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Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today	Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today
2020-07-07 09:50:16 UTC	2020-07-17 06:22:46 UTC (10 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.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned today that the U.S. was still “knee-deep in the first wave” of the pandemic.	Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, warned today that the U.S. was still “knee-deep in the first wave” of the pandemic.
Keisha Lance Bottoms, the mayor of Atlanta, announced this evening that she had tested positive for the virus.	Keisha Lance Bottoms, the mayor of Atlanta, announced this evening that she had tested positive for the virus.
Israel tightened restrictions as cases reached new heights, and the prime minister warned that the country was “a step away from a full lockdown.”	Israel tightened restrictions as cases reached new heights, and the prime minister warned that the country was “a step away from a full lockdown.”
Get the latest updates here, as well as maps and a tracker for U.S. metro areas.	Get the latest updates here, as well as maps and a tracker for U.S. metro areas.
Elected officials in the United States are beginning to acknowledge that the rush to reopen was a mistake, as many of the hardest-hit areas in recent weeks have been places that lifted lockdown restrictions fastest. And one factor seems to be playing an outsize role in the uptick: indoor transmission from businesses like bars and restaurants.	Elected officials in the United States are beginning to acknowledge that the rush to reopen was a mistake, as many of the hardest-hit areas in recent weeks have been places that lifted lockdown restrictions fastest. And one factor seems to be playing an outsize role in the uptick: indoor transmission from businesses like bars and restaurants.
More than 239 scientists from 32 countries are now warning that airborne transmission of the virus indoors should be taken more seriously and are calling on the World Health Organization to revise its recommendations, which they say underestimate the dangers of transmission by tiny, viral particles that linger in the air indoors.	More than 239 scientists from 32 countries are now warning that airborne transmission of the virus indoors should be taken more seriously and are calling on the World Health Organization to revise its recommendations, which they say underestimate the dangers of transmission by tiny, viral particles that linger in the air indoors.
Our colleague Donald G. McNeil Jr., who covers science for The Times, told The Daily podcast that when people talk or laugh, they create an “invisible mist” or a “droplet cloud” of tiny particles that floats around near their head. That fog can hold enough virus to transmit the disease; walking into it is akin to someone “spitting on your face.”	Our colleague Donald G. McNeil Jr., who covers science for The Times, told The Daily podcast that when people talk or laugh, they create an “invisible mist” or a “droplet cloud” of tiny particles that floats around near their head. That fog can hold enough virus to transmit the disease; walking into it is akin to someone “spitting on your face.”
Indoors, without a breeze, the cloud can drift across a room, like in a bar or at a cocktail party, at more or less head level, he said, to be inhaled by revelers until 20, 30 or 40 people are infected.	Indoors, without a breeze, the cloud can drift across a room, like in a bar or at a cocktail party, at more or less head level, he said, to be inhaled by revelers until 20, 30 or 40 people are infected.
Evidence is also mounting, Donald said, that Covid-19 is more of a blood vessel disease than a respiratory disease. While the virus enters the body through the lungs, it seems to do its damage by attaching to the insides of blood vessels, infecting organs, like the kidneys and the brain, with lots of fine blood vessels.	Evidence is also mounting, Donald said, that Covid-19 is more of a blood vessel disease than a respiratory disease. While the virus enters the body through the lungs, it seems to do its damage by attaching to the insides of blood vessels, infecting organs, like the kidneys and the brain, with lots of fine blood vessels.
“When they do autopsies, they find thousands of tiny little blood clots all over the body,” Donald said. That explains why some patients may experience strokes, dementia and disorientation — and why children and young adults have experienced so-called Covid toe.	“When they do autopsies, they find thousands of tiny little blood clots all over the body,” Donald said. That explains why some patients may experience strokes, dementia and disorientation — and why children and young adults have experienced so-called Covid toe.
Ancient history meets modern disease. A gene segment inherited from Neanderthals around 60,000 years ago increases the risk of severe illness from the coronavirus, according to a new study. The variant is common in Bangladesh, which may explain why patients of Bangladeshi descent are dying at a higher rate in Britain.	Ancient history meets modern disease. A gene segment inherited from Neanderthals around 60,000 years ago increases the risk of severe illness from the coronavirus, according to a new study. The variant is common in Bangladesh, which may explain why patients of Bangladeshi descent are dying at a higher rate in Britain.
