upi--2020-03-25--Ford, 3M, GE to produce needed medical equipment to combat COVID-19

March 24 ( UPI ) -- Three large U.S. companies have joined forces to produce needed medical equipment and supplies for healthcare workers , first responders and patients fighting the infectious and deadly coronavirus .
Ford Motors announced in a statement Tuesday that it was working with 3M and General Electric Healthcare to mass-produce respirators , ventilators and plastic face shields .
Specifically , the statement said Ford was `` lending its manufacturing and engineering expertise '' to increase the manufacturing capacity of air-purifying respirators with 3M , expand production of existing ventilator design with GE and assemble more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week with United Auto Workers .
The announcement came as some healthcare professionals have experienced a shortage of crucial virus-fighting supplies , such as face masks and ventilators .
`` This is a critical time for America and the world , '' said Bill Ford , Ford 's executive chairman .
`` It is a time for action and cooperation .
By coming together across multiple industries , we can make a real difference for people in need and for those on the front line of this crisis . ''
While the auto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respirators and ventilators would be ready for shipping , it said 75,000 face shields are expected to be finished this week , 1,000 of which will be sent to Detroit Mercy , Henry Ford Health Systems and Detroit Medical Center Sinai-Grace Hospital for testing .

New Jersey National Guard Soldiers and Airmen go over the wear of protective equipment at a COVID-19 Community-Based Testing Site at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, N.J., on Monday. Photo by Master Sgt. Matt Hecht/U.S. Air National Guard/UPI | License Photo
March 24 (UPI) -- Three large U.S. companies have joined forces to produce needed medical equipment and supplies for healthcare workers, first responders and patients fighting the infectious and deadly coronavirus. Ford Motors announced in a statement Tuesday that it was working with 3M and General Electric Healthcare to mass-produce respirators, ventilators and plastic face shields. Advertisement
Specifically, the statement said Ford was "lending its manufacturing and engineering expertise" to increase the manufacturing capacity of air-purifying respirators with 3M, expand production of existing ventilator design with GE and assemble more than 100,000 3D printed plastic face shields a week with United Auto Workers.
The announcement came as some healthcare professionals have experienced a shortage of crucial virus-fighting supplies, such as face masks and ventilators.
"This is a critical time for America and the world," said Bill Ford, Ford's executive chairman. "It is a time for action and cooperation. By coming together across multiple industries, we can make a real difference for people in need and for those on the front line of this crisis."
While the auto manufacturer didn't state when the air-purifying respirators and ventilators would be ready for shipping, it said 75,000 face shields are expected to be finished this week, 1,000 of which will be sent to Detroit Mercy, Henry Ford Health Systems and Detroit Medical Center Sinai-Grace Hospital for testing.


upi--2020-03-25--Pennsylvania court vacates order for death row inmate's COVID-19 testing

March 25 ( UPI ) -- A Pennsylvania court on Wednesday vacated its earlier order to release a death row inmate to be tested for the coronavirus .
The Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas said Walter Ogrod , 55 , must remain on death row after the state 's Department of Corrections refused to transport him to a local hospital for testing and treatment .
The court said that after considering earlier cases , it determined it lacked jurisdiction in Ogrod 's case .
Ogrod has had symptoms consistent with COVID-19 , including cough , difficulty breathing and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courts to allow him to be transported off death row for medical treatment , a request the court of common pleas agreed with Saturday .
In February , the Philadelphia District Attorney 's Office filed briefs in court saying Ogrod is `` likely innocent '' of assaulting and killing a 4-year-old girl in 1988 .
They said he was convicted on flawed evidence , including a coerced confession and testimony from discredited jailhouse informants .
The filings called Ogrod 's conviction a `` gross miscarriage of justice '' and requested his 1996 conviction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prison .
Ogrod has spent 23 years on death row for the conviction .
Earlier this week , the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas rejected defense lawyers ' request for an expedited hearing on his case in light of the prosecutors ' filings and Ogrod 's illness .
Ogrod 's attorneys said they 're continuing to seek an expedited ruling on his innocence petition .

Walter Ogrod was sentenced in 1996 for the death of a 4-year-old girl. Prosecutors, though, now say he's "likely innocent." File Photo courtesy of attorneys for Walter Ogrod
March 25 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania court on Wednesday vacated its earlier order to release a death row inmate to be tested for the coronavirus. The Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas said Walter Ogrod, 55, must remain on death row after the state's Department of Corrections refused to transport him to a local hospital for testing and treatment. Advertisement
The court said that after considering earlier cases, it determined it lacked jurisdiction in Ogrod's case.
Ogrod has had symptoms consistent with COVID-19, including cough, difficulty breathing and a 106-degree fever. His lawyers asked the courts to allow him to be transported off death row for medical treatment, a request the court of common pleas agreed with Saturday.
In February, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office filed briefs in court saying Ogrod is "likely innocent" of assaulting and killing a 4-year-old girl in 1988. They said he was convicted on flawed evidence, including a coerced confession and testimony from discredited jailhouse informants.
The filings called Ogrod's conviction a "gross miscarriage of justice" and requested his 1996 conviction be vacated and he be released from prison. Ogrod has spent 23 years on death row for the conviction.
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Earlier this week, the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas rejected defense lawyers' request for an expedited hearing on his case in light of the prosecutors' filings and Ogrod's illness.
Ogrod's attorneys said they're continuing to seek an expedited ruling on his innocence petition.


upi--2020-03-25--Christchurch mosque shooting suspect changes plea to guilty on all 92 counts

March 25 ( UPI ) -- New Zealand mosque shooting suspect Brenton Tarrant on Wednesday changed his plea to guilty on all 92 counts related to the attack that killed 51 people last year .
Tarrant , 29 , pleaded guilty to 51 murder charges , 40 charges of attempted murder and one charge of engaging in a terrorist act in relation to the shootings at Masjid Al Noor and Linwood Islamic Center in Christchurch on March 15 , 2019 .
The court did not immediately set a date for when sentencing on the charges will take place .
Tarrant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a scaled-down hearing in Christchurch High Court .
New Zealand is currently on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic and so the hearing was closed to the public and no victims were invited to attend .
Imam Gamal Fouda of Masjid Al Noor and Imam Alabi Lateef from Linwood Islamic Centre were asked to witness the proceedings .
`` It is regrettable that the COVID-19 restrictions that presently apply do not permit victims and their families to travel to be present in the courtroom when the defendant entered his pleas of guilty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in June pleaded not guilty to the 92 charges and was set to go to trial after Mander said the court had received assessment 's indicating he was mentally fit .

Brenton Tarrant told a court Wednesday that he was the lone gunman in shootings at a pair of New Zealand mosques last year that killed 51 people, after previously pleading not guilty to murder and terrorism charges. Photo by Martin Hunter/EPA-EFE
March 25 (UPI) -- New Zealand mosque shooting suspect Brenton Tarrant on Wednesday changed his plea to guilty on all 92 counts related to the attack that killed 51 people last year. Tarrant, 29, pleaded guilty to 51 murder charges, 40 charges of attempted murder and one charge of engaging in a terrorist act in relation to the shootings at Masjid Al Noor and Linwood Islamic Center in Christchurch on March 15, 2019. Advertisement
The court did not immediately set a date for when sentencing on the charges will take place.
Tarrant entered his plea over an audio-visual link to a scaled-down hearing in Christchurch High Court.
New Zealand is currently on lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic and so the hearing was closed to the public and no victims were invited to attend. Imam Gamal Fouda of Masjid Al Noor and Imam Alabi Lateef from Linwood Islamic Centre were asked to witness the proceedings.
"It is regrettable that the COVID-19 restrictions that presently apply do not permit victims and their families to travel to be present in the courtroom when the defendant entered his pleas of guilty," Judge Cameron Mander said.
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On Thursday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the guilty may provide some relief for those whose "lives were shattered by what happened on March 15."
"These guilty pleas and conviction bring accountability for what happened and also save the families who lost loved ones, those who were injured and other witnesses, the ordeal of a trial," she said in a statement.
Tarrant in June pleaded not guilty to the 92 charges and was set to go to trial after Mander said the court had received assessment's indicating he was mentally fit.


