SEATTLE In a county north of Seattle, two people who came down with respiratory illnesses in December now have antibodies for the coronavirus. In Florida, a public health official who got sick in January believes he had Covid-19.
Those cases have contributed to growing questions about when the virus first reached the United States and how long it had been circulating by the time its arrival was publicly confirmed in Washington State at the end of February.
While there was limited testing to uncover specific cases before then, researchers have other tools to trace the path of the coronavirus. That includes genomic sequencing of the virus to help scientists build an ancestral tree of cases, a re-examination of specific deaths and thousands of old flu samples that have been repurposed to look for the coronavirus.
Here is a look at the evidence and what it shows:
It is possible, but it was most likely something else.
The Seattle area emerged as an early epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak at the end of February, but there is compelling evidence that, even there, the virus did not yet have much of a foothold compared with the flu, which had a particularly potent season.
A team that analyzes flu trends in the region has been able to review nearly 7,000 old flu samples collected from around the region in January and February, re-examining them for the coronavirus. All of the samples from January were negative. The earliest sample that tested positive was Feb. 20.
Based on that and later case counts, Trevor Bedford, who studies the evolution of viruses at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, and who was part of the flu study team, estimated that there were probably a few hundred cases in the area by that point in February.
But even that would still be a small fraction perhaps less than 1 percent of the many thousands of people who had flu symptoms at the time.
The U.S. first identified cases among travelers who had flown in from Wuhan, China, in the middle of January. Officials worked to contain them.
There is some evidence that the virus began getting a bit of traction around the end of January. To seed that late-February emergence in the Seattle area, researchers believe the spread could have begun with a traveler who arrived in the region from Wuhan on Jan. 15, or it may have been another unknown case that arrived in the few weeks that came after.
In San Jose, tissue sampling from a woman who died on Feb. 6 revealed that she was probably the first known person in the U.S. whose death was linked to the coronavirus a strong sign that the virus may have been circulating in that part of Northern California in January.
But was it part of a large, previously unrecognized outbreak?
Dr. George Rutherford, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California, San Francisco, theorized that perhaps the woman, who worked for a company that had an office in Wuhan, was one of only a small number of people who contracted the virus at that time and that transmissions probably petered out for some reason. Otherwise, he said, the region would have seen a much bigger outbreak.
With that kind of early introduction, we should be seeing thousands of more cases, Dr. Rutherford said.
There are other, less concrete signs of earlier infections. In Florida, where the first two official cases were announced on March 1, a state database now lists coronavirus cases in patients who may have had symptoms as far back as January. But the cases are all under investigation, and no one has confirmed that any of those patients had the disease that early.
One of them is Raul Pino, the health officer for the Florida Department of Health in Orange County. He said recently that he suspected he had the virus in the first week of January.
Doctors in France have said that a patients sample from late December has since tested positive for the coronavirus. But so far, there is no comparable evidence of a similar case in the United States.
The strongest possible indicator so far is new evidence that emerged this week of two people in Snohomish County, Wash., who reported coronavirus-like symptoms in December. Both people later tested positive for antibodies, county health officials announced.
But Dr. Chris Spitters, the countys health officer, said that while it was possible that both people had the coronavirus in December even before officials in China had reported a cluster to the World Health Organization at the end of the month he was doubtful.
Its possible and frankly, I think, more likely that they had a non-Covid respiratory viral illness in December and subsequently had an asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic Covid infection subsequent to that, Dr. Spitters said.
Dr. Bedford said he also believed this was the more likely scenario, noting that up to half of people with coronavirus infections have no symptoms.
There could have been a tiny number of isolated coronavirus cases among travelers to the United States in December, Dr. Bedford said. But it is pretty clear that none of them spread.
In part, scientists can tell that by looking at the genomic fingerprints of each case. But another clue is the rapid rate at which the virus spreads, Dr. Rutherford said.
It appears that early in the outbreak, one infection was spreading to about four other people, on average, with an incubation period for new infections of about four days. So a case seeded in December would rapidly quadruple through new generations, most likely growing exponentially to millions of cases from a single unbroken chain of transmission by the end of February. Researchers are not seeing any chains that appear to go that far back.
Modelers looking back at the growth of outbreaks elsewhere have reached similar conclusions. One estimated that New Yorks outbreak could have begun with perhaps 10 infected people who contracted the virus sometime between the end of January to the middle of February, when the first cases of community transmission were identified and hospitals began seeing more cases.
When did the virus begin in China?
The virus first emerged in Wuhan in December after a series of people developed symptoms of a viral pneumonia and an examination found that they had been infected with a new coronavirus.
The information suggests that if the virus did originate from the market, it was most likely circulating by November, early enough to reach that first person. Dr. Bedford said it was conceivable to him that the virus began as early as October, but that November was more likely.
There is no evidence that it started elsewhere. The virus mutates an average of twice a month, something researchers can see in the genomic sequences of individual cases, and all of the cases in Wuhan show close genetic links.
All of the other thousands of cases that have been sequenced around the globe show the Wuhan version as an ancestor.
Dr. Bedford said there was no evidence of genetic engineering in the virus, noting that it appeared to be a genetic outgrowth of a virus circulating among bats. It probably reached humans through an intermediate animal, such as a pangolin, he said.
Theres no hallmarks of it having been manipulated in a lab, Dr. Bedford said. I think thats definitive.
He did not, however, rule out the possibility that some version of the virus being studied by scientists in Wuhan could have somehow escaped and spread from there. But he doubts that is the case. He said that the most prevalent theory about the viruss origins that it spread naturally among animals at a live animal market in Wuhan, then jumped to humans was the most likely explanation.
These eight sailors had previously tested positive and were removed from the ship in order to self-quarantine. They had all tested negative twice before being allowed back on board before this latest incident of testing positive again for the virus.
The carrier is heavily screening crew members for reports of symptoms. Some of the now 13 sailors who have retested positive in fact had reported symptoms to the medical crew, the official said.
