npr--2020-03-12--Travel Restrictions Spread As Coronavirus Pandemic Widens

As the cases of known coronavirus infections multiply worldwide , restrictions are increasing on international travel as well .
Among the latest clampdowns : President Trump 's announcement on Wednesday of a monthlong travel ban .
Much like travel bans imposed in January and February on China and Iran , this latest restriction bars entry to the U.S. of foreign nationals who have been in one of 26 European nations in the 14 days prior to their scheduled U.S. arrival .
U.S. citizens and residents traveling from Europe 's visa-free `` Schengen Area '' will still be allowed to enter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf says entry will be restricted to `` select airports where the U.S. Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures . ''
Trump 's announcement was followed Thursday by the declaration of a state of emergency by the Czech Republic that imposes a similar 30-day travel ban for people from 15 `` risk countries '' : China , South Korea , Iran , Italy , Spain , Austria , Germany , Switzerland , Sweden , Norway , the Netherlands , Belgium , Great Britain , Denmark and France .
Border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been suspended will also be reinstated .
As of Thursday , the Czech Republic had 94 known cases of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Argentina , with 19 known coronavirus cases , also announced new travel restrictions on Thursday .
For a not-yet-specified time period , neither temporary resident visas nor permits will be issued for residents of nations Argentina identifies as those most seriously affected by the coronavirus outbreak .
They include the U.S. , China , South Korea , Great Britain , Iran , Japan , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schengen Area .
India , with 73 confirmed coronavirus cases and no reported deaths , announced Wednesday it is temporarily suspending all tourist visas .
Only official , diplomatic and employment visas will be issued from March 13 until April 15 .
But it appears exceptions will be made : foreign nationals who need to travel to India for `` compelling reasons '' are advised to contact their nearest Indian consulate to request a visa .
And all travelers — including Indian nationals — will be quarantined for a minimum of 14 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Italy , Iran , South Korea , France , Spain and Germany any time after Feb. 14 .
There are currently 114 countries where a total of close to 128,000 coronavirus infections have been confirmed , according to the outbreak-tracking website managed by Johns Hopkins University 's Coronavirus Resource Center .
Here are some of the other nations that have tightened access to outsiders or placed other restrictions in response to the coronavirus pandemic : China Nearly 81,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in China and more than 3,000 deaths , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Notwithstanding a tweet on Thursday from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lijian Zhao suggesting that `` it might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan , '' no new restrictions bar Americans from traveling to China .
The U.S. State Department website reminds potential travelers that they may be prohibited by Chinese authorities from entering or exiting parts of Hubei province .
Its biggest city is Wuhan , the epicenter and suspected origin of the coronavirus outbreak .
`` In Hubei province , the United States does not have any further evacuation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the State Department notes .
`` American citizens currently in travel restricted areas in Hubei province and other areas in China should shelter-in-place , limit contact with others , and consider stocking up on food and other supplies to limit movement outside the home . ''
South Korea With more than 7,800 confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths , South Korea has suspended visa-free entry to Chinese nationals and others traveling from China .
It has done likewise for Japanese nationals in apparent retaliation for similar measures that Tokyo imposed this week on travelers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have frequently clashed over the legacy of Japan 's 35-year occupation of the Korean peninsula that ended in 1945 .
Japan There have been at least 639 known cases of COVID-19 and 16 deaths in Japan .
A travel ban was already in place for those Chinese citizens holding passports from highly infected areas , such as Hubei and Zheijang provinces .
Similar restrictions were placed on travelers from areas near Daegu , the South Korean city at the center of that nation 's coronavirus epidemic , and on travelers from Iran .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the banned travelers list March 11 .
Singapore With 178 coronavirus cases reported but no deaths , Singapore has imposed extensive travel restrictions for outsiders .
According to the U.S. Embassy in Singapore , as of March 4 anyone who is not a citizen or resident of Singapore and who has traveled within 14 days to Iran , South Korea or northern Italy would not be allowed to enter or transit through Singapore .
That follows a similar ban placed Feb. 1 on travelers from China .
Spain On March 11 Spain , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 5 deaths , announced the suspension of all direct flights between Spain and Italy .
France France , with 2,284 confirmed cases and 48 deaths , has imposed no travel restrictions .
But Air France has canceled flights to and from China until the end of March , as well as flights to Italy from March 14 to April 3 .
Italy While the State Department recommends deferring all nonessential travel to Italy , Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte declared March 9 restricting movement for all Italian residents has not amounted to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct flights between Chinese points-of-origin and Italian destinations have been temporarily postponed , '' the State Department notes , `` there are no specific restrictions for entry of anyone based solely on their nationality . ''
Italy has had at least 12,462 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection and 827 deaths , a fatality toll that is second only to China 's .

Travel Restrictions Spread As Coronavirus Pandemic Widens
Enlarge this image toggle caption Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
As the cases of known coronavirus infections multiply worldwide, restrictions are increasing on international travel as well.
Among the latest clampdowns: President Trump's announcement on Wednesday of a monthlong travel ban. Much like travel bans imposed in January and February on China and Iran, this latest restriction bars entry to the U.S. of foreign nationals who have been in one of 26 European nations in the 14 days prior to their scheduled U.S. arrival.
U.S. citizens and residents traveling from Europe's visa-free "Schengen Area" will still be allowed to enter the U.S. But Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf says entry will be restricted to "select airports where the U.S. Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures."
Trump's announcement was followed Thursday by the declaration of a state of emergency by the Czech Republic that imposes a similar 30-day travel ban for people from 15 "risk countries": China, South Korea, Iran, Italy, Spain, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain, Denmark and France. Border checks with Germany and Austria that had been suspended will also be reinstated. As of Thursday, the Czech Republic had 94 known cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Argentina, with 19 known coronavirus cases, also announced new travel restrictions on Thursday. For a not-yet-specified time period, neither temporary resident visas nor permits will be issued for residents of nations Argentina identifies as those most seriously affected by the coronavirus outbreak. They include the U.S., China, South Korea, Great Britain, Iran, Japan, and the 26 European nations that comprise the Schengen Area.
India, with 73 confirmed coronavirus cases and no reported deaths, announced Wednesday it is temporarily suspending all tourist visas. Only official, diplomatic and employment visas will be issued from March 13 until April 15.
But it appears exceptions will be made: foreign nationals who need to travel to India for "compelling reasons" are advised to contact their nearest Indian consulate to request a visa. And all travelers — including Indian nationals — will be quarantined for a minimum of 14 days if they have traveled in China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, France, Spain and Germany any time after Feb. 14.
There are currently 114 countries where a total of close to 128,000 coronavirus infections have been confirmed, according to the outbreak-tracking website managed by Johns Hopkins University's Coronavirus Resource Center.
Here are some of the other nations that have tightened access to outsiders or placed other restrictions in response to the coronavirus pandemic:
China
Nearly 81,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in China and more than 3,000 deaths, more than any other nation has experienced.
Notwithstanding a tweet on Thursday from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lijian Zhao suggesting that "it might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan," no new restrictions bar Americans from traveling to China. The U.S. State Department website reminds potential travelers that they may be prohibited by Chinese authorities from entering or exiting parts of Hubei province. Its biggest city is Wuhan, the epicenter and suspected origin of the coronavirus outbreak.
"In Hubei province, the United States does not have any further evacuation flights departing Wuhan International Airport," the State Department notes. "American citizens currently in travel restricted areas in Hubei province and other areas in China should shelter-in-place, limit contact with others, and consider stocking up on food and other supplies to limit movement outside the home."
South Korea
With more than 7,800 confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths, South Korea has suspended visa-free entry to Chinese nationals and others traveling from China. It has done likewise for Japanese nationals in apparent retaliation for similar measures that Tokyo imposed this week on travelers from South Korea. The two nations have frequently clashed over the legacy of Japan's 35-year occupation of the Korean peninsula that ended in 1945.
Japan
There have been at least 639 known cases of COVID-19 and 16 deaths in Japan. A travel ban was already in place for those Chinese citizens holding passports from highly infected areas, such as Hubei and Zheijang provinces. Similar restrictions were placed on travelers from areas near Daegu, the South Korean city at the center of that nation's coronavirus epidemic, and on travelers from Iran. People from northern Italy were added to the banned travelers list March 11.
Singapore
With 178 coronavirus cases reported but no deaths, Singapore has imposed extensive travel restrictions for outsiders. According to the U.S. Embassy in Singapore, as of March 4 anyone who is not a citizen or resident of Singapore and who has traveled within 14 days to Iran, South Korea or northern Italy would not be allowed to enter or transit through Singapore. That follows a similar ban placed Feb. 1 on travelers from China.
Spain
On March 11 Spain, with at least 2,277 confirmed coronavirus cases and 5 deaths, announced the suspension of all direct flights between Spain and Italy.
France
France, with 2,284 confirmed cases and 48 deaths, has imposed no travel restrictions. But Air France has canceled flights to and from China until the end of March, as well as flights to Italy from March 14 to April 3.
Italy
While the State Department recommends deferring all nonessential travel to Italy, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte declared March 9 restricting movement for all Italian residents has not amounted to a travel ban for outsiders.
"While direct flights between Chinese points-of-origin and Italian destinations have been temporarily postponed," the State Department notes, "there are no specific restrictions for entry of anyone based solely on their nationality."
Italy has had at least 12,462 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection and 827 deaths, a fatality toll that is second only to China's.


