The World Health Organization officials expressed their concern about the escalation of confirmed COVID-19 cases during their press conference on Wednesday. As the global infections total is projected to reach 1 million by the end of the week, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom had this to say to member nations:
"Over the past five weeks, we have witnessed a near exponential growth in the number of new cases, reaching almost every country, territory and area. Three months ago we knew almost nothing about this virus...This is a pandemic for the first time caused by a coronavirus and whose behavior is not really known and we have to stand in unison to find this very dangerous virus."
Total Global Cases: Over 934,000
Total Deaths: At Least 46,000
Total Recovered: At Least 193,000
Broken Boundaries
As more nations restrict borders and halt travel, something unprecedented is happening in the scientific space. The word unprecedented is being used a lot in recent time, but the global collaboration for the study of COVID-19 defines all meaning of the word. Never before have researchers around the world focused on one subject simultaneously and with such urgency, throwing all other research to the side for the time being as the world experts search for a cure to COVID-19. Currently, more than 200 clinical trails have begun to test various treatments and therapies for the pandemic, with experts around the globe freely sharing information with one another as the world waits.
Economic Terrorism
The Iranian government has asked the United States to lift the trade sanctions in place, claiming that they are costing Iranian lives and should be lifted on humanitarian grounds.
"We have always said the sanctions are unjust but coronavirus revealed this injustice to the world," Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said in a recent video message. Zarif saw these sanctions as "economic terrorism."
Aside from Iran's allies like Russia and China, others including the European Union and dozens of Congress members have been calling for the Trump administration to suspend trade sanctions for the time being.
Insurance Fears
The Trump administration confirmed on Wednesday that the federal government will not be reopening the Affordable Care Act's marketplace to new customers, amid large-scale unemployment and growing concern from uninsured Americans. The reopening of the marketplace to new customers would make it easier for those recently uninsured to obtain health insurance without requiring proof of lack of coverage. This is an action that the federal and state governments have taken in the past during natural disasters. Currently, only a few states have extended the enrollment period for residents in need.
Health insurance for all American citizens is needed now more than ever as hospital bills for the treatment of COVID-19 could cost Americans tens of thousands of dollars without proper insurance. According to a statical analysis by independent nonprofit FAIR Health, those who are hospitalized out-of-network or without insurance can expect to pay between $42,000-$74,000 for the cost of their treatment.
Economic Impact
The early recession signs for the United States have already begun to crop up on monthly statistical data.
According to a report from ADP and Moody's Analytics, private payrolls fell less than expected in March, with headline payrolls declining by 27,000. The report only has data for the period before March 12, which was before the worst of the coronavirus economic closures. Losses for the month are predicted to be far worse than the early data indicates, due to the millions of citizens who have already filed for unemployment benefits.
Not surprisingly, U.S. manufacturing activity contracted in March due to the coronavirus containment measures. According to the Institute for Supply Management's March manufacturing purchasing managers' index, domestic manufacturing fell to 49.1 in March from 50.1 in February.
"The coronavirus pandemic and shocks in global energy markets have impacted all manufacturing sectors," said chair of the ISM Timothy Fiore in the report.
Virus Tracking
Mt. Sinai Health, a hospital system in New York City, has launched an app on Wednesday that will help track the outbreak within the city. Through the app STOP COVID NYC, the hospital's patients and city residents will be able to monitor their symptoms and health officials will be able to see a clearer scope of the spread.
NYC residents can sign up for the app by testing "COVID" to 64722. The app asks initial users survey questions about their demographic, exposure to the virus and symptom history. The app will then prompt the user with daily surveys through text messages.
