npr--2020-10-16--Don't Censor! Stop The Hoaxes! Facebook, Twitter Face A Catch-22

As Election Day nears , Facebook and Twitter are finding themselves in a Catch- 22 , between conservatives who accuse them of stifling free speech when they block or put warning labels on questionable posts , and others who say the companies need to do more to stamp out online misinformation and conspiracy theories .
`` Nineteen days before voting closes in the 2020 election , I believe we are more vulnerable to online disinformation from both foreign and domestic sources than ever before , '' Nina Jankowicz , a disinformation expert at the Wilson Center , told members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during a virtual hearing on Thursday .
Pointing to the group that plotted to kidnap Michigan Gov .
Gretchen Whitmer , Jankowicz cautioned lawmakers that what happens online can have real-world consequences , including violence .
`` The social media platforms played a huge role in allowing that group to organize .
It seeded the information that led them to organize , '' she said .
Other false messages , she said , were often aimed at women or minorities , with the goal of keeping them from participating in democracy and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman who has been getting harassed a lot lately with sexual and gender disinformation , I am very acutely aware of how those threats that are online can transfer to real world violence , '' Jankowicz added .
Republicans chose not to attend the hearing .
Democrats largely agreed with the witnesses that misinformation , especially around the election and the coronavirus pandemic , was possibly dangerous .
Yet , Rep. Jim Himes , D-Conn. , said he was deeply uncomfortable with the idea that either the government or private companies should `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we get in the business of figuring out who should define what 'misinformation ' or 'disinformation ' is ? ''
he asked .
`` That strikes me as hard . ''
Melanie Smith , head of analysis at Graphika , Inc. , a social network mapping and analysis company , said social media platforms could tweak their algorithms to curb the spread of misinformation .
This month , Facebook , Twitter and YouTube have announced a steady stream of policies to block or limit the spread of conspiracy theories and other potentially harmful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rolled out a ban on messages that deny the Holocaust happened , and ads that discourage vaccinations .
On Wednesday , YouTube banned videos that supported the unfounded QAnon conspiracy theory and other hoaxes that target individuals and could possibly lead to violence .
Facebook and Twitter already established similar policies .
With each move , however , the social media platforms have raised the ire of conservatives who have long accused the companies of treating them unfairly .
The anger reached a new peak this week , with President Trump and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's decisions to block or limit the spread of an unverified story about Hunter Biden , the son of the Democratic presidential nominee .
`` We 've seen Twitter and Facebook actively interfering in this election in a way that has no precedent in the history of our country , '' Sen. Ted Cruz , R-Texas , said Thursday .
Republicans have renewed calls to overhaul Section 230 , the law that protects tech companies from liability for what users post .
The companies , they argue , are acting more like publishers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at which the CEOs of Twitter , Facebook and Google are set to appear , is scheduled for just days before Election Day .
At the House hearing , however , the expert witnesses cautioned against repealing Section 230 without a clear replacement waiting in the wings .
`` Social media provides an enormous public good in terms of the ways in which people communicate with each other , '' said Joan Donavan , research director at the Harvard Kennedy School 's Shorenstein Center .
`` It 's the features that are becoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information is sorted and , by and large , the way in which people can 'pay to play ' -- they can pay to push their information or 'news ' across these platforms . ''
Regulations , she said , should require social media platforms to reveal more information to the public about the messages posted , including who is behind them .
Adedayo Akala is an intern on the NPR Business Desk .
NPR 's Shannon Bond contributed to this report .

Don't Censor! Stop The Hoaxes! Facebook, Twitter Face A Catch-22
Enlarge this image toggle caption Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
As Election Day nears, Facebook and Twitter are finding themselves in a Catch- 22, between conservatives who accuse them of stifling free speech when they block or put warning labels on questionable posts, and others who say the companies need to do more to stamp out online misinformation and conspiracy theories.
"Nineteen days before voting closes in the 2020 election, I believe we are more vulnerable to online disinformation from both foreign and domestic sources than ever before," Nina Jankowicz, a disinformation expert at the Wilson Center, told members of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence during a virtual hearing on Thursday.
Pointing to the group that plotted to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Jankowicz cautioned lawmakers that what happens online can have real-world consequences, including violence.
"The social media platforms played a huge role in allowing that group to organize. It seeded the information that led them to organize," she said. Other false messages, she said, were often aimed at women or minorities, with the goal of keeping them from participating in democracy and even from public life.
"As a woman who has been getting harassed a lot lately with sexual and gender disinformation, I am very acutely aware of how those threats that are online can transfer to real world violence," Jankowicz added.
Republicans chose not to attend the hearing. Democrats largely agreed with the witnesses that misinformation, especially around the election and the coronavirus pandemic, was possibly dangerous. Yet, Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., said he was deeply uncomfortable with the idea that either the government or private companies should "fight disinformation."
"How do we get in the business of figuring out who should define what 'misinformation' or 'disinformation' is?" he asked. "That strikes me as hard."
Melanie Smith, head of analysis at Graphika, Inc., a social network mapping and analysis company, said social media platforms could tweak their algorithms to curb the spread of misinformation.
This month, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have announced a steady stream of policies to block or limit the spread of conspiracy theories and other potentially harmful misinformation. Just this week, Facebook rolled out a ban on messages that deny the Holocaust happened, and ads that discourage vaccinations. On Wednesday, YouTube banned videos that supported the unfounded QAnon conspiracy theory and other hoaxes that target individuals and could possibly lead to violence. Facebook and Twitter already established similar policies.
With each move, however, the social media platforms have raised the ire of conservatives who have long accused the companies of treating them unfairly. The anger reached a new peak this week, with President Trump and his allies lashing out about Twitter and Facebook's decisions to block or limit the spread of an unverified story about Hunter Biden, the son of the Democratic presidential nominee.
"We've seen Twitter and Facebook actively interfering in this election in a way that has no precedent in the history of our country," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Thursday.
Republicans have renewed calls to overhaul Section 230, the law that protects tech companies from liability for what users post. The companies, they argue, are acting more like publishers than impartial platforms. A hearing, at which the CEOs of Twitter, Facebook and Google are set to appear, is scheduled for just days before Election Day.
At the House hearing, however, the expert witnesses cautioned against repealing Section 230 without a clear replacement waiting in the wings.
"Social media provides an enormous public good in terms of the ways in which people communicate with each other," said Joan Donavan, research director at the Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center. "It's the features that are becoming the problem--the way in which information is sorted and, by and large, the way in which people can 'pay to play'--they can pay to push their information or 'news' across these platforms."
Regulations, she said, should require social media platforms to reveal more information to the public about the messages posted, including who is behind them.
Adedayo Akala is an intern on the NPR Business Desk. NPR's Shannon Bond contributed to this report.