The official said it is not clear if sailors have somehow been re-infected or if very low levels of the virus have remained in their bodies and testing had not caught it.
More than 1,000 of the aircraft carrier's nearly 4,900-member crew had tested positive for coronavirus following an outbreak aboard the ship.
Written by Leela Murali | New Delhi | Updated: May 17, 2020 4:18:21 pm An American flag flies outside the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
US Coronavirus: The United States is the worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with over 1.4 million cases and 87,000 deaths. This week, over two-thirds of the countrys 50 states began easing restrictions and lifting lockdown measures to restart the economy. Like other parts of the world, businesses have resumed with fewer employees and customers, social distancing measures, and guidelines mandating the use of face masks.
The US finds itself in a precarious position with record layoffs taking the unemployment level in the country to the highest since the Great Depression in the 1930s. In April, the unemployment rate touched a historic 14.7 per cent, with some 20.5 million people abruptly losing their jobs.
According to the latest figures, over 36 million people filed for unemployment benefits in the last eight weeks.
Meanwhile, House Democrats passed a $3 trillion economic package on Friday to mitigate the economic impact of the pandemic. The 1,800-page legislation, which disburses funds to both state and local governments, and directly to Americans, is the largest relief package in US history.
The epicentre of the US coronavirus outbreak is New York, a cosmopolitan city of nearly eight million. So far, the city has reported over 350,000 cases, which translates to about one case per 55 people, and over 27,000 deaths.
New York was hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak due to a combination of factors. To begin with, it hosts one of the busiest international airports in the world. Data shows that in 2018, the John F Kennedy International Airport handled 61 million passengers and 90 airline companies from across the globe. Not just tourists and residents, the airport is also a major transit hub, acting as the largest gateway into North America.
It is likely that Covid-19 reached New York two-three weeks faster than it did anywhere else in the country, due to which its numbers are higher. The transmission is also likely to have happened at a faster pace given New York is the largest metropolitan area in the world, and the among the most populous.
New York City has been known for its racial and economic disparities, especially given its high immigrant population. Black and Latinos make up about half the citys population, and are more likely to be affected by the virus than their white or Asian counterparts.
Further, the response to Covid-19 played a big role with Governor Andrew Cuomo acting slower than other states to impose restrictions on the public. Now, New York is in lockdown till the May 28.
US President Donald Trumps response to the pandemic, a sort of roller coaster, has evolved from being dismissive to combative. In January, Trump was quick to brush aside questions on the coronavirus, telling reporters we have it totally under control. The following month, Trump claimed the US had tremendous success in its fight against Covid-19, and that the country was totally prepared.
Skip to March, when Trump said the US was engaged in the most aggressive and the most comprehensive effort to confront a foreign virus in modern history, or when he claimed: I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic.
In April, Trump said he could see light at the end of the tunnel, and that soon, (the US) will be over that curve, we will be over that top, we will be headed in the right direction.
On May 6, he commented, This is the worst attack we have ever had, this is worse that Pearl Harbour attack, worse than the World Trade Center, there has never been an attack like this. It could have been stopped at the source it could have been stopped in China. (Here are Trumps top 10 quotes in response to the pandemic)
The US and China have found themselves caught in another war of words over the outbreak of the disease. The Trump administration has repeatedly claimed the virus originated from a Wuhan lab, threatened to disrupt bilateral ties with Beijing, and accused Xi Jinping of failing to contain the disease.
Its a bit more complicated than Trumps offhand remarks, given criticism from some quarters of the nexus between China and the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO has come under fire for its handling of the crisis, delayed response and praise for China.
China, on its part, has invited researchers to study the origins of the virus. The country was also quick to announce monetary assistance to the WHO after Trump halted funding saying the organisation missed the call on the pandemic.
This political blamegame itself has drawn criticism for taking away from scientific investigation into the virus.
The US state of Missouri has filed a lawsuit against China seeking to claim damages for the loss of life, human suffering and economic losses due to Covid-19. However, countries are protected from being sued in US courts by the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA). Missouri will likely find it difficult to prove its claims against China.
Meanwhile, Trumps daily briefings he was among the few leaders who continued to hold press conferences despite the pandemic have been no less of a spectacle. Not only has he got into several arguments with reporters, Trump has also use the platform to advocate several untested drugs for Covid-19. He touted Hydroxychloroquine (HCL) as a game changer despite no evidence of its success to cure the disease.
Trump even suggested injecting disinfectants to cure Covid-19, a claim that led to a chorus of warnings from health professionals. Trump was also among the first few who publicly suggested the virus could disappear in the summer.
While there is no evidence yet to prove either of these theories, the US is working on at least 10 projects to develop a solution to the coronavirus. Trump recently said at least 10 drugs were in the clinical trial stage.
Another thing Trump probably has in mind is the upcoming US Presidential Elections, slated to held on November 3. While its anyones guess as to whether the election will be postponed it never has been in the history of the US the nomination process has already seen several setbacks with at least 15 states delaying their presidential primaries due to Covid-19. Either ways, any rescheduling of the elections would legally require Congress approval.
India and the US have, so far, been working together to fight the pandemic. Most recently, Trump said he would donate ventilators to India.
Prior to this, India had chosen US among the first countries to which it would export hydroxychloroquine. Indian-American scientists and researchers had also found praise during one of Trumps press conferences.
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She was 31 weeks pregnant when her husband took her to a Cincinnati, Ohio, hospital in late March. She had a cough, fever and it was getting harder and harder to breathe.
The novel coronavirus was putting a strain on her body and the 40-year-old mother would have to deliver her baby early while in a medically induced coma.
Kappers and her husband dreamed of giving a sibling to their 3-year-old son Zayne. Conceiving had never been an easy task for them and a pandemic was about to make things even more difficult.
From putting together a nursery for the baby to having to hunker down at home because of the virus, the life of this family of three was already changing.
