The coronavirus epidemic

[Rewind]

There are now 73 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States, including 44 people who were passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship. In Italy, there are 1,694 confirmed cases and 34 have died. La Scala Opera House has been closed. I'm sorry to disappoint those of you who were planning to attend tomorrow night's performance of Giacomo Puccini arias and Luigi Boccherini concertos.

Italy reports a 50% increase in confirmed coronavirus cases

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/01/europ...ory/index.html

[Atypical]

Here is a report that shows what we, in this country, can expect from our incompetent administration, and how poorly humans think and handle a potential crisis.

It's only the beginning - and frightening.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...s-coronavirus/

[Rewind]

Formula One has canceled the Chinese Grand Prix over fears of the coronavirus. The Louvre and the La Scala Opera House are closed. Shanghai Disney Resort, Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo DisneySea and Universal Studios Japan are closed. The National College Players Association has asked the NCAA to consider banning fans from attending men's and women's basketball tournaments. Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook and many other companies are restricting travel by employees and canceling conferences and trade shows. Can you say "panicking" and "overreacting"? I knew you could.

Coronavirus threatens US malls as nearly six in 10 shoppers plan to avoid such areas if the outbreak worsens, survey says

https://www.businessinsider.com/coro...g-malls-2020-3

[Rewind]

The people who are panicking and overreacting due to fear of the COVID-19 virus are going to be even more panicky after seeing these latest statistics. In China, there are more than 79,800 confirmed cases and 2,800 people have died. In South Korea, more than 4,200 are infected and 26 have died. There have been 54 deaths in Iran and 34 in Italy. The virus has now spread to 68 countries and territories. Worldwide, more than 89,000 people are infected and 3,050 have died. Yikes!

Second person dies of coronavirus in Washington state as cases spread on West Coast

https://www.latimes.com/california/s...oast-scrambles

[Rewind]

There are now 100 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States. That includes 48 people who contracted the virus elsewhere and are now repatriated. In Washington state, the virus has killed six people. In Canada, at least 27 have been infected. SiriusXM sent out this press release today:

SiriusXM's Doctor Radio and NYU Langone Health's medical experts launch 24/7 coronavirus programming

SiriusXM today announced that Doctor Radio (Channel 110) and NYU Langone Health's medical experts will launch 24/7 programming, live and on demand, dedicated to the latest news and updates surrounding the coronavirus. All programming will be presented by NYU Langone's team of world-class infectious disease and medical authorities and curated by SiriusXM's Doctor Radio channel programmers.

This special programming will help listeners separate fact from fiction, provide informational tips about prevention and guidance on what to be prepared for. NYU Langone Health's physicians contributing to the programming will include Infectious Disease specialists Dr. Mark Mulligan and Dr. Michael Phillips and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Fritz Francois. A special informative guide, Coronavirus: Everything You Need To Know, is available as a podcast on Pandora and an On Demand selection through SiriusXM's app and streaming platform. On the 15-minute podcast Drs. Phillips and Francois discuss everything you need to know from the basics of a virus to the new coronavirus, COVID-19, including prevention, symptoms and what to do if you experience them.

Doctor Radio will post a daily podcast, Coronavirus: What You Need To Know Now, available on Pandora and SiriusXM, drawn from updates and specials, consolidating in one place the latest news and information from Doctor Radio and NYU Langone Health. Also this week, Doctor Radio, channel 110, will begin airing hourly coronavirus updates to provide the latest information and news related to the pandemic.

Starting March 6, Doctor Radio will start airing regular live call-in specials each Friday. Hosted by Doctor Radio Medical Director Dr. Marc Siegel, Coronavirus: What You Need To Know Now will be a one-hour live call-in show where listeners can hear from NYU's top physicians and experts and will be able to call in and ask their own questions. The weekly call-in specials start March 6 at 2 PM ET. Listeners are encouraged to call 877 NYU DOCS (877 698-3627), tweet @NYUDocs or email docs@siriusxm.com with their questions.

[Rewind]

World Health Organization director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted today, "Knowing and understanding an epidemic is the first step to defeating it. We are in unchartered territory with COVID-19." Yes, he meant "uncharted territory." He knows viruses and diseases better than he knows American idioms. In South Korea, more than 4,800 are infected and 28 have died. In the United States, 105 are infected and six have died. Worldwide, there are 90,930 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 3,125 people have died.

US Coronavirus death toll climbs to six as virus spreads worldwide

https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronav...in-11583142293

[Rewind]

This headline isn't completely accurate. Manufacturers of hand sanitizer, face masks, bleach and toilet paper are doing very well right now. Stores are selling out of those products. Of course the face masks do not prevent the spread of COVID-19 and hand sanitizers are unnecessary because simply washing with soap and water works just as well. The coronavirus death toll is now 3,168 and 92,835 people are infected. Nine have died in Washington state and 79 have died in Italy.

Opinion: Coronavirus will wreak havoc on the US economy

https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/03/persp...cut/index.html

[Rewind]

More than 700 passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship contracted the COVID-19 virus. The Grand Princess cruise ship is now on lockdown because two passengers contracted the virus and one has died. Carnival Corporation shares closed today at 32.46, a gain of 0.63 (1.98%) but fell to 31.85 after hours. My advice: If you own any Carnival stock, sell it!

Carnival crisis grows after another Princess cruise ship goes on lockdown after a former passenger dies from coronavirus

https://www.businessinsider.com/gran...s-death-2020-3

[Rewind]

The newest numbers are nastily numbing: Worldwide, 95,120 people have contracted the COVID-19 virus and 3,254 have died. Outbreaks are spreading rapidly in Iran, Italy and South Korea. In Italy, 3,089 are infected and 107 have died. È terribile! Moriremo tutti!

Coronavirus spreads in California, New York as US death toll rises to 11
Fatalities grew with California announcing its first death, which it linked to a cruise ship that sailed to Mexico.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronav...ve-11583318127

[Rewind]

"Unpaid leave." Boy, I'm tellin' ya, United CEO Oscar Muñoz is all heart!

United is drastically cutting flights worldwide and offering unpaid leave to employees as the coronavirus ravages the airline industry

https://www.businessinsider.com/coro...d-leave-2020-3