news for the environment, the reduction won’t be enough to get the world back on track to meet the 2015 Paris Agreement targets.

UK “Way Behind” Other European Nations on Testing

Dominic Raab, who is serving as Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s stand-in while Johnson makes a full recovery from coronavirus, was grilled on the UK’s lack of testing. Although Raab stated that the British government is making “good progress” and would meet its target of 100,000 tests by the end of April, he received criticism from Labor leader Keir Starmer, who pointed out the UK is “way behind” other European countries on testing. “I think it’s really important that we fully understand what the First Secretary just said,” Starmer said. “That means that the day before yesterday, 40,000 could have been carried out, but only 18,000 tests were actually carried out.”

“All week I’ve heard from the frontline, from care workers, who are frankly desperate for tests for their residents and for themselves,” Starmer said. “They would expect every test to be used every day … so there’s clearly a problem. Why isn’t the government using all the tests available?”

Indian Government Augments Protection for Health Care Workers

India is implementing strict orders to discourage violence against health care workers amid the pandemic. The country amended their Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897, and now any citizens found guilty of committing acts of violence on a health worker face prison time for up to 7 years. “Health workers who are trying to save the country from this epidemic are unfortunately facing attacks. No incident of violence or harassment against them will be tolerated. An ordinance has been brought in, it’ll be implemented after President’s sanction,” Union Minister P Javadekar said. “Such crime will now be cognizable and non-bailable. Investigation will be done in 30 days.

National News:

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Over 45,000 US Deaths; NYC to Freeze Bodies of COVID-19 Victims

The US is inching closer to hitting its most grim milestone to-date – 1 million confirmed cases. As of today the number of infections stands at over 820,000, and there are now over 45,000 deaths. New York, the epicenter for COVID-19 in the US, has 256,555 confirmed infections and over 20,000 deaths. New York City, the hardest hit city in the world, will now freeze the bodies of COVID-19 victims rather than burying them on Hart Island, the city’s potter field long used as burial ground for unclaimed bodies. The measure is temporary, and intended to ease the burden on city hospitals and funeral homes.

Outside of NY, the US states with the most confirmed infections remain:

• New Jersey: 92,387 confirmed cases; 4,753 deaths.
• Massachusetts: 41,199 confirmed cases; 1,961 deaths.
• California: 35,843 confirmed cases; 1,322 deaths.
• Pennsylvania: 35,293 confirmed cases; 1,614 deaths.
• Illinois: 33,059 confirmed cases; 1,468 deaths.

Two People Died on US Soil Weeks Earlier than Previously Believed

New autopsy results have revealed that two people in California died from COVID-19 in early and mid-February – that timeline is almost three weeks earlier than previously thought.”That is a very significant finding,” Dr. Ashish K. Jha, director of the Harvard Global Health Institute, told CNN’s “New Day” on Wednesday.

The Virus is ‘Disproportionately’ Affecting Blacks, Data Shows

Data analysis from 33 states, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, depict a distressing reality – blacks are dying from COVID-19 at higher rates than whites. In Wisconsin, which has a black population of only 6%, black people have accounted for 39% of fatalities and 25% of infections. Moreover, in Kansas, which also has a black population of 6%, the data shows that black people have accounted for 33% of deaths and 17% of total cases. “Our analysis of these data finds that they continue to paint a sobering picture of how the virus is disproportionately affecting communities of color,” according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

US Death Projections Rise by 10%

A leading US model is now projecting that 66,000 Americans will die from COVID-19 by August, a 10% increase from its previous projection. The upward trajectory of expected fatalities is due to states updating their death tallies, and adding residents of nursing homes who officials are now counting as presumptive positive.