When her toddler first complained about fatigue and a fever in early March, Kappers nurtured him back to health without thinking it could be the virus. Then, her husband started having headaches, fatigue and lost his sense of taste and smell.
"We are pretty confident the virus circled through our entire family," Kappers' husband, Ziad Razzak, told CNN.
Razzak, 37, took her to TriHealth Good Samaritan Hospital on March 24 and within hours, his wife was on a ventilator. It was terrifying, he says.
"I don't know whether they thought she was going to pull through it," Razzak said. "We started discussing how to deliver the baby to make sure he was safe."
Nurses would call her husband every day at 6 a.m. and place the phone next to Kappers' ear. She was sedated but for a few minutes, Razzak would tell her about their toddler and recall funny memories. It was his way of trying to cheer her up and motivate her to keep fighting while alone in the hospital.
When Kappers started to have contractions -- more than two months before her due date -- doctors decided it was time to deliver her baby. She had to give birth while in a medically induced coma.
"At the time, I was a little upset for her sake ... because she was going to have this baby and wouldn't get to meet him for so long," Razzak said. "It was not the way this delivery was supposed to go."
They couldn't touch their son right away
Neither of them could meet their newborn son, Laith, right away.
After giving birth, Kappers' health improved but it was a slow process. She had been connected to a ventilator for weeks and got a tracheotomy to help her wean off the sedatives.
Several weeks passed before Kappers fully regained consciousness and learned about her son's birth.
"I just remember looking down as I went to the bathroom for the first time (since waking up) and thinking 'Oh my Gosh, I have a scar there that I never had before,'" Kappers said. "It was the C-section."
Razzak had been in the middle of a 14-day coronavirus quarantine when his son was born. He was cleared and the newborn's Covid-19 test was pending when they met each other. Razzak says he was in an isolation room, wearing a face mask, goggles and a protective suit when he held Laith for the first time.
He couldn't touch his skin but "it was still better than nothing," Razzak said.
The newborn boy has since tested negative for the virus.
Nurses and medical staff at TriHealth Good Samaritan Hospital cheered and waved blue, white and yellow pom poms last week as Kappers was wheeled out of the hospital.
They had helped celebrate Kappers' 40th birthday, cared for half their family with compassion for more than a month and now, they were giving them a heartfelt farewell -- just as if they were family, Razzak said.
But it was a bittersweet send off. Kappers had to go home before meeting her son, who was still in the hospital.
When Razzak brought Laith home a couple of days later, he carefully placed him on Kappers' lap.
Kappers defeated the virus and is now able to walk without help but has not fully recovered. She's on light oxygen, is working to regain her strength and has difficulty talking because she's healing from the tracheotomy.
While she is happy to be home and is overjoyed to have her family finally together, Kappers says she feels "mother's guilt" because she can't pick her son up and she can't take care of him herself.
"I feel guilty but I have to understand that he basically saved my life," Kappers said.
As of Saturday, Taiwan has recorded 440 coronavirus cases and seven deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. By comparison, Australia -- with a population of 25 million -- has reported more than 7,000 infections and 98 deaths.
Eager to share its experiences in fighting Covid-19, Taiwan is now pushing for a greater voice in global health discussions. The United States, Japan and New Zealand have all voiced support for Taiwan to join next week's World Health Assembly -- an annual meeting of World Health Organization (WHO) members.
And this doesn't sit well with Beijing.
China regards the island as part of its territory, and has for years blocked it from taking part in many global institutions, while also refusing to have diplomatic relations with countries that maintain official ties with Taiwan.
Taiwan, which is not a WHO member, joined the WHA as an observer from 2009 to 2016, when the island was governed by the Beijing-friendly Kuomintang (KMT). But when the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) took office in 2016, ties frayed with Beijing -- and Taipei hasn't joined the WHA since.
But as the virus gives Taiwan a rare opportunity to boost its international profile, Beijing has accused Taipei of pushing for formal independence -- and stepped up military drills around the island. There have even been some fringe calls within China for the country to use the pandemic as an opportunity to invade Taiwan.
Democracy vs authoritarianism
As the number of new infections dropped in China and surged abroad in recent months, state media touted Beijing's success in defeating the virus while highlighting the failures of other governments to contain its spread -- particularly the US and other Western democracies.
Inside China, that sparked claims its authoritarian political system was superior to those of liberal democracies when it came to tackling the pandemic.
Furthermore, the Chinese government has faced criticism for its initial handling of the outbreak. Authorities have been accused of silencing medical workers who tried to sound the alarm on the virus, downplaying the severity of the outbreak and delaying admission of human-to-human transmission in the critical early stages.
'Taiwan can help'
As China moved to help countries by donating personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies, questions have been raised as to the motives behind its so-called "mask diplomacy."
In March, the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned about the "geopolitical component" of Beijing soft-power push, saying Europe must be aware of "a struggle for influence through spinning and the 'politics of generosity.'"
Improved standing
As well as donating medical supplies, Taiwan has sought to develop bilateral partnerships to fight the pandemic -- a move that has drawn the wrath of Beijing.
In addition to bilateral cooperation, Taiwan has doubled down on its bid to return to the WHO's annual assembly.
On March 27, the US passed a law supporting Taipei's participation in international institutions and its efforts to strengthen ties with other countries, and multiple nations usually wary of being on the wrong side of Beijing, such as Japan, Canada and New Zealand, have publicly spoken out in favor of Taiwan rejoining the WHA.
On Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian rebuked New Zealand for just that, calling on it to "immediately stop making wrong statements on Taiwan, to avoid damaging our bilateral relationship." Beijing has called Taipei's attempt to rejoin the WHA a "political plot."
"In the United States, there are people who blatantly support Taiwan to join the WHO," a spokesman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office said last week. "They are politicizing epidemic prevention issues and sending a seriously wrong signal to the Taiwan independence forces. We resolutely object to that."
Rising jingoism
On social media and in the Chinese press, some have called on the People's Liberation Army to take advantage of the pandemic to invade Taiwan, arguing that the timing could not be better, with the US preoccupied with the coronavirus and its military might in the region crimped by an outbreak on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.
