A lab in North Carolina is working to synthesize a sample of the coronavirus from its genetic code, according to MIT Technology Review.
Why it matters: Creating a pathogen from scratch would allow researchers to rapidly experiment on it without waiting for live samples from an outbreak zone. But it also raises the risk that someone could eventually try to re-create a dangerous virus as a weapon.
59 people have been diagnosed with novel coronavirus in the U.S., an increase in cases largely driven by the repatriation of American citizens from the cruise ship Diamond Princess in Japan, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.
The big picture: As more countries experience community-wide transmission, CDC official Dr. Nancy Messonnier told reporters Tuesday that it's now a question of when the same will happen in the U.S. — and how many citizens will develop a severe illness.
Brazil's health ministry confirmed the first novel coronavirus case in Latin America Wednesday — a 61-year-old that tested positive after returning from a visit to northern Italy, the epicenter of Europe's outbreak.
Why it matters: The case comes in the midst of Carnival, a peak time for domestic travel that draws millions of revelers in major cities. Brazil is tracking 20 suspected cases of the virus in the country, according to health officials.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday proposed $8.5 billion to help combat the coronavirus. The Trump administration has asked for $2.5 billion this year, some of which would repurpose existing funds.
Between the lines: Schumer's office noted that Congress approved $7 billion during the 2009 H1N1 flu outbreak, a public-health emergency with many similarities to the coronavirus scare.
Pope Francis celebrated Ash Wednesday Mass at the Vatican, despite the cancellation of religious services elsewhere in Italy thanks to an ongoing outbreak of novel coronavirus, AP reports.
Why it matters: Mass gatherings in close proximity — like religious services and sporting events — could become an easy way for the virus to spread as the outbreak widens across the globe.
Walmart is looking to expand its role in health care delivery, Bloomberg reports.
Details: Walmart stores already frequently house pharmacies and vision centers, but its new health centers — there are two so far — would offer more comprehensive medical, vision and dental care, along with X-rays and lab tests.
Democrats finally debated health care subjects other than Medicare for All on Tuesday night.
Why it matters: We have a much wider range of health care problems than political debates usually suggest. Discussing rural Americans' lack of access to health care may not be as exciting as debating whether to do away with private insurance, but it's a subject that many voters struggle with every day.
Public-health officials’ warnings about the coronavirus are sounding increasingly urgent, with one top CDC official asking the public yesterday "to prepare for the expectation that this might be bad."
Reality check: Other administration officials, including President Trump himself, were more subdued in their assessments. But underneath those tonal differences, the reality of the coronavirus is the same: It spreads quickly and has already spread to many countries, making it likely to start spreading here, too.
Sales of the epilepsy drug Epidiolex hit almost $300 million in 2019, GW Pharmaceuticals reported Tuesday. Sales are expected to surpass a half-billion dollars this year as the drug gains more insurance coverage in Europe.
Why it matters: Epidiolex is the first FDA-approved medication made from a substance in cannabis, and it's starting to take off.
The coronavirus outbreak has already forced millions to work from home in China, and as the outbreak goes global, remote work could emerge as a vital public health strategy.
Why it matters: Businesses should be ready to "replace in-person meetings with video or telephone conferences and can increase teleworking options," Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told reporters.
A 23-year-old American soldier stationed at Camp Carroll in South Korea is in quarantine at his off-base residence after testing positive to the novel coronavirus, the U.S. military said in a statement Tuesday.
Why it matters: He is the first U.S. service member to test positive for COVID-19, which has infected more than 80,000 people, mostly in China, including 57 Americans.
Why it matters: COVID-19 infections have spread from China to some 40 countries and territories. There are 57 cases in the U.S. The CDC anticipates it will spread further, and that's why Breed said she took the action. While there have been no confirmed cases among San Francisco residents, three people have been treated for the virus in hospitals in the city, the Los Angeles Times notes.