upi--2020-03-25--'Crip Camp' subjects have become disability rights activists

LOS ANGELES , March 25 ( UPI ) -- The documentary Crip Camp : A Disability Revolution begins by chronicling a summer at Camp Jened , a Rock Hill , N.Y. , camp that serves people with disabilities .
In catching up with campers , directors Jim Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham found some Jened veterans were key activists in the disability rights movement .
Judy Heumann went to Camp Jened in the early '70s .
In 1977 , she led a sit-in at the Health , Education and Welfare office in San Francisco , Calif. , to demand Secretary Joseph @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rehabilitation Act .
Without 504 , nothing prohibited public institutions , universities or federal agencies from discriminating against disabled people .
After 25 days of the sit-in , Califano completed Section 504 .
Heumann next turned her attention to the Americans with Disabilities Act , which George H.W .
Bush signed into law in 1990 .
The ADA requires accessibility options for people with disabilities and prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability .
Lebrecht went to Camp Jened with Heumann .
`` I had a crush on her at the age of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a phone interview .
`` She was very powerful and she was very persuasive . ''
Lebrecht did not become aware of Heumann 's political activism until later in life .
In profiling her fight for rights for the disabled , Lebrecht recognized how Heumann and other activists forced the establishment to listen .
By gathering disabled people in the HEW office , she forced politicians to see them .
`` When people are n't listening , you have to find different ways to make it impossible for them to ignore you , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you 're going to make them uncomfortable because they 're making your life impossible . ''
Former Camp Jened campers joined the sit-in and made Califano uncomfortable by going on a hunger strike .
Lebrecht articulates in the film the risks involved with sitting in for days and weeks , notably quadriplegics unable to turn themselves over during the night , people separated from their caretakers and people without backup ventilators and catheters .
Newnham saw that disabled people were engaged in other social justice movements .
The disabled people in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Movement were able to unite them with the disability rights movement .
`` The disability rights movement gained steam partially because it was sitting at the intersection of all these different communities , '' Newnham said .
`` We hope that that model -- of people coming together across difference and refusing to accept oppression or inequity -- serves as a model for how you might move forward today . ''
Camp Jened was in session from the '60s until 1977 , and it catered to campers excluded from other activities .
Lebrecht @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scouts would not let him join .
He spent four years at Jened , three as a camper and one working in the kitchen .
The term `` crip camp '' is never said in the film .
Lebrecht says the disabled community uses the term `` crip '' among itself to reclaim an insult that abled people might use against them .
`` It also gave us a pretty good shorthand , '' Lebrecht said .
`` Instead of saying , 'Do you know if there 's any handicapped parking spots outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , 'Do you know there are any crip spots outside that movie theater ? '
'' Crip Camp is Lebrecht 's first film as a director .
He has worked as a sound designer and mixer since 1990 .
He mixed Newnham 's three previous films and pitched her ideas for films they could do to better represent the disabled community .
`` When he showed me the pictures of Camp Jened , I felt like I was going down a rabbit hole into another world , '' Newnham said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ footage out there .
We tracked it down to see if there was some way that we could filmically bring Camp Jened back to life . ''
The People 's Video Theater , a group of local videographers , spent a summer filming Camp Jened for a local news segment about an outbreak of crabs when the sexually transmitted disease spread at the camp .
Lebrecht and Newnham helped them digitize their footage , with which the filmmakers were able to recreate a summer at Camp Jened .
Newnham hopes she and Lebrecht @ @ @ @ @ @ @ footage to tell other stories intersecting with the disability movement .
`` They have amazing footage of working in Greenwich Village and working in the women 's rights movement , '' Newnham said .
`` They actually shot that footage that you saw in our film of what it looked like to try to take public transportation at the time back in New York . ''
The filmmakers followed up with other Camp Jened veterans besides Heumann .
Neil Jacobson and Denise Sherer fell in love at Camp Jened and got married .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ be told in another film .
`` Neil Jacobson became a vice president of Wells Fargo and he and Denise adopted a child , '' Newnham said .
`` They were fighting a lot of discrimination about adopting a child as parents with disabilities .
There 's just a lot of beautiful stories in how people continued to build their chosen lives post Camp Jened . ''

1/4
Camp Jened put on summer programs exclusively for people with disabilities. Photo courtesy of Netflix
LOS ANGELES, March 25 (UPI) -- The documentary Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution begins by chronicling a summer at Camp Jened, a Rock Hill, N.Y., camp that serves people with disabilities. In catching up with campers, directors Jim Lebrecht and Nicole Newnham found some Jened veterans were key activists in the disability rights movement. Judy Heumann went to Camp Jened in the early '70s. In 1977, she led a sit-in at the Health, Education and Welfare office in San Francisco, Calif., to demand Secretary Joseph Califano finalize Section 504 of 1973's Rehabilitation Act. Without 504, nothing prohibited public institutions, universities or federal agencies from discriminating against disabled people. Advertisement
After 25 days of the sit-in, Califano completed Section 504. Heumann next turned her attention to the Americans with Disabilities Act, which George H.W. Bush signed into law in 1990. The ADA requires accessibility options for people with disabilities and prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Lebrecht went to Camp Jened with Heumann.
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"I had a crush on her at the age of 15," Lebrecht told UPI in a phone interview. "She was very powerful and she was very persuasive."
Lebrecht did not become aware of Heumann's political activism until later in life. In profiling her fight for rights for the disabled, Lebrecht recognized how Heumann and other activists forced the establishment to listen. By gathering disabled people in the HEW office, she forced politicians to see them.
"When people aren't listening, you have to find different ways to make it impossible for them to ignore you," Lebrecht said. "They realize that you're going to make them uncomfortable because they're making your life impossible."
Former Camp Jened campers joined the sit-in and made Califano uncomfortable by going on a hunger strike. Lebrecht articulates in the film the risks involved with sitting in for days and weeks, notably quadriplegics unable to turn themselves over during the night, people separated from their caretakers and people without backup ventilators and catheters.
Newnham saw that disabled people were engaged in other social justice movements. The disabled people in the women's movement and the Civil Rights Movement were able to unite them with the disability rights movement.
"The disability rights movement gained steam partially because it was sitting at the intersection of all these different communities," Newnham said. "We hope that that model -- of people coming together across difference and refusing to accept oppression or inequity -- serves as a model for how you might move forward today."
Advertisement
Camp Jened was in session from the '60s until 1977, and it catered to campers excluded from other activities. Lebrecht says in the film that the Cub Scouts would not let him join. He spent four years at Jened, three as a camper and one working in the kitchen.
The term "crip camp" is never said in the film. Lebrecht says the disabled community uses the term "crip" among itself to reclaim an insult that abled people might use against them.
"It also gave us a pretty good shorthand," Lebrecht said. "Instead of saying, 'Do you know if there's any handicapped parking spots outside the movie theater?' You'd say, 'Do you know there are any crip spots outside that movie theater?'"
Crip Camp is Lebrecht's first film as a director. He has worked as a sound designer and mixer since 1990. He mixed Newnham's three previous films and pitched her ideas for films they could do to better represent the disabled community.
"When he showed me the pictures of Camp Jened, I felt like I was going down a rabbit hole into another world," Newnham said. "Then he told me there might be footage out there. We tracked it down to see if there was some way that we could filmically bring Camp Jened back to life."
Advertisement
The People's Video Theater, a group of local videographers, spent a summer filming Camp Jened for a local news segment about an outbreak of crabs when the sexually transmitted disease spread at the camp. Lebrecht and Newnham helped them digitize their footage, with which the filmmakers were able to recreate a summer at Camp Jened.
Newnham hopes she and Lebrecht can use the People's Video Theater footage to tell other stories intersecting with the disability movement.
"They have amazing footage of working in Greenwich Village and working in the women's rights movement," Newnham said. "They actually shot that footage that you saw in our film of what it looked like to try to take public transportation at the time back in New York."
The filmmakers followed up with other Camp Jened veterans besides Heumann. Neil Jacobson and Denise Sherer fell in love at Camp Jened and got married. Newnham feels more of their story could be told in another film.
"Neil Jacobson became a vice president of Wells Fargo and he and Denise adopted a child," Newnham said. "They were fighting a lot of discrimination about adopting a child as parents with disabilities. There's just a lot of beautiful stories in how people continued to build their chosen lives post Camp Jened."
Advertisement
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution premieres Wednesday on Netflix.


upi--2020-03-25--Navy awards Gulf Island Shipyards $129.9M for towing, salvage and rescue ships

March 25 ( UPI ) -- Gulf Island Shipyards received a $ 129.9 million contract modification to construct two additional @ @ @ @ @ ships ( T-ATS ) for the Navy , the Department of Defense announced Wednesday .
@ @ @ @ @ which modifies a deal originally made in March 2018 , also funds the performance of @ @ @ @ @ options for support efforts related to ship design and construction for special studies , engineering @ @ @ @ @ items orders , item identification and data rights licensing .
The original contract includes options @ @ @ @ @ value to $ 522.7 million .
Work on the contract is expected to be complete @ @ @ @

The Military Sea-Lift Command fleet ocean tug USNS Navajo passes the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Boutwell in the San Diego Bay near the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson. The Navy has awarded a $129.9 million contract to Gulf Island Shipyards for two additional towing, salvage and rescue ships. Photo by D’Andre L. Roden/U.S. Navy
March 25 (UPI) -- Gulf Island Shipyards received a $129.9 million contract modification to construct two additional towing, salvage and rescue ships (T-ATS) for the Navy, the Department of Defense announced Wednesday. This week's contract, which modifies a deal originally made in March 2018, also funds the performance of unique item identification and includes options for support efforts related to ship design and construction for special studies, engineering and industrial services, provisioned items orders, item identification and data rights licensing. Advertisement
The original contract includes options that could increase its total value to $522.7 million.
Work on the contract is expected to be complete by October 2022.