However, most observers agree that such posturing is unlikely to be matched by any hostile action against Taiwan.
Timothy Heath, a senior international researcher at the RAND Corporation, a US think tank, said the weakness of China's economy precludes any such move. The coronavirus outbreak has resulted in the Chinese economy contracting by 6.8% in the first part of this year -- the worst plunge since quarterly records began in 1992.
"China needs access to (global) markets once they recover, and so it is in China's interests to maintain good ties with the US and the world," Heath said. "A reckless attack on Taiwan would only exacerbate tensions with Washington and could elevate the risk of economic sanctions and other penalties -- potentially crippling the Chinese economy."
He added that while Beijing "cares a great deal about Taiwan," the Chinese government cares "even more about maintaining the economic growth that underpins the (Communist Party's) rule."
Pier Fries in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, was open and serving recently, but a few restaurants have announced they will close permanently. Fred Bever/Maine Public Radio hide caption
Pier Fries in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, was open and serving recently, but a few restaurants have announced they will close permanently.
Maine has seen one of the country's lowest rates of hospitalization and deaths from COVID-19, and the lowest in the entire Northeast.
But its economy relies heavily on summer visitors many from states where the virus is still rampant. With Memorial Day approaching, tourism businesses are worried summer may be over before it has begun.
In the historic seaside summertime playground of Old Orchard Beach, it's spruce-up time. Workers are starting to open up the fry shacks, pizza parlors, and the town's many low-rise hotels.
At the Waves Oceanfront resort, workers like Raksmey Yi and owner Ken Lafayette also have something else to worry about: the coronavirus. As lawnmowers and leaf blowers buzzed around them, they discussed set-up strategies that could help with social distancing.
"So we're keeping some of the pools closed, we're not opening all of our pools," Lafayette said. "It's about the social distancing on the pool deck."
They will tell people "you can't sit on the deck, only swim, in and out," Yi said, which drew a laugh.
But when Yi suggests that those who want to sunbathe should head to the beach, Lafayette points out another concern: for now, at least, it's a "walking beach" where people must keep moving or face a possible citation.
Such are the new concepts of the COVID-19 era that Maine's tourism leaders have to contend with.
In March, Lafayette took a significant loan to buy a new property, based on its long history of repeat customers from Canada. But now President Trump has sealed the border indefinitely.
Lafayette said sending back deposits has become almost a full-time job, and he's lost bookings worth at least half a million dollars.
"So I almost feel like a failure," he said. "My brother will tell me it's not my fault, my wife tells me it's not my fault. But [with] all the optics and gauges that I use, it's just demoralizing."
And it's discouraging as well for the 80-plus seasonal workers he'd planned for, whose job prospects are now uncertain. Tourists spend more than $6 billion a year here, supporting about one in seven jobs.
The cascade of economic effects is being felt up and down the coast and far inland too, in an area called "The Forks," for instance, at the confluence of two major rivers where Suzie Hockmeyer pioneered the state's whitewater rafting industry back in the 1970s.
"We're looking right down the gun barrel like a lot of people are," Hockmeyer said.
Her river adventure resort, Northern Outdoors, should be ramping up for the season now opening up the inn, cabins, campgrounds, restaurant and brewery. More than 100 workers make a buck here at the height of most seasons, with some 10,000 visitors taking on the rapids.
But the inn is empty and the rafts are still in storage. Hockmeyer's trying to figure out how to maintain social distancing through all her operations, including on the water.
"A boat is 16-feet-long, and it has four different thwarts," she said. "So if you kept people in the same household in the first few thwarts, you'd probably get almost a 6-foot distance between the guide and the people out front. It's possible we'll have to put a mask on the guide."
If they even get the chance, that is.
Commercial lodging in Maine is mostly shut down, except for essential workers. That changes next month, but visitors from out-of-state will have to quarantine in place for two weeks before doing anything else.
The hospitality industry said few tourists would be willing to take that on, and the policy's led to thousands of cancellations. Leaders are begging state officials to modify or lift the restriction.
Heather Johnson, Maine's commissioner of economic development, said the state is working with industry to design a multi-pronged strategy, including expanded testing for the virus, that could change the structure of the quarantine requirement.
Much depends on the pandemic's progress in hard-hit Massachusetts, perhaps the single biggest contributor to Maine's tourist population. Johnson said it's a mistake to think an economy can thrive without robust public health protections.
"I don't think there's an either-or proposition here," she said. "I think this will be a multi-layered response, and will take communities, industry and local leadership, which we're seeing a lot of."
Johnson adds that recent research shows tourists planning future travel are looking for experiences that include outdoors "assets" in areas where there is space and strong safety practices. That portends well for the fall and next summer, she said.
"We think that lines up really well with the Maine brand," she said. But, she adds,"we are not giving up on summer."
Some businesses have though. One theme park in southern Maine said it won't reopen until next year, some restaurants say the same, and a few have already announced they will close permanently.
Tourist towns like Old Orchard Beach are experimenting with ways to meet the needs of the day: closing streets to cut down on the density of sidewalk crowds, coordinating beach openings so no one area gets overwhelmed, creating new cleaning regimes for all-important public restrooms. Fred Bever/Maine Public Radio hide caption
Tourist towns like Old Orchard Beach are experimenting with ways to meet the needs of the day: closing streets to cut down on the density of sidewalk crowds, coordinating beach openings so no one area gets overwhelmed, creating new cleaning regimes for all-important public restrooms.
Meantime, tourist towns like Old Orchard are experimenting with ways to meet the needs of the day: closing streets to cut down on the density of sidewalk crowds, coordinating beach openings so no one area gets overwhelmed, creating new cleaning regimes for all-important public restrooms.
On a recent day, Rocco Ferraiuolo was selling pizza as usual at his high-profile takeout shop on the town's main drag.