Tuesday, April 21, 2020

• President Trump announced a temporary halt on issuing green cards to prevent people from immigrating to the US.
• The Senate Passed an almost $480 billion relief package that includes hundreds of billions of dollars in new funding to aid small businesses affected by the pandemic.
• Georgia Governor Brian Kemp announced that Georgia will begin restarting the state’s economy the close of this week. Georgia’s timetable marks the most aggressive in the nation and will allow gyms, hair salons, bowling alleys and tattoo parlors to reopen as long as owners adhere to social-distancing and hygiene requirements.
• Gov. Cuomo said at his daily news briefing on Tuesday that he will speak to President Trump at the White House about New York’s testing capacity. Cuomo stated that he agrees with Trump’s position that sates should be in charge of their own testing, but feels’ COVID-19’s unprecedented scale requires federal assistance.
• After consulting with state officials, Facebook announced it will remove posts on anti-stay-at-home protests being organized in California, New Jersey, and Nebraska. The protests run counter of the states social distancing guidelines, a Facebook spokesman told CNN.

Monday, April 20, 2020

BREAKING: American Oil Crashes

US oil prices plunged today to below $0 to $-37.63 a barrel. The crash occurs as COVID-19 destroys demand and producers have run out of places for storing excess barrels of crude. “No one in America wants oil in the short term,” Jeffrey Halley of Oanda told clients on Monday.

US Death Toll Exceeds 41,000; NY to Begin Aggressive Antibody Testing

As of today, there are now almost 771,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the US, and the virus has taken the lives of 41,349 US citizens. In response to the virus’ spread, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Monday that the state will begin conducting antibody tests to determine how many New Yorkers were infected with the virus and recovered. A sample of 3,000 state will start receiving tests from the state Department of Health to detect the presence of antibodies produced by people infected with COVID-19, Gov. Cuomo said.

New York still has a commanding lead on every other state in both confirmed cases (247,215) and deaths. Outside of NY, the states with the most confirmed infections are:

• New Jersey: 85,301 confirmed cases; 4,202 deaths.
• Massachusetts: 38,077 confirmed cases; 1,706 deaths.
• Pennsylvania: 33,232 confirmed cases; 1,238 deaths.
• California: 31,675 confirmed cases; 1,178 deaths
• Michigan: 31,424 confirmed cases; 2,391 deaths.

Facebook Releases Symptom Tracking Map

Facebook today released a map that tracks COVID-19 symptoms county by county. The company plans to release the map while providing daily updates. Facebook partnered with Carnegie Mallon University to create an opt-in survey to help better identify coronavirus hotspots before infections are confirmed.

Dow Drops More than 400 Points

The combination of recent COVID-19 news and a steep decline in US crude prices has stocks falling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures dropped 531 points, pointing to a Monday opening drop of about 500 points. S&P 500 futures dropped 1.8% while Nasdaq 100 futures lost 1.2%.

Trump Invokes Defense Production Act for Testing Swabs

On Monday, President Trump announced he would use the defense Defense Production Act to manufacture much needed testing swabs. Trump said that under the act, an addition 20 million swabs will be produced each month.

Friday, April 17, 2020

US Deaths Surge to New Record High

The US recorded a grim new record high in COVID-19 deaths on Thursday. Tragically, over 4,500 Americans died in a 24-hour period from the respiratory disease. The US still leads the world in both confirmed cases (685,845) and deaths (35,521). New York, the US’s coronavirus epicenter, now has 226,198 confirmed cases and 16,736 deaths, after reporting 630 deaths on Thursday alone. However, encouragingly New York Governor Andrew Cuomo reported that hospitalizations across New York are in decline. “Net change in total hospitalizations is undeniably on the decline. The three-day average, which is more accurate than any one-day number, also says the same thing. That’s not that telling to me because, as I said, the entire hospital is now basically an ICU ward,” Cuomo said as a news conference Friday.

Outside of New York, the US states with the most confirmed cases remain:

• New Jersey: 75,317 confirmed cases; 3,518 deaths.
• Massachusetts: 32,181 confirmed cases; 1,245 deaths.
• Pennsylvania: 29,441 confirmed cases; 837 deaths.
• Michigan: 29,263 confirmed cases; 2,093 deaths.
• California: 28,156 confirmed cases; 973 deaths.