upi--2020-03-25--Mark Esper issues 60-day overseas stop movement order for U.S. military

March 25 ( UPI ) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has enacted a 60-day stop movement order for all uniformed service members and their families as well as civilian service members stationed overseas , the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday .
The measure is intended to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus and to `` protect U.S. personnel and preserve the operational readiness of our global force , '' said a Pentagon statement sent to UPI .
`` Building upon previously enacted movement restrictions governing foreign travel , permanent change of station moves , temporary duty and personal leave , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exercises , deployments , redeployments and other global force management activities , '' the statement said .
The order impacts an estimated 90,000 service members who are either slated to deploy or redeploy over the next 60 days .
The order includes some conditions under which exceptions can be granted .
They include : travel by patients and medical providers for treatment ; scheduled deployments or redeployments of U.S. Navy vessels and embarked units ; individuals who have already initiated travel .
Troops whose temporary duty assignment ends while the order is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home station , according to the Pentagon .
Other exceptions may be granted on a case by case basis , including situations where travel `` is deemed mission essential , humanitarian in nature or warranted due to extreme hardship . ''
The statement also said the order `` is not expected to impact the continued drawdown of U.S. forces from Afghanistan , which is scheduled to be complete within 135 days following the signed agreement . ''
Troop rotations into and out of Afghanistan had already been paused amid the pandemic .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pause troop rotations into and out of Afghanistan in order to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus , placing individuals leaving and individuals returning in screening facilities for 14 days .
Earlier in March , the Pentagon restricted domestic travel for military members and their families due to the coronavirus .
Pentagon officials said Wednesday they believe the pandemic will continue to grow for the next three weeks , but that the department has not able to model further than that .
`` It 's a worrisome narrative when we try to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should question the guidance that 's being given out , or there 's some reason why we should pull apart a shared approach to this , '' said Joint Staff Surgeon Brig .
Gen. Paul Friedrichs at a press briefing at the Pentagon .
`` I do n't think it matters what day things start to get better .
What matters is what we 're doing right now to mitigate this outbreak . ''

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper delivers remarks on the COVID-19 pandemic as President Donald Trump looks on in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, D.C. Photo Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
March 25 (UPI) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has enacted a 60-day stop movement order for all uniformed service members and their families as well as civilian service members stationed overseas, the Pentagon confirmed Wednesday. The measure is intended to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus and to "protect U.S. personnel and preserve the operational readiness of our global force," said a Pentagon statement sent to UPI. Advertisement
"Building upon previously enacted movement restrictions governing foreign travel, permanent change of station moves, temporary duty and personal leave, this stop movement order will also impact exercises, deployments, redeployments and other global force management activities," the statement said.
The order impacts an estimated 90,000 service members who are either slated to deploy or redeploy over the next 60 days.
The order includes some conditions under which exceptions can be granted.
They include: travel by patients and medical providers for treatment; scheduled deployments or redeployments of U.S. Navy vessels and embarked units; individuals who have already initiated travel.
Troops whose temporary duty assignment ends while the order is in effect are authorized to return to their home station, according to the Pentagon.
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Other exceptions may be granted on a case by case basis, including situations where travel "is deemed mission essential, humanitarian in nature or warranted due to extreme hardship."
The statement also said the order "is not expected to impact the continued drawdown of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, which is scheduled to be complete within 135 days following the signed agreement."
Troop rotations into and out of Afghanistan had already been paused amid the pandemic.
Last week NATO Resolute Support announced it would pause troop rotations into and out of Afghanistan in order to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus, placing individuals leaving and individuals returning in screening facilities for 14 days.
Earlier in March, the Pentagon restricted domestic travel for military members and their families due to the coronavirus.
Pentagon officials said Wednesday they believe the pandemic will continue to grow for the next three weeks, but that the department has not able to model further than that.
"It's a worrisome narrative when we try to say there's some reason that we should question the guidance that's being given out, or there's some reason why we should pull apart a shared approach to this," said Joint Staff Surgeon Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs at a press briefing at the Pentagon. "I don't think it matters what day things start to get better. What matters is what we're doing right now to mitigate this outbreak."


upi--2020-03-25--Longer social distancing period may delay second wave of COVID-19

March 25 ( UPI ) -- A phased return to normalcy and relaxing of social distancing measures may delay the expected second wave of COVID-19 infections in the United States , suggests an analysis from Wuhan , China , where the new coronavirus pandemic began .
Published Wednesday in the journal The Lancet Public Health , the modeling study looked at the outbreak in the central Chinese city in which lockdown measures were introduced in late January .
With rates of new infections in the region slowing dramatically in recent weeks , officials in China have revealed plans to begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and public gatherings , reopening transit hubs , restaurants and other businesses .
However , the new findings suggest that by removing these outbreak containment safeguards now , the country risks seeing a second wave of COVID-19 infections as soon as late August , increasing the burden on its already beleaguered healthcare system .
Waiting until April to dial back the restrictions could postpone this second wave until October , researchers said .
`` The unprecedented measures the city of Wuhan has put in place to reduce social contacts in school and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' study co-author Dr. Kiesha Prem , a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , said in a press release .
`` However , the city now needs to be really careful to avoid prematurely lifting physical distancing measures , because that could lead to an earlier secondary peak in cases .
But if they relax the restrictions gradually , this is likely to both delay and flatten the peak . ''
The findings could be viewed as a warning for the United States , where several cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools to stem the spread of the virus .
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he hopes the country will be `` opened up and just raring to go by Easter '' -- April 12 -- but the hardest-hit parts of the country might not allow for that .
On Wednesday , New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said at a press briefing that the state has seen the number of new COVID-19 cases double every three days , even though most residents have been told to stay at home since March 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue for two to three weeks , even with social distancing in place .
U.S. experts also have warned that relaxing restrictions too soon could result in a second wave of new cases , increasing demand on New York state 's healthcare system before it has had time to recover from the first .
For the study , the researchers developed a disease transmission model to quantify the impact of school and workplace closures using information about how often people of different ages mix with each other in various locations .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on outbreak control by estimating the number of human-to-human contacts per day by age group at various locations .
Using the latest data on the spread of COVID-19 in Wuhan and the rest of China , the researchers compared the effect of three scenarios : no interventions and no holidays ; no physical distancing measures but winter school break and Lunar New Year holidays as normal ; and intense control measures with school closed and only about 10 percent of the workforce -- healthcare personnel , police and other essential government staff -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approach is the one that has been used in Wuhan .
The findings suggest that while the normal school winter break and Lunar New Year holidays would have had little impact on outbreak progression had schools and workplaces opened as usual .
More extreme measures designed to reduce contacts at school and work likely have a much larger effect by holding down case numbers and the size of the epidemic peak , the researchers said .
The effects of these distancing measures , which also might delay the epidemic 's peak seem to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reductions in new cases among schoolchildren and the elderly , and the lowest among working-age adults .
the study said .
However , once these interventions are relaxed , case numbers can be expected to rise .
If the staggered return to work commences in Wuhan at the beginning of April , it 's possible the city could reduce the median number of new infections by 24 percent up to the end of 2020 , the authors said .
Still , they caution that given large uncertainties around estimates of the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to infect , and how long a person is infected on average , the true impact of relaxing physical distancing measures can not be predicted precisely .
`` Our results wo n't look exactly the same in another country , because the population structure and the way people mix will be different , '' said co-author Dr. Yang Liu , a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine .
`` But we think one thing probably applies everywhere : Physical distancing measures are very useful , and we need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsequent waves of infection when workers and school children return to their normal routine .
If those waves come too quickly , that could overwhelm health systems . ''

