npr--2020-02-19--Hunt For New Coronavirus Treatments Includes Gene-Silencing And Monoclonal Antibodies

Hunt For New Coronavirus Treatments Includes Gene-Silencing And Monoclonal Antibodies Viral infections can be very hard to treat .
Just ask anyone who has a bad case of the flu .
But that 's not deterring research groups around the world from looking for an effective therapy against the new coronavirus , although they know it wo n't be easy .
`` Every virus is sort of like a dysfunctional family , '' says Dr. Mark Denison , a virologist at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine .
`` They 're dysfunctional in their own unique ways . ''
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One is to block an enzyme the virus needs either to make copies of itself or infect cells .
The other is to make a monoclonal antibody , based on a recovered patient 's immune response .
Researchers are already testing the first idea — with an experimental , broad-acting antiviral drug known as Remdesivir , which works by gumming up a virus 's ability to replicate .
The drug is being tested in China on patients who have COVID-19 .
A study published just last week found that Remdesivir successfully reduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another coronavirus that causes serious disease — Middle East respiratory syndrome .
In other work , the biopharmaceutical company Sirnaomics is hoping to use a gene-silencing technique known as RNA interference to turn off key genes in the new coronavirus .
But first , the company must identify viral genes to target .
`` We are currently testing 150 of them using cell-based culture , '' says Patrick Lu , Sirnaomics president and CEO .
`` We are working with groups in the U.S. and China . ''
Some drugs that are already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the desired blocking effect on one of the new virus 's critical enzymes , scientists say .
The second basic approach is to go after the virus with molecules derived from the immune system .
The idea is to make what are called monoclonal antibodies , which are tailored proteins that are known to stop a particular virus .
That 's the approach of a Canadian biotech firm called AbCellera .
`` We 're trying to identify antibodies from patients who have recovered from infection , '' says Ester Falconer , head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` because their finely tuned immune systems have already figured out a way to clear the virus . ''
AbCellera is part of the Pandemic Prevention Platform , a program run by the federal Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency .
The company has developed a rapid way to analyze the blood from a recovered patient .
`` We can very quickly — in less than a day — look through many millions of different immune cells , '' Falconer says , and find the antibodies that can be turned into a monoclonal drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also looking for such antibodies .
To find them , the company is using mice that have been given what amounts to a human immune system .
Regeneron 's Christos Kyratsous says these mice make antibodies when exposed to a virus like the coronavirus — but they do n't make mouse antibodies .
`` They are basically making fully human antibodies , '' Kyratsous says .
`` We 've created a mini human immune response in a mouse . ''
They 've begun exposing the mice to a virus that mimics the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an immune response against these components as we speak , '' Kyratsous says .
`` Within the next few weeks , we should be able to start harvesting antibodies out of these mice and testing them '' to see which ones will make the most effective drug .
Vanderbilt 's Mark Denison says it 's not enough just to stop the virus — you also have to stop the damage to the lungs caused by the virus .
Denison says it 's tempting to try using anti-inflammatory drugs such as steroids , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` If we understood ways that the coronavirus has caused lung disease , we might be able to block that damage while we 're treating the virus , '' Denison says .
He 's confident that understanding will come .
The recent outbreak , he says , has underscored the need to come up with new ideas about how to treat outbreaks caused by new viruses , and he 's optimistic new approaches will be found .
`` I do n't think about a decade , '' he says .
`` I think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we 're in a position to try to move forward quickly with these ideas .