npr--2020-10-16--Supreme Court Speeds Up Case On Trump's Push To Alter Census For House Seats

Supreme Court Speeds Up Case On Trump 's Push To Alter Census For House Seats The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to a speedy review of President Trump 's attempt to exclude unauthorized immigrants from the census numbers used to reallocate seats in Congress .
Last month , a lower court ruling blocked Trump 's push , calling a presidential memo that called for that unprecedented change unlawful .
And now the justices have expedited consideration to hear oral arguments in the case on Nov. 30 .
The hearing is set to take place a month before federal law says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 435 seats in the House of Representatives among the states are due to the president .
The timing increases the potential for Trump to try to make the change to who is included in the numbers during his current term in office .
Since the first U.S. census in 1790 , the numbers of U.S. residents who are counted to determine each state 's share of congressional seats have included both citizens and noncitizens , regardless of immigration status .
`` President Trump has repeatedly tried — and failed — to weaponize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities .
The Supreme Court rejected his attempt last year and should do so again , '' said Dale Ho , a lead plaintiffs ' attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who successfully argued against the now-blocked citizenship question the administration wanted on the 2020 census forms .
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment .
Federal law requires the president to deliver to Congress `` a statement showing the whole number of persons in each State '' based on the once-a-decade census .
In September , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's memo an illegal overreach of the president 's limited authority , as delegated by Congress , over the census .
Even if the Supreme Court overturns that ruling , however , it is not clear if Trump would practically be able to exclude unauthorized immigrants from the results of this year 's census .
The 2020 forms did not include a question about a person 's immigration status .
The U.S. Census Bureau could provide information about unauthorized immigrants in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers , according to a court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Justice Department attorney John Coghlan told a federal court in Maryland , which is hearing a similar lawsuit over Trump 's memo , that the administration does not know what other groups of unauthorized immigrants it could feasibly omit from the apportionment counts .
This week , the high court issued a ruling that allowed the administration to end counting for the census more than two weeks earlier than expected .
With a lone dissent by Justice Sonia Sotomayor , the high court 's order has paved a path for the bureau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal deadline for reporting the new state population counts to the president .
Keeping to that timeline would help ensure that — regardless of whether Trump wins reelection — he can control the numbers for reapportioning House seats before they 're handed off to Congress for certification next year .
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross — who oversees the bureau and is legally required to deliver the state numbers to the president — said that he will `` release this Census data publicly , and in keeping with past practice , will do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' as NPR reported on Wednesday .
A statement released by the bureau Friday , however , leaves open the possibility that those numbers wo n't be delivered to the president by the Dec. 31 deadline .
The bureau now says it is `` working hard to process the data in order to deliver complete and accurate state population counts as close to the December 31 , 2020 , statutory deadline as possible . ''

Supreme Court Speeds Up Case On Trump's Push To Alter Census For House Seats
Enlarge this image toggle caption Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Updated at 7:32 p.m. ET
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to a speedy review of President Trump's attempt to exclude unauthorized immigrants from the census numbers used to reallocate seats in Congress.
Last month, a lower court ruling blocked Trump's push, calling a presidential memo that called for that unprecedented change unlawful. And now the justices have expedited consideration to hear oral arguments in the case on Nov. 30.
The hearing is set to take place a month before federal law says the latest state population counts for reapportioning the 435 seats in the House of Representatives among the states are due to the president. The timing increases the potential for Trump to try to make the change to who is included in the numbers during his current term in office.
Since the first U.S. census in 1790, the numbers of U.S. residents who are counted to determine each state's share of congressional seats have included both citizens and noncitizens, regardless of immigration status.
"President Trump has repeatedly tried — and failed — to weaponize the census for his attacks on immigrant communities. The Supreme Court rejected his attempt last year and should do so again," said Dale Ho, a lead plaintiffs' attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who successfully argued against the now-blocked citizenship question the administration wanted on the 2020 census forms.
The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Federal law requires the president to deliver to Congress "a statement showing the whole number of persons in each State" based on the once-a-decade census.
In September, a lower federal court in Manhattan declared Trump's memo an illegal overreach of the president's limited authority, as delegated by Congress, over the census.
Even if the Supreme Court overturns that ruling, however, it is not clear if Trump would practically be able to exclude unauthorized immigrants from the results of this year's census. The 2020 forms did not include a question about a person's immigration status.
The U.S. Census Bureau could provide information about unauthorized immigrants in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers, according to a court filing.
But during a hearing Wednesday, Justice Department attorney John Coghlan told a federal court in Maryland, which is hearing a similar lawsuit over Trump's memo, that the administration does not know what other groups of unauthorized immigrants it could feasibly omit from the apportionment counts.
This week, the high court issued a ruling that allowed the administration to end counting for the census more than two weeks earlier than expected.
With a lone dissent by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the high court's order has paved a path for the bureau to try to meet the Dec. 31 legal deadline for reporting the new state population counts to the president.
Keeping to that timeline would help ensure that — regardless of whether Trump wins reelection — he can control the numbers for reapportioning House seats before they're handed off to Congress for certification next year.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross — who oversees the bureau and is legally required to deliver the state numbers to the president — said that he will "release this Census data publicly, and in keeping with past practice, will do so simultaneously with its delivery to the President," as NPR reported on Wednesday.
A statement released by the bureau Friday, however, leaves open the possibility that those numbers won't be delivered to the president by the Dec. 31 deadline. The bureau now says it is "working hard to process the data in order to deliver complete and accurate state population counts as close to the December 31, 2020, statutory deadline as possible."