A woman jogs past an empty parking lot at Zuma Beach in Los Angeles on Monday. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
March 25 (UPI) -- A phased return to normalcy and relaxing of social distancing measures may delay the expected second wave of COVID-19 infections in the United States, suggests an analysis from Wuhan, China, where the new coronavirus pandemic began. Published Wednesday in the journal The Lancet Public Health, the modeling study looked at the outbreak in the central Chinese city in which lockdown measures were introduced in late January. Advertisement
With rates of new infections in the region slowing dramatically in recent weeks, officials in China have revealed plans to begin this month rolling back restrictions on movement and public gatherings, reopening transit hubs, restaurants and other businesses.
However, the new findings suggest that by removing these outbreak containment safeguards now, the country risks seeing a second wave of COVID-19 infections as soon as late August, increasing the burden on its already beleaguered healthcare system.
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Waiting until April to dial back the restrictions could postpone this second wave until October, researchers said.
"The unprecedented measures the city of Wuhan has put in place to reduce social contacts in school and the workplace have helped to control the outbreak," study co-author Dr. Kiesha Prem, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said in a press release.
"However, the city now needs to be really careful to avoid prematurely lifting physical distancing measures, because that could lead to an earlier secondary peak in cases. But if they relax the restrictions gradually, this is likely to both delay and flatten the peak."
The findings could be viewed as a warning for the United States, where several cities have introduced social distancing measures and closed schools to stem the spread of the virus.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he hopes the country will be "opened up and just raring to go by Easter" -- April 12 -- but the hardest-hit parts of the country might not allow for that.
On Wednesday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a press briefing that the state has seen the number of new COVID-19 cases double every three days, even though most residents have been told to stay at home since March 15.
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Cuomo said he expects this trend to continue for two to three weeks, even with social distancing in place.
U.S. experts also have warned that relaxing restrictions too soon could result in a second wave of new cases, increasing demand on New York state's healthcare system before it has had time to recover from the first.
For the study, the researchers developed a disease transmission model to quantify the impact of school and workplace closures using information about how often people of different ages mix with each other in various locations.
They then assessed the effects of the closures on outbreak control by estimating the number of human-to-human contacts per day by age group at various locations.
Using the latest data on the spread of COVID-19 in Wuhan and the rest of China, the researchers compared the effect of three scenarios: no interventions and no holidays; no physical distancing measures but winter school break and Lunar New Year holidays as normal; and intense control measures with school closed and only about 10 percent of the workforce -- healthcare personnel, police and other essential government staff -- on the job. The 10 percent approach is the one that has been used in Wuhan.
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The findings suggest that while the normal school winter break and Lunar New Year holidays would have had little impact on outbreak progression had schools and workplaces opened as usual.
More extreme measures designed to reduce contacts at school and work likely have a much larger effect by holding down case numbers and the size of the epidemic peak, the researchers said.
The effects of these distancing measures, which also might delay the epidemic's peak seem to vary by age, with the greatest reductions in new cases among schoolchildren and the elderly, and the lowest among working-age adults. the study said.
However, once these interventions are relaxed, case numbers can be expected to rise. If the staggered return to work commences in Wuhan at the beginning of April, it's possible the city could reduce the median number of new infections by 24 percent up to the end of 2020, the authors said.
Still, they caution that given large uncertainties around estimates of the number of people an individual with the virus is likely to infect, and how long a person is infected on average, the true impact of relaxing physical distancing measures cannot be predicted precisely.
"Our results won't look exactly the same in another country, because the population structure and the way people mix will be different," said co-author Dr. Yang Liu, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
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"But we think one thing probably applies everywhere: Physical distancing measures are very useful, and we need to carefully adjust their lifting to avoid subsequent waves of infection when workers and school children return to their normal routine. If those waves come too quickly, that could overwhelm health systems."


upi--2020-03-25--Dallas Cowboys agree to terms with veteran DT Dontari Poe

March 25 ( UPI ) -- In another effort to boost their defensive line , the Dallas Cowboys are finalizing an agreement with veteran defensive tackle Dontari Poe .
League sources told NFL Media and USA Today Sports on Wednesday that Poe and the Cowboys have agreed to basic terms on a contract .
Financial details of the deal were n't disclosed .
Poe will become the Cowboys ' second veteran defensive tackle acquisition in this year 's free agency signing period .
Last week , Dallas agreed to terms with All-Pro defensive lineman Gerald McCoy on a three-year contract @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Both Poe and McCoy spent last season with the Carolina Panthers .
Poe played in 11 games ( 10 starts ) in 2019 , notching 22 total tackles and four sacks before suffering a season-ending torn quadriceps in Week 12 .
The Kansas City Chiefs selected Poe in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Memphis .
He spent five seasons in Kansas City ( 2012-16 ) before playing one year with the Atlanta Falcons ( 2017 ) .
He initially joined the Panthers on a three-year deal in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Carolina .
In 121 career games between the Chiefs , Falcons and Panthers , Poe has totaled 278 combined tackles , 20.5 sacks and 14 passes defensed .
He is a two-time Pro Bowl selection ( 2013-14 ) and was named second-team All-Pro in 2013 .

Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Dontari Poe (92) will become the team's second veteran defensive tackle acquisition in free agency. The Cowboys previously agreed to a deal with Gerald McCoy. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
March 25 (UPI) -- In another effort to boost their defensive line, the Dallas Cowboys are finalizing an agreement with veteran defensive tackle Dontari Poe. League sources told NFL Media and USA Today Sports on Wednesday that Poe and the Cowboys have agreed to basic terms on a contract. Financial details of the deal weren't disclosed. Advertisement
Poe will become the Cowboys' second veteran defensive tackle acquisition in this year's free agency signing period. Last week, Dallas agreed to terms with All-Pro defensive lineman Gerald McCoy on a three-year contract worth up to $18.3 million.
Both Poe and McCoy spent last season with the Carolina Panthers. Poe played in 11 games (10 starts) in 2019, notching 22 total tackles and four sacks before suffering a season-ending torn quadriceps in Week 12.
The Kansas City Chiefs selected Poe in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft out of Memphis. He spent five seasons in Kansas City (2012-16) before playing one year with the Atlanta Falcons (2017). He initially joined the Panthers on a three-year deal in March 2018 and spent the last two seasons in Carolina.
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In 121 career games between the Chiefs, Falcons and Panthers, Poe has totaled 278 combined tackles, 20.5 sacks and 14 passes defensed. He is a two-time Pro Bowl selection (2013-14) and was named second-team All-Pro in 2013.


upi--2020-03-25--Early spring snow to blanket Colorado, Wyoming

The same storm poised to unleash severe weather over the Mississippi Valley late this week will have a cold side and unload snow over portions of the central Rockies and adjacent High Plains .
For snow to accumulate on roads during late March , it must fall at a fast pace or do so when road surface temperatures are low .
Even when the sun is not visible during the day in late March , enough rays are getting through the clouds to warm any paved and concrete surfaces that are exposed .
`` The most likely , but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be during the nighttime and early morning hours , '' AccuWeather senior meteorologist Brett Anderson said .
`` That is likely to be the case with this storm , and motorists should be prepared for travel delays along portions of the Interstate 25 , 70 and 80 corridors , '' Anderson said .
Roads may be primarily wet in downtown Denver , but bridges and overpasses in the area and higher elevations outside of the city can become slushy and slippery at a faster pace .
`` A general 1-3 inches of snow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nebraska and east-central Wyoming , '' Anderson said .
`` From 1 to 3 inches is likely in the Denver downtown area , but higher snowfall is forecast for the foothills to the west , the Palmer Divide to the south and along the Wyoming border , including the Cheyenne , Wyoming , area , '' Anderson added .
An AccuWeather Local StormMax of 12 inches is forecast for the high country of the northern Colorado Rockies and the mountains west of Cheyenne .
Long-term residents in Denver and Cheyenne and other towns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Rockies and High Plains know that it is too early to put away snow shovels and plows during late March and even April .
Snow is a fairly common occurrence during the spring along the Front Range of the Rockies .
A large part of the annual snowfall tends to occur on either end of the winter season , in the fall then later in the spring .
Denver picks up an average of 56 inches of snow annually but only experiences about 6 inches of snow , on average , during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March and April ( 18 inches ) than January and February combined ( 13 inches ) at the Mile High City .
During the middle of the winter , it is plenty cold enough for snow , but the storm track and ample moisture are typically well south of the region .
It is when the jet stream , or storm track , is relatively nearby , that there is enough moisture around to bring big snow events .
Temperatures low enough for snow are not usually a problem during the autumn and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say the Mississippi Valley or the Atlantic coast .
This is because when air blows uphill from the lower Plains to the foothills and Rocky Mountains it cools considerably .
Temperatures can plummet by 20 , 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit or more with an easterly or northeasterly wind , following a day with high temperatures in the 50s and 60s .
In the case of Denver this week , following high temperatures in the middle 60s on Wednesday and Thursday , the storm will cap temperatures to no higher than near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by plummeting temperatures and snow by Friday night .