Florida has quickly become a cradle of infection in the U.S. On the Fourth of July, the state reported a record 11,458 new cases — more than a fifth of the nation’s total tally that day. As hospitals begin to fill up with coronavirus patients, some local officials are pointing the finger at over-the-top house parties.	Florida has quickly become a cradle of infection in the U.S. On the Fourth of July, the state reported a record 11,458 new cases — more than a fifth of the nation’s total tally that day. As hospitals begin to fill up with coronavirus patients, some local officials are pointing the finger at over-the-top house parties.
In Miami, where nightclubs were closed in March, some homes have turned into all-night venues with bouncers and maskless revelers who flout social-distancing guidelines. Cases among young people have increased, but cracking down on house parties is much harder than, for example, forcing restaurants and bars to scale back or to close. And partygoers have made the job even more challenging for overwhelmed contact tracers in Florida, often refusing to share information about whom they were with.	In Miami, where nightclubs were closed in March, some homes have turned into all-night venues with bouncers and maskless revelers who flout social-distancing guidelines. Cases among young people have increased, but cracking down on house parties is much harder than, for example, forcing restaurants and bars to scale back or to close. And partygoers have made the job even more challenging for overwhelmed contact tracers in Florida, often refusing to share information about whom they were with.
Because of the skyrocketing infection rate, the mayor of Miami-Dade County signed an executive order today that would effectively shut down Miami’s social scene. Beginning on Wednesday, residents will be under a curfew and indoor dining at restaurants, gyms, banquet facilities and other entertainment venues will be shut down.	Because of the skyrocketing infection rate, the mayor of Miami-Dade County signed an executive order today that would effectively shut down Miami’s social scene. Beginning on Wednesday, residents will be under a curfew and indoor dining at restaurants, gyms, banquet facilities and other entertainment venues will be shut down.
New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that in the U.S., Black and Latino people have been three times as likely to become infected with the coronavirus as their white neighbors — and nearly twice as likely to die from it.	New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that in the U.S., Black and Latino people have been three times as likely to become infected with the coronavirus as their white neighbors — and nearly twice as likely to die from it.
	Updated July 7, 2020
	The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
	Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
	Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
	A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
	The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
	The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
	So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
	Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
	A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
	If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
	If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
The new numbers present the most thorough look yet at the disproportionate toll of the virus across urban, suburban and rural areas. The C.D.C. released the data only after The Times sued the agency to make it public.	The new numbers present the most thorough look yet at the disproportionate toll of the virus across urban, suburban and rural areas. The C.D.C. released the data only after The Times sued the agency to make it public.
Facing a new wave of the virus, Iran has ordered citizens to wear masks for the first time since the pandemic began.	Facing a new wave of the virus, Iran has ordered citizens to wear masks for the first time since the pandemic began.
Cases in Iraq have increased eightfold over the past month, and the nation’s health care system is nearing its breaking point.	Cases in Iraq have increased eightfold over the past month, and the nation’s health care system is nearing its breaking point.
India reported a record daily case tally on Sunday — 24,850 — bringing the country’s total infections to more than 673,000. Plans to reopen the Taj Mahal this week have been canceled.	India reported a record daily case tally on Sunday — 24,850 — bringing the country’s total infections to more than 673,000. Plans to reopen the Taj Mahal this week have been canceled.
Two weeks after Spain lifted a state of emergency, about 270,000 people in the regions of Galicia and Catalonia are on lockdown to curb a rise in cases.	Two weeks after Spain lifted a state of emergency, about 270,000 people in the regions of Galicia and Catalonia are on lockdown to curb a rise in cases.
A large-scale study published in The Lancet found that only 5 percent of the population in Spain had developed antibodies to the coronavirus, indicating that herd immunity is still far-off.	A large-scale study published in The Lancet found that only 5 percent of the population in Spain had developed antibodies to the coronavirus, indicating that herd immunity is still far-off.
As state bans on evictions end, millions of people are at risk of losing their homes, with unauthorized immigrants being among the most vulnerable.	As state bans on evictions end, millions of people are at risk of losing their homes, with unauthorized immigrants being among the most vulnerable.
The pandemic and economic downturns have exacerbated the exploitation of domestic workers in Arab states, where many have been detained, abused and deprived of wages.	The pandemic and economic downturns have exacerbated the exploitation of domestic workers in Arab states, where many have been detained, abused and deprived of wages.
China has laid the groundwork to dominate the medical supply market for years to come, making it difficult for other countries to set up new factories to cope with the pandemic.	China has laid the groundwork to dominate the medical supply market for years to come, making it difficult for other countries to set up new factories to cope with the pandemic.
Some federal workers are heading back to their offices in the Washington area, against the wishes of many leaders in the nation’s capital.	Some federal workers are heading back to their offices in the Washington area, against the wishes of many leaders in the nation’s capital.