Tuesday, February 4, 2020

20,680 cases and 27 deaths. No sign of diminishing. We are hearing the obvious conflicting opinions of the benefit or harm of travel restrictions. A lot of interest in the revealing that the NEJM paper claiming in one Chinese to German transmission that it was symptomatic transmission, when it probably was not. I quoted that paper (now flawed) in the WH presser. One death in Hong Kong (total of 2 with Phillippines for non-China deaths) 20,680/426 – 2% mortality Continuing to evacuate USC from Wuhan. 4 individuals from Hubei Province under quarantine (2 LAX, 1 ORD, 1 NY) Chinese officials criticizing USA for travel restrictions. WHO also adding muted criticism. Got urgent e-mail from Lindsey Baden from NEJM to review in 2 hours a pape from Germany showing that an asymptomatic person can harbor replication competent virus in nasal passages. State of the Union address tonight and vote on conviction after impeachment tomorrow – weird! PRESS: Bloomberg Radio;Vox print; Marc Siegal Doctor Radio – Sirius; NPR – “All Things Considered”- Richard Harris; Good Morning America – ABC; Yahoo Finance TV; NY Times – Roni Caryn Rabin; Reuters print; Israeli TV – i24 LIVE; Picture in Washington Post; BBC Radio interview