The same storm poised to unleash severe weather over the Mississippi Valley late this week will have a cold side and unload snow over portions of the central Rockies and adjacent High Plains.
For snow to accumulate on roads during late March, it must fall at a fast pace or do so when road surface temperatures are low. Even when the sun is not visible during the day in late March, enough rays are getting through the clouds to warm any paved and concrete surfaces that are exposed.
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"The most likely, but not only, time for slippery conditions will be during the nighttime and early morning hours," AccuWeather senior meteorologist Brett Anderson said.
"That is likely to be the case with this storm, and motorists should be prepared for travel delays along portions of the Interstate 25, 70 and 80 corridors," Anderson said.
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Roads may be primarily wet in downtown Denver, but bridges and overpasses in the area and higher elevations outside of the city can become slushy and slippery at a faster pace.
"A general 1-3 inches of snow is forecast from northeastern Colorado to western Nebraska and east-central Wyoming," Anderson said.
"From 1 to 3 inches is likely in the Denver downtown area, but higher snowfall is forecast for the foothills to the west, the Palmer Divide to the south and along the Wyoming border, including the Cheyenne, Wyoming, area," Anderson added.
An AccuWeather Local StormMax of 12 inches is forecast for the high country of the northern Colorado Rockies and the mountains west of Cheyenne.
Long-term residents in Denver and Cheyenne and other towns and cities along the eastern slopes of the Rockies and High Plains know that it is too early to put away snow shovels and plows during late March and even April.
Snow is a fairly common occurrence during the spring along the Front Range of the Rockies. A large part of the annual snowfall tends to occur on either end of the winter season, in the fall then later in the spring.
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Denver picks up an average of 56 inches of snow annually but only experiences about 6 inches of snow, on average, during February. More snow typically falls during March and April (18 inches) than January and February combined (13 inches) at the Mile High City.
During the middle of the winter, it is plenty cold enough for snow, but the storm track and ample moisture are typically well south of the region. It is when the jet stream, or storm track, is relatively nearby, that there is enough moisture around to bring big snow events.
Temperatures low enough for snow are not usually a problem during the autumn and spring in the region, when compared to say the Mississippi Valley or the Atlantic coast. This is because when air blows uphill from the lower Plains to the foothills and Rocky Mountains it cools considerably. Temperatures can plummet by 20, 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit or more with an easterly or northeasterly wind, following a day with high temperatures in the 50s and 60s.
In the case of Denver this week, following high temperatures in the middle 60s on Wednesday and Thursday, the storm will cap temperatures to no higher than near the 50-degree mark on Friday, followed by plummeting temperatures and snow by Friday night.


upi--2020-03-25--Cincinnati Bengals to sign former New Orleans Saints S Vonn Bell

March 25 ( UPI ) -- The Cincinnati Bengals and ex-New Orleans Saints safety Vonn Bell reached an agreement on a multiyear contract Wednesday .
League sources told ESPN and NFL Media that Bell agreed to a three-year , $ 18 million deal with the Bengals .
The team has yet to confirm the agreement .
Bell , 25 , has shown signs of improvement since the Saints selected him in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Ohio State .
When healthy , he was an every-down player for the Saints in 2019 .
In 13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career high with 89 total tackles and nabbed the first interception of his NFL career .
He also led the league with five fumble recoveries in the regular season before adding a sixth recovery in the Saints ' postseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings .
Despite Bell 's increased production over the past few seasons , he became expendable because of the Saints ' tight salary-cap space and the emergence of second-year safety C.J .
Gardner-Johnson .
Since entering the league in 2016 , Bell has recorded 348 total tackles , eight sacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 61 career games with the Saints .

Former New Orleans Saints safety Vonn Bell tied his career high with 89 tackles last season. File Photo by AJ Sisco/UPI | License Photo
March 25 (UPI) -- The Cincinnati Bengals and ex-New Orleans Saints safety Vonn Bell reached an agreement on a multiyear contract Wednesday. League sources told ESPN and NFL Media that Bell agreed to a three-year, $18 million deal with the Bengals. The team has yet to confirm the agreement. Advertisement
Bell, 25, has shown signs of improvement since the Saints selected him in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft out of Ohio State. When healthy, he was an every-down player for the Saints in 2019.
In 13 games last season, Bell tied his career high with 89 total tackles and nabbed the first interception of his NFL career. He also led the league with five fumble recoveries in the regular season before adding a sixth recovery in the Saints' postseason loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Despite Bell's increased production over the past few seasons, he became expendable because of the Saints' tight salary-cap space and the emergence of second-year safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Since entering the league in 2016, Bell has recorded 348 total tackles, eight sacks, one pick and 14 passes defensed in 61 career games with the Saints.


upi--2020-03-25--Islamic State Beatles: British should've sought death penalty assurance from U.S., court says

March 25 ( UPI ) -- The British Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the British government acted unlawfully when it decided not to pursue assurances from the United States that it would n't seek the death penalty for two Islamic State fighters .
The case concerns two British-born militants , El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey , known in some circles as the Islamic State Beatles .
Kurdish fighters caught the two men in February 2018 during fighting in Syria .
The United States and Britain negotiated which country should prosecute the two men for terror-related crimes .
The men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ October .
But the British high court said Home Secretary Sajid Javid should have sought an assurance from the United States that it would n't consider the death penalty as a punishment for the men .
Britain abolished the death penalty in 1998 , but the United States still uses the form of punishment .
`` The most fundamental of the rights protected by the European convention [ on human rights ] is the right to life .
This is an absolute right , not qualified by the possibility of restrictions or interferences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ' '' the judgment by Justice Brenda Hale read .
Elsheikh and Kotey are suspected of operating a four-man Islamic State cell that sought to abduct and kill Westerners , including American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff .
Their Syria cell drew the nickname `` Islamic State Beatles '' because it included four British-born members , the same number in the legendary rock band that emerged from Liverpool in the early 1960s .

March 25 (UPI) -- The British Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the British government acted unlawfully when it decided not to pursue assurances from the United States that it wouldn't seek the death penalty for two Islamic State fighters.
The case concerns two British-born militants, El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, known in some circles as the Islamic State Beatles. Kurdish fighters caught the two men in February 2018 during fighting in Syria.
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The United States and Britain negotiated which country should prosecute the two men for terror-related crimes. The men were ultimately placed in U.S. custody in October.
But the British high court said Home Secretary Sajid Javid should have sought an assurance from the United States that it wouldn't consider the death penalty as a punishment for the men. Britain abolished the death penalty in 1998, but the United States still uses the form of punishment.
"The most fundamental of the rights protected by the European convention [on human rights] is the right to life. This is an absolute right, not qualified by the possibility of restrictions or interferences which are 'necessary in a democratic society,'" the judgment by Justice Brenda Hale read.
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Elsheikh and Kotey are suspected of operating a four-man Islamic State cell that sought to abduct and kill Westerners, including American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.
Their Syria cell drew the nickname "Islamic State Beatles" because it included four British-born members, the same number in the legendary rock band that emerged from Liverpool in the early 1960s.


upi--2020-03-25--Arizona court upholds Jodi Arias' murder conviction, life sentence

March 25 ( UPI ) -- An Arizona court on Wednesday denied Jodi Arias ' appeals of her 2013 murder conviction and sentence in the killing of her ex-boyfriend .
Arias , 39 , appealed the conviction and sentencing , stating that trial publicity and alleged misconduct by prosecutor Juan Martinez prevented her from receiving a fair trial , leading to her conviction of first-degree murder and life prison sentence .
Judge Jennifer Campbell ruled that while Martinez did act inappropriately , the state presented `` overwhelming evidence '' that Arias was guilty .
`` To be sure , Arias @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state 's devotion , above all else , to the pursuit of justice , but in spite of the prosecutor 's willingness to put self-interest , self-promotion and self-aggrandizement above his duty to maintain the integrity of our judicial system , '' she wrote .
Arias was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 after her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander was found dead in the shower of his Mesa , Ariz. , home .
Arias said she killed him in self-defense .
Her sentencing came two years after her conviction as jurors in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ penalty phase and a judge declared a mistrial after a hung jury .
Campbell ruled that the state was able to provide evidence that the killing was premeditated .
`` The physical evidence presented at trial showed the victim was stabbed 27 times , had his throat cut so deeply he was nearly decapitated and after having succumbed to those injuries was shot in the head , '' she wrote .
`` Arias ' attempts to manufacture an alibi at the time of the victim 's death were confused and immediately unraveled ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the injuries unassisted . ''

The Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the first-degree murder conviction and life prison sentence for Jodi Arias in the killing of her ex-boyfriend, saying that the state proved overwhelmingly that the killing was premeditated. File Photo by Rob Schumacher/Arizona Republic/Pool/UPI | License Photo
March 25 (UPI) -- An Arizona court on Wednesday denied Jodi Arias' appeals of her 2013 murder conviction and sentence in the killing of her ex-boyfriend. Arias, 39, appealed the conviction and sentencing, stating that trial publicity and alleged misconduct by prosecutor Juan Martinez prevented her from receiving a fair trial, leading to her conviction of first-degree murder and life prison sentence. Advertisement
Judge Jennifer Campbell ruled that while Martinez did act inappropriately, the state presented "overwhelming evidence" that Arias was guilty.
"To be sure, Arias' conviction stands today not because of the state's devotion, above all else, to the pursuit of justice, but in spite of the prosecutor's willingness to put self-interest, self-promotion and self-aggrandizement above his duty to maintain the integrity of our judicial system," she wrote.
Arias was sentenced to life in prison in 2015 after her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander was found dead in the shower of his Mesa, Ariz., home. Arias said she killed him in self-defense.
Her sentencing came two years after her conviction as jurors in the initial trial were deadlocked in the penalty phase and a judge declared a mistrial after a hung jury.
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Campbell ruled that the state was able to provide evidence that the killing was premeditated.
"The physical evidence presented at trial showed the victim was stabbed 27 times, had his throat cut so deeply he was nearly decapitated and after having succumbed to those injuries was shot in the head," she wrote. "Arias' attempts to manufacture an alibi at the time of the victim's death were confused and immediately unraveled; she then admitted having inflicted the entirety of the injuries unassisted."


