Coronavirus News – Feb. 26

Americans should prepare for coronavirus spread in U.S., CDC warns

Top U.S. public health officials with the CDC said that Americans should prepare for the spread of coronavirus across the country. “It’s not so much a question of if this will happen anymore but rather more a question of exactly when this will happen and how many people in this country will have severe illness,” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC. Dr. Messonnier said evidence the virus is spreading to countries outside Asia, such as to Iran and Italy, has raised the CDC’s level of concern and expectation that it will spread in the U.S. In the U.S., 57 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. The majority are among the repatriated residents who were passengers of the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship from Japan. Read more here.


San Francisco declares state of emergency over coronavirus

The mayor of San Francisco, CA, has declared a state of emergency over coronavirus fears shortly after the CDC issued a warning on Tuesday that the U.S. will likely see more cases. There are no known cases in San Francisco, but Mayor London Breed pointed to the unpredictability of the virus and its global growth. The Los Angeles Times reported that San Diego and Santa Clara counties have made similar declarations. Read more here.


Shortages, poor communication complicate coronavirus preparations

According to a report in The Washington Post, some U.S. hospitals have just one week’s inventory of the N95 face masks, which filter out 95% of all airborne particles, even as the CDC warned about the spread of coronavirus in the U.S. Federal protocols call for specialized masks to be thrown out after a single use in practice sessions and major U.S. hospital systems are burning through their supplies. HHS has also said 60% of large chain pharmacies are already unable to meet demand at stores for the masks. HHS held an invitation-only briefing last week for health system leaders trying to prepare for wider spread of the coronavirus. Larger health systems like NYU Langone Health, which has close to 1,700 inpatient beds at six facilities, are working to prevent patients from swarming hospitals with minor respiratory complaints. They are ramping up messaging about arranging online appointments with providers and other alternatives. They are also working to conserve personal protective equipment like full-body “moon suits,” masks, face shields and other gear. Read more here.


Cases spread across Europe, world

Austria, Croatia and Switzerland have announced their first coronavirus cases, all linked to the outbreak in Italy. The first positive test has also been recorded in South America, in Brazil, from a Brazilian resident who had just returned from Italy. Though Italy has seen more than 300 cases and 11 deaths, its European neighbors have decided against closing their borders with Italy, saying it would be disproportionate. Health ministers from France, Germany, Italy and the European Union (EU) Commission committed to keeping borders open on Tuesday. Read more here.


Italy sees cases rise 45% in one day

Italy has reported a 45% rise in coronavirus cases from Monday to Tuesday. Italian officials reported 11 deaths and 322 confirmed cases, 100 more than a day earlier. The majority remain concentrated in northern Italy, but new cases have registered outside of that region, including in Sicily, Tuscany and Liguria. An Italian couple tested positive in the Canary Islands off Africa, forcing the quarantine of their hotel. Italy reported four new deaths, and like the seven reported by Italy earlier, were in elderly patients also suffering from other ailments. Read more here.


Italy’s prime minister calls for calm amid outbreak

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has called for calm and less sensationalist reporting amid the coronavirus outbreak in Italy. As of Wednesday, there were 374 confirmed cases and 12 deaths in the European country. Eleven towns in most affected northern regions of Italy remain on lockdown with schools, businesses and public venues closed. The shutdown led to panic buying and emptying of supermarket shelves in some towns. “It’s time to turn down the tone, we need to stop the panic,” Conte said. “Panic is a completely unjustified reaction that compromises the overall efficiency of the system and triggers regrettable speculations on the prices of some products.” Conte said the food supply will be ensured with appropriate measures in “cluster” areas. Tensions are high in the country as the price of face masks and hand sanitizers has risen. Read more here.


Hundreds of Chevron employees in London sent home

More than 300 workers at the Chevron oil company in London’s Canary Wharf business district were sent home due to fears that an employee may have contracted the coronavirus after returning from a country where the virus is prevalent. The unidentified employee reported flu-like symptoms. The American-based oil company advised employees to work from home until the employee’s test results came back. The U.K. Department of Health and Social Care said approximately 6,800 people have been screened for coronavirus in the country, and 13 have tested positive. Read more here. 


More coronavirus resources from The Journal of Healthcare Contracting:

  • FAQ/Insights – Helpful and relevant links to help you keep track of the ongoing epidemic
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