Trump Reveals Federal Guidelines to Reopen US

President Trump has revealed federal guidelines to gradually reopen the US. Three-phase plan would be led by the discretion of state governors. Trump is calling the recommendations “the next front in our war, which is called opening up America again.” The president said the strategy is based on “hard verifiable data” and that “benchmarks must be met at each phase.”

“Now that we have passed the peak in new cases, we are starting our life again. We are starting rejuvenation of our economy again, in a safe and structured and a very responsible fashion,” Trump said. “We are not opening all at once, but one careful step at a time.”

COVID-19 Patients Responding to Experimental Drug Remdesivir

COVID-19 patients seem to be recovering quickly after being administered Gilead Sciences’ antiviral medicine remdesivir, according to STAT News. A Chicago hospital treating severe coronavirus patients with remdesivir in a closely observed clinical trial is seeing rapid recoveries in fever and respiratory symptoms, with nearly all patients discharged in under a week. To conduct this study, the University of Chicago Medicine recruited 125 people with COVID-19, of which 113 had severe disease. “The best news is that most of our patients have already been discharged, which is great. We’ve only had two patients perish,” said Kathleen Mullane, the University of Chicago infectious disease specialist overseeing the remdesivir studies for the hospital.

Florida Governor Authorizes Some Beaches to Open; Ramps Up Testing

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis gave the green light for some beaches and parks to reopen if it can be done safely after being closed to the COVID-19 outbreak. At news conference, DeSantis said that some municipalities should feel free to start opening up parks and beaches, if that can be done safely with distancing guidelines remaining in place. The governor feels its important for people to have outlets for getting exercise, sunshine and fresh air. “Do it in a good way. Do it in a safe way,” DeSantis said.

Also, Gov. DeSantis announced the opening of two walk-up testing centers in Broward County, and says that Florida is almost “neck and neck” with California in terms of coronavirus testing.

US Could Face “New Normal” Without Vaccine

Former US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Dr. Tom Frieden says Americans will have to maintain social distancing measures until a vaccine is developed. He told MSNBC on Friday “We don’t know when a vaccine will come.” Dr. Frieden added that, “Anyone who is not afraid of the devastation this virus causes is not taking it seriously enough and that can be a deadly error. This is a highly infectious virus. It’s spreading like a super SARS — all of the way SARS spread and more.”

Thursday, April 16, 2020

• COVID-19 continues to have a calamitous effect on the nation’s workforce. Americans filed 5.2 million jobless claims in the last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday, hiking the four-week total to over 22 million.
• The $349 billion emergency small business lending program officially tapped on Thursday, according to a CNN report. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Democrats will now reconvene to attempt and reach an agree on a package that will immediately increasing funding.
• The US Food and Drug Administration is calling on all people who have recovered from COVID-19 to donate blood plasma. The reason for the request is that convalescent plasma, the liquid part of the blood, contains antibodies which can be used to boost the immune response of people still fighting the virus.

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

• President Trump announced on Tuesday that the US is halting funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) pending a review into handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
• The US Food and Drug Administration issued emergency use authorizations for two new COVID-19 antibody tests on Wednesday.
• New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order that mandates anyone outside in the state will be required to wear a mask or some type of protective face wear.
• COVID-19 patients might be most infectious before showing symptoms, according to the findings of a new study published today in the journal Nature Medicine.

Tuesday, April 14, 2020

• The US Food and Drug Administration has authorized the emergency use of a diagnostic test can detect COVID-19 in saliva.
• South Korea will ship a total of 750,000 COVID-19 testing kits to the US, according to a public health official.
• Boston University may cancel all in-person classes until 2021. “The Recovery Plan recognizes that if, in the unlikely event that public health officials deem it unsafe to open in the fall of 2020, then the University’s contingency plan envisions the need to consider a later in-person return, perhaps in January 2021,” the university said in a statement.
• Oprah is using her platform to sound the alarm about the disproportionate effect COVID-19 is having on the African American community.

