Since the first U.S. case was reported in January, the novel coronavirus has reached all 50 states and the District of Columbia, along with several American territories. While the outbreak began in small clusters, the number of cases are now jumping drastically -- and because tests are not widely available, there are likely many more cases that have gone uncounted.
For Vonny Leclerc, day one was March 16. Hours after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson instated stringent social-distancing measures to halt the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, LeClerc, a Glasgow-based journalist, arrived home feeling shivery and flushed. Over the next few days, she developed a cough, chest pain, aching joints, and a prickling sensation on her skin.
The Lancet medical journal retracted a study on Thursday that found that coronavirus patients who took hydroxychloroquine had a higher mortality rate and increased heart problem than those who did nothing, stating that the authors were "unable to complete an independent audit of the data underpinning their analysis."
People even with heart problems are avoiding emergency rooms because they are worried about possible coronavirus infection, according to a C.D.C. report.
Covid-19 is not mutating, health experts say, but that doesn't mean it's not dangerous. So far, evidence does not show that the coronavirus is changing to become more severe or more transmittable, but complacency by people and local governments could increase its spread, World Health Organization infectious disease epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove said Wednesday at a news briefing.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Thursday that people in New York City protesting George Floyd's death should assume they've been exposed to the coronavirus. "If you were at a protest I would assume you're exposed," Cuomo said.