npr--2020-03-12--States Begin Widespread School Closures To Fight Coronavirus

Officials in Maryland , Michigan , New Mexico , Ohio and Oregon have announced that schools in their states will be closed for several weeks amid concerns about the coronavirus .
The statewide closures come after many school districts and dozens of colleges and universities have temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 disease .
According to an analysis from Education Week , as of Thursday evening , `` at least 10,600 schools have been closed or are scheduled to close , affecting at least 4.9 million students . ''
That is a small but quickly growing fraction of the approximately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ private schools in the United States .
Twelve people have tested positive for the virus in Maryland , though according to state officials , three have already made a full recovery .
Five have tested positive in Ohio .
In Maryland , the decision to close public schools for two weeks was prompted by a patient in his 60s outside Washington , D.C. , who tested positive for the disease with no known exposure to it from travel or a previously known infected individual .
That suggests it is spreading within the community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicate that we are entering a new phase of this crisis in our state , '' Maryland Republican Gov .
Larry Hogan told reporters Thursday .
`` We should expect the number of cases to dramatically and rapidly rise .
Our primary focus is now turning from containment to aggressively working to mitigate and limit the spread of the virus . ''
The school closures in Maryland are scheduled from March 16 to 27 .
Karen Salmon , state superintendent of schools , told reporters that school buildings and buses will be thoroughly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials are working to make sure that during this time , students will still be provided meals , given that school meals are a crucial source of nutrition for many children .
Hogan said state officials are also taking a range of other measures , including requiring some state employees to telework , limiting public access to state buildings , prohibiting gatherings of more than 250 people and readying the National Guard for possible deployment .
This comes on the same day that many other governors across the country announced a wide range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
Earlier on Thursday , Ohio Republican Gov .
Mike DeWine announced that the state 's kids would have `` an extended spring break of 3 weeks '' starting on Monday .
That includes public , private and charter K-12 schools .
`` During this extended period of closure , schools should work to provide education through alternative means and school district leadership may make decisions on whether to use their school buildings , '' the governor 's office said in a statement .
The state 's Department of Education is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing meals for children .
In Oregon , Democratic Gov .
Kate Brown made clear that closing schools was a difficult decision that poses its own public health risks : `` Schools are critical institutions that provide important services for all our students , but especially our most vulnerable ...
So many of our families depend on school in order for parents to go to their jobs , and for students to access health care and receive nutrition assistance . ''
But Brown conceded that so many students and school staff across the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school that `` it has now become impossible to functionally operate schools due to workforce issues and student absences .
Schools are experiencing critical shortages in staff , and superintendents are concerned for school personnel who are at elevated risk such as those over age 60 and those with underlying medical issues . ''
In announcing the closure of schools across Michigan , Democratic Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer tweeted : `` I know this will be a tough time , but we 're doing this to keep the most people we can safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ choices during this time and to do everything they can to protect themselves and their families . ''
`` This is a proactive measure to limit the potential community spread of COVID-19 , '' said New Mexico Education Secretary Ryan Stewart , whose state had six confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Thursday night .
`` We have seen other states take this measure after they have experienced community spread of this virus .
New Mexico is going to be proactive and do everything we can to prevent the potential spread of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many schools across the state .
`` Effective Monday , March 16 , [ Democratic Gov .
Andy ] Beshear is suggesting Kentucky 's schools suspend in-person classes for at least two weeks , '' according to the state 's Education Department .
In a move to relieve pressure on state school leaders , the U.S. Department of Education announced several measures Thursday that would temporarily loosen federal accountability standards as states head into annual testing season .
The department announced `` [ it ] would consider a targeted one-year waiver of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the extraordinary circumstances . ''
States could also get a free pass for absentee rates that have skyrocketed because of the coronavirus outbreak .
The Education Department held firm though on federal protections for students with disabilities , saying that if a school plans to provide students with distance instruction during a closure , perhaps online , `` the school must ensure that students with disabilities also have equal access to the same opportunities . ''
School closures are even affecting whole countries .
On Thursday evening , Belgium and Portugal announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus .

States Begin Widespread School Closures To Fight Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption The Washington Post via Getty Images The Washington Post via Getty Images
Updated at 12:41 p.m. ET Friday
Officials in Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon and the District of Columbia have announced that schools in their states will be closed for several weeks amid concerns about the coronavirus. The statewide closures come after many school districts and dozens of colleges and universities have temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 disease.
On Friday, school districts in Southern California became the latest to announce closures, with the Los Angeles Unified School District and the San Diego Unified School District closing for two weeks beginning Monday. They are the two largest districts in California, with more than 750,000 students combined.
According to an analysis from Education Week, as of Friday morning, "at least 18,700 schools have been closed or are scheduled to close, affecting at least 8.1 million students." That is a small but quickly growing fraction of the approximately 50 million students in K-12 public and private schools in the United States.
Twelve people have tested positive for the virus in Maryland, though according to state officials, three have already made a full recovery. Five have tested positive in Ohio.
In Maryland, the decision to close public schools for two weeks was prompted by a patient in his 60s outside Washington, D.C., who tested positive for the disease with no known exposure to it from travel or a previously known infected individual. That suggests it is spreading within the community.
"The circumstances of this case indicate that we are entering a new phase of this crisis in our state," Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan told reporters Thursday. "We should expect the number of cases to dramatically and rapidly rise. Our primary focus is now turning from containment to aggressively working to mitigate and limit the spread of the virus."
The school closures in Maryland are scheduled from March 16 to 27. Karen Salmon, state superintendent of schools, told reporters that school buildings and buses will be thoroughly cleaned during the break.
Maryland state officials are working to make sure that during this time, students will still be provided meals, given that school meals are a crucial source of nutrition for many children.
Hogan said state officials are also taking a range of other measures, including requiring some state employees to telework, limiting public access to state buildings, prohibiting gatherings of more than 250 people and readying the National Guard for possible deployment.
This comes on the same day that many other governors across the country announced a wide range of measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Earlier on Thursday, Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced that the state's kids would have "an extended spring break of 3 weeks" starting on Monday. That includes public, private and charter K-12 schools.
"During this extended period of closure, schools should work to provide education through alternative means and school district leadership may make decisions on whether to use their school buildings," the governor's office said in a statement. The state's Department of Education is also working on a strategy to continue providing meals for children.
In Oregon, Democratic Gov. Kate Brown made clear that closing schools was a difficult decision that poses its own public health risks: "Schools are critical institutions that provide important services for all our students, but especially our most vulnerable. ... So many of our families depend on school in order for parents to go to their jobs, and for students to access health care and receive nutrition assistance."
But Brown conceded that so many students and school staff across the state were opting to stay home from school that "it has now become impossible to functionally operate schools due to workforce issues and student absences. Schools are experiencing critical shortages in staff, and superintendents are concerned for school personnel who are at elevated risk such as those over age 60 and those with underlying medical issues."
In announcing the closure of schools across Michigan, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer tweeted: "I know this will be a tough time, but we're doing this to keep the most people we can safe. I urge everyone to make smart choices during this time and to do everything they can to protect themselves and their families."
"This is a proactive measure to limit the potential community spread of COVID-19," said New Mexico Education Secretary Ryan Stewart, whose state had six confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Thursday night. "We have seen other states take this measure after they have experienced community spread of this virus. New Mexico is going to be proactive and do everything we can to prevent the potential spread of the virus.
In Washington, D.C., Lewis Ferebee, the public schools chancellor, announced early Friday that the District would shift its April spring break to next week and then practice distance learning through the end of March. Ferebee said schools would reopen April 1.
Kentucky also appears poised to close many schools across the state. "Effective Monday, March 16, [Democratic Gov. Andy] Beshear is suggesting Kentucky's schools suspend in-person classes for at least two weeks," according to the state's Education Department.
In a move to relieve pressure on state school leaders, the U.S. Department of Education announced several measures Thursday that would temporarily loosen federal accountability standards as states head into annual testing season. The department announced "[it] would consider a targeted one-year waiver of the assessment requirements for those schools impacted by the extraordinary circumstances." States could also get a free pass for absentee rates that have skyrocketed because of the coronavirus outbreak.
The Education Department held firm though on federal protections for students with disabilities, saying that if a school plans to provide students with distance instruction during a closure, perhaps online, "the school must ensure that students with disabilities also have equal access to the same opportunities."
School closures are even affecting whole countries. On Thursday evening, Belgium and Portugal announced that schools nationwide would be shutting down because of the coronavirus.


npr--2020-03-12--Performing Arts And Cultural Organizations Close Their Doors Due To Coronavirus