Monday, April 13, 2020

• Over the weekend the US became the world-leader in COVID-19 deaths, surpassing Italy. The US now has a death toll of 22,115, and overall 560,433 confirmed cases. New York remains the hardest hit state, and has more confirmed cases than any foreign country. New York governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday that 758 more people died in New York – the state currently has 189,415 confirmed cases and 9,385 deaths. However, Cumo encouraged that the rate of hospitalizations is decreasing, and that statement appears supported by US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams, who said some US hot spots, including NY, appear to be “leveling off” or reducing.
• Tragically, a sailor assigned to the COVID-stricken air carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt died of coronavirus complications Monday.
• South Korea will send 600,000 testing kits to the US, according to South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
• The US Food and Drug Administration approved a new method that uses saliva to test for COVID-19. The test was developed by researchers at Rutgers University’s RUCDR Infinite Biologics and Spectrum Solutions and Accurate Diagnostic Labs.

Sunday, April 12, 2020

FDA Green-Lights System of Cleaning N95 Masks

The US Food and Drug Administration announced a plan on Sunday to decontaminate millions of N95 respirators per day. The system, called the STERRAD Sterilization System, uses “vaporized hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilization”, according to the FDA. The system is installed in thousands of hospitals, and can now be used on the N95 protective masks, which are in short supply.

Saturday, April 11, 2020

IRS Deposits First Wave of Stimulus Checks

The Internal Revenue Service sent out the first wave of stimulus checks to Americans on Saturday, according to a tweet they posted. The deposits will continue in the days ahead, with people who have filed tax returns for 2018 and 2019 and authorized for direct deposit being the first to receive their money.

#IRS deposited the first Economic Impact Payments into taxpayers’ bank accounts today. We know many people are anxious to get their payments; we’ll continue issuing them as fast as we can. For #COVIDreliefIRS updates see: https://t.co/hEEWmgHA9V pic.twitter.com/2bSHOTjMAS

— IRSnews (@IRSnews) April 11, 2020

Friday, April 10, 2020

• Dr. Anthony Fauci said officials are seeing “some favorable signs” that coronavirus curve may be flattening in the US. Dr. Fauci, the nation’s leading infectious disease expert said during an appearance on CNN’s “New Day” that: “What we’re seeing right now are some favorable signs as I’ve discussed with you a few times on this show,” Fauci explained. “It’s looking like that in many cases, particularly in New York. We’re starting to see a flattening and a turning around.”
• Some Americans who lost their jobs due to COVID-19 will start seeing more money in their pockets soon. States are beginning to implement historic enhancements to unemployment benefits, a feature that Congress included in its 2.2 trillion relief package. It includes a $600 weekly increase for up to four months, coupled with state benefits.
• Dr. Anthony Fauci says the idea of Americans carrying certificates of immunity to prove they tested positive for the antibodies to COVID-19 might “have some merit under certain circumstances.”
• The Spanish government is working on introducing a preliminary version of universal income to assist Spaniards facing the economic blows of COVID-19, CNN reports. “This [health] crisis has placed on the table the urgency of a universal basic income, that it is essential and fundamental to guarantee dignity and a minimum purchase power for many Spanish families that are in a desperate situation,” the second deputy Spanish Prime Minister, Pablo Iglesias, said in an interview with national broadcaster TVE on Friday.

Thursday, April 9, 2020

• The coronavirus pandemic continues to have an unprecedented affect on the job market as another 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits last week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. In total, over 16 millions Americans have made jobless claims in the last three weeks, and when compared to the 151 million people on payroll in the last monthly payroll report, it means that country has lost 10% of its workforce in just three weeks.
• COVID-19 might have been circulating in New York longer than originally thought and the earliest cases likely stem from travelers coming from Europe and the other parts of the US, according to the findings of two separate research projects.
• Antibody tests, which can reveal whether someone have had COVID-19 without being diagnosed, either before the outbreak started or during the test day, will soon be readily available, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.
• The number of people traveling via plane had decreased by approximately 96%, according to a CNN report.