"The world is crazy now, who was suspecting this?" he asked, wearing a mask and gloves as he floured and shaped pizza rounds. He said he's worried about making the rent. But he has some hope too.
"You know, I think if everybody does the right thing, masks, the gloves, this and that, everybody can work,"Ferraiuolo said. "Everywhere, you know? In every shop."
Another restaurant owner said it's not time to think outside of the box anymore; it's time for a whole new box.
The solution to the coronavirus may have been staring us in the face this whole time, lazily chewing on a carrot. All we need, it seems, is llamas.
A study published last week in the journal Cell found that antibodies in llamas blood could offer a defense against the coronavirus. In addition to larger antibodies like ours, llamas have small ones that can sneak into spaces on viral proteins that are too tiny for human antibodies, helping them to fend off the threat. The hope is that the llama antibodies could help protect humans who have not been infected.
International researchers owe their findings to a llama named Winter, a four-year-old resident of Belgium. Her antibodies had already proven themselves able to fight Sars and Mers, leading researchers to speculate that they could work against the virus behind Covid-19 and indeed, in cell cultures at least, they were effective against it. Researchers are now working towards clinical trials. If it works, llama Winter deserves a statue, Dr Xavier Saelens, a Ghent University virologist and study author, told the New York Times.
To any llama aficionado, this news should come as no surprise. The animals have developed a reputation for healing. Llama antibodies have been a fixture in the fight against disease for years, with researchers investigating their potency against HIV and other viruses.
And their soothing powers go beyond the microscopic. Llamas have become exam-season fixtures at a number of top US colleges. George Caldwell, who raises llamas in Sonora, California, brings his trusted associates to the University of California, Berkeley, UC Davis, Stanford, and other northern California universities and high schools, where their tranquility is contagious, helping students overcome end-of-term anxiety. When youre around a llama, you become very calm and at peace, one Berkeley senior said at a campus event last year.
At that event, I joined the ranks of the converted, having had the good fortune to receive a llama greeting, which involves warm llama breath hitting ones face. It was the most pleasant nostril-based salutation I have ever received all my anxieties seemed to dissipate in the llama-generated air. (This was long before the pandemic, which has largely ruined the appeal of being breathed on.)
Humans and llamas are natural allies, said Caldwell, though too few realize it. People see the llamas, they all light up, he said. Llamas just have that ability its programmed right into us. Their hair can be used to make clothing, their manure benefits crops, and as Winters antibodies reaffirm, even their blood can help us. And they are known as pack animals, a skill currently serving them well in Wales, where these hairy essential workers are delivering groceries.
Everything about these guys youd think that theyd be the most valued creature in the world, Caldwell said. His goal is to spread the word about their gifts: Llamas are the real unicorns.
Now they are doing their part inside and outside the laboratory. Caldwell has discussed collecting antibodies with his vet, but it is not an easy process, he says, especially for an older person: some llamas are less than eager to become blood donors, and they can be ruffians when the situation calls for it.
They are offering their services elsewhere, however. The pandemic has halted campus visits for now, so Caldwell has moved some operations online. This month he offered a live-streamed tour of his llamas residence, hosted by UC Davis.
The creatures enclosure was a picture of peace, where Quinoa, Joolz, McSlick and friends sat munching and gazing out at the world, blissfully unaware of the global pandemic, or perhaps simply confident that better times lie ahead.
With Winter on our side, they could be right.
Passengers wear masks on a Myanmar National airlines flight out of Yangon. Many airlines now require passengers to don masks. Paula Bronstein/Getty Images hide caption
Passengers wear masks on a Myanmar National airlines flight out of Yangon. Many airlines now require passengers to don masks.
Each week we answer pressing coronavirus questions. For this week's installment, we're focusing on flying.
We'd like to hear what you're curious about. Email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions."
Since the coronavirus began its spread around the world, the number of people flying has nosedived. In the U.S., for example, the number of flyers has dropped more than 90% since the beginning of March. TSA screened 234,928 travelers on Thursday, compared with 2,611,324 people on the same weekday a year earlier.
With some countries and states are starting to allow businesses to reopen and lifting stay-at-home orders, people are wondering about the risks of flying.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance urges avoiding travel as much as possible, "especially if your trip is not essential .... Don't travel if you are sick or travel with someone who is sick." Travel increases your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19, the CDC states.
Dr. Mark Gendreau, chief medical officer at Beverly Hospital in Massachusetts and a professor of emergency medicine at Tufts University, agrees: Even as some restrictions start to lift, he believes that it's still not a great time to take a flight for, say, a beach vacation.
"If you're going for a vacation, it might be a good idea to postpone it for a little longer and by a little longer I would say another couple of months. We still have a lot of [viral] activity out there," he says.
Here are answers to some of the commonly asked questions about flying.
What do I need to think about before making a decision to fly or not?
Determine whether the trip is necessary and worth the risk and hassle.
"It's up to individual travelers to decide what is really urgent and necessary," says Dr. Henry Wu, a professor of infectious disease medicine at Emory University and director of its TravelWell Center. "While traveling in an aircraft, you may be around people from all over the world, whether on the plane or at the airport. There will always be some risk at this point, and it's going to be very difficult to determine how high."
He says personal protective measures like face coverings, hand hygiene and keeping social distance all help to reduce the transmission rate of the virus but cautions that these measures don't eliminate risk entirely.
To determine whether it's smart to fly, suggests Wu, start with a self-assessment: "Your medical background, your age and whether or not you have risk factors for severe complications."
Second, evaluate the importance of the trip. In certain instances say if you want to visit a dying family member or greet a new grandchild you may feel strongly that you should go. Other situations may be discretionary.
Third, evaluate your own tolerance for risk and inconvenience. Some states and countries require a 14-day quarantine period for arriving visitors Hawaii, for example, requires all arriving plane passengers to stay home or in their lodging for 14 days after arriving and monitor their health, with a possible $5,000 fine or year in prison for violators.
The CDC continues to advise a 14-day quarantine when you get home from international travel.