npr--2020-10-16--Police In Bangkok Use Water Cannon To Break Up Anti-Government Protests

Police In Bangkok Use Water Cannon To Break Up Anti-Government Protests Riot police in Bangkok used water cannon and charged crowds to disperse thousands of protesters in the Thai capital , a day after the government officially banned street rallies demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha , a new constitution and reform of the country 's monarchy .
Mostly students defied a government ban on gatherings in the capital on Friday imposed a day earlier after protesters halted and jeered a motorcade transporting King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida .
It was an unprecedented display of displeasure for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are taught to revere the monarchy and where harsh penalties are meted out to anyone openly criticizing the palace .
The mass protests in recent days — some drawing crowds estimated at tens of thousands of people — and the government crackdown they have triggered represent a major escalation in the student-led movement pushing back against what many see as all-but-in-name authoritarian rule in Thailand .
The protests started in March , but sputtered due to the COVID-19 pandemic , only to revive and swell in recent days .
Much of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister , a former army general who seized power from an elected government in a 2014 .
The military junta led by Prayuth then rewrote the country 's constitution , giving the military the power to appoint the 250-member Senate .
Prayuth retained his post as premier in controversial elections last year .
The protesters want a new constitution — one that the military has no hand in creating .
They also want curbs on the power of the palace .
The king , who spends much of his time in Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when ordinary Thais are suffering amid a collapse in tourism because of the coronavirus .
Friday marked the second day of defiance of the government 's emergency powers declaration .
Protesters assembled at central Bangkok 's Pathumwan intersection .
In a scene reminiscent of Hong Kong 's pro-democracy demonstrations earlier this year , protesters dressed in rain slicks and carried umbrellas in an effort to protect themselves from jets of water fired by police vehicles .
Many protesters chanted `` Get out , get out '' at the police , the same slogan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister to step down .
They also shouted `` Release our friends '' – a reference to the more than 40 people reportedly arrested in recent days .
`` The dictatorial government is using violence to disperse the people 's movement , '' Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree , one of the protest leaders , told Reuters .
Speaking at a news conference on Friday , Prayuth said `` I 'm not quitting , '' and told reporters that the emergency measures put in place early Thursday would remain in force for 30 days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct statement on the protests , said in comments aired on television that Thailand `` needs people who love the country and love the monarchy , '' Reuters reports .
A journalist for online media Prachatai was arrested while streaming his report live at the scene of the protests , according to the independent outlet .
It said the reporter `` may be charged for violating the Emergency Decree which prohibits publishing , broadcasting information which threatens stability . ''
Some of the water sprayed on the crowd was dyed blue , apparently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest later .
Protesters said the water also contained a skin and eye irritant , and several posts on social media showed demonstrators trying to flush their eyes and faces with bottled water .
The chemicals in the water were not dangerous , a police spokesman insisted , speaking at a news conference .
He said , `` The police abided by international standards to disperse the demonstration . ''
Police regained control of the streets by about 8:30 p.m. local time , according to the Bangkok Post , after protest leaders reportedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return for another mass rally on Saturday .
Police spokesman Yingyot Thepchamnong warned protesters that if they failed to heed warnings against `` illegal acts , '' they would be dealt with harshly .
`` After this there will be intensive measures in enforcing the law , '' he said .

Police In Bangkok Use Water Cannon To Break Up Anti-Government Protests
Enlarge this image toggle caption NurPhoto via Getty Images NurPhoto via Getty Images
Riot police in Bangkok used water cannon and charged crowds to disperse thousands of protesters in the Thai capital, a day after the government officially banned street rallies demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, a new constitution and reform of the country's monarchy.
Mostly students defied a government ban on gatherings in the capital on Friday imposed a day earlier after protesters halted and jeered a motorcade transporting King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida. It was an unprecedented display of displeasure for the royal couple in a country where people are taught to revere the monarchy and where harsh penalties are meted out to anyone openly criticizing the palace.
The mass protests in recent days — some drawing crowds estimated at tens of thousands of people — and the government crackdown they have triggered represent a major escalation in the student-led movement pushing back against what many see as all-but-in-name authoritarian rule in Thailand.
The protests started in March, but sputtered due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only to revive and swell in recent days.
Much of the anger is directed at the country's prime minister, a former army general who seized power from an elected government in a 2014. The military junta led by Prayuth then rewrote the country's constitution, giving the military the power to appoint the 250-member Senate. Prayuth retained his post as premier in controversial elections last year.
The protesters want a new constitution — one that the military has no hand in creating. They also want curbs on the power of the palace. The king, who spends much of his time in Germany, controls vast wealth at a time when ordinary Thais are suffering amid a collapse in tourism because of the coronavirus.
Friday marked the second day of defiance of the government's emergency powers declaration. Protesters assembled at central Bangkok's Pathumwan intersection. In a scene reminiscent of Hong Kong's pro-democracy demonstrations earlier this year, protesters dressed in rain slicks and carried umbrellas in an effort to protect themselves from jets of water fired by police vehicles.
Many protesters chanted "Get out, get out" at the police, the same slogan they have raised to call for the prime minister to step down. They also shouted "Release our friends" – a reference to the more than 40 people reportedly arrested in recent days.
"The dictatorial government is using violence to disperse the people's movement," Tattep Ruangprapaikitseree, one of the protest leaders, told Reuters.
Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Prayuth said "I'm not quitting," and told reporters that the emergency measures put in place early Thursday would remain in force for 30 days.
The king, who has made no direct statement on the protests, said in comments aired on television that Thailand "needs people who love the country and love the monarchy," Reuters reports.
A journalist for online media Prachatai was arrested while streaming his report live at the scene of the protests, according to the independent outlet. It said the reporter "may be charged for violating the Emergency Decree which prohibits publishing, broadcasting information which threatens stability."
Some of the water sprayed on the crowd was dyed blue, apparently to "tag" participants for possible arrest later. Protesters said the water also contained a skin and eye irritant, and several posts on social media showed demonstrators trying to flush their eyes and faces with bottled water.
The chemicals in the water were not dangerous, a police spokesman insisted, speaking at a news conference. He said, "The police abided by international standards to disperse the demonstration."
Police regained control of the streets by about 8:30 p.m. local time, according to the Bangkok Post, after protest leaders reportedly told those gathered to go home and return for another mass rally on Saturday.
Police spokesman Yingyot Thepchamnong warned protesters that if they failed to heed warnings against "illegal acts," they would be dealt with harshly.
"After this there will be intensive measures in enforcing the law," he said.