Wednesday, April 8, 2020

• The US recorded its highest number of deaths in a single-day with more than 1,800 fatalities reported on Tuesday. That exceeds the previous record of 1,344 deaths which was recorded on April 4. The US currently has 406,697 confirmed cases and 13,868 deaths.New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the grim announcement today that NY also set a single-day record in deaths with 779 on Tuesday, up from Monday’s total of 731. COVID-19 has now claimed the lives of more New Yorkers than the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center.
• Major city mayors are now looking to address the disproportionate death rate affecting minorities with the novel coronavirus, especially African Americans.
• New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy imposed more restrictions to mitigate the effect of COVID-19 community spread in the state. Murphy ordered all non-essential construction sites to shut down indefinitely, effective at 8 p.m. ET on Friday.
• US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has started the process for quick passage of a $251 billion stimulus bill for additional small businesses loans, CNN reports.
• Dick’s Sporting Goods will furlough a “significant number” of its roughly 40,000 employees beginning Sunday.
• UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in intensive care on Wednesday, but is “improving” and “sitting up in bed” talking to physicians, according to Chancellor Rishi Sunak.
• Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Wednesday that Canada’s national lockdown will continue “for many more weeks” as the nation makes assessments on when to resume some economic activity.

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

• Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell said he hopes to approve further funding to help small businesses affected by the pandemic.
• Investors are feeling better about a recent decline in COVID cases. Stocks surged on Monday with The Dow up 1,600 points, its third highest point gain ever. The S&P 500 went up 7% to its highest level since March 13. The S&P rebounded by around 20% from its 52-week low on March 23. Today, the Dow is trading 846 points higher at the open, or more than 3%. The S&P is up 3.2% while the Nasdaq Composite surged 2.8%.
• President Trump announced a tough negotiation between his administration and 3M has ended with a deal which will see 3M delivering an addition 5.5 million “high-quality face masks” each month.
• Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ space venture Blue Origin has joined other rocket companies in the fight against COVID-19 by volunteering to make products needed by front-line health care workers. Blue Origin workers are offering to make plastic pieces needed for face shields, the company said in a video released on Tuesday.
• Major League Baseball (MLB) and its players are focused on a plan that could allow them to start the season as early as May, ESPN reports. The plan, should it come to fruition, would dicate that all 30 teams play games in the Phoenix area in stadiums with no fans.
• British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was transferred to intensive care on Monday, after his persistent coronavirus symptoms worsened.
• China reported no new COVID-19 deaths for the first time since January, the National Health Commission said.

Monday, April 6, 2020

• Encouragingly, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said in a video briefing on Monday that the death toll in the state has been “effectively flat” for the past two days, adding that: “If we are plateauing, we are plateauing at a high level.”
• Stocks are rising, and rebounded from sharp losses over the previous week with the Dow Jones Industrial Average trading at 1,200 points higher, or up more than 5%. The S&P 500 gained 5.5% while the Nasdaq Composite jumped by 5.4%.
• World Health Organization (WHO) officials are now warning that COVID-19 can spread in asymptomatic patients one to three days before the onset of symptoms. “It’s very important to note that even if you are pre-symptomatic, you still have to transmit through droplets.
• Boris Johnson admitted to hospital.
• Spain’s death toll has reportedly dropped for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, with 637 confirmed deaths today. Spain’s number of mortalities from the novel virus have been steadily falling since they hit a peak of 905 last Thursday, according to a Reuters report.
• Tiger at the Bronx Zoo tests positive for coronavirus.
• Spain’s death toll has reportedly dropped for the fourth consecutive day on Monday, with 637 confirmed deaths today. Spain’s number of mortalities from the novel virus have been steadily falling since they hit a peak of 905 last Thursday, according to a Reuters report.

Sunday, April 5, 2020

Third Coral Princess Passenger Dies

A third passenger aboard the Coral Princess cruise ship died on Sunday after being transported by a plane ambulance to a Florida hospital, CNN reports. The Coral Princess departed Santiago, Chile on March 5, and announced operations were halting one week later. Two passengers perished on board the ship before it docked and six others were transported from the ship to local hospitals on Saturday.