upi--2020-03-25--Study: New imaging technology tops ECG for irregular heartbeat diagnosis

March 25 ( UPI ) -- A new ultrasound imaging approach may help improve diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmia , or irregular heartbeat , a new study suggests .
In findings published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine , researchers from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Cardiac Electrophysiology Laboratory at Columbia University Medical Center demonstrated electromechanical wave imaging , a non-invasive approach that uses ultrasound to detect changes in heart contractions , was more than 96 percent accurate in spotting irregular heartbeat .
In comparison , electrocardiogram , or ECG , which is currently the most commonly used approach in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated to have a 71 percent accuracy .
`` Using electromechanical wave imaging as a clinical visualization tool in conjunction with ECG could improve planning discussions with patients about treatment options and pre-procedural planning , as well as potentially reducing redundant ablation sites , prolonged procedures and anesthesia times , '' co-author Dr. Elisa E. Konofagou , a professor of biomedical engineering and radiology at Columbia University , told UPI .
According to the American Heart Association , millions of people in the United States live with arrythmias , including tachycardia and atrial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million Americans have A-Fib .
Arrythmias can be controlled with medication , or treated with surgery , like catheter ablation , in which the tissue causing the irregular heartbeat is removed .
Surgeons may also recommend the implantation of a device designed to control heartbeat , typically a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator .
Study co-author Dr. Elaine Wan , a cardiologist at Columbia University Medical Center , told UPI that the current approach for diagnosing arrythmias , ECG , which has been used since the 19th century , uses invasive catheterization to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the procedure can also take several hours to complete .
ECGs are also subject to interpretation from the test operator , meaning that clinicians can end up with inconsistent results and diagnoses .
After first testing electromechanical wave imaging in dogs , the researchers tested the approach in 55 patients with cardiac arrythmias , including those caused Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome , atrial tachycardia and premature ventricular complexes .
The scientists found that by performing electromechanical wave imaging in all four chambers of the heart , they were able construct three-dimensional maps that revealed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the arrhythmia in study participants .
`` We were able to show that not only does our imaging method work in difficult cases of arrhythmia , but that it can also predict the optimal site of radiofrequency ablation before the procedure where there is no other imaging tool available to do that in the clinic , '' Konofagou said .
The next steps , Wan said , are to see if the method can reduce procedure time , patient risk and improve outcomes .

Researchers have found that a new, non-invasive approach to heart imaging can improve diagnosis of irregular heartbeat. File photo by hamiltonpaviana/Pixabay
March 25 (UPI) -- A new ultrasound imaging approach may help improve diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, a new study suggests. In findings published Wednesday in Science Translational Medicine, researchers from the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Cardiac Electrophysiology Laboratory at Columbia University Medical Center demonstrated electromechanical wave imaging, a non-invasive approach that uses ultrasound to detect changes in heart contractions, was more than 96 percent accurate in spotting irregular heartbeat. Advertisement
In comparison, electrocardiogram, or ECG, which is currently the most commonly used approach in the diagnosis of arrhythmia, has been estimated to have a 71 percent accuracy.
"Using electromechanical wave imaging as a clinical visualization tool in conjunction with ECG could improve planning discussions with patients about treatment options and pre-procedural planning, as well as potentially reducing redundant ablation sites, prolonged procedures and anesthesia times," co-author Dr. Elisa E. Konofagou, a professor of biomedical engineering and radiology at Columbia University, told UPI.
According to the American Heart Association, millions of people in the United States live with arrythmias, including tachycardia and atrial fibrillation, or A-Fib. Some 3 million Americans have A-Fib.
Arrythmias can be controlled with medication, or treated with surgery, like catheter ablation, in which the tissue causing the irregular heartbeat is removed. Surgeons may also recommend the implantation of a device designed to control heartbeat, typically a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter defibrillator.
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Study co-author Dr. Elaine Wan, a cardiologist at Columbia University Medical Center, told UPI that the current approach for diagnosing arrythmias, ECG, which has been used since the 19th century, uses invasive catheterization to map abnormal heart rhythm. She noted that the procedure can also take several hours to complete.
ECGs are also subject to interpretation from the test operator, meaning that clinicians can end up with inconsistent results and diagnoses.
After first testing electromechanical wave imaging in dogs, the researchers tested the approach in 55 patients with cardiac arrythmias, including those caused Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, atrial tachycardia and premature ventricular complexes.
The scientists found that by performing electromechanical wave imaging in all four chambers of the heart, they were able construct three-dimensional maps that revealed which areas of the organ were causing the arrhythmia in study participants.
"We were able to show that not only does our imaging method work in difficult cases of arrhythmia, but that it can also predict the optimal site of radiofrequency ablation before the procedure where there is no other imaging tool available to do that in the clinic," Konofagou said.
The next steps, Wan said, are to see if the method can reduce procedure time, patient risk and improve outcomes.


upi--2020-03-25--Ndamukong Suh returning to Tampa Bay Buccaneers on one-year deal

March 25 ( UPI ) -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are re-signing five-time Pro Bowl selection Ndamukong Suh to a short-term contract .
League sources told ESPN and NFL Media on Wednesday that Suh agreed to a one-year , $ 8 million contract with the Buccaneers .
The team has yet to confirm the agreement .
Suh , who joined the Bucs on a one-year deal last off-season , was a key part of the team 's top-ranked rushing defense in 2019 .
He recorded 41 total tackles , 2.5 sacks and four passes defensed in 16 games last season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double-teams in the Buccaneers ' new 3-4 defense under coordinator Todd Bowles .
Suh 's 261 snaps while being doubled -- third most in the league behind Aaron Donald and Kenny Clark -- allowed other members of Tampa Bay 's defense to be freed up .
The Buccaneers allowed the fewest rushing yards in the NFL ( 73.8 per game ) and tied for seventh with 47 sacks last season .
The Detroit Lions selected Suh with the No .
2 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft out of Nebraska .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the Lions before playing three years with the Miami Dolphins .
He spent the 2018 season with the Los Angeles Rams before joining the Buccaneers prior to last season .
In 158 career games between the Lions , Dolphins , Rams and Buccaneers , Suh has totaled 520 combined tackles , 58.5 sacks , 36 passes defensed , one interception and one safety .

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh was a key part of the league's No. 1 rushing defense last season. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
March 25 (UPI) -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are re-signing five-time Pro Bowl selection Ndamukong Suh to a short-term contract. League sources told ESPN and NFL Media on Wednesday that Suh agreed to a one-year, $8 million contract with the Buccaneers. The team has yet to confirm the agreement. Advertisement
Suh, who joined the Bucs on a one-year deal last off-season, was a key part of the team's top-ranked rushing defense in 2019. He recorded 41 total tackles, 2.5 sacks and four passes defensed in 16 games last season.
The five-time All-Pro choice faced constant double-teams in the Buccaneers' new 3-4 defense under coordinator Todd Bowles. Suh's 261 snaps while being doubled -- third most in the league behind Aaron Donald and Kenny Clark -- allowed other members of Tampa Bay's defense to be freed up.
The Buccaneers allowed the fewest rushing yards in the NFL (73.8 per game) and tied for seventh with 47 sacks last season.
The Detroit Lions selected Suh with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft out of Nebraska. The 33-year-old interior defensive lineman spent five seasons with the Lions before playing three years with the Miami Dolphins. He spent the 2018 season with the Los Angeles Rams before joining the Buccaneers prior to last season.
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In 158 career games between the Lions, Dolphins, Rams and Buccaneers, Suh has totaled 520 combined tackles, 58.5 sacks, 36 passes defensed, one interception and one safety.


upi--2020-03-25--Dow, S&P rise for second consecutive day, Nasdaq falls ahead of vote on rescue bill

The floor of the New York Stock Exchange is seen at the opening bell on Wall Street in New York City on Friday. World markets on Wednesday reacted positively to the news of agreement on a $2 trillion U.S. stimulus bill. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 25 (UPI) -- Two of the three major U.S. stock indexes closed with gains for two consecutive days for the first time in weeks on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 495.64 points, or 2.39 percent, and the S&P 500 rose 1.15 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite failed to maintain gains from earlier in the day, closing down 0.45 percent. Advertisement
The gains were fueled mostly by the news that the White House and Senate lawmakers agreed on a $2 trillion rescue package to stabilize the U.S. economy as the coronavirus crisis moves forward. The Senate is expected to vote on the bill when it reconvenes Wednesday.
Stocks, however, came down from their highs of the day after presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders said he was prepared to put a hold on the bill "until stronger conditions are imposed on the $500 billion corporate welfare fund."
Boeing stock rose 24 percent, leading the Dow's gains on the day, with a 9.2 percent increase by Nike also leading to its increase. Tech stocks including Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google's parent company alphabet all closed down on the days.
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Wednesday's market surge followed the 2,100-point increase for the Dow on Tuesday, and a historic 8 percent gain for Japan's Nikkei 225 index earlier Wednesday, its largest single-day gain since 2008. The Australian ASX index climbed more than 5 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was up nearly 4 percent.
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said he expects a "very sharp" recession brought on by the disease followed by a quick rebound.
"If there's not too much damage done to the workforce, to the businesses during the shutdown period, however long that may be, then we could see a fairly quick rebound," he told CNBC.
St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard said the impact will be "unparalleled," but short-term.
"Once the virus goes away and if we play our cards right and keep everything intact, then everyone will go back to work and everything will be fine," he said.
U.S. copes with COVID-19 pandemic


upi--2020-03-25--Entire N.J. nursing home presumed to have COVID-19 as U.S. toll hits 900