npr--2020-10-16--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak On Sept. 28 , the world marked a tragic milestone : 1 million deaths from COVID-19 .
That 's according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University .
And public health experts believe the actual toll – the recorded deaths plus the unrecorded deaths – is much higher .
While the number of cases has slowed in many countries that were hit hard early on by coronavirus , the number of new cases continues to increase .
Since early July , new daily cases averaged over 200,000 worldwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January .
At over 7 million cases , the United States leads the world 's COVID-19 crisis .
In late spring and early summer , new COVID-19 cases were largely driven by cases in the Americas .
While the U.S. has consistently had the most new daily cases of coronavirus in the region , Brazil 's new daily cases increased rapidly between May and August .
However , in September , several countries that had previously flattened their curve saw a resurgence in cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , daily case counts have risen swiftly since June , without signs of slowing down .
Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time .
The first chart compares each continent to each other , while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region .
To compare country outbreaks , the chart below graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each country 's totals to date .
This type of visualization highlights a state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In countries like Israel , which is seeing a second wave of case growth after an initial wave in April , the line forms a V-shape , as the initially bent curve spikes upwards again .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on @ @ @ @ @

Coronavirus world map: We've now passed the 600 million mark for infections
Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated. The last update was Sept. 5, 2022. For current data about COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world, Johns Hopkins University and Our World in Data are useful resources.
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just 7 more months to pass the 200 million mark— then another 5 months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Now the virus has spread to every corner of the globe and has been blamed for more than 6 million deaths.
The United States, India and Brazil in that order have had the most COVID cases and the three nations collectively account for almost half of all recorded infections so far in the pandemic.
Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January 2020.
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Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time. The first chart compares each continent to each other, while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region.
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This story was originally published on March 30, 2020.


npr--2020-10-16--Coronavirus Maps: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Maps : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
Nearly 8 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the coronavirus and more than 215,000 have died .
Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily nationwide .
In the graphics below , explore the trends in your state .
View the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , curve charts , a table of state-by-state trends over four weeks , or a map of total cases and deaths .
The map above shows the risk of infection in each state based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color-coded risk levels were developed by a consortium of researchers and public health experts .
The group advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
Orange states may need to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and both yellow and green states should continue testing and contact tracing .
To compare state outbreaks , the chart above graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each state 's totals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlights a state 's daily growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In New York , the curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
Since then , new cases have fallen from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 800 per day in late September .
Explore the map above to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country for both new confirmed cases and reported deaths from COVID-19 .
New York was the original epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. As of mid August , California , Florida and Texas have surpassed New York for total cases to date , though New York still has the highest death total .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
To show trends , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shades of red have growing outbreaks ; those in shades of green , are declining .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anomalies and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases and or update their methodologies .
For example , in early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included 1,854 previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
On Sept. 2 , Massachusetts changed its methodology for counting probable cases , which lowered its overall case and death numbers .
The JHU team maintains a list of such changes .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn contributed to and Carmel Wroth edited @ @ @

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
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Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
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The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
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Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-10-16--$3.1 Trillion: Pandemic Spending Drives The Federal Budget Deficit To A Record

The U.S. budget deficit soared to a record $ 3.1 trillion , following a massive surge in government spending aimed at containing the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic .
The deficit for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 was more than triple that of fiscal 2019 and easily eclipsed the previous record of $ 1.4 trillion recorded in 2009 .
The Treasury Department said the surge was partly due to a drop in corporate and personal tax revenue , which fell by 1 % .
But the overwhelming factor driving the deficit higher was a huge increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep people employed after the economy nearly ground to a halt in March .
`` The increase in the deficit from FY 2019 reflects the effect of COVID-19 on the economy and legislation that created or enhanced programs to protect public health and support hard-hit industries , small businesses , and American individuals and families , '' the Treasury statement said .
The higher deficit comes just as Congress and the White House are negotiating a new coronavirus relief package .
While lawmakers and the administration agree on the need for a bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ size .
While Democrats have pushed for more than $ 2 trillion in aid , Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has called that `` outlandish . ''
The federal debt — the total owed by the government — has grown to more than $ 21 trillion , larger than the size of the U.S. economy .
`` This astronomical level of debt is only going to get bigger , '' says Maya MacGuineas , president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget .
`` Borrowing to combat the pandemic and economic crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excuse for the massive tax cuts and spending increases enacted before the pandemic , nor the failure to control the rising costs of our health and retirement programs once normalcy returns , '' she added .

