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| Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today | Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today |
| (3 days later) | |
| This is the Coronavirus Briefing, an informed guide to the global outbreak. Sign up here to get the briefing by email. | This is the Coronavirus Briefing, an informed guide to the global outbreak. Sign up here to get the briefing by email. |
| The number of new cases is growing faster than ever worldwide. | The number of new cases is growing faster than ever worldwide. |
| Nearly 1.9 million Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week. | Nearly 1.9 million Americans filed new claims for unemployment benefits last week. |
| The Congressional Budget Office says extending more generous jobless aid would help the economy this year, but could hurt the economy next year. | The Congressional Budget Office says extending more generous jobless aid would help the economy this year, but could hurt the economy next year. |
| Get the latest updates here, plus maps and a tracker for U.S. metro areas. | Get the latest updates here, plus maps and a tracker for U.S. metro areas. |
| Since the outbreak began, one question has left public health experts and scientists puzzled: Why does the virus provoke only mild symptoms in some people, while severely sickening others? | Since the outbreak began, one question has left public health experts and scientists puzzled: Why does the virus provoke only mild symptoms in some people, while severely sickening others? |
| We think we know some of the factors. A person’s age has been shown to play a role, along with underlying conditions like diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Smoking may have a hand in the severity of an infection, too. | We think we know some of the factors. A person’s age has been shown to play a role, along with underlying conditions like diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Smoking may have a hand in the severity of an infection, too. |
| A new study lends further clues. | A new study lends further clues. |
| European geneticists sequenced the genomes of infected patients in Italy and Spain who required an oxygen supply or a ventilator, to look for genetic traits that the patients shared. | European geneticists sequenced the genomes of infected patients in Italy and Spain who required an oxygen supply or a ventilator, to look for genetic traits that the patients shared. |
| They found two commonalities. One is a person’s blood type. Patients with Type A blood had a 50 percent greater chance that they would need oxygen or a ventilator. | They found two commonalities. One is a person’s blood type. Patients with Type A blood had a 50 percent greater chance that they would need oxygen or a ventilator. |
| The second factor showed an even stronger link to Covid-19, but it’s still a mystery. That’s because the spot in the genome that scientists homed in on has six genes, and they’re not sure which, exactly, is influencing the course of the virus. | The second factor showed an even stronger link to Covid-19, but it’s still a mystery. That’s because the spot in the genome that scientists homed in on has six genes, and they’re not sure which, exactly, is influencing the course of the virus. |
| Another head-scratcher is why blood type might play a role in a Covid-19 infection. One idea is that the location on the genome where blood type is determined also contains a stretch of DNA that can trigger strong immune responses. It’s possible that genetic variations may lead to an overreaction in the immune system, causing extensive inflammation and lung damage. | Another head-scratcher is why blood type might play a role in a Covid-19 infection. One idea is that the location on the genome where blood type is determined also contains a stretch of DNA that can trigger strong immune responses. It’s possible that genetic variations may lead to an overreaction in the immune system, causing extensive inflammation and lung damage. |
| Poverty as an underlying condition: The Times’ Opinion section found that conditions like kidney disease and diabetes are much more prevalent among the lowest income earners in the United States — potentially making Covid-19 more deadly among the poor. | Poverty as an underlying condition: The Times’ Opinion section found that conditions like kidney disease and diabetes are much more prevalent among the lowest income earners in the United States — potentially making Covid-19 more deadly among the poor. |
| The Times is providing free access to much of our coronavirus coverage, and our Coronavirus Briefing newsletter — like all of our newsletters — is free. Please consider supporting our journalism with a subscription. | The Times is providing free access to much of our coronavirus coverage, and our Coronavirus Briefing newsletter — like all of our newsletters — is free. Please consider supporting our journalism with a subscription. |
| Even while doctors battle Covid-19, many are worried about another looming global public health threat: antimicrobial resistance. | Even while doctors battle Covid-19, many are worried about another looming global public health threat: antimicrobial resistance. |
| Some 700,000 people die each year because medicines that once cured their conditions are no longer effective. As the pipeline for new drugs runs dry, health experts are warning that the same government inaction that allowed the coronavirus to spread worldwide could lead to an even deadlier epidemic of drug-resistant infections. | Some 700,000 people die each year because medicines that once cured their conditions are no longer effective. As the pipeline for new drugs runs dry, health experts are warning that the same government inaction that allowed the coronavirus to spread worldwide could lead to an even deadlier epidemic of drug-resistant infections. |