Performing Arts And Cultural Organizations Close Their Doors Due To Coronavirus Concerns over coronavirus are having a deep impact on performing arts and cultural institutions across the United States .
This afternoon , New York governor Andrew Cuomo banned all gatherings of more than 500 people , cutting off much of New York City 's cultural life .
Along with all Broadway theaters and the Metropolitan Museum of Art , Carnegie Hall , the Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center announced today that they are locking their doors .
But clubs , theaters and concert halls in cities across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concerns .
For example , performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra have been cancelled .
Yesterday , San Francisco 's mayor banned all large-scale gatherings , which includes everything from performances by the San Francisco Symphony to the 150th anniversary celebrations of Golden Gate Park .
In Seattle , gatherings of more than 250 people have been prohibited , which is affecting big venues and small rock clubs alike .
Meanwhile , performances at colleges and universities across the US have been canceled or postponed , too , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is having an enormous effect , says Robert Lynch , the president and CEO of Americans for the Arts , an advocacy group .
`` The good news is that the economic impact of just the nonprofit arts in America is $ 166 billion annually , '' he says .
`` But the bad news is the loss of that is equally significant on the American economy . ''
He says that the potential economic impact to all of these cancellations and postponements is real and potentially devastating , especially to nonprofit presenters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` The individual artist is highly at risk here and probably in many , if not most , cases has the slimmest of economic safety net set up in order for them to survive , '' he says The coronavirus effect wo n't just be felt by performers , venues and audiences , Lynch says .
When live performances and other events do n't happen , all kinds of other companies lose money , too , like bars , restaurants and hotels .

Performing Arts And Cultural Organizations Close Their Doors Due To Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for IMG Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for IMG
Concerns over coronavirus are having a deep impact on performing arts and cultural institutions across the United States.
This afternoon, New York governor Andrew Cuomo banned all gatherings of more than 500 people, cutting off much of New York City's cultural life. Along with all Broadway theaters and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Carnegie Hall, the Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center announced today that they are locking their doors.
But clubs, theaters and concert halls in cities across the country were already feeling the impact of coronavirus concerns. For example, performances by the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra have been cancelled. Yesterday, San Francisco's mayor banned all large-scale gatherings, which includes everything from performances by the San Francisco Symphony to the 150th anniversary celebrations of Golden Gate Park. In Seattle, gatherings of more than 250 people have been prohibited, which is affecting big venues and small rock clubs alike. Meanwhile, performances at colleges and universities across the US have been canceled or postponed, too, as campuses shut down.
All of that is having an enormous effect, says Robert Lynch, the president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, an advocacy group.
"The good news is that the economic impact of just the nonprofit arts in America is $166 billion annually," he says. "But the bad news is the loss of that is equally significant on the American economy."
He says that the potential economic impact to all of these cancellations and postponements is real and potentially devastating, especially to nonprofit presenters and to artists who aren't megastars.
"The individual artist is highly at risk here and probably in many, if not most, cases has the slimmest of economic safety net set up in order for them to survive," he says
The coronavirus effect won't just be felt by performers, venues and audiences, Lynch says. When live performances and other events don't happen, all kinds of other companies lose money, too, like bars, restaurants and hotels.


npr--2020-03-13--U.S. Coronavirus Testing Gets A Potential Breakthrough

In what 's looking more like a public health debacle , the U.S. has a serious testing problem with the coronavirus .
Only around 15,000 people have been tested so far , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
And public health experts say that 's not nearly enough to know how widespread the outbreak is and how to respond .
But the Food and Drug Administration has just approved a new test from the giant pharmaceutical company Roche that could represent a major breakthrough .
The initial test approved by the FDA is complex and requires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , some of the supplies required to do the test had to come from a single company in Germany that could n't meet the demand .
`` The big players that normally sell things like the [ regular flu ] test kits or rapid strep test kits to hospitals , they have n't had assays authorized yet by FDA , '' says Kelly Wroblewski , director of infectious disease programs at the Association of Public Health Laboratories .
So in other words , the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in and help .
But that just changed in a very big way .
`` We 're very excited to share the news that overnight we got emergency use authorization from the FDA , '' says Paul Brown , a senior executive for Roche .
He says the company has a new test that 's more simple , and quicker to get results .
Roche has already begun production while it awaited FDA approval , he says .
`` We have about 400,000 tests that are available for the U.S. market , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expects to manufacture about 1.5 million tests per month .
That 's a lot more tests than have been administered so far .
And Brown says there are about 100 Roche machines already in use across the country , each capable of processing more than of 1,000 tests per day .
Michael Mina , an associate medical director of virology at Brigham and Women 's hospital in Boston , says that if that kind of manufacturing pace can be kept up , `` I think that will be one of the pieces that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game changer in the testing capacity in the United States . ''
Mina and other public health experts say that dramatically ramping up testing is crucial to saving lives .
Marc Lipsitch , who directs the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at Harvard 's School of Public Health , says testing is needed at emergency rooms in every major metro area across the country .
That would offer statistically significant sampling to get reliable estimates on how many Americans actually have the coronavirus , he says .
`` I think we 're flying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lipsitch says .
`` We have a lot of uncertainty about whether we have 10 times more or 100 times more cases than we know about . ''
Other countries appear to have been doing a better job with testing .
South Korea , by one recent count , had been testing 700 times as many people per capita as the U.S. Mina says it 's striking just how unprepared the U.S. has turned out to be to face an outbreak like this .
He thinks much will be learned from it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says , `` I just wish that we had really begun to take this problem seriously as a country two months ago versus really focusing on it just within the last couple of weeks . ''
Roche says it will start shipping those first 400,000 test kits this weekend .
More companies could soon follow suit with new FDA-approved tests of their own .
Meanwhile , at a White House Rose Garden news conference Friday , top executives at Target , Walmart , CVS and Walgreens pledged to make space in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even so , Mina thinks it could still be a few weeks before all this ramps up enough to allow for a much better estimate on just how many people have the virus in this country , and where all the hot spots are , so the infectious disease experts know how best to respond .

U.S. Coronavirus Testing Gets A Potential Breakthrough
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Minchillo/AP John Minchillo/AP
In what's looking more like a public health debacle, the U.S. has a serious testing problem with the coronavirus. Only around 15,000 people have been tested so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And public health experts say that's not nearly enough to know how widespread the outbreak is and how to respond.
But the Food and Drug Administration has just approved a new test from the giant pharmaceutical company Roche that could represent a major breakthrough.
The initial test approved by the FDA is complex and requires specialized training and equipment. Until this week, some of the supplies required to do the test had to come from a single company in Germany that couldn't meet the demand.
"The big players that normally sell things like the [regular flu] test kits or rapid strep test kits to hospitals, they haven't had assays authorized yet by FDA," says Kelly Wroblewski, director of infectious disease programs at the Association of Public Health Laboratories.
So in other words, the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the U.S. and the world haven't been able to pitch in and help.
But that just changed in a very big way.
"We're very excited to share the news that overnight we got emergency use authorization from the FDA," says Paul Brown, a senior executive for Roche. He says the company has a new test that's more simple, and quicker to get results.
Roche has already begun production while it awaited FDA approval, he says.
"We have about 400,000 tests that are available for the U.S. market," Brown says. And he says Roche expects to manufacture about 1.5 million tests per month.
That's a lot more tests than have been administered so far.
And Brown says there are about 100 Roche machines already in use across the country, each capable of processing more than of 1,000 tests per day.
Michael Mina, an associate medical director of virology at Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston, says that if that kind of manufacturing pace can be kept up, "I think that will be one of the pieces that turns out to be sort of a game changer in the testing capacity in the United States."
Mina and other public health experts say that dramatically ramping up testing is crucial to saving lives.
Marc Lipsitch, who directs the Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics at Harvard's School of Public Health, says testing is needed at emergency rooms in every major metro area across the country. That would offer statistically significant sampling to get reliable estimates on how many Americans actually have the coronavirus, he says.
"I think we're flying almost completely blind right now," Lipsitch says. "We have a lot of uncertainty about whether we have 10 times more or 100 times more cases than we know about."
Other countries appear to have been doing a better job with testing. South Korea, by one recent count, had been testing 700 times as many people per capita as the U.S.
Mina says it's striking just how unprepared the U.S. has turned out to be to face an outbreak like this. He thinks much will be learned from it. But with so much at stake, he says, "I just wish that we had really begun to take this problem seriously as a country two months ago versus really focusing on it just within the last couple of weeks."
Roche says it will start shipping those first 400,000 test kits this weekend. More companies could soon follow suit with new FDA-approved tests of their own.
Meanwhile, at a White House Rose Garden news conference Friday, top executives at Target, Walmart, CVS and Walgreens pledged to make space in some of their parking lots for drive-through testing.
Even so, Mina thinks it could still be a few weeks before all this ramps up enough to allow for a much better estimate on just how many people have the virus in this country, and where all the hot spots are, so the infectious disease experts know how best to respond.


