Infectious diseases chief: Don’t panic, but take this seriously
The National Institutes of Health’s top infectious disease chief said he believes the coronavirus has “now reached outbreak proportions and likely pandemic proportions,” imploring Americans not to panic but urging them to take the spread of the virus seriously.
In an interview with NBC News’ Richard Engel, Dr. Anthony Fauci also said a “major outbreak” might require state and local officials to essentially bring public life to a standstill.
“If we get a major outbreak of this coronavirus in this country, that would mean perhaps closing schools temporarily, getting people to do more teleworking, canceling events where there are a lot of crowds in confined places, canceling unnecessary travels so that you’re not on an airplane for five hours with a bunch of people who might be infected,” Fauci said.
You can watch NBC News’ interview with Fauci on “On Assignment with Richard Engel: Outbreak,” which airs on MSNBC on Sunday, 3/8 at 10 p.m. ET.
Officials announce 2 new cases in California
Santa Clara County’s public health department confirmed two new cases Monday, bringing the county’s total number to nine.
The eighth and ninth cases are adult males who are both under home isolation, public health officials said in a statement.
Oregon identifies third case
Oregon health officials have identified a third case of the virus: an adult from Umatilla County who is hospitalized in Walla Walla, Washington.
The third case is not likely to have traveled to a part of the world with known cases of the virus, the state said in a news release. It is considered a case of community transmission.
The person attended a youth basketball game at a gymnasium in Weston, Oregon, on Saturday, per preliminary reports cited by state officials.
New case confirmed in Illinois, the state’s 4th
Another coronavirus case has been diagnosed in Illinois, the state’s fourth.
The Illinois Department of Public Heath announced Monday the patient is a woman in her 70s, and is quarantined in her home. Her husband — also in his 70s — was previously diagnosed.
Both patients are said to be doing well. Health officials are now reaching out to people who may have come into contact with the couple to prevent any further spread.
Two other patients diagnosed in Illinois in January have since recovered.
Las Vegas casinos brace for loss of Chinese tourism
Business analysts and gaming experts say it’s largely too soon to tell how the outbreak could affect the U.S. gambling industry. But some U.S.-based casino companies, including MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts Ltd. and Las Vegas Sands Corp., have warned investors in annual reports over the past month that travel restrictions could negatively affect their Las Vegas properties.
New Hampshire confirms first case
New Hampshire’s epidemiologist, Dr. Benjamin Chan, said the person had recently traveled to Italy, according to NBC affiliate WBTS. The patient is not sick enough to be hospitalized, but is quarantined at home.
“We will be working tirelessly to investigate this most recent identification and to identify any potential susceptible contacts who may need themselves to be placed under self-quarantine,” Chan said during a news conference.
The diagnosis will be confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
Saudi Arabia confirms first case
The first confirmed case in Saudi Arabia is a citizen who traveled from Iran through Bahrain and did not disclose his presence at the Saudi port, the Saudi Ministry of Health said Monday.