| Our colleague Andrew Jacobs, who covers health and science, writes that the problem comes down to economics: It costs billions to develop a new drug, but pharmaceutical companies haven’t yet figured out a way to profit off them. | Our colleague Andrew Jacobs, who covers health and science, writes that the problem comes down to economics: It costs billions to develop a new drug, but pharmaceutical companies haven’t yet figured out a way to profit off them. |
| Updated August 27, 2020 | |
| While the pandemic ebbs in some of the countries that were hit hard early on, the global case count is growing faster than ever. Here are a few places suffering particularly bad outbreaks right now. | While the pandemic ebbs in some of the countries that were hit hard early on, the global case count is growing faster than ever. Here are a few places suffering particularly bad outbreaks right now. |
| The death toll in Brazil passed 30,000 on Tuesday, when officials reported 1,262 deaths, the nation’s highest one-day total. President Jair Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly minimized the threat, said, “We are sorry for all the dead, but that’s everyone’s destiny.” | The death toll in Brazil passed 30,000 on Tuesday, when officials reported 1,262 deaths, the nation’s highest one-day total. President Jair Bolsonaro, who has repeatedly minimized the threat, said, “We are sorry for all the dead, but that’s everyone’s destiny.” |
| Peru has more than 170,000 confirmed cases, despite imposing one of the earliest national lockdowns in South America. Though the official virus death toll stands at around 5,000, Peru reported 14,000 more deaths than usual in May, suggesting many people are dying at home. | Peru has more than 170,000 confirmed cases, despite imposing one of the earliest national lockdowns in South America. Though the official virus death toll stands at around 5,000, Peru reported 14,000 more deaths than usual in May, suggesting many people are dying at home. |
| For months, Egypt seemed to avoid the worst of the pandemic. But recently the number of cases there has risen significantly, reaching 27,536 on Tuesday. | For months, Egypt seemed to avoid the worst of the pandemic. But recently the number of cases there has risen significantly, reaching 27,536 on Tuesday. |
| Bangladesh now has 55,000 known cases, and its troubles were compounded last month by a cyclone that tore through communities under lockdown. | Bangladesh now has 55,000 known cases, and its troubles were compounded last month by a cyclone that tore through communities under lockdown. |
| The Lancet has retracted a controversial study that concluded hydroxychloroquine was ineffective for Covid-19 patients over questions about its data, though subsequent, more transparent studies have had similar findings. | The Lancet has retracted a controversial study that concluded hydroxychloroquine was ineffective for Covid-19 patients over questions about its data, though subsequent, more transparent studies have had similar findings. |
| The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told lawmakers that the country needs up to 100,000 contact tracers. | The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told lawmakers that the country needs up to 100,000 contact tracers. |
| Workers across the U.S. are being told to return to their workplaces. Many who refuse for fear of the virus are losing their jobs, and thousands more are being reported to the state to have their unemployment benefits cut off. | Workers across the U.S. are being told to return to their workplaces. Many who refuse for fear of the virus are losing their jobs, and thousands more are being reported to the state to have their unemployment benefits cut off. |
| The Trump administration released new requirements for states to report coronavirus data based on race, ethnicity, age and sex of individuals tested for the virus, in an effort to respond to demands from lawmakers for a better picture of the pandemic. | The Trump administration released new requirements for states to report coronavirus data based on race, ethnicity, age and sex of individuals tested for the virus, in an effort to respond to demands from lawmakers for a better picture of the pandemic. |
| George Floyd, whose death has sparked nationwide protests, had the virus weeks before he was killed, an autopsy report showed. | George Floyd, whose death has sparked nationwide protests, had the virus weeks before he was killed, an autopsy report showed. |
| Despite the pandemic, some protesters are being held for more than a day in crowded jail cells, some without masks. | Despite the pandemic, some protesters are being held for more than a day in crowded jail cells, some without masks. |
| I have taken up a new hobby: painting little pictures and inspirational words on rocks and then leaving them around the neighborhood and in local parks for others to find. | I have taken up a new hobby: painting little pictures and inspirational words on rocks and then leaving them around the neighborhood and in local parks for others to find. |
| — Cynthia Casani, Cedar Grove, N.J. | — Cynthia Casani, Cedar Grove, N.J. |
| Let us know how you’re dealing with the outbreak. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter. | Let us know how you’re dealing with the outbreak. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter. |
| Sign up here to get the briefing by email. | Sign up here to get the briefing by email. |
| Melina Delkic and Tom Wright-Piersanti contributed reporting. | Melina Delkic and Tom Wright-Piersanti contributed reporting. |