npr--2020-03-13--Sports Leagues Shutter Their Seasons – And Leave Fans Wondering What To Do Now

Sports Leagues Shutter Their Seasons – And Leave Fans Wondering What To Do Now A spring without baseball ?
Saturdays without soccer ?
March without Madness ?
Such is the uncharted world of sports in the age of coronavirus .
What had seemed unimaginable just days earlier is suddenly the new reality : Sports in America have shuttered .
It started with the NBA .
A Wednesday night game between the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder was called off moments before tip-off as word came in that Jazz player Rudy Gobert had tested positive for COVID-19 .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NBA had suspended its season for at least 30 days .
All day Thursday , the other pro leagues followed suit .
The NHL suspended its season indefinitely .
Major League Baseball halted spring training and pushed back opening day at least two weeks .
The PGA Tour canceled its upcoming events , and NASCAR postponed its races this weekend and next .
Major League Soccer suspended its season for 30 days , and the English Premier League postponed its season after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for the virus .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : March Madness is n't happening .
In fact , the NCAA canceled all its remaining sports championships this winter and spring .
That includes championships in gymnastics , swimming and diving , track and field , wrestling , lacrosse , golf , hockey , tennis , baseball and softball .
A mix of factors played a role in the sudden cancellations .
Players getting sick offered proof that even the young and healthy can get coronavirus .
Two players on the same team getting it showed how contagious COVID-19 is — especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , locker rooms , buses and planes that are the domain of pro athletes .
And as cities , states and countries moved to ban large gatherings of people , major sporting events would be forced to take place without any fans in attendance .
News that on other days would be big – like the resignation of U.S. Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro on Thursday night – ended up a mere footnote on a day when the stock markets plunged , schools closed , and the State Department was warning against international travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancellations felt to some like the moment that the severity of the coronavirus crisis hit home .
Basketball superstar LeBron James echoed what no doubt a lot of people were feeling when he tweeted on Thursday : `` Man we cancelling sporting events , school , office work , etc etc .
What we really need to cancel is 2020 !
Damn it 's been a rough 3 months .
God bless and stay safe . ''
The prospect of months of working from home suddenly seemed a lot sadder without weeks of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The sudden cancellations raised more questions , some still unanswered .
For instance : whither ESPN ?
The sports network posted its programming schedule for Friday , the first day in the low-sports era : SportsCenter and talk shows all day .
`` We appreciate your patience as we work through modifications for the days ahead , '' Josh Krulewitz , ESPN VP of Communications said in a statement .
`` Our programming team is hard at work to fill the holes on our networks and we will provide updates when finalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean stadiums and sell hot dogs pay their bills now that games are n't happening ?
Some teams say they 're working on this .
The Cleveland Cavaliers say they 're developing a compensation plan for their events staff and hourly workforce .
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says he 'll continue to pay arena staff affected by the NBA suspension .
`` I 'll pay the hourly workers that would have worked the Mavs games we would have had through the rest of our home games , the rest of the season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` We 'll do the same thing , potentially , for concerts if those are canceled or postponed .
But the challenge is going to be for us really , as a nation , as a community in north Texas to really be supportive and practice some trickle-up economics .
Go out and support local businesses , support the people who work hour to hour , because if they fail , if we let them down , then we collapse as an economy as a whole . ''
What about college athletes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an NCAA championship , and possibly a whole season ?
The NCAA said Friday it would grant `` eligibility relief '' to student athletes who compete in spring sports , with more details to come .
The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo are still slated to happen in late July and early August .
But with qualifying competitions canceled , how will teams or athletes earn a slot ?
No answer to that one yet .
There 's real loss involved in shutting down sports .
The economic cost of disappearing tourists and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ routes to records they might not break , athletes who were peaking in their careers right now .
And no small thing : A nation of sports fans have lost a beloved pastime and happy distraction , one that they certainly would have enjoyed in the sure-to-be-strange weeks and months ahead .
On Friday afternoon , President Trump declared a state of emergency in the United States .
These are unprecedented times in which citizens are asked to do their part to keep from spreading the coronavirus and endangering vulnerable people .
Canceling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , for the safety of the athletes and their fans .
But many Americans sure will miss the games .

Sports Leagues Shutter Their Seasons – And Leave Fans Wondering What To Do Now
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
A spring without baseball? Saturdays without soccer? March without Madness? Such is the uncharted world of sports in the age of coronavirus.
What had seemed unimaginable just days earlier is suddenly the new reality: Sports in America have shuttered.
It started with the NBA. A Wednesday night game between the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder was called off moments before tip-off as word came in that Jazz player Rudy Gobert had tested positive for COVID-19. By the end of the night, the NBA had suspended its season for at least 30 days.
All day Thursday, the other pro leagues followed suit. The NHL suspended its season indefinitely. Major League Baseball halted spring training and pushed back opening day at least two weeks. The PGA Tour canceled its upcoming events, and NASCAR postponed its races this weekend and next.
Major League Soccer suspended its season for 30 days, and the English Premier League postponed its season after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta tested positive for the virus.
And the biggest blow for many American fans: March Madness isn't happening. In fact, the NCAA canceled all its remaining sports championships this winter and spring. That includes championships in gymnastics, swimming and diving, track and field, wrestling, lacrosse, golf, hockey, tennis, baseball and softball.
A mix of factors played a role in the sudden cancellations.
Players getting sick offered proof that even the young and healthy can get coronavirus. Two players on the same team getting it showed how contagious COVID-19 is — especially in the close quarters of playing fields, locker rooms, buses and planes that are the domain of pro athletes. And as cities, states and countries moved to ban large gatherings of people, major sporting events would be forced to take place without any fans in attendance.
News that on other days would be big – like the resignation of U.S. Soccer President Carlos Cordeiro on Thursday night – ended up a mere footnote on a day when the stock markets plunged, schools closed, and the State Department was warning against international travel anywhere.
Even so, the sports cancellations felt to some like the moment that the severity of the coronavirus crisis hit home.
Basketball superstar LeBron James echoed what no doubt a lot of people were feeling when he tweeted on Thursday: "Man we cancelling sporting events, school, office work, etc etc. What we really need to cancel is 2020! Damn it's been a rough 3 months. God bless and stay safe."
The prospect of months of working from home suddenly seemed a lot sadder without weeks of college basketball games to look forward to.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sue Ogrocki/AP Sue Ogrocki/AP
The sudden cancellations raised more questions, some still unanswered.
For instance: whither ESPN? The sports network posted its programming schedule for Friday, the first day in the low-sports era: SportsCenter and talk shows all day.
"We appreciate your patience as we work through modifications for the days ahead," Josh Krulewitz, ESPN VP of Communications said in a statement. "Our programming team is hard at work to fill the holes on our networks and we will provide updates when finalized."
How will the people who clean stadiums and sell hot dogs pay their bills now that games aren't happening? Some teams say they're working on this. The Cleveland Cavaliers say they're developing a compensation plan for their events staff and hourly workforce. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says he'll continue to pay arena staff affected by the NBA suspension.
"I'll pay the hourly workers that would have worked the Mavs games we would have had through the rest of our home games, the rest of the season," Cuban told MSNBC on Thursday. "We'll do the same thing, potentially, for concerts if those are canceled or postponed. But the challenge is going to be for us really, as a nation, as a community in north Texas to really be supportive and practice some trickle-up economics. Go out and support local businesses, support the people who work hour to hour, because if they fail, if we let them down, then we collapse as an economy as a whole."
What about college athletes who will lose their chance to compete in an NCAA championship, and possibly a whole season? The NCAA said Friday it would grant "eligibility relief" to student athletes who compete in spring sports, with more details to come.
The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo are still slated to happen in late July and early August. But with qualifying competitions canceled, how will teams or athletes earn a slot? No answer to that one yet.
There's real loss involved in shutting down sports. The economic cost of disappearing tourists and tailgaters. The athletes who were en routes to records they might not break, athletes who were peaking in their careers right now.
And no small thing: A nation of sports fans have lost a beloved pastime and happy distraction, one that they certainly would have enjoyed in the sure-to-be-strange weeks and months ahead.
On Friday afternoon, President Trump declared a state of emergency in the United States. These are unprecedented times in which citizens are asked to do their part to keep from spreading the coronavirus and endangering vulnerable people.
Canceling sporting events is a necessary part of that, for the safety of the athletes and their fans. But many Americans sure will miss the games.