$3.1 Trillion: Pandemic Spending Drives The Federal Budget Deficit To A Record
Enlarge this image toggle caption Patrick Semansky/AP Patrick Semansky/AP
Updated at 3:16 p.m. ET
The U.S. budget deficit soared to a record $3.1 trillion, following a massive surge in government spending aimed at containing the economic damage from the coronavirus pandemic.
The deficit for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30 was more than triple that of fiscal 2019 and easily eclipsed the previous record of $1.4 trillion recorded in 2009.
The Treasury Department said the surge was partly due to a drop in corporate and personal tax revenue, which fell by 1%.
But the overwhelming factor driving the deficit higher was a huge increase in federal spending to prop up businesses and keep people employed after the economy nearly ground to a halt in March.
"The increase in the deficit from FY 2019 reflects the effect of COVID-19 on the economy and legislation that created or enhanced programs to protect public health and support hard-hit industries, small businesses, and American individuals and families," the Treasury statement said.
The higher deficit comes just as Congress and the White House are negotiating a new coronavirus relief package.
While lawmakers and the administration agree on the need for a bill, they remain far apart on the size. While Democrats have pushed for more than $2 trillion in aid, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has called that "outlandish."
The federal debt — the total owed by the government — has grown to more than $21 trillion, larger than the size of the U.S. economy.
"This astronomical level of debt is only going to get bigger," says Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.
"Borrowing to combat the pandemic and economic crisis makes sense. But that's no excuse for the massive tax cuts and spending increases enacted before the pandemic, nor the failure to control the rising costs of our health and retirement programs once normalcy returns," she added.


npr--2020-10-16--Disney Warns Viewers Of Racism In Some Classic Movies With Strengthened Label

Disney Warns Viewers Of Racism In Some Classic Movies With Strengthened Label Many people have long said certain Disney classics like Peter Pan , Dumbo and The Aristocats contain racist stereotypes and overtones .
Disney agrees .
Viewers will now encounter a warning on Disney+ when streaming those and other titles containing racist material .
`` We ca n't change the past , but we can acknowledge it , learn from it and move forward together , '' Disney said on its website detailing the new advisory , `` to create a tomorrow that today can only dream of .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ disclaimer in November 2019 but recently strengthened the message , explicitly calling some depictions `` racist '' on its website .
The new message appears before the title plays for several seconds and in the program 's description .
`` This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures , '' the message reads .
`` These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now .
Rather than remove this content , we want to acknowledge its harmful impact , learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include this warning are The Jungle Book , Lady and the Tramp and Swiss Family Robinson .
Disney 's initial message last year was more brief .
`` This program is presented as originally created , '' the message read .
`` It may contain outdated cultural depictions . ''
Although the original move received some praise , some critics thought the language was nonspecific and dismissive .
In Peter Pan , Native people are referred to as `` redskins , '' a slur against Native Americans .
The main characters sing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man Red ? ''
Disney calls this a `` form of mockery and appropriation of Native peoples ' culture and imagery . ''
In Dumbo , one of the crows is named Jim Crow , the same name as the set of laws that enforced segregation .
He is voiced by a white actor and performs a musical number that pays `` homage to racist minstrel shows , '' Disney says .
In the same movie , faceless Black workers are shown laboring to offensive lyrics like `` When we get our pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
The Aristocats features a cat named Shun Gon with stereotypical East Asian features who plays the piano with chopsticks .
He is voiced by a white person singing in a poorly accented voice .
`` What message are we sending to little kids at the most vulnerable age , if characters are one-dimensional , stereotyped , sidelined , hyper-sexualized , or simply , not there at all ? ''
asked Geena Davis , actor and gender equality advocate , in a video posted to Disney 's webpage .
Disney acknowledges `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forgotten altogether , and we 're committed to giving voice to their stories as well . ''
The company did not further specify how it would work toward that goal .
`` There is incredible power in seeing someone who 's like you on screen , '' Davis said .
`` What children see sets the framework for what they believe is possible in life . ''

Disney Warns Viewers Of Racism In Some Classic Movies With Strengthened Label
Enlarge this image toggle caption LMPC via Getty Images LMPC via Getty Images
Updated at 5:49 p.m. ET
Many people have long said certain Disney classics like Peter Pan, Dumbo and The Aristocats contain racist stereotypes and overtones.
Disney agrees. Viewers will now encounter a warning on Disney+ when streaming those and other titles containing racist material.
"We can't change the past, but we can acknowledge it, learn from it and move forward together," Disney said on its website detailing the new advisory, "to create a tomorrow that today can only dream of."
Disney began labeling titles with a disclaimer in November 2019 but recently strengthened the message, explicitly calling some depictions "racist" on its website.
The new message appears before the title plays for several seconds and in the program's description.
"This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures," the message reads. "These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Disney+/Screenshot by NPR Disney+/Screenshot by NPR
Other movies that include this warning are The Jungle Book, Lady and the Tramp and Swiss Family Robinson.
Disney's initial message last year was more brief.
"This program is presented as originally created," the message read. "It may contain outdated cultural depictions."
Although the original move received some praise, some critics thought the language was nonspecific and dismissive.
Racism in Disney movies
In Peter Pan, Native people are referred to as "redskins," a slur against Native Americans. The main characters sing a song titled "What makes the Red man Red?"
Disney calls this a "form of mockery and appropriation of Native peoples' culture and imagery."
In Dumbo, one of the crows is named Jim Crow, the same name as the set of laws that enforced segregation.
He is voiced by a white actor and performs a musical number that pays "homage to racist minstrel shows," Disney says. In the same movie, faceless Black workers are shown laboring to offensive lyrics like "When we get our pay, we throw our money all away."
The Aristocats features a cat named Shun Gon with stereotypical East Asian features who plays the piano with chopsticks. He is voiced by a white person singing in a poorly accented voice.
YouTube
"What message are we sending to little kids at the most vulnerable age, if characters are one-dimensional, stereotyped, sidelined, hyper-sexualized, or simply, not there at all?" asked Geena Davis, actor and gender equality advocate, in a video posted to Disney's webpage.
Disney acknowledges "that some communities have been erased or forgotten altogether, and we're committed to giving voice to their stories as well." The company did not further specify how it would work toward that goal.
"There is incredible power in seeing someone who's like you on screen," Davis said. "What children see sets the framework for what they believe is possible in life."
Reese Oxner is a News Desk intern.


