Experts say COVID-19 is particularly dangerous for elderly individuals with underlying health conditions. To make matters worse, many people who fit that description are in long-term care facilities—which, in the U.S., tend to be understaffed and underfunded.
Relatives of elderly nursing home residents in the U.S. spoke with TIME reporter Katie Reilly about their concerns as coronavirus cases increase across the country. “They are trying not to panic and they don’t want to be alarmist but they are worried and they want to know that there’s a plan,” Reilly says.
One of these nursing homes is at the center of the U.S. outbreak: At least 13 of the 22 coronavirus deaths that have been reported in the country as of Monday morning have been linked to the Life Care Center of Kirkland, in Washington state. Relatives of residents there are frustrated primarily with the federal government and lack of communication from the U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, Reilly says.
Experts say people living in long-term care facilities typically share common spaces with others in meetings and rooms. But if a coronavirus infection strikes a residential facility, residents should avoid communal rooms and even meals, eating in their own room if possible, Dr. Steven Gambert, professor of medicine and director of geriatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, told TIME reporter Jeff Kluger last week.
Kevin Connolly worries that his 81-year-old father-in-law may die at the facility. “Our loved ones that live here are already amongst the most vulnerable in the community, and they are being left to be picked off one by one by this disease,” Connolly said Thursday at a press conference held by relatives of Life Care Center residents. Read more here.
TODAY’S CORONAVIRUS OUTLOOK
As of Sunday, the number of countries, areas and territories reporting COVID-19 cases passed 100.
The number of people infected worldwide surpassed 110,000 and more than 3,800 people have died. Among the newest countries reporting confirmed cases are Bulgaria, Costa Rica, Maldives and Malta. Here’s every country and territory that has reported at least one case of COVID-19:
The coronavirus outbreak struck global stock markets hard on Monday as the main stock index in London and Frankfurt dropped by more than 8% at the opening. Trading temporarily halted on Wall Street. Oil prices took a hit too with the benchmark U.S. crude price dropping by as much as 30%.
Also in the U.S., federal and state officials in California are preparing for thousands of people to disembark from a cruise ship that was stranded over coronavirus concerns. At least 21 people on board tested positive for the disease. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has urged the American public to avoid taking cruises altogether and warned older people and others with underlying health issues to avoid crowded places and “non-essential” travel, including long plane rides.
Here are the latest COVID-19 counts for the countries with the 15 highest numbers as of last night:
All numbers are from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Systems Science and Engineering, and are accurate as of March 8, 8:00 PM eastern time.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Unpacking the WHO’s Estimate of a 3.4% Mortality Rate for COVID-19
The World Health Organization said earlier this month that the new coronavirus has killed 3.4% of the people who have caught it so far. TIME crunched testing numbers from around the world, and the results suggest that the true mortality rate will end up much lower. Read more here.
The Dilemma of Working from Home
Americans are being encouraged to work from home during the coronavirus outbreak but for millions of people, that’s just not possible. Read more here.
Racism Against Asians Takes Hold as Coronavirus Spreads
A Singaporean student was allegedly attacked while walking down a London street after a group of men told him “we don’t want your coronavirus in our country.” A Vietnamese art curator was dropped by an exhibitor at a British art fair who claimed her participation would be seen as “carrying the virus.” Read more here.
How COVID-19 Could Creep into the Voting Booth
It’s unclear whether COVID-19 anxieties may affect voter turnout, but there is historical precedent for epidemics driving down turnout in U.S. elections. Read more here.
Lessons from the 1918 Spanish Flu
Influenza had far-reaching consequences for how countries deliver health care when it took the world by storm just over 100 years ago. Could COVID-19 have a similar impact? Read more here.
Bookmark This: A Coronavirus Glossary
The jargon that government officials and medical experts have relied on to explain the current outbreak is only making people feel more uncertain and confused. TIME asked Dictionary.com and Merriam-Webster to figure out the words their users are looking up more than usual, in connection with coverage of the coronavirus, and then assembled a glossary for navigating this crisis. Read more here.
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