npr--2020-03-13--With Odds Against It, Taiwan Keeps Coronavirus Corralled

With Odds Against It , Taiwan Keeps Coronavirus Corralled The challenges that COVID-19 poses for governments around the world are formidable .
For Taiwan , there have been additional hurdles .
Experts say the island 's response to the novel coronavirus has been remarkably effective so far , despite many serious challenges , starting with its close links to China , and may even hold lessons for others to follow .
`` Taiwan is sort of a positive deviant , '' said Jason Wang , a pediatrician who heads the Center for Policy , Outcomes and Prevention at the Stanford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really well when they were not expected to do so well . ''
As of Friday , Taiwan has reported 50 confirmed cases of coronavirus , and one death , out of a population of around 23 million .
The island has seen a relatively low spread of the novel coronavirus despite its proximity and numerous links to China , where the virus was first detected and has infected more than 80,000 people .
Taiwan has also had to contend with political pressure and possible misinformation from China .
In a paper this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Medical Association , or JAMA , Wang and two colleagues listed 124 actions that Taiwan 's authorities took starting in December when they sensed the looming threat — and the rest of the world seemed to be looking the other way .
Taiwan quickly launched and updated emergency measures as the outbreak grew in China 's Hubei province and then spread .
Taiwan activated a response command center , sent a fact-finding team to China , imposed swift travel bans and quarantines .
It even restricted the export of face masks .
Taiwan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the world .
And it learned lessons from the experience of SARS 17 years ago , when it was the third worst hit territory after China and Hong Kong .
`` They had basically prepared for the next crisis because after SARS people were so just shocked by the impact both to the people and the economy , '' Wang said .
The `` importation risk '' for coronavirus was real for Taiwan .
Millions of people travel back and forth between China and the island each year .
Last year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month , on average , between Taiwan and the mainland , according to Taiwan 's Ministry of Transportation and Communications .
Nearly 11 million passenger journeys were made across the narrow Taiwan Strait by plane .
When the number of coronavirus cases started to spike in China in January , a study by Johns Hopkins University ranked Taiwan as one of the most at-risk locations .
Proximity to China was only part of the challenge .
Beijing considers the self-ruled , democratic island a part of China and has vowed to unite it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if necessary .
On the global stage , the Chinese government has tried to squeeze Taiwan .
The island only has a handful of diplomatic allies , and it 's not a member of the United Nations or the World Health Organization .
That has real-life implications during a disease outbreak , according to Richard Bush , a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution .
`` Practically speaking , it means that certain types of information that WHO members get as a matter of course are not available to Taiwan — even though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has something to contribute when it comes to understanding and monitoring this disease , '' he said .
The problem has been exacerbated by China 's distrust of Taiwan 's president , Tsai Ing-wen , whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally leaned toward independence for the island — a red line for Beijing .
Tsai 's predecessor , Ma Ying-jeou , was widely seen as more China-friendly , and the authorities in Beijing dangled more carrots in front of Taiwan during his administration .
On the health front , Taiwan was allowed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members as an observer from 2009 to 2016 when he was president .
`` Particularly because China does n't like the current president of Taiwan , Tsai Ing-wen , it is working particularly hard to marginalize and exclude it from all international governmental organizations in spite of the circumstances , '' Bush said .
Taiwan has n't been completely boxed out during the coronavirus outbreak .
The WHO says it has been in communication with Taiwan on a technical level , although a spokesman declined to provide details when asked by NPR .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the challenges of tackling COVID-19 as a nonmember of the WHO .
In early February , Taiwanese scientists were allowed to attend — by videoconference — part of a WHO forum in Geneva on the coronavirus .
An additional challenge also emerged for Taiwan : disinformation .
As the virus spread in China in late January , a stream of rumors and fake news about Taiwan 's response to the outbreak began to appear on social media sites , including Facebook and Twitter , according to researchers who track the issue .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was out of control in southern Taiwan and that trucks were being used to haul bodies to crematoriums , according to Summer Chen , editor-in-chief of Taiwan FactCheck Center , a group that ferrets out and debunks dodgy reports .
`` At the time , the news looked to me like nonsense , or something that you 'd never believe , '' said Chen .
A proliferation of misinformation in the runup to the presidential election on Jan. 11 helped raise awareness of the problem among the people of Taiwan , who Chen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealing with problematic online posts .
`` I think most Taiwan people who read them would think they 're funny or fun , but when information is in large quantities , especially with society on alert already , I think it 's very malicious , '' she said .
It 's unclear exactly who is behind the latest misinformation , but linguistic clues point to China , Chen and other researchers say .
Some of the posts used simplified Chinese characters or terminology that 's common on the mainland but not in Taiwan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Digital Intelligence Lab at Institute for the Future , has analyzed many of the posts and says they appear to have come from `` normal users online in China , '' rather than the state .
But , he adds , the Chinese government has the ability to stop them — and it has n't .
`` Disinformation campaigns online about coronavirus targeting Taiwan and targeting other countries , they are being permitted to ... jump over the 'Great Firewall ' and kind of propagate online , and I think that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Neither China 's Foreign Ministry nor the information office of the State Council , or cabinet , had an immediate comment when NPR faxed them questions about the online activity and Taiwan 's exclusion from the WHO .
The net effect of Taiwan 's non-membership in the World Health Organization and the spread of virus-related disinformation targeting the island is hard to measure .
But the risk of a wider spread of the virus is undoubtedly elevated , experts say .
`` When you have an environment of restricted information on top of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision-making difficult — both as an individual and as a government , '' said Heidi Larson , who researches disinformation and vaccines at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine .
But against the odds , Taiwan has kept COVID-19 in check so far .
Stanford 's Wang and his colleagues will continue to track how Taiwan fares .
`` We 're still in the middle of it .
Probably it will take six months before we fully know , '' he said .

With Odds Against It, Taiwan Keeps Coronavirus Corralled
Enlarge this image toggle caption Chiang Ying-ying/AP Chiang Ying-ying/AP
The challenges that COVID-19 poses for governments around the world are formidable. For Taiwan, there have been additional hurdles.
Experts say the island's response to the novel coronavirus has been remarkably effective so far, despite many serious challenges, starting with its close links to China, and may even hold lessons for others to follow.
"Taiwan is sort of a positive deviant," said Jason Wang, a pediatrician who heads the Center for Policy, Outcomes and Prevention at the Stanford University medical school.
"It did really well when they were not expected to do so well."
As of Friday, Taiwan has reported 50 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and one death, out of a population of around 23 million.
The island has seen a relatively low spread of the novel coronavirus despite its proximity and numerous links to China, where the virus was first detected and has infected more than 80,000 people. Taiwan has also had to contend with political pressure and possible misinformation from China.
In a paper this month in the Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, Wang and two colleagues listed 124 actions that Taiwan's authorities took starting in December when they sensed the looming threat — and the rest of the world seemed to be looking the other way.
Taiwan quickly launched and updated emergency measures as the outbreak grew in China's Hubei province and then spread. Taiwan activated a response command center, sent a fact-finding team to China, imposed swift travel bans and quarantines. It even restricted the export of face masks.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images Sam Yeh/AFP via Getty Images
Taiwan's health-care system ranks among the best in the world. And it learned lessons from the experience of SARS 17 years ago, when it was the third worst hit territory after China and Hong Kong.
"They had basically prepared for the next crisis because after SARS people were so just shocked by the impact both to the people and the economy," Wang said.
The "importation risk" for coronavirus was real for Taiwan.
Millions of people travel back and forth between China and the island each year. Last year, there were more than 5,700 flights per month, on average, between Taiwan and the mainland, according to Taiwan's Ministry of Transportation and Communications. Nearly 11 million passenger journeys were made across the narrow Taiwan Strait by plane.
When the number of coronavirus cases started to spike in China in January, a study by Johns Hopkins University ranked Taiwan as one of the most at-risk locations.
'Marginalize and exclude'
Proximity to China was only part of the challenge.
Beijing considers the self-ruled, democratic island a part of China and has vowed to unite it eventually with the mainland, by force if necessary.
On the global stage, the Chinese government has tried to squeeze Taiwan. The island only has a handful of diplomatic allies, and it's not a member of the United Nations or the World Health Organization.
That has real-life implications during a disease outbreak, according to Richard Bush, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
"Practically speaking, it means that certain types of information that WHO members get as a matter of course are not available to Taiwan — even though it does have cases, even though it has something to contribute when it comes to understanding and monitoring this disease," he said.
The problem has been exacerbated by China's distrust of Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally leaned toward independence for the island — a red line for Beijing.
Tsai's predecessor, Ma Ying-jeou, was widely seen as more China-friendly, and the authorities in Beijing dangled more carrots in front of Taiwan during his administration. On the health front, Taiwan was allowed to attend the annual gathering of WHO members as an observer from 2009 to 2016 when he was president.
"Particularly because China doesn't like the current president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, it is working particularly hard to marginalize and exclude it from all international governmental organizations in spite of the circumstances," Bush said.
Taiwan hasn't been completely boxed out during the coronavirus outbreak.
The WHO says it has been in communication with Taiwan on a technical level, although a spokesman declined to provide details when asked by NPR.
Taiwan's government declined to comment on the challenges of tackling COVID-19 as a nonmember of the WHO.
In early February, Taiwanese scientists were allowed to attend — by videoconference — part of a WHO forum in Geneva on the coronavirus.
Rumors and "nonsense"
An additional challenge also emerged for Taiwan: disinformation.
As the virus spread in China in late January, a stream of rumors and fake news about Taiwan's response to the outbreak began to appear on social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, according to researchers who track the issue.
One of the first claimed that the outbreak was out of control in southern Taiwan and that trucks were being used to haul bodies to crematoriums, according to Summer Chen, editor-in-chief of Taiwan FactCheck Center, a group that ferrets out and debunks dodgy reports.
"At the time, the news looked to me like nonsense, or something that you'd never believe," said Chen.
More reports followed.
A proliferation of misinformation in the runup to the presidential election on Jan. 11 helped raise awareness of the problem among the people of Taiwan, who Chen says are getting better at identifying and dealing with problematic online posts.
"I think most Taiwan people who read them would think they're funny or fun, but when information is in large quantities, especially with society on alert already, I think it's very malicious," she said.
It's unclear exactly who is behind the latest misinformation, but linguistic clues point to China, Chen and other researchers say.
Some of the posts used simplified Chinese characters or terminology that's common on the mainland but not in Taiwan.
Nick Monaco, research director of the Digital Intelligence Lab at Institute for the Future, has analyzed many of the posts and says they appear to have come from "normal users online in China," rather than the state.
But, he adds, the Chinese government has the ability to stop them — and it hasn't.
"Disinformation campaigns online about coronavirus targeting Taiwan and targeting other countries, they are being permitted to ... jump over the 'Great Firewall' and kind of propagate online, and I think that is very malicious," Monaco said.
Neither China's Foreign Ministry nor the information office of the State Council, or cabinet, had an immediate comment when NPR faxed them questions about the online activity and Taiwan's exclusion from the WHO.
The net effect of Taiwan's non-membership in the World Health Organization and the spread of virus-related disinformation targeting the island is hard to measure. But the risk of a wider spread of the virus is undoubtedly elevated, experts say.
"When you have an environment of restricted information on top of all those degrees of misinformation it makes decision-making difficult — both as an individual and as a government," said Heidi Larson, who researches disinformation and vaccines at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
But against the odds, Taiwan has kept COVID-19 in check so far.
Stanford's Wang and his colleagues will continue to track how Taiwan fares.
"We're still in the middle of it. Probably it will take six months before we fully know," he said.