Hydroxychloroquine Trial Underway in Detroit Hospital

Vice President Mike Pence announced on Sunday that hydroxychloroquine will be used in a trial of 3,000 patients at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, and the results will be tracked in a formal study. Pence added that they are “more than prepared” to make hydroxychloroquine available to doctor’s offices and pharmacies in the Detroit area “as they deem appropriate.”

Saturday, April 4, 2020

‘This the Moment to Not be Going to the Grocery’

Coronavirus Response Coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx emphasized on Saturday that the next weeks will be pivotal in flattening the curve. She stated: “This is a very important — the next two weeks are extraordinarily important, and that’s why I think you’ve heard from Dr. (Anthony) Fauci, from myself, from the President and the Vice President that this is the moment to do everything that you can on the presidential guidelines,” Birx said. “This is the moment to not be going to the grocery store, not going to the pharmacy, but doing everything you can to keep your family and your friends safe, and that means everybody doing the 6 feet distancing, washing your hands.”

Friday, April 3, 2020

• The United States became the epicenter for COVID-19 cases less than a week ago, and since has seen its numbers surge to over 258,000 cases and 6,572 deaths. Dr. Anthony Fauci explained in a CNN interview that even with mitigation efforts in place in the form of social distancing, the amount of US deaths has yet to reach its apex. “Even when you suppress or stabilize the number of new infections, its still going to take awhile before you see a decrease in hospitalizations, a decrease in intensive care, and a decrease in deaths.” Adding that: “In fact, deaths are the last thing that lag. So you could be doing well, and having a good effect on mitigation, and still see the deaths go up.”
• The USNS Comfort, the Navy hospital vessel deployed to NYC to treat non-COVID patients, is only currently treating 20 patients, according to a Navy spokesperson. However, the Navy expects that number to rise appreciably as the referral process is refined. New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio said in a CNN interview that: “There’s no question in my mind that will get resolved quickly. You’ll see that number grow.”
• US Government Will Only Issue New Passports in ‘Life-or-Death’ Emergencies

Thursday, April 2, 2020

• The spread of COVID-19 has had an astronomically dire effect on the US job market as 6.6 million US workers filed for unemployment benefits in the week ending on March 28, meaning that nearly 10 million jobless claims have been made in the last two weeks.
• Amid the pandemic, the Democratic National Committee decided to postpone the party’s presidential convention in Milwaukee from July 13 to August 17, one week before the Republican Party’s convention.
• A venerable panel of scientific experts informed the White House that research shows COVID-19 can spread not just through sneezing and coughing, but also by just talk, or possibly even just breathing.
• Out of 70 students who boarded a plane from Austin, Texas to Mexico for spring break two weeks ago, more than 40 have now tested positive for COVID-19 – all of them University of Texas at Austin students.

Wednesday, April 1, 2020

• New York Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered the closure of all New York City playgrounds on Wednesday to mitigate the virus’ spread.
• Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced a stay-at-home order for all Floridians to impede COVID’s spread.
• Stocks fell by 4% on Wednesday following President Trump’s aforementioned warning of deadly days to come. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 909 points, or 4.1% in midday trading, while the S&P 500 fell by 4.4% and the Nasdaq Composite dropped by 3.9%. This comes one day after the Dow closed out their worst quarter since 1987.
• President Trump warns of a ‘painful’ next weeks as the virus’ peak nears closer.
• New data from Iceland reveals that 50% of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 said they did not present with any symptoms.
• The COVID-19 death toll in the United Kingdom rose by a record 563 in the last 24 hours, and now Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government is under fire for failing to keep its promise to ramp up testing.

Here’s a full wrap-up of COVID-19 happenings from the month of March.

https://www.docwirenews.com/docwire-pick/the-covid-19-pandemic-march-round-up-coronavirus-declared-a-pandemic-people-businesses-and-economies-devastated/

DocWire News will provide breaking updates on the COVID-19 pandemic as they become available.