npr--2020-10-16--White House Reverses Decision And OKs Wildfire Aid For California

In a reversal , the White House has approved California 's request for federal disaster relief for wildfire recovery , Gov .
Gavin Newsom said Friday .
California is dealing with the damage caused by wildfires that have burned through nearly 3,000 square miles , killing at least three people and destroying nearly 1,000 homes .
In a statement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency , press secretary Lizzie Litzow had said that damage assessments conducted by the agency had determined the fires last month `` were not of such severity and magnitude to exceed the combined capabilities of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agencies and other responding federal agencies . ''
But Newsom announced Friday afternoon that he had spoken with President Trump by phone and that the aid was approved .
`` Grateful for his quick response , '' Newsom said .
California asked for federal assistance in recovering from fires that have ravaged nearly 2 million acres – the Creek Fire in Fresno and Madera counties , the Valley Fire in San Diego County , San Bernardino County 's El Dorado Fire , the Slater Fire in Siskiyou County , the Oak Fire in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles County .
The Creek Fire alone – the state 's largest-ever single fire , not counting fire complexes — damaged more than 550 structures and forced nearly 25,000 people to evacuate , according to Newsom .
The initial rejection , which came after FEMA granted other fire-related relief to California in August , had raised questions about the Trump administration 's motive , given the president 's frequent public sparring with California officials over wildfires .
At an August rally in Pennsylvania , for instance , Trump seemed to telegraph that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildfire aid : `` Maybe we 're just going to have to make them pay for it because they do n't listen to us . ''
In a letter to the president requesting the latest aid , Newsom estimated $ 346 million would be needed for the fires , with $ 200 million to be earmarked for the Creek Fire .
FEMA has previously turned down requests from other states on a similar rationale as the one it had provided to California — including an application in June from Texas for $ 190 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from last year .
Requests from Minnesota and South Dakota have also been rejected , according to the San Francisco Chronicle .
The frequency and intensity of wildfires in California have been attributed in part to climate change – something Trump has repeatedly downplayed or denied .
The president , during a visit last month to the state , was pressed by California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot about the role of climate change in the fires , the most intense in the state 's history .
Trump replied : `` I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is happening .
During the visit , the president also repeated a claim that California 's wildfires are caused by poor forest management : `` When trees fall down after a short period of time , they become very dry — really like a matchstick , '' he said .
`` And they can explode .
Also leaves .
When you have dried leaves on the ground , it 's just fuel for the fires . ''
Some 60 % of California 's forested lands — or 33 million acres — are publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Agriculture .
In a statement provided to NPR before the reversal , White House spokesman Judd Deere noted that the president had previously `` quickly approved relief '' for the state , including money this week that authorized `` an increase in the level of Federal funding to 100 % for debris removal and emergency protective measures undertaken as a result of the wildfires , beginning August 14 , 2020 , and continuing . ''
`` The more recent and separate California submission was not supported by the relevant data that States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concurred with the FEMA Administrator 's recommendation , '' Deere said at the time .

White House Reverses Decision And OKs Wildfire Aid For California
Enlarge this image toggle caption Noah Berger/AP Noah Berger/AP
Updated at 4:37 p.m. ET
In a reversal, the White House has approved California's request for federal disaster relief for wildfire recovery, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday.
California is dealing with the damage caused by wildfires that have burned through nearly 3,000 square miles, killing at least three people and destroying nearly 1,000 homes.
In a statement from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, press secretary Lizzie Litzow had said that damage assessments conducted by the agency had determined the fires last month "were not of such severity and magnitude to exceed the combined capabilities of the state, affected local governments, voluntary agencies and other responding federal agencies."
But Newsom announced Friday afternoon that he had spoken with President Trump by phone and that the aid was approved. "Grateful for his quick response," Newsom said.
California asked for federal assistance in recovering from fires that have ravaged nearly 2 million acres – the Creek Fire in Fresno and Madera counties, the Valley Fire in San Diego County, San Bernardino County's El Dorado Fire, the Slater Fire in Siskiyou County, the Oak Fire in Mendocino County and the Bobcat Fire in Los Angeles County.
The Creek Fire alone – the state's largest-ever single fire, not counting fire complexes — damaged more than 550 structures and forced nearly 25,000 people to evacuate, according to Newsom.
The initial rejection, which came after FEMA granted other fire-related relief to California in August, had raised questions about the Trump administration's motive, given the president's frequent public sparring with California officials over wildfires.
At an August rally in Pennsylvania, for instance, Trump seemed to telegraph that he might reject California's requests for wildfire aid: "Maybe we're just going to have to make them pay for it because they don't listen to us."
In a letter to the president requesting the latest aid, Newsom estimated $346 million would be needed for the fires, with $200 million to be earmarked for the Creek Fire.
FEMA has previously turned down requests from other states on a similar rationale as the one it had provided to California — including an application in June from Texas for $190 million in aid for tornado damage dating from last year. Requests from Minnesota and South Dakota have also been rejected, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The frequency and intensity of wildfires in California have been attributed in part to climate change – something Trump has repeatedly downplayed or denied. The president, during a visit last month to the state, was pressed by California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot about the role of climate change in the fires, the most intense in the state's history. Trump replied: "I don't think science knows" what is happening.
During the visit, the president also repeated a claim that California's wildfires are caused by poor forest management: "When trees fall down after a short period of time, they become very dry — really like a matchstick," he said. "And they can explode. Also leaves. When you have dried leaves on the ground, it's just fuel for the fires."
Some 60% of California's forested lands — or 33 million acres — are publicly owned, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In a statement provided to NPR before the reversal, White House spokesman Judd Deere noted that the president had previously "quickly approved relief" for the state, including money this week that authorized "an increase in the level of Federal funding to 100% for debris removal and emergency protective measures undertaken as a result of the wildfires, beginning August 14, 2020, and continuing."
"The more recent and separate California submission was not supported by the relevant data that States must provide for approval and the President concurred with the FEMA Administrator's recommendation," Deere said at the time.