npr--2020-03-13--New York Federal Prosecutors File New Charges Against R. Kelly

New York Federal Prosecutors File New Charges Against R. Kelly On Friday morning , federal prosecutors in Brooklyn , New York filed a superseding indictment against R & B singer R. Kelly .
They charged him with nine counts that include racketeering and eight violations of the Mann Act , which prohibits sexual trafficking across state lines .
In this indictment , the prosecutors newly allege that in 2015 , Kelly had sex with a girl under the age of 18 , and that he gave her herpes without disclosing that he had the disease .
In total , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged victims , including three girls .
This is one of two sets of federal charges against Kelly .
Last month , federal prosecutors in Illinois also filed a set of superseding charges against the singer , to which he has pleaded not guilty .
In all , he now faces 22 federal criminal charges that involve allegedly abusing 11 girls and women over the course of more than two decades , from 1994 to 2018 .
On Twitter , one of Kelly 's attorneys , Steve Greenberg , wrote Friday afternoon that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe it [ the new set of charges ] fundamentally changes anything . ''
Kelly pleaded not guilty in August to the previous set of New York-based federal charges .
As in their previous indictment , the New York prosecutors allege that Kelly and his associates — including `` managers , bodyguards , drivers , personal assistants and runners for Kelly , as well as members of Kelly 's entourage , '' were acting as an organized crime ring .
Kelly was arrested in Chicago last July , and has remained in jail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nearly two dozen federal charges , he still faces four separate indictments of sexual assault and abuse in Cook County , Ill. , to which he pleaded not guilty last June , as well as an array of civil suits and allegations from other women .
He also has two pending criminal charges against him in Minnesota .
Kelly 's Brooklyn trial is slated to begin on Jul .
7 ; his Illinois federal trial is scheduled to start on Oct. 13 .

New York Federal Prosecutors File New Charges Against R. Kelly
Enlarge this image toggle caption E. Jason Wambsgans/AFP/Getty Images E. Jason Wambsgans/AFP/Getty Images
On Friday morning, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York filed a superseding indictment against R&B singer R. Kelly. They charged him with nine counts that include racketeering and eight violations of the Mann Act, which prohibits sexual trafficking across state lines.
In this indictment, the prosecutors newly allege that in 2015, Kelly had sex with a girl under the age of 18, and that he gave her herpes without disclosing that he had the disease. In total, the New York federal charges now include six alleged victims, including three girls.
This is one of two sets of federal charges against Kelly. Last month, federal prosecutors in Illinois also filed a set of superseding charges against the singer, to which he has pleaded not guilty. In all, he now faces 22 federal criminal charges that involve allegedly abusing 11 girls and women over the course of more than two decades, from 1994 to 2018.
On Twitter, one of Kelly's attorneys, Steve Greenberg, wrote Friday afternoon that the singer's team does "not believe it [the new set of charges] fundamentally changes anything." Kelly pleaded not guilty in August to the previous set of New York-based federal charges.
As in their previous indictment, the New York prosecutors allege that Kelly and his associates — including "managers, bodyguards, drivers, personal assistants and runners for Kelly, as well as members of Kelly's entourage," were acting as an organized crime ring.
Kelly was arrested in Chicago last July, and has remained in jail without bond. In addition to the nearly two dozen federal charges, he still faces four separate indictments of sexual assault and abuse in Cook County, Ill., to which he pleaded not guilty last June, as well as an array of civil suits and allegations from other women. He also has two pending criminal charges against him in Minnesota.
Kelly's Brooklyn trial is slated to begin on Jul. 7; his Illinois federal trial is scheduled to start on Oct. 13.


npr--2020-03-13--Coronavirus FAQs: What's 'Flattening The Curve'? Should I Travel?

This is part of a new series looking at pressing coronavirus questions of the week .
We 'd like to hear what you 're curious about .
Email us at goatsandsoda @ npr.org with the subject line : `` Weekly Coronavirus Questions . ''
The global spread of COVID-19 cases continues , with cases now in at least 115 countries .
Authorities in the U.S. and other countries are banning large gatherings , encouraging social distancing , and urging frequent hand washing .
The virus is quickly reshaping lives , economies and health care systems , and new questions keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer some of the pressing questions are on people 's minds about coronavirus and what it means for everyday life .
Send us your questions at goatsandsoda @ npr.org .
I have an international trip scheduled .
Should I cancel it ?
Things are changing rapidly when it comes to travel .
Organizations that issue travel advisories like the State Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are ramping up their warnings .
The U.S. State Department released a Global Level 3 Health Advisory on Wednesday that suggests U.S. citizens reconsider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The advisory warns that with many areas around the world experiencing outbreaks , localities are `` taking action that may limit traveler mobility , including quarantines and border restrictions .
Even countries , jurisdictions , or areas where cases have not been reported may restrict travel without notice . ''
So if you travel abroad , you could potentially find yourself in quarantine or have a hard time getting home .
Additionally , President Trump has announced that he is banning travel from Europe beginning Friday at midnight .
The restrictions do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kingdom .
U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents will be permitted to return to the U.S. from Europe , but they will be screened and could face quarantine if they show symptoms of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
Many airlines are slashing flights due to the ban , causing further snarls .
For those at higher risk of getting sick from COVID-19 — including older people and those with other medical conditions — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises avoiding cruise ships and unnecessary plane travel .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ general defer cruises for now .
What 's this talk about `` flattening the curve '' ?
You may have noticed many people are suddenly talking about the need to `` flatten the curve . ''
That conversation refers to a specific graph that shows the number of COVID-19 cases over time .
The curve seen in red shows the sharp spike in cases that could occur if we do n't take preventive measures .
In that scenario , a huge volume of cases overwhelms the health-care system , and there are n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who need them .
The second curve , in blue , shows what 's to be expected if we do take preventive measures : the number of cases is lower and is spread out over a longer period .
That flatter curve is the goal right now in many places that are already seeing a lot of cases of COVID-19 .
A huge benefit of slowing the spread of coronavirus is that more people who get severe cases will be able to get the health care they need to stay alive .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris , who made the original version of the chart : `` It 's the difference between finding an ICU bed & ventilator or being treated in the parking lot tent . ''
Even if the virus is one that many people catch eventually , as some have warned , flattening the curve gives health-care systems more time to build capacity , develop treatments and eventually a vaccine .
How long does the new coronavirus live on surfaces ?
The World Health Organization says that studies suggest coronaviruses may persist on surfaces for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days .
How long COVID-19 lasts can depend on different conditions , including the type of surface , the temperature and humidity .
New research published Wednesday found that the virus can live up to three hours in the air , up to four hours on copper , up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two or three days on plastic and stainless steel .
The study was conducted by government scientists and researchers at Princeton and UCLA ; it has not yet been peer-reviewed .
And the study does n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmitted this way .
The CDC says that it may be possible for someone to get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth , nose , or possibly their eyes .
But , the CDC says , the most common way for the virus to spread is through respiratory droplets if an infected person coughs or sneezes close to you .
These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surfaces daily , using bleach , alcohol , or an EPA-approved disinfectant .
Then wash your hands .
Should I use something other than my hand to turn off the water after I wash my hands with soap and water ?
There is n't enough data to prove that you can pick up many germs by turning off a faucet with your bare hands after washing up .
But doctors and health specialists who spend a lot of time thinking about infection recommend using a paper towel or your elbow in case there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infect your newly clean hands .
Faucets are `` worry spots in terms of areas that could be contaminated in restrooms , '' says Dr. Mark Gendreau , chief medical officer at Beverly Hospital in Massachusetts .
That perspective is shared by Tania Busch Isaksen , a lecturer at the University of Washington 's department of Environmental and occupational health sciences : `` You just turned that [ faucet ] on when they were dirty , so now you 're recontaminating your hand . ''
We 'll answer more questions next Friday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to goatsandsoda @ npr.org by Wednesday , March 18 , with the subject line `` Weekly Coronavirus Questions . ''
NPR 's Pien Huang and Elena Renken contributed to this report .