"I think everyone has to sort of do a little soul-searching to see what their risk tolerance is and the importance of the trip and their ability to take protective measures," Wu says.
How stressful will it be?
Airplanes are confined spaces. Someone seated near you on the plane could start sneezing or coughing uncontrollably which could cause you anxiety. Make sure you are prepared for the mental stress of an environment that is not fully within your control during a global pandemic.
The last time this reporter flew was in early March. It was not a relaxing experience: I was crammed in a full plane, highly aware of any stray cough or sneeze (including my own) and with no way to know if someone sitting near me might be carrying the virus. It was a relief to land.
Gendreau says that your risk within a confined space like an airplane comes down to three factors: the duration of your exposure, your proximity to the source of the exposure and how infectious that source is.
While there's no way to eliminate that risk, there are steps you can take to reduce your chance of picking up an illness on board.
If I do fly, do I need to wear a mask?
While there's still much that isn't known about COVID-19, the virus is believed to spread primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, according to the CDC. Masks can protect you from spraying your fellow passengers with droplets if you cough or sneeze and can also protect your mouth and nose from the droplets of others.
All major U.S. airlines, and some overseas, now require employees and passengers to wear face coverings during flights except when eating or drinking. Very young children are exempted as are those with medical conditions that prevent wearing a face covering.
Your mask should cover your nose and mouth and not be too loose, Wu says. Be sure your hands are clean when putting the mask on and taking it off, and always wash or sanitize your hands after removing your mask.
Can you practice social distancing on a plane?
As airlines have cut flights, some planes in recent weeks have been quite full. After an outcry from the public, airlines are now taking steps to promise travelers they'll have more space: Many do not seating passengers in middle seats on any flights, and if space allows, are seating passengers every other row. Bethany Long Newman flew on American from Chicago to Charleston, W.Va. in late April. On her flight from Chicago to Charlotte, "Everyone had their own row, and they put an empty row in between people."
But the situation was more haphazard on her next flight, aboard a smaller plane from Charlotte to Charleston: "When we boarded, there was a flight attendant that just said, 'You can sit wherever you want." Newman and her two family members family took a seat, but then someone sat down directly behind them, spurring Newman and her family to move elsewhere.
That's smart.
Wu says it's easier to stay spread apart now, with fewer people flying, but that will be more challenging if and when travel picks up.
United Airlines says that beginning next week until the end of June, it will aim to inform passengers 24 hours before departure if their flight will be more than 70% full. Customers can opt to rebook on a different flight or receive a travel credit.
What's the safest seat to select?
People sitting on the aisle are more likely to be in contact with other passengers and crew members as they walk down the aisle or take something out of the overhead bins.
"If it's a crowded flight," Gendreau says, "you can't go up those aisles without accidentally touching someone who's just seated there."
Those passengers by the window are also less likely to get up during the flight to use the bathroom or move around activities that can also expose you to other people and surfaces.
Gendreau says in this era of not-so-crowded flights, he'd go for a window or middle seat instead of an aisle.
Wu's pick? "Wherever is the most distant from others."
Do I need to bring hand sanitizer? And when should I use it?
"Hand gel: don't leave home without it," says Gendreau. He says the germiest places on airplanes are often the bathroom faucet handle, the slider that locks the lavatory door and the magazine pockets and tray tables.
If you use the lavatory, use sanitizer gel on your hands after you return to your seat, to remove germs from surfaces like the door lock.
Wu says it's important to stay aware of what you're touching: "If you touch anything that may not be clean, which is virtually everything that's not on yourself, be mindful of that," he says, and sanitize your hands when needed.
He says that in general, it's not a bad idea to carry around a pen to touch elevator buttons and the like, instead of using your fingers. Though then you need to be aware that you're carrying around a dirty pen.
Should I do any pre-emptive wiping?
Wipe down surfaces in your area.
Airlines have stepped up their cleaning procedures of aircraft cabins, disinfecting them with fogging machines that spray disinfectant. Staff come through again with cleaning supplies to clean cabin surfaces like seat belts, window shades, tray tables and seat-back screens.
Your airline might provide disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer as you board, but you may want to bring your own in case it doesn't. Gendreau hasn't flown since the arrival of COVID-19, but he was already in habit of bringing wipes and sanitizer gel.
"I'd just clean my seat back tray, my gasper [air vent], my seat belt. Then I'd wipe down where the magazine stuff was," he said. "Then I'd dispose of that wipe, take out my gel and sanitize my hands."
When you use hand sanitizer, use several drops and rub for at least 20 seconds.
What if my face gets itchy?
Don't touch it.
Sanitize your hands, put on your mask and adjust it so it's comfortable and then leave it alone.
"If I've got an itchy eye or something, it's my forearm that's getting it unless I sanitize my hand," says Gendreau.
How effective are cabin air filters?
"The good news is that airline aircraft air circulation is very good," says Wu, "and it is constantly being filtered and circulated."
Most aircraft used by U.S. airlines use high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration systems. "This type of air filter can theoretically remove at least 99.97% of dust, pollen, mold, bacteria and any airborne particles with a size of 0.3 microns," the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says. "Particles that are larger or smaller are trapped with even higher efficiency."
The CDC says, "Because of how air circulates and is filtered on airplanes, most viruses and other germs do not spread easily."
But those air filters are not going to protect you from a sneeze that lands right on you.
"My main concern would be my individual row, as well as the two rows in front and back that's roughly your six-foot radius," Wu says. "Even if the air is well-circulated and filtered, if somebody is just really coughing or sneezing within vicinity, it certainly does increase the chance of some exposure or contamination of the area around you."
What preventive measures can I take if someone starts coughing or sneezing a lot?
If someone is hacking nearby, hopefully they're wearing a mask. If they're sitting close to you, you might want to move seats if possible.
If you can't, Gendreau says, try to convert your mask into one that seals more tightly against your face. He suggests a technique demonstrated by a former Apple engineer, in which three rubber bands are stretched over top of a mask to create a seal over the mouth and nose.