npr--2020-10-16--How To Reduce Human Suffering: 3 Lessons From A Seminal Public Health Study

How To Reduce Human Suffering : 3 Lessons From A Seminal Public Health Study What are the biggest drivers of human suffering ?
Every year an international team of researchers aims to answer that question by assembling a mammoth data set called the `` Global Burden of Disease . ''
It has become the go-to source for tracking and ranking the impact of virtually every disease or condition that is killing , sickening or otherwise disabling people in virtually every country on the planet .
But this year 's report also points to some intriguing solutions — highlighted by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the medical journal The Lancet that accompanies their latest data release .
To learn more , NPR spoke with the scientist who leads the project , Christopher Murray of the University of Washington 's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation .
Here are three takeaways : 1 .
The key to health is ... wealth .
( And education ... and women 's rights ) .
The Global Burden of Disease does n't just comprise data on health .
The researchers also pull together and analyze measures of economic and social wellbeing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per capita income , average educational attainment and status of women ( as reflected by the typical number of children a woman there gives birth to ) .
And on these socioeconomic fronts , the researchers find that since 2000 the worst-off countries have made enormous strides .
`` The bottom 20 % of countries are catching up .
They are now developing at a faster rate than the countries at the top , '' says Murray .
Over this same period the poorest countries also saw major gains on what 's called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Murray puts it `` how many years you can expect to live in full health . ''
And here 's the kicker : Through statistical analysis , Murray and his collaborators were able to show that nearly all of this rise in healthy life expectancy was the direct result of the gains in income , education and women 's status .
For instance , between 2000 and 2019 , for countries on the absolute lowest end of the socio-economic scale , healthy life expectancy increased by 9 years .
And nearly 80 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by their socioeconomic progress during that same time frame .
One caveat is that the link was far less pronounced for countries on the higher end of the socioeconomic scale .
But for poor ones the lesson seems clear , says Murray : One of the most effective ways to boost people 's health is to focus on advancing their social and economic development .
2 .
We need to pay more attention to `` non-communicable '' diseases .
As impressive and laudable as the health gains in poor countries have been , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in just four types of diseases : communicable , maternal , neonatal and nutritional .
This is not surprising , says Murray .
The problematic conditions that enable these diseases to thrive tend to fade as a country gets richer and more educated and affords its women higher status .
For instance , says Murray , `` as soon as people and societies have more resources they tend to deal with water supply and sanitation .
Also basic malnutrition starts to go away . ''
Both factors play a key role in how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infectious diseases that kill them before the age of 5 .
Indeed , one of the best outcomes of the last 20 years has been that the annual number of deaths among children below age 5 dropped from 9.6 million in 2000 to about 5 million in 2019 .
Unfortunately , says Murray , many of the drivers of different category of illness — known as `` non-communicable diseases '' — actually tend to get worse as countries start to move up the socio-economic scale .
Take air pollution — which is linked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` You know , if you 're in a preindustrial society , there 's not a lot of air pollution , '' says Murray .
`` As societies industrialize it tends to get worse . ''
Other risk factors that worsen as countries develop include the incidence of obesity , high blood sugar and high blood pressure — which are variously linked to diabetes and heart disease .
The result is that the gains that poor countries have made against that first category of diseases — communicable , maternal , neonatal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not been matched by progress in addressing non-communicable diseases .
So now , non-communicable disease cause a far greater share of the health burden that low- to middle-income countries face .
Specifically , between 1990 and 2019 non-communicable diseases went from contributing about 40 % of the health burden to 66 % .
( The Global Burden of Disease project measures health burden as the number of healthy years of life that a country loses to disease each year . )
Unfortunately , many countries and health systems are still set up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health are communicable diseases .
`` Because of the way people are trained , governments are very often focusing on the problems of the last generation and not the current one , '' says Murray .
`` Take a place like Indonesia , '' he adds .
`` It 's really just dramatic .
Now more than 80 % of the health burden there is non-communicable diseases .
But [ those ] are not the main focus of policy formulation .
They 're still worrying about the previous problems . ''
India is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have a huge problem with high blood pressure , and there should be a national strategy for getting more people into primary care and getting their blood pressure treated , '' he says .
And yet , `` they do n't really have a national blood pressure strategy . ''
3 .
Preparing for the next pandemic ... could mean taxing soda pop .
Any national strategy aimed at non-communicable diseases would need to address behaviors by both individuals and corporations , says Murray .
That 's because many of the risk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corporations — what do they put in our food — and our own choices regarding what ( and how much ) we consume and how much we exercise .
Murray suggests taking lessons from the one success story governments can point to when it comes to curbing a risk factor for non-communicable disease : smoking .
`` We found that regulatory and taxation strategies have made sustained progress [ on smoking ] over the last decades , '' says Murray .
After all , the more inaccessible and expensive tobacco is , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It can be hard to build support for regulatory approaches — just look at the pushback against taxes on sugary beverages in many countries .
But Murray says it may help to consider these strategies not only as efforts to address non-communicable diseases but as a vital element of the world 's strategy for preparing for the next pandemic .
Before COVID-19 , he says , the health experts who specialized in infectious disease and pandemic readiness `` lived in separate universes . ''
Then , he says , `` suddenly COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obesity and blood pressure are key determinants of what your risk of death from COVID is .
And it highlights how we have older populations and more of these risk factors and we are creating far greater vulnerability . ''
As worrisome as those risk factors may sound says Murray of this year 's report : `` I think these are an empowering set of findings .
There 's plenty of things that we identify where governments and individuals can take action . ''