Coronavirus FAQs: What's 'Flattening The Curve'? Should I Travel?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mehdi Taamallah/NurPhoto via Getty Images Mehdi Taamallah/NurPhoto via Getty Images
This is part of a new series looking at pressing coronavirus questions of the week. We'd like to hear what you're curious about. Email us at goatsandsoda@npr.org with the subject line: "Weekly Coronavirus Questions."
The global spread of COVID-19 cases continues, with cases now in at least 115 countries. Authorities in the U.S. and other countries are banning large gatherings, encouraging social distancing, and urging frequent hand washing.
The virus is quickly reshaping lives, economies and health care systems, and new questions keep arising.
Each week, we'll answer some of the pressing questions are on people's minds about coronavirus and what it means for everyday life. Send us your questions at goatsandsoda@npr.org.
I have an international trip scheduled. Should I cancel it?
Things are changing rapidly when it comes to travel. Organizations that issue travel advisories like the State Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are ramping up their warnings.
The U.S. State Department released a Global Level 3 Health Advisory on Wednesday that suggests U.S. citizens reconsider traveling abroad — regardless of the destination.
The advisory warns that with many areas around the world experiencing outbreaks, localities are "taking action that may limit traveler mobility, including quarantines and border restrictions. Even countries, jurisdictions, or areas where cases have not been reported may restrict travel without notice."
So if you travel abroad, you could potentially find yourself in quarantine or have a hard time getting home.
Additionally, President Trump has announced that he is banning travel from Europe beginning Friday at midnight. On Saturday he announced he's extending restrictions on travel from the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well.
U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents will be permitted to return to the U.S. from Europe, but they will be screened and could face quarantine if they show symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Many airlines are slashing flights due to the ban, causing further snarls.
For those at higher risk of getting sick from COVID-19 — including older people and those with other medical conditions — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises avoiding cruise ships and unnecessary plane travel. The CDC also suggests that travelers in general defer cruises for now.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images
What's this talk about "flattening the curve"?
You may have noticed many people are suddenly talking about the need to "flatten the curve."
That conversation refers to a specific graph that shows the number of COVID-19 cases over time.
The curve seen in red shows the sharp spike in cases that could occur if we don't take preventive measures. In that scenario, a huge volume of cases overwhelms the health-care system, and there aren't enough hospital beds and respirators for those who need them.
The second curve, in blue, shows what's to be expected if we do take preventive measures: the number of cases is lower and is spread out over a longer period. That flatter curve is the goal right now in many places that are already seeing a lot of cases of COVID-19.
A huge benefit of slowing the spread of coronavirus is that more people who get severe cases will be able to get the health care they need to stay alive. In the words of public health expert Drew Harris, who made the original version of the chart: "It's the difference between finding an ICU bed & ventilator or being treated in the parking lot tent."
Even if the virus is one that many people catch eventually, as some have warned, flattening the curve gives health-care systems more time to build capacity, develop treatments and eventually a vaccine.
How long does the new coronavirus live on surfaces?
The World Health Organization says that studies suggest coronaviruses may persist on surfaces for a few hours or up to several days. How long COVID-19 lasts can depend on different conditions, including the type of surface, the temperature and humidity.
New research published Wednesday found that the virus can live up to three hours in the air, up to four hours on copper, up to 24 hours on cardboard and up to two or three days on plastic and stainless steel.
The study was conducted by government scientists and researchers at Princeton and UCLA; it has not yet been peer-reviewed. And the study doesn't show how often the virus is actually transmitted this way.
The CDC says that it may be possible for someone to get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.
But, the CDC says, the most common way for the virus to spread is through respiratory droplets if an infected person coughs or sneezes close to you. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.
Should I use something other than my hand to turn off the water after I wash my hands with soap and water?
There isn't enough data to prove that you can pick up many germs by turning off a faucet with your bare hands after washing up. But doctors and health specialists who spend a lot of time thinking about infection recommend using a paper towel or your elbow in case there are germs on the faucet that could infect your newly clean hands.
Faucets are "worry spots in terms of areas that could be contaminated in restrooms," says Dr. Mark Gendreau, chief medical officer at Beverly Hospital in Massachusetts.
That perspective is shared by Tania Busch Isaksen, a lecturer at the University of Washington's department of Environmental and occupational health sciences: "You just turned that [faucet] on when they were dirty, so now you're recontaminating your hand."
We'll answer more questions next Friday. If you've got one, sent it to goatsandsoda@npr.org by Wednesday, March 18, with the subject line "Weekly Coronavirus Questions."
NPR's Pien Huang and Elena Renken contributed to this report.


npr--2020-03-13--Mars Rover Launch Delayed Until 2022 Over Software Tests And Coronavirus

Mars Rover Launch Delayed Until 2022 Over Software Tests And Coronavirus A scheduled joint European-Russia launch of a planetary rover to Mars this summer has been scrubbed , for now .
The European Space Agency and Russia 's Roscosmos space agency said the ExoMars mission , planned for July , wo n't happen now until at least the latter part of 2022 .
Both space agencies acknowledged items like the rover 's parachutes and landing and decent modules were going through final testing , but in announcing the delay , officials said concerns over the coronavirus pandemic were a factor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but well-weighed decision to postpone the launch to 2022 , '' Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin said in a statement .
Rogozin said agencies needed to `` maximise the robustness of all ExoMars systems , '' but also that European experts involved in the project had no ability to travel to `` partner industries '' because of the `` exacerbation of the epidemiological situation in Europe . ''
The space agencies also said further tests to the spacecraft 's hardware and software were needed before a mission launch .
`` We want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successful mission .
We can not allow ourselves any margin of error .
More verification activities will ensure a safe trip and the best scientific results on Mars , '' Jan Wörner , the ESA director general said .
The ExoMars ' main task is to search for evidence of whether life has ever existed on Mars and to gain a better understanding of the history of water on the Red Planet .
The rover will include a drill and what is described as a `` miniature life-search laboratory . ''
Rovers have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's Opportunity , which roamed the planet for more than 14 years beginning in 2004 .
But the two space agencies say the mission is new in that will search for life up to 2 meters below the surface of Mars , `` where biological signatures of life may be uniquely well preserved . ''
The space agencies are predicting the next launch period will be between August and October of 2022 .
They cite `` celestial mechanics '' providing a narrow launch window of about 10 days every two years where Mars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ExoMars mission also includes the Trace Gas Orbiter , which launched in 2016 and is still orbiting Mars .
It 's planned to relay information from the rover on the surface of Mars with scientists on Earth .

Mars Rover Launch Delayed Until 2022 Over Software Tests And Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aaron Chown/AP Aaron Chown/AP
A scheduled joint European-Russia launch of a planetary rover to Mars this summer has been scrubbed, for now. The European Space Agency and Russia's Roscosmos space agency said the ExoMars mission, planned for July, won't happen now until at least the latter part of 2022.
Both space agencies acknowledged items like the rover's parachutes and landing and decent modules were going through final testing, but in announcing the delay, officials said concerns over the coronavirus pandemic were a factor.
"We have made a difficult but well-weighed decision to postpone the launch to 2022," Roscosmos Director General Dmitry Rogozin said in a statement.
Rogozin said agencies needed to "maximise the robustness of all ExoMars systems," but also that European experts involved in the project had no ability to travel to "partner industries" because of the "exacerbation of the epidemiological situation in Europe."
The space agencies also said further tests to the spacecraft's hardware and software were needed before a mission launch.
"We want to make ourselves 100% sure of a successful mission. We cannot allow ourselves any margin of error. More verification activities will ensure a safe trip and the best scientific results on Mars," Jan Wörner, the ESA director general said.
The ExoMars' main task is to search for evidence of whether life has ever existed on Mars and to gain a better understanding of the history of water on the Red Planet.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aaron Chown/AP Aaron Chown/AP
The rover will include a drill and what is described as a "miniature life-search laboratory."
Rovers have landed on Mars before, including NASA's Opportunity, which roamed the planet for more than 14 years beginning in 2004.
But the two space agencies say the mission is new in that will search for life up to 2 meters below the surface of Mars, "where biological signatures of life may be uniquely well preserved."
The space agencies are predicting the next launch period will be between August and October of 2022. They cite "celestial mechanics" providing a narrow launch window of about 10 days every two years where Mars can be reached from Earth.
The ExoMars mission also includes the Trace Gas Orbiter, which launched in 2016 and is still orbiting Mars. It's planned to relay information from the rover on the surface of Mars with scientists on Earth.