Gendreau would also reach up and turn on the adjustable air duct above your head, known as a gasper. He recommends turning it to a medium flow and angling it so the air current is directed slightly in front of your face. He says that by turning the gasper on, you might be able to add some turbulence to the air in your space. Modeling studies have shown, he says, that opening the gasper for additional air flow "does create some extra turbulence in your personal air space and that might create enough turbulence where the particle doesn't sort of land on your mask or on your arm."
In Ocean City, New Jersey, sun lovers stretched out on the sand while a loudspeaker on the boardwalk blasted a reminder every 15 minutes: "Please remember to practice social distancing while walking the boardwalk and beach. Thank you for respecting this request."
Video shot on the boardwalk showed most people staying six feet apart but few people wearing masks -- though masks are not legally required.
Chuck Bangle, co-owner of Manco & Manco Pizza, said the crowds were even bigger on Friday when the weather was warmer.
"They are wearing their masks when asked to," he said. "People are doing what they have to do to stay safe. And they also don't want the governor to have to shut us down again.
"We need to get our act together by next weekend because that is when the big rush on the Jersey Shore takes place."
On the other side of the country, Los Angeles County reopened its beaches this weekend -- with restrictions.
At famed Zuma Beach in Malibu, two sheriff's deputies on olive green ATVs stopped in front of a woman sitting below a small umbrella and explained sunbathing and umbrellas were not allowed. She moved.
The new rules say beachgoers should wear masks unless they're in the water. Swimming, surfing and running are allowed, but not picnicking or sitting on the beach.
"We're educating people," said Lt. James Braden of the Malibu/Lost Hills Substation. "We're making sure they are aware at this point the beaches are open for recreational use, so they are supposed to keep moving along."
Keri Ferguson wore a mask as she and her husband, Robert, walked their dog Ruby along the Zuma Beach boardwalk.
"I am glad that I am able to come out to this beach and walk my dog," she said. "But because people are still disregarding (wearing masks), we are not bringing our kids. We don't fee comfortable enough bringing them out here right now."
Other Southern California beaches reopened in previous weekends as the state gradually relaxes restrictions.
People in Los Angeles and Los Angeles County are supposed to wear masks when in public.
Florida amusement parks may reopen soon
Across the nation, large gatherings are starting to happen again, but they may not look the way they once did.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that teams may open their facilities as soon as Tuesday -- so long as it is permitted in their state and teams follow staffing restrictions. Players and coaches, however, won't start to return until next month.
In North Dakota, large gatherings such as concerts, weddings, carnivals and graduations soon will be allowed to resume, with adherence to new guidelines, Gov. Doug Burgum announced Friday. Those guidelines include contactless payment, two seats in between patrons and disinfection between uses of equipment.
Florida amusement parks, such as Disney World, may soon be opening their doors as well. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order allowing counties to enter phase one of reopening and parks to submit reopening proposals.
Cindy Shera, owner of The Pig & The Pearl restaurant in Atlanta, is allowing takeout, and while customers can sit outside, they won't receive full service.
"I'm ... reacting to the customer base that comes and dines with us," Shera said. "We're not seeing people running back out into the streets right now. I think you're seeing that out maybe more in the suburbs. In urban environments ... we're seeing a lot more caution."
WHO urges doctors to look out for inflammatory syndrome in children
It said there is an "urgent need" to collect more data on the syndrome's clinical presentations, severity, outcomes and epidemiology.
"It is not yet clear the full spectrum of disease, and whether the geographical distribution in Europe and North America reflects a true pattern, or if the condition has simply not been recognized elsewhere," the brief reads.
The WHO's brief provided a preliminary case definition, saying the syndrome is typically seen in children up to 19 years old who have a fever for at least three days, and who have some symptoms including rash, hypotension or shock, myocardial dysfunction, diarrhea, vomiting or elevated markers of inflammation.
The condition has been described as similar to Kawasaki disease -- another inflammatory disease most commonly diagnosed in children -- and toxic shock syndrome.
British doctors first sounded the alert about the syndrome last month. Doctors in Italy and France also reported the syndrome.
Bill Gates-backed at home testing program on pause
Experts have long said that widespread testing would be an important tool in combating the virus and reopening safely, but an innovative test-at-home program for the Seattle area has been put on pause.
The Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network, or SCAN, provided a swab-based sample collection kit that people could use at home and send in for results. The program was backed by Bill Gates.
SCAN said in a statement on its website that the Food and Drug Administration had temporarily stopped the program.
The test was authorized by the Washington State Department of Health, but the FDA recently clarified that for the program to give users back their results, it would need emergency use authorization.
"There are no issues or concerns with the safety and accuracy of SCAN's test. Laboratories applying for an Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA are often asked to provide additional information to support their test application," SCAN said.
SCAN said it is still asking people to submit answers to a survey it offers on its website, to continue its work to keep tabs on the novel coronavirus.
An FDA spokesman was not immediately able to provide details.
'This is not how we treat heroes in America'
The nation's largest grocery store chain, Kroger, will end its "Hero Pay" hourly bonus to employees on the frontlines for the pandemic beginning Sunday.
The announcement made Friday said that instead, employees would receive a one time "thank you pay."
The announcement was met with criticism by lawmakers and unions in support of the people who have been deemed essential workers during a time of fear and uncertainty.
"Our message is clear -- you can't end Hero Pay when your heroes are still on the front lines," six US House Democrats said in a letter to Kroger executives Thursday night.
United Food and Commercial Workers International Union President Marc Perrone said in a statement Friday that the union is "extremely disappointed by Kroger's decision to end Hero Pay," especially considering that grocery store sales and profits have gone up.
"The simple fact is that the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Social distancing continues," the statement said. "Kroger workers are still required to wear masks. There is no vaccine."