March 25 ( UPI ) -- Health officials in New Jersey presume all 94 residents at a nursing home in Woodbridge have coronavirus as the United States ' death toll surpassed 900 on Wednesday .
Not all residents at St. Joseph 's Senior Home have been tested for the virus .
Of those who have , 24 have tested positive and the remaining 70 are presumptive positive , health officials told WNBC-TV in New York City .
Medical workers transported all 94 residents to a CareOne nursing facility in Whippany for treatment .
New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facility to take care of all of the residents .
`` The sisters told us on Friday that 12 of their employees were home , feeling ill with respiratory symptoms , '' she told the Middlesex Daily Voice .
`` The sisters were working around the clock to take care of almost 90 residents .
I do n't know how many were there , but when they called us , I can tell you that it was an extreme situation . ''
Woodbridge is just outside New York City , the epicenter for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There have been 44 deaths in New Jersey and at least 192 in New York City , according to figures from Johns Hopkins University .
At least 860 people have died and more than 65,000 have become sick across the country as of Wednesday afternoon .
The United States has the third-highest number of coronavirus cases in the world , next to China and Italy .
That number is expected to go up as both those countries started seeing cases earlier in the year compared to the United States .
The World @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases are likely to rise , there 's still the opportunity for stay-at-home measures to prevent the United States from becoming the next epicenter of the virus .
`` The potential is there , but you 've still got time to turn it around , '' spokeswoman Margaret Harris told CNN .
`` You 've got the best public health brains in the world .
You 've got people who can harness technology brilliantly .
You 've got people who can really think out of the box . ''
States and local jurisdictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country , and the Trump administration is recommending as many people work at home as possible and avoid coming to within 6 feet of others to stem the spread of the virus .
Waffle House , the Georgia-based breakfast food chain , announced Wednesday it closed about one-fifth of its roughly 2,000 restaurants .
The chain , known for staying open even during some natural disasters , is frequently used as a measure for how serious an emergency is .
The restaurant rated its so-called Waffle House Index as `` red '' with @ @ @

1/2
New Jersey Air Guard Airmen from the 108th Wing provide traffic control at a COVID-19 community-based testing site at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, N.J., on Monday. Photo by Master Sgt. Matt Hecht/U.S. Air National Guard | License Photo
March 25 (UPI) -- Health officials in New Jersey presume all 94 residents at a nursing home in Woodbridge have coronavirus as the United States' death toll surpassed 900 on Wednesday. Not all residents at St. Joseph's Senior Home have been tested for the virus. Of those who have, 24 have tested positive and the remaining 70 are presumptive positive, health officials told WNBC-TV in New York City. Advertisement
Medical workers transported all 94 residents to a CareOne nursing facility in Whippany for treatment.
New Jersey Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said three nuns were left at the Woodbridge facility to take care of all of the residents.
"The sisters told us on Friday that 12 of their employees were home, feeling ill with respiratory symptoms," she told the Middlesex Daily Voice.
"The sisters were working around the clock to take care of almost 90 residents. I don't know how many were there, but when they called us, I can tell you that it was an extreme situation."
Woodbridge is just outside New York City, the epicenter for the United States' outbreak of COVID-19. There have been 44 deaths in New Jersey and at least 192 in New York City, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University. At least 860 people have died and more than 65,000 have become sick across the country as of Wednesday afternoon.
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The United States has the third-highest number of coronavirus cases in the world, next to China and Italy. That number is expected to go up as both those countries started seeing cases earlier in the year compared to the United States.
The World Health Organization said that though the U.S. cases are likely to rise, there's still the opportunity for stay-at-home measures to prevent the United States from becoming the next epicenter of the virus.
"The potential is there, but you've still got time to turn it around," spokeswoman Margaret Harris told CNN.
"You've got the best public health brains in the world. You've got people who can harness technology brilliantly. You've got people who can really think out of the box."
States and local jurisdictions have been issuing stay-at-home orders across the country, and the Trump administration is recommending as many people work at home as possible and avoid coming to within 6 feet of others to stem the spread of the virus.
Waffle House, the Georgia-based breakfast food chain, announced Wednesday it closed about one-fifth of its roughly 2,000 restaurants. The chain, known for staying open even during some natural disasters, is frequently used as a measure for how serious an emergency is.
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The restaurant rated its so-called Waffle House Index as "red" with the closures.


upi--2020-03-25--Tony Awards postponed amid coronavirus concerns

March 25 ( UPI ) -- Tony Awards Productions announced Wednesday that the 2020 Tony Awards have been postponed .
The event had been scheduled to air live on CBS on June 7 .
`` We will announce new dates and additional information once Broadway opens again , '' the statement read .
The Tony Awards is the latest in a series of events cancelled or postponed due to caution surrounding the spread of the novel coronavirus .
Austin , Texas , cancelled the South by Southwest Film Festival .
Coachella , the Tribeca Film Festival , the Cannes Film @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Tony Awards honor the best of the theater world every year .
Currently , Broadway shows are on hiatus and New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo has issued stay at home orders for the state .
The Tonys would have been held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City .
`` The health and safety of the Broadway community , artists and fans are of the utmost importance to us , '' the statement read .
`` We are looking forward to celebrating Broadway and our industry when it is @ @ @ @ @ @

The Tony Awards are postponed until further notice. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 25 (UPI) -- Tony Awards Productions announced Wednesday that the 2020 Tony Awards have been postponed. The event had been scheduled to air live on CBS on June 7. "We will announce new dates and additional information once Broadway opens again," the statement read. Advertisement
The Tony Awards is the latest in a series of events cancelled or postponed due to caution surrounding the spread of the novel coronavirus. Austin, Texas, cancelled the South by Southwest Film Festival. Coachella, the Tribeca Film Festival, the Cannes Film Festival and more postponed their events.
The Tony Awards honor the best of the theater world every year. Currently, Broadway shows are on hiatus and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has issued stay at home orders for the state. The Tonys would have been held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.
"The health and safety of the Broadway community, artists and fans are of the utmost importance to us," the statement read. "We are looking forward to celebrating Broadway and our industry when it is safe to do so."


upi--2020-03-25--Missouri woman collects $3 million 18 years after first lottery win

March 25 ( UPI ) -- A Missouri woman who collected a $ 50,000 lottery jackpot in 2002 returned to @ @ @ @ @ to claim a $ 3 million jackpot .
Anne Kasal told Missouri Lottery officials she @ @ @ @ @ the March 11 drawing at Schnucks Market in St. Louis .
Her ticket matched all @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I play all the games , '' Kasal said .
`` I bought @ @ @ @ @ always buy , and one happened to be lucky . ''
Kasal previously visited Missouri @ @ @ @ @ she won a $ 50,000 jackpot .

A Missouri woman who won a $50,000 lottery jackpot in 2002 won a $3 million jackpot 18 years later. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe March 25 (UPI) -- A Missouri woman who collected a $50,000 lottery jackpot in 2002 returned to lottery headquarters 18 years later to claim a $3 million jackpot. Anne Kasal told Missouri Lottery officials she bought her Lotto ticket for the March 11 drawing at Schnucks Market in St. Louis. Advertisement
Her ticket matched all six numbers drawn: 11-16-23-26-31-38.
"I play all the games," Kasal said. "I bought the same tickets as I always buy, and one happened to be lucky."
Kasal previously visited Missouri Lottery headquarters in 2002 when she won a $50,000 jackpot.


upi--2020-03-25--To adapt to cities, birds must grow their brains or grow their families

