Everything to Know About the Coronavirus in the United States – The Cut

Mike Pence, commander of the U.S. coronavirus task force for some reason. Photo: ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images

Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that the United States should brace for a domestic coronavirus outbreak, with the director of its National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases explaining that its not so much of a question of if this will happen in this country any more, but a question of when this will happen. Globally, more than 167,400 cases of this pneumonia-like disease have been reported across every continent except Antarctica, with at least 6,329 deaths so far. Last week, the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic, and President Trump declared a national state of emergency. So far, at least 66 American patients with the virus have died.

Heres everything we know about the spread of the virus in the U.S. so far.

As of March 16, there were at least 3,602 confirmed cases of COVID-19 the disease caused by the novel coronavirus in the U.S. In the past few days, the number of confirmed cases has accelerated dramatically, with over 1,100 new cases announced since Friday morning. However, officials have warned that due to delays in testing, the number of infected individuals is likely much higher. Most of the initial cases were people who recently traveled to China or were released from quarantine aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which experienced an outbreak last month. Increasingly, though, new cases have cropped up in people who have no known association with outbreak epicenters, suggesting that the virus has been spreading undetected through person-to-person contact for weeks.

COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in 49 states and Washington, D.C., with the largest outbreaks in Washington State, New York, and California. As of Monday morning, in Washington State, 42 American patients with the virus had died. Twenty-seven of those deaths have been linked to an outbreak of COVID-19 at a long-term-care facility, the Life Care Center, in Kirkland, Washington.

As of Monday morning, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in New York rose to 732, with six confirmed deaths from the virus.

Over the weekend, officials in many states ramped up restrictions on large gatherings. On Sunday, the CDC recommended a ban on all gatherings of 50 people or more including weddings, festivals, parades, concerts, sporting events, and concerts for the next eight weeks. Restaurants and bars were ordered closed in New York City, Massachusetts, Ohio, Washington, Puerto Rico, and parts of California. (In some places, restaurants can remain open for takeout and delivery, or if they significantly reduce their occupancy. Other cities, including Los Angeles, have closed movie theaters and gyms as well.)

Officials in a growing number of cities and states have announced that schools will close this week, including in New York City, Massachusetts, Oregon, Ohio, Michigan, Maryland, and Kentucky. Some schools in California, Washington State, and Texas have closed as well. In New York City, the largest school district in the country, public schools will remain closed until at least April 20, though Mayor Bill de Blasio said there was a strong chance they would not reopen before the end of the school year. The mayor said that some schools will reopen as enrichment centers to provide services to vulnerable children, including homeless students and those with special needs, and that the city would open centers to provide child care for the children of health-care and emergency workers.

Officials in a number of states have encouraged companies to allow employees to telecommute if possible, and an increasing number of colleges and universities have suspended in-person classes, with some schools asking students not to return to campus after spring break. Many churches have canceled services, and the NBA has suspended its season after a player tested positive for the virus. Experts have called on nursing homes to limit nonessential social visits due to the high risk of transmission.

In a press conference last week, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio declared a state of emergency and said that coronavirus could impact daily life in the city for the next six months. De Blasio also cautioned New Yorkers about the spread of misinformation: Despite rumors to the contrary, as of Monday morning, elected officials had not called for shutting down mass transit or roadways, which are considered necessary to ensure that health-care systems continue to operate. New Yorkers can text COVID to 692692 for accurate updates.

An increasing number of New York City institutions have closed to the public, including Broadway theaters, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Met Opera, and the citys annual St. Patricks Day Parade has been postponed. Many New York talk shows have begun taping without studio audiences, with some suspending production altogether.

Last week, New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced a containment zone in New Rochelle, a New York City suburb with one of the countrys largest outbreaks of COVID-19, where the National Guard has been deployed to clean facilities and deliver food to quarantined residents. Cuomo has also warned that the New York hospital system may soon be overwhelmed by the number of coronavirus cases, and has requested that the Army Corps of Engineers be deployed to New York to build more hospital beds.

On Friday afternoon, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus. So what does that mean, exactly? Trump declared the emergency under the Stafford Act, which effectively frees up federal emergency management funds to be used for relief. On Friday, Trump said that the declaration would give him the authority to use up to $50 billion in federal funds to help states and territories fight the spread of coronavirus.