CNN's Evan McMorris-Santoro,Paul Vercammen, Jen Christensen, Jason Hanna, Jacqueline Howard, Maggie Fox, Natasha Chen, Jill Martin, Rosa Flores and Chris Boyette contributed to this report.
Coronavirus updates: Updated number of coronavirus cases in Palm Beach County, Florida, the U.S. and the world. The U.S. leads the world in the number of cases and deaths.
Coronavirus by the numbers, as of Sunday, May 17:
PALM BEACH COUNTY
How many cases are in Palm Beach County? The county has 4,440 cases and 275 deaths. Median age of cases is 52.
For full story, go here.
SOUTH FLORIDA
How many cases in South Florida? Palm Beach County has the third-most positive cases in the state behind only Miami-Dade (15,366 cases; 559 deaths) and Broward (6,201 cases; 278 deaths).
Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties combine for 26,007 cases and 1,112 deaths.
>>Exclusive: Patients in Florida had symptoms as early as January
How many cases in the Treasure Coast? Martin (296 cases, 6 deaths), St. Lucie (316 cases, 27 deaths) and Indian River (104, 9 deaths). Those counties now account for 716 cases and 42 deaths.
In the counties near Lake Okeechobee: Henry County has 205 cases and 12 deaths. Glades County has 9 cases and 1 death. Okeechobee County has 34 cases and no deaths.
For full story, go here.
FLORIDA
How many cases are in Florida? There are 44,811. There have been 1,964 deaths and 8,146 are currently hospitalized.
Orange County (Orlando) has 1,629 cases and 38 deaths. Hillsborough County (Tampa) has 1,585 cases and 51 deaths. Duval County (Jacksonville) has 1,259 cases and 34 deaths.
Confirmed cases by county
UNITED STATES
How many cases are in the U.S.? There are now 1,507,798 total cases, the most in the world, and 90,113 deaths, the most in the world.
State by state cases: Florida is ninth with 44,811. New York leads with 358,099 followed by New Jersey (146,389), lllinois (92,457), Massachusetts (84,933), California (78,685), Pennsylvania (65,307), Michigan (50,504), Texas (47,672) and Florida.
>>INVESTIGATION: Floridas path to pandemic: Warnings ignored, labs slashed, expertise lost
State by state deaths: New York leads by far, with 28,134. Florida is 10th, with 1,965. Following New York is New Jersey (10,260), Massachusetts (5,705), Michigan (4,880), Pennsylvania (4,489), Illinois (4,129), Connecticut (3,339), California (3,208), Louisiana (2,479) and Florida.
For real-time state numbers go here.
WORLD
How many cases are in the world? There are 4,736,395 cases and 313,345 deaths. 1,819,119 people have recovered from the virus.
For real-time world numbers go here.
Which countries have the most cases? After the U.S. (1,507,798), Russia (281,752), Spain (276,505), the United Kingdom (240,161), Brazil (233,511), Italy (224,760), France (179,365), Germany (176,244), Turkey (148,067), Iran (118,392) and India (91,314). Canada has 75,864 and Mexico has 47,144.
>>PHOTOS: A CERTAIN DISTANCE: A nation changed by coronavirus
Which countries have the most deaths? The U.S. leads, with 90,113. The U.K. is second with 34,466, followed by Italy (31,763), France (27,625), Spain (27,563), Brazil (15,662), Belgium (9,052), Germany (8,027), Iran (6,937), Canada (5,679), the Netherlands (5,670) and Mexico (5,045).
For real-time numbers go here.
RESOURCES
From the Florida Department of Health
>>10 ways to manage respiratory symptoms at home
>>Best practices for social distancing at your business
>>Assisted Living Facilities can prevent the spread
THE BASICS: BE INFORMED
>>Want Coronavirus news as it happens? Sign up for our Breaking News Coronavirus email
>>COVID-19 stats made simple
MOST RECENT POST STORIES
>>Whats open in Palm Beach County
>>Gov. Ron DeSantis eases rules at restaurants, stores, gyms
>>It is like Christmas morning as Gardens Mall reopens
>>Beaches to reopen Monday in Palm Beach County
>>Cerabino: Coronavirus fuels a secondary outbreak ... this one of anti-vax disinformation
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CERABINO
>>Cerabino: Floridas unemployed need a champion, not coupon-cutting advice from Rick Scott
>>Cerabino: Attention armchair patriots, wearing a mask isnt tyranny its common sense
>>EXCLUSIVE: Patients in Florida had symptoms as early as January
STORIES OF THOSE WHO DIED IN PALM BEACH COUNTY
>>So many gone, so fast: Telling the stories of Palm Beach Countys coronavirus dead
>>Lost to coronavirus: French adventurer catches virus, dies in Florida
>>Lost to coronavirus: FAU philanthropists Barry and Carole Kaye
>>Lost to coronavirus: A go for it life with no regrets
>>Lost to Coronavirus: After eight years, weekly prayer sessions end with preachers illness, uncles death
>>Lost to coronavirus: Its not easy, says mother of son, daughter who died days apart
>>Lost to coronavirus: Former Boynton police officer, lifelong public servant, Rick Ross
>>Lost to coronavirus: Father of 13 was a family man full of life
>>Lost to coronavirus: Dreyfoos grad was infectiously happy writer (and Glorias granddaughter)
>>Lost to coronavirus: Palm Beach Countys first victim dies after a very colorful life
>>Lost to coronavirus: Becoming a widow in quarantine
>>Lost to coronavirus: A visitor from New York dies in Delray
>>Lost to coronavirus: Columbia administrator loved academia, the arts
>>Lost to coronavirus: Ex-FAU professor survived Soviets, but not virus
>>Lost to coronavirus: Retired postal worker not used to sitting still
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
>>Coronavirus cases worldwide: An interactive look
>>What does the coronavirus infection do inside your body?
VIDEO: Coronavirus vs the flu
For more information:
Florida Department of Health coronavirus web page
CDC coronavirus web page
Florida DOH coronavirus hotline (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday) is 866-779-6121 or email COVID-19@flhealth.gov