How To Reduce Human Suffering: 3 Lessons From A Seminal Public Health Study
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tommy Trenchard for NPR Tommy Trenchard for NPR
What are the biggest drivers of human suffering?
Every year an international team of researchers aims to answer that question by assembling a mammoth data set called the "Global Burden of Disease." It has become the go-to source for tracking and ranking the impact of virtually every disease or condition that is killing, sickening or otherwise disabling people in virtually every country on the planet.
But this year's report also points to some intriguing solutions — highlighted by the researchers in a piece published this week in the medical journal The Lancet that accompanies their latest data release.
To learn more, NPR spoke with the scientist who leads the project, Christopher Murray of the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Here are three takeaways:
1. The key to health is ... wealth. (And education ... and women's rights).
The Global Burden of Disease doesn't just comprise data on health. The researchers also pull together and analyze measures of economic and social wellbeing over time — including each country's per capita income, average educational attainment and status of women (as reflected by the typical number of children a woman there gives birth to).
And on these socioeconomic fronts, the researchers find that since 2000 the worst-off countries have made enormous strides. "The bottom 20% of countries are catching up. They are now developing at a faster rate than the countries at the top," says Murray.
Over this same period the poorest countries also saw major gains on what's called "healthy life expectancy" — or as Murray puts it "how many years you can expect to live in full health."
And here's the kicker: Through statistical analysis, Murray and his collaborators were able to show that nearly all of this rise in healthy life expectancy was the direct result of the gains in income, education and women's status.
For instance, between 2000 and 2019, for countries on the absolute lowest end of the socio-economic scale, healthy life expectancy increased by 9 years. And nearly 80 percent of that increase could be explained by their socioeconomic progress during that same time frame.
One caveat is that the link was far less pronounced for countries on the higher end of the socioeconomic scale. But for poor ones the lesson seems clear, says Murray: One of the most effective ways to boost people's health is to focus on advancing their social and economic development.
2. We need to pay more attention to "non-communicable" diseases.
As impressive and laudable as the health gains in poor countries have been, one downside is that they are concentrated in just four types of diseases: communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional.
This is not surprising, says Murray. The problematic conditions that enable these diseases to thrive tend to fade as a country gets richer and more educated and affords its women higher status.
For instance, says Murray, "as soon as people and societies have more resources they tend to deal with water supply and sanitation. Also basic malnutrition starts to go away." Both factors play a key role in how many of a country's children contract infectious diseases that kill them before the age of 5.
Indeed, one of the best outcomes of the last 20 years has been that the annual number of deaths among children below age 5 dropped from 9.6 million in 2000 to about 5 million in 2019.
Unfortunately, says Murray, many of the drivers of different category of illness — known as "non-communicable diseases" — actually tend to get worse as countries start to move up the socio-economic scale.
Take air pollution — which is linked to lung cancer and other respiratory ailments. "You know, if you're in a preindustrial society, there's not a lot of air pollution," says Murray. "As societies industrialize it tends to get worse."
Other risk factors that worsen as countries develop include the incidence of obesity, high blood sugar and high blood pressure — which are variously linked to diabetes and heart disease.
The result is that the gains that poor countries have made against that first category of diseases — communicable, maternal, neonatal and nutritional — over the last 20 years has not been matched by progress in addressing non-communicable diseases. So now, non-communicable disease cause a far greater share of the health burden that low- to middle-income countries face. Specifically, between 1990 and 2019 non-communicable diseases went from contributing about 40% of the health burden to 66%. (The Global Burden of Disease project measures health burden as the number of healthy years of life that a country loses to disease each year.)
Unfortunately, many countries and health systems are still set up as if the biggest source of poor health are communicable diseases. "Because of the way people are trained, governments are very often focusing on the problems of the last generation and not the current one," says Murray.
"Take a place like Indonesia," he adds. "It's really just dramatic. Now more than 80% of the health burden there is non-communicable diseases. But [those] are not the main focus of policy formulation. They're still worrying about the previous problems."
India is another example, says Murray. "They have a huge problem with high blood pressure, and there should be a national strategy for getting more people into primary care and getting their blood pressure treated," he says. And yet, "they don't really have a national blood pressure strategy."
3. Preparing for the next pandemic ... could mean taxing soda pop.
Any national strategy aimed at non-communicable diseases would need to address behaviors by both individuals and corporations, says Murray. That's because many of the risk factors involved are related to decisions by corporations — what do they put in our food — and our own choices regarding what (and how much) we consume and how much we exercise.
Murray suggests taking lessons from the one success story governments can point to when it comes to curbing a risk factor for non-communicable disease: smoking. "We found that regulatory and taxation strategies have made sustained progress [on smoking] over the last decades," says Murray. After all, the more inaccessible and expensive tobacco is, the less people are likely to use it.
It can be hard to build support for regulatory approaches — just look at the pushback against taxes on sugary beverages in many countries. But Murray says it may help to consider these strategies not only as efforts to address non-communicable diseases but as a vital element of the world's strategy for preparing for the next pandemic.
Before COVID-19, he says, the health experts who specialized in infectious disease and pandemic readiness "lived in separate universes." Then, he says, "suddenly COVID-19 comes along and we find out that obesity and blood pressure are key determinants of what your risk of death from COVID is. And it highlights how we have older populations and more of these risk factors and we are creating far greater vulnerability."
As worrisome as those risk factors may sound says Murray of this year's report: "I think these are an empowering set of findings. There's plenty of things that we identify where governments and individuals can take action."