March 1, 2020: The Coronavirus is Spreading Around the Globe

 

March 1, 2020: It’s a quiet day in America. Trump’s staying put at the White House for a change, probably out of fear of the coronavirus. He isn’t even tweeting much. 

Could he be dead? 

Or is the world’s most powerful germaphobe simply hiding out…and letting Mike Pence put his life at risk?

 

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South Korea has 3,736 cases, the U.S. only 71 confirmed.

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The coronavirus continues to spread, disrupting the flow of travel around the globe, cutting trade networks, rattling the world economy. The outbreak is no fault of Trump’s. But it’s a growing problem and one he seems ill-prepared by temperament or inclination to address. Today, Rhode Island authorities announce they have a suspected case of COVID-19, first in the state. Researchers in the State of Washington believe the virus may have been circulating, unsuspected, for weeks. An estimated 150 to 1,500 people are likely infected or were infected and didn’t realize it. The United States currently has 71 confirmed cases. Qatar and Luxembourg announce their first patients. Two people in Azerbaijan are quarantined and the border with Iran is shut. There are dozens of cases in the United Kingdom. Both the Netherlands and Lebanon confirm three new infections, bringing their totals to seven each. By the time I finish typing this post, the number in Lebanon rises to ten. France, with more than 100 confirmed cases, is on high alert. In Paris, the Louvre is closed. Iran reports 978 cases and 53 deaths, a mortality rate of 7%. Italy reports 1,128 cases, up from 888 two days ago. Turkey has halted passenger flights to and from Italy, Iran, Iraq, and South Korea. According to the BBC, Italy’s economy has “taken a body blow.” Tourism is a casualty. Restaurants and public places are deserted. South Korea reports 3,736 cases. Saudi Arabia has warned citizens not to travel to Lebanon. Kuwait, with 45 confirmed cases, and Russia, with only two, have advised citizens not to travel at all. 

Nobody in their right mind wants to visit North Korea, of course. But Kim Jong-un, ever the dictatorial nut, threatens “serious consequences” if the COVID-19 virus spreads to his land. 

Death by anti-aircraft gun, maybe? 

So far, there have been 87,138 confirmed cases around the globe, with 2,980 deaths, a mortality rate of about 3.4%.