March 25 ( UPI ) -- As the planet becomes increasingly urbanized , many species , including birds , are struggling to adapt to human presence .
Urbanization can drive some bird species to extinction , but others are capable of thriving in cities .
New research -- published this week in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution -- suggests birds have a choice of two strategies for adapting to urban life .
They can either grow bigger brains , or they can produce more offspring .
Better understanding how different bird species respond to human development can help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans .
`` Cities are harsh environments for most species and therefore often support much lower biodiversity than natural environments , '' lead study author Ferran Sayol , postdoctoral researcher at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden , said in a news release .
`` The species that can tolerate cities are important because they are the ones that most humans will have contact with in their daily lives , and they can have important effects on the urban environment within our cities . ''
Previous studies have shown bigger brains are advantageous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brain power are better at finding food sources and avoiding human hazards .
But some small-brained birds , like pigeons , have also adapted quite well to urban settings .
Until now , scientists were n't sure what accounted for the pigeon 's success .
For the new study , scientists surveyed the characteristics of 629 bird species living in 27 cities all over the globe .
Using scientific databases and museum collections , researchers compared the brain and body size , maximum lifespan , global distribution and breeding frequency of each of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brains are indeed to a boon for birds making their way in the city .
But the data also revealed a second strategy .
`` We 've identified two distinct ways for bird species to become urban dwellers , '' Sayol said .
`` On the one hand , species with large brains , like crows or gulls , are common in cities because large brain size helps them deal with the challenges of a novel environment .
On the other hand , we also found that small-brained species , like pigeons , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a high number of breeding attempts over their lifetimes . ''
The small-brained approach requires birds to sacrifice their longevity , their chance of survival , in order to produce more offspring .
In the wild , both survival strategies are rare .
Likewise , birds with average-sized brains are n't often found in urban environs .
`` In our study , we found a general pattern , but in the future , it could be interesting to understand the exact mechanisms behind it , for instance , which aspects of being intelligent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` Understanding what makes some species better able to tolerate or even exploit cities will help researchers anticipate how biodiversity will respond as cities continue to expand . ''

A pigeon prepares to land on a fountain on Sixth Avenue in New York City. A new study examined how small-brained birds, like pigeons, have adapted to urban settings. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
March 25 (UPI) -- As the planet becomes increasingly urbanized, many species, including birds, are struggling to adapt to human presence. Urbanization can drive some bird species to extinction, but others are capable of thriving in cities. New research -- published this week in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution -- suggests birds have a choice of two strategies for adapting to urban life. They can either grow bigger brains, or they can produce more offspring. Advertisement
Better understanding how different bird species respond to human development can help policymakers craft more effective conservation and protection plans.
"Cities are harsh environments for most species and therefore often support much lower biodiversity than natural environments," lead study author Ferran Sayol, postdoctoral researcher at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said in a news release. "The species that can tolerate cities are important because they are the ones that most humans will have contact with in their daily lives, and they can have important effects on the urban environment within our cities."
Previous studies have shown bigger brains are advantageous for city life. Birds with more brain power are better at finding food sources and avoiding human hazards. But some small-brained birds, like pigeons, have also adapted quite well to urban settings. Until now, scientists weren't sure what accounted for the pigeon's success.
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For the new study, scientists surveyed the characteristics of 629 bird species living in 27 cities all over the globe. Using scientific databases and museum collections, researchers compared the brain and body size, maximum lifespan, global distribution and breeding frequency of each of the species.
The analysis showed big brains are indeed to a boon for birds making their way in the city. But the data also revealed a second strategy.
"We've identified two distinct ways for bird species to become urban dwellers," Sayol said. "On the one hand, species with large brains, like crows or gulls, are common in cities because large brain size helps them deal with the challenges of a novel environment. On the other hand, we also found that small-brained species, like pigeons, can be highly successful if they have a high number of breeding attempts over their lifetimes."
The small-brained approach requires birds to sacrifice their longevity, their chance of survival, in order to produce more offspring.
In the wild, both survival strategies are rare. Likewise, birds with average-sized brains aren't often found in urban environs.
"In our study, we found a general pattern, but in the future, it could be interesting to understand the exact mechanisms behind it, for instance, which aspects of being intelligent are the most useful," Sayol said. "Understanding what makes some species better able to tolerate or even exploit cities will help researchers anticipate how biodiversity will respond as cities continue to expand."


upi--2020-03-25--Watch: Ink spill at factory turns Ontario creek bright red

March 25 ( UPI ) -- An Ontario creek spotted flowing with bright red water was contaminated by ink that @ @ @ @ @ officials said .
Hikers in Mississauga captured video showing the Etobicoke Creek flowing with red @ @ @ @ @ video posted online quickly led discussion of biblical parallels .
Peel Public Works investigated the @ @ @ @ @ was something less than divine -- an ink spill at a factory in North Mississauga @ @ @ @ @ than 100 gallons of ink had spilled into the creek .
`` An accident occurred @ @ @ @ @ ink spilled , '' public works officials tweeted .
The agency said personnel from the @ @ @ @ @ Conservation and Parks were working on cleaning up the spill .
`` The creek was @ @ @ @ @ dead fish or other wildlife seen by either Peel staff , Ministry of Environment or @ @ @ @ @ '' Peel Public Works said .

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March 25 (UPI) -- An Ontario creek spotted flowing with bright red water was contaminated by ink that spilled from a factory, officials said.
Hikers in Mississauga captured video showing the Etobicoke Creek flowing with red water Tuesday, and the video posted online quickly led discussion of biblical parallels.
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Peel Public Works investigated the footage and determined the cause was something less than divine -- an ink spill at a factory in North Mississauga. The agency said more than 100 gallons of ink had spilled into the creek.
"An accident occurred at a factory and the ink spilled," public works officials tweeted.
The agency said personnel from the Ministry of the Environment and Conservation and Parks were working on cleaning up the spill.
"The creek was checked and there were no dead fish or other wildlife seen by either Peel staff, Ministry of Environment or Conservation and Parks staff," Peel Public Works said.


upi--2020-03-25--Look: Harp seal rescued from duck pond in New Jersey

March 25 ( UPI ) -- Animal rescuers in New Jersey said they rescued a 200-pound seal found stranded in a duck pond , but they do n't know how the animal ended up in the situation .
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center said a rescue team was dispatched Monday to a duck pond in Shrewsbury where an adult male harp seal had been spotted stranded in the muddy water .
The center said the seal had been struggling for several days and had been eating leaves and mud due to the lack of a suitable food source .
Rescuers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seal ended up in the pond , but they offered some ideas in a Facebook post .
`` Did he wander up the freshwater tributary searching for fish , and climb up the steep embankment to rest ?
Was he swimming in the area during the recent lunar high tide and get swept through a culvert ? ''
the post asked .
A rescuer climbed into the muddy water Monday and snared the 200-pound animal in a specially designed net .
Rescuers then hauled the seal to shore .
The center said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is recovering in a rehabilitation pool .

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March 25 (UPI) -- Animal rescuers in New Jersey said they rescued a 200-pound seal found stranded in a duck pond, but they don't know how the animal ended up in the situation.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center said a rescue team was dispatched Monday to a duck pond in Shrewsbury where an adult male harp seal had been spotted stranded in the muddy water.
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The center said the seal had been struggling for several days and had been eating leaves and mud due to the lack of a suitable food source.
Rescuers said they do not know how the seal ended up in the pond, but they offered some ideas in a Facebook post.
"Did he wander up the freshwater tributary searching for fish, and climb up the steep embankment to rest? Was he swimming in the area during the recent lunar high tide and get swept through a culvert?" the post asked.
A rescuer climbed into the muddy water Monday and snared the 200-pound animal in a specially designed net. Rescuers then hauled the seal to shore.
The center said the seal is now receiving veterinary care and is recovering in a rehabilitation pool.


upi--2020-03-25--Gallup poll rates hospitals high in handling of pandemic, media low

Katelynn Kavanagh of the U.S. Navy sanitizes medical equipment aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy on Tuesday. Photo by MC2 Ryan M. Breeden/U.S. Navy | License Photo
March 25 (UPI) -- Hospitals got high marks for their handling of the coronavirus pandemic in a Gallup poll released Wednesday. The news media fared worst. Hospitals received an 88 percent approval rating to a question of how leaders and institutions in nine categories are "handling the response to the coronavirus in the U.S." The hospitals were followed by "your child's school or daycare," with an approval rating of 83 percent, "your state government," with 82 percent and "your employer," also at 82 percent. Advertisement
In diminishing order of approval come government health agencies, at 80 percent, Vice President Mike Pence at 61 percent, President Donald Trump at 60 percent, the U.S. Congress at 59 percent and the news media at 44 percent. Only the news media received a negative approval rating.
Trump's rating in the survey is higher, by 11 percentage points, of his overall job approval rating, indicating that many Americans approve of his actions during the health crisis while generally disapproving of his performance as president. While Republicans' opinions of Trump remain high in both the categories of overall performance and response to the outbreak, 29 percent of Democrats approved of his handling of the crisis, but only 13 percent approve of his overall presidential performance.
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The highest regard the poll notes is for hospitals, and the percentages are consistent with figures compiled for trust and ethics compiled "in normal times," Gallup said. The poll indicates that Americans largely approve of how U.S. institutions and leaders are responding to the situation.
The survey was taken by telephone from March 13 through Sunday of 536 employed adults, and in the category of schools and daycare providers, of 262 parents of children under 18. It was begun on the day that Trump declared the outbreak a national state of emergency.
U.S. copes with COVID-19 pandemic