npr--2020-03-13--The U.S. Investigates Possible Civilian Deaths During Baghdadi Raid In Syria

The U.S. Investigates Possible Civilian Deaths During Baghdadi Raid In Syria The U.S. military has launched a formal investigation into claims of civilian casualties during the U.S. raid against ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi , a military spokesman told NPR .
The investigation was prompted by an NPR report about a Syrian farmer who said his arm was blown off and his two friends were killed by U.S. helicopter fire in the village where American special forces were attacking Baghdadi 's compound in October .
`` Am I Baghdadi ?
How is this my fault ?
I 'm just a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons .
We 're farmers .
I make less than a dollar a day .
Now I 'm handicapped , and my two friends are in their graves , '' the injured farmer , Barakat Barakat , said after the incident .
The investigation comes months after the U.S. announced special forces had carefully executed the Baghdadi operation .
`` The assault force was engaged in small arms fire and the threats were quickly eliminated .
Our forces isolated the compound and protected all of the non-combatants , '' Chairman of the Joint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporters on Oct. 28 .
NPR learned of the possible civilian casualties from one of the victims ' relatives the day of the raid , then collected evidence of the claim over the course of several weeks .
A former Pentagon official who investigated strikes in Syria for the United Nations reviewed photos of shrapnel from the scene that relatives provided to NPR , and said it appeared the attack could have come only from Hydra-70 rockets , a type fired by U.S. military helicopters .
Relatives contacted by NPR said the men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In response to an NPR query in November , a U.S. defense official said initial reports suggested individuals in a van had fired at U.S. helicopters , but that the military would review the case to determine if an investigation was warranted .
For three months , the military said there was no progress on the review .
In late February , when NPR sought comment for a follow-up report , a spokesman said the military 's Central Command had opened an investigation .
It is still ongoing , and could take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Command has initiated a credibility assessment into an allegation of civilian casualties during the operation that resulted in the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Oct. 26-27 , 2019 , and that assessment is ongoing , '' said Capt .
Bill Urban , spokesman of U.S. Central Command .
A credibility assessment is a preliminary investigation following an informal review .
Investigators assess an allegation before launching a fuller investigation , said Priyanka Motaparthy , director of the Counterterrorism , Armed Conflict , and Human Rights Project at Columbia Law School .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video of the operation .
They could also speak with military personnel who were involved in that operation to get a sense of what happened , '' said Motaparthy .
`` This is kind of an intermediate step . ''
Barakat , who survived the attack , said last week he did not know the U.S. had launched an investigation into his case .
`` I thought the issue had been forgotten .
I did not expect it was possible the American people would forget this issue , '' he said by phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel there is someone caring about my life .
There is humanity in the American people . ''
Barakat has struggled to get used to his new life .
His right arm is gone , and his left arm was hit by shrapnel , leaving only his pinky finger functioning .
`` When I want to wash my face , my wife washes it .
When I want to eat , my wife rolls up the piece of bread and feeds me , '' said Barakat .
His friend , Mostafa Mirshid Shabaan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while he spoke .
`` We used to play cards together .
Now it is not easy to drink tea with him , '' Shabaan said .
Barakat lives near Idlib , a rebel-held area under attack for months by the Syrian regime .
There are no U.S. troops in the area for him to contact with an appeal .
He wo n't approach a hospital to seek medical treatment , because hospitals in the area have been bombed .
More than a million Syrians have been displaced from Idlib province since December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounding Barakat 's home in the village of Hattan .
It 's the biggest humanitarian crisis of the long-running civil war .
He says his two friends who were killed in a U.S. attack left behind wives to take care of their kids .
Barakat refuses to tell his five young children what happened to him .
He tells them he got into a fight with a friend .
He does n't want them to think about war .
He is ashamed he can no longer work to support them .
`` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destiny .
But what is the sin my kids committed that now their future is n't guaranteed ? ''
he said .
Before ending the phone call , he asked if there were any chances the U.S. would help him provide for his children .
`` I am asking you , is there any hope for any help for me ? ''
Barakat said .
`` If there is no hope , please tell me , I 'd like things to be clear .
If there is no hope , tell me , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The U.S. has taken responsibility for past civilian casualties in Syria , but experts say very few families have received money .

The U.S. Investigates Possible Civilian Deaths During Baghdadi Raid In Syria
Enlarge this image toggle caption Omar Haj Kadour/AFP via Getty Images Omar Haj Kadour/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S. military has launched a formal investigation into claims of civilian casualties during the U.S. raid against ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, a military spokesman told NPR.
The investigation was prompted by an NPR report about a Syrian farmer who said his arm was blown off and his two friends were killed by U.S. helicopter fire in the village where American special forces were attacking Baghdadi's compound in October.
"Am I Baghdadi? How is this my fault? I'm just a civilian. I didn't have any weapons. We're farmers. I make less than a dollar a day. Now I'm handicapped, and my two friends are in their graves," the injured farmer, Barakat Barakat, said after the incident.
The investigation comes months after the U.S. announced special forces had carefully executed the Baghdadi operation. "The assault force was engaged in small arms fire and the threats were quickly eliminated. Our forces isolated the compound and protected all of the non-combatants," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told reporters on Oct. 28.
NPR learned of the possible civilian casualties from one of the victims' relatives the day of the raid, then collected evidence of the claim over the course of several weeks. A former Pentagon official who investigated strikes in Syria for the United Nations reviewed photos of shrapnel from the scene that relatives provided to NPR, and said it appeared the attack could have come only from Hydra-70 rockets, a type fired by U.S. military helicopters.
Relatives contacted by NPR said the men did not belong to an armed group.
In response to an NPR query in November, a U.S. defense official said initial reports suggested individuals in a van had fired at U.S. helicopters, but that the military would review the case to determine if an investigation was warranted. For three months, the military said there was no progress on the review.
In late February, when NPR sought comment for a follow-up report, a spokesman said the military's Central Command had opened an investigation. It is still ongoing, and could take weeks or months.
"U.S. Central Command has initiated a credibility assessment into an allegation of civilian casualties during the operation that resulted in the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on Oct. 26-27, 2019, and that assessment is ongoing," said Capt. Bill Urban, spokesman of U.S. Central Command.
A credibility assessment is a preliminary investigation following an informal review. Investigators assess an allegation before launching a fuller investigation, said Priyanka Motaparthy, director of the Counterterrorism, Armed Conflict, and Human Rights Project at Columbia Law School.
"They could look at things like surveillance video of the operation. They could also speak with military personnel who were involved in that operation to get a sense of what happened," said Motaparthy. "This is kind of an intermediate step."
Barakat, who survived the attack, said last week he did not know the U.S. had launched an investigation into his case.
"I thought the issue had been forgotten. I did not expect it was possible the American people would forget this issue," he said by phone from northwest Syria. "Now I feel there is someone caring about my life. There is humanity in the American people."
Barakat has struggled to get used to his new life. His right arm is gone, and his left arm was hit by shrapnel, leaving only his pinky finger functioning. "When I want to wash my face, my wife washes it. When I want to eat, my wife rolls up the piece of bread and feeds me," said Barakat.
His friend, Mostafa Mirshid Shabaan, held up the cellphone for Barakat while he spoke. "We used to play cards together. Now it is not easy to drink tea with him," Shabaan said. He contacted several aid groups to get help for Barakat, he said, but none gave any assistance.
Barakat lives near Idlib, a rebel-held area under attack for months by the Syrian regime. There are no U.S. troops in the area for him to contact with an appeal. He won't approach a hospital to seek medical treatment, because hospitals in the area have been bombed.
More than a million Syrians have been displaced from Idlib province since December, some of them now in tents surrounding Barakat's home in the village of Hattan. It's the biggest humanitarian crisis of the long-running civil war.
He says his two friends who were killed in the attack left behind wives to take care of their kids.
Barakat refuses to tell his five young children what happened to him. He tells them he got into a fight with a friend. He doesn't want them to think about war. He is ashamed he can no longer work to support them.
"I lost my hand. God determined my destiny. But what is the sin my kids committed that now their future isn't guaranteed?" he said.
Before ending the phone call, he asked if there were any chances the U.S. would help him provide for his children.
"I am asking you, is there any hope for any help for me?" Barakat said. "If there is no hope, please tell me, I'd like things to be clear. If there is no hope, tell me, so I do not live in despair."
The U.S. has taken responsibility for past civilian casualties in Syria, but experts say very few families have received money.