Trump also announced plans to accelerate and expand access to coronavirus testing, saying that millions of tests for the virus would be made available, though he added that he did not think that many would be necessary. He gave more authority to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Alex Azar, who will now be able to lift restrictions on doctors and hospitals to give them more flexibility in fighting the virus, including the ability to treat patients remotely. The president urged states to set up emergency operations centers effective immediately, and also announced that he would waive interest on student loans.

Last month, President Donald Trump put Vice-President Mike Pence a man with a frankly dismal track record in public health in charge of the coronavirus response, assuring the public that the White House is very, very ready for this.

The Trump administration has since announced a number of travel restrictions. Last week, President Trump barred entry of all foreign nationals who have been in high-risk countries, including China, Iran, and much of Europe, within the last 14 days. As of March 13, American citizens and permanent residents who are returning to the U.S. from those areas are required to fly through one of 13 airports, listed here. The State Department has issued an advisory telling Americans to reconsider travel to all foreign countries, and has also advised Americans, especially those who are older or have existing medical conditions, to avoid cruises at this time.

There have been many issues with the availability and accuracy of the coronavirus test within U.S. borders. Some people say theyve been denied tests. Indeed, the criteria for getting tested were initially prohibitively narrow: Previous guidance stated it should be limited only to those who may have come into direct contact with the virus, whether by through a hot spot of contagion or an infected individual. Though Pence has since announced that anyone in the country can be tested for coronavirus, subject to doctors orders, theres still been widespread confusion, and government coronavirus hotlines have reportedly been inundated with calls.

The U.S. House and Senate recently reached a deal to provide $8.3 billion in emergency funding to stop the spread of the coronavirus, which has been approved by the Senate. According to the WashingtonPost, the money will go toward the development of a vaccine, public-health funding, medical supplies, and research of coronavirus in other countries. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization has said it will take up to 18 months to develop a vaccine for COVID-19.

Early Saturday morning, the House passed a sweeping aid package for people affected by the coronavirus, and the Senate is expected to vote on the measure this week. The package would establish paid emergency leave for some American workers, expand food assistance, and offer free coronavirus testing.

In most cases, COVID-19 is not fatal, but it appears to pose the greatest risk to elderly people and those with preexisting conditions that compromise their immune systems. The New York Times reports that among those who have died in the U.S., almost all have been in their 70s, 80s, and 90s. (Doctors and medical workers may also be at greater risk, due to their higher-than-average odds of exposure.) Because the CDC anticipates a sharp uptick in domestic transmission, though, it is urging people to prepare for the worst: Stock up on supplies medicine, non-perishable foods, toilet paper, etc. and fastidiously wash your hands. (Heres our guide to protecting yourself.)

Face masks have been selling out online and in stores, but the surgeon general has pleaded with people to stop buying them. Surgical masks dont do much to keep out disease-spreading particles, and the masks that do seem to help N95 facial respirators are recommended only for people who are already infected, or for health-care workers and caregivers. People wearing masks as a preventive measure may be taking valuable and limited resources away from those who actually need them. If you do find yourself in need of an N95 respirator, and you have creative facial hair, the CDC also has thoughts on which mustache styles will be safest in a pandemic.

If you have symptoms associated with coronavirus coughing, fever, respiratory issues call your doctor before simply showing up at their office: The virus is highly contagious and you want to limit the possibility of spreading it, bearing in mind that right now, the odds are better that you simply have a cold or the flu. (Which is also serious, and many health experts would advise you to get a flu shot.) If you are sick, the CDC recommends that you stay home and self-isolate, confining yourself to one room as much as possible and wearing a face mask when you have to interact with others. Wash your hands frequently soap and water and at least 20 seconds of scrubbing and avoid touching shared household items, cleaning high-touch surfaces (like your phone) regularly. Your health-care provider and even local health department will help you determine how long its appropriate for you to keep up these precautions.

Regardless of whether or not you have symptoms, though, keep your hands clean, and seriously, stop touching your face.

This post has been updated.

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Everything to Know About the Coronavirus in the United States - The Cut