Hunt For New Coronavirus Treatments Includes Gene-Silencing And Monoclonal Antibodies
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rani Levy Rani Levy
Viral infections can be very hard to treat. Just ask anyone who has a bad case of the flu.
But that's not deterring research groups around the world from looking for an effective therapy against the new coronavirus, although they know it won't be easy.
"Every virus is sort of like a dysfunctional family," says Dr. Mark Denison, a virologist at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. "They're dysfunctional in their own unique ways."
There are two basic approaches to stopping viral infections. One is to block an enzyme the virus needs either to make copies of itself or infect cells. The other is to make a monoclonal antibody, based on a recovered patient's immune response.
Researchers are already testing the first idea — with an experimental, broad-acting antiviral drug known as Remdesivir, which works by gumming up a virus's ability to replicate.
The drug is being tested in China on patients who have COVID-19. A study published just last week found that Remdesivir successfully reduced respiratory symptoms in rhesus monkeys exposed to another coronavirus that causes serious disease — Middle East respiratory syndrome.
In other work, the biopharmaceutical company Sirnaomics is hoping to use a gene-silencing technique known as RNA interference to turn off key genes in the new coronavirus. But first, the company must identify viral genes to target.
"We are currently testing 150 of them using cell-based culture," says Patrick Lu, Sirnaomics president and CEO. "We are working with groups in the U.S. and China."
Some drugs that are already through the FDA approval process may also have the desired blocking effect on one of the new virus's critical enzymes, scientists say.
The second basic approach is to go after the virus with molecules derived from the immune system. The idea is to make what are called monoclonal antibodies, which are tailored proteins that are known to stop a particular virus.
That's the approach of a Canadian biotech firm called AbCellera.
"We're trying to identify antibodies from patients who have recovered from infection," says Ester Falconer, head of research and development at AbCellera, "because their finely tuned immune systems have already figured out a way to clear the virus."
AbCellera is part of the Pandemic Prevention Platform, a program run by the federal Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. The company has developed a rapid way to analyze the blood from a recovered patient.
"We can very quickly — in less than a day — look through many millions of different immune cells," Falconer says, and find the antibodies that can be turned into a monoclonal drug therapy.
The biotech firm Regeneron is also looking for such antibodies. To find them, the company is using mice that have been given what amounts to a human immune system.
Regeneron's Christos Kyratsous says these mice make antibodies when exposed to a virus like the coronavirus — but they don't make mouse antibodies.
"They are basically making fully human antibodies," Kyratsous says. "We've created a mini human immune response in a mouse."
They've begun exposing the mice to a virus that mimics the new coronavirus.
"The mice are mounting an immune response against these components as we speak," Kyratsous says. "Within the next few weeks, we should be able to start harvesting antibodies out of these mice and testing them" to see which ones will make the most effective drug.
Vanderbilt's Mark Denison says it's not enough just to stop the virus — you also have to stop the damage to the lungs caused by the virus. Denison says it's tempting to try using anti-inflammatory drugs such as steroids, but that can actually make things worse.
"If we understood ways that the coronavirus has caused lung disease, we might be able to block that damage while we're treating the virus," Denison says.
He's confident that understanding will come. The recent outbreak, he says, has underscored the need to come up with new ideas about how to treat outbreaks caused by new viruses, and he's optimistic new approaches will be found.
"I don't think about a decade," he says. "I think about this in terms of right now we're in a position to try to move forward quickly with these ideas.


npr--2020-02-20--Precious Ethiopian Crown Returned — After 21 Years Stashed In A Dutch Apartment

More than two decades after it went missing , a ceremonial crown dating back to the 18th century has found its way home to Ethiopia .
The country 's prime minister , Abiy Ahmed , received the glistening artifact at a ceremony Thursday in Addis Ababa , in a triumphant end to a twisty saga that transcends national borders .
Abiy expressed his gratitude to the Dutch officials who facilitated its return — and to the man who found it , Sirak Asfaw , who was there for the handoff .
Sirak , a political refugee who fled to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big role in the curious journey of the ornate bronze crown , which Ethiopian authorities say had been missing since 1993 .
Sirak told The New York Times last year that it turned up in a suitcase that a guest had brought to his house , back in 1998 .
He says he opened the bag and found the crown after its gleam caught his eye — and though he remains unwilling to name the guest publicly , he says he confronted the visitor and held onto the crown .
What to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not exactly obvious .
`` What would you do if you found an incredibly valuable historical Ethiopean [ sic ] artefact ... abroad ? ''
he asked on an online discussion platform for Ethiopians not long after finding it , according to a video released last year .
It 's not clear how his query was answered , but Sirak is clear about what happened next : He just held onto it at his home for safekeeping — for more than two decades .
He says he did n't trust the authorities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` To hand over such priceless cultural heritage onto strange hands , or officials of that regime , is very hard to do , '' he said in the video , referring to the authoritarian regime that governed Ethiopia until recently .
`` Furthermore , '' Sirak said , `` should the artifact fall into other foreign hands and wise , Ethiopian-minded leaders would claim it back , the oft-heard answer could be : 'You may borrow it from us . '
`` That comment was a pointed reference to a recent dispute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Albert Museum in London , which owns precious artifacts seized after the British military defeated Ethiopian Emperor Tewodros II in the 19th century .
The museum has offered to loan the artifacts back to Ethiopia — an offer that Ethiopian officials have rejected as insufficient .
`` You end up in such a suffocating situation , not knowing who to tell or what to do , or to hand over , '' he explained to the BBC .
It was not until the reform-minded — and newly minted Nobel Peace Prize laureate — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finally decided to come forward .
He contacted Arthur Brand , a renowned Dutch specialist in the recovery of stolen art whose work often draws comparisons to Indiana Jones .
And Brand , who has described the crown as `` one of the most exciting finds of my career , '' then encouraged Sirak to hand it over to local authorities .
So the pair reached out to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs , and the ministry hammered out the details of how to return the artifact to Ethiopia — where it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missing from the Ethiopian Orthodox Holy Trinity Church in the village of Cheleqot in the early 1990s .
Now , after 21 years hidden in a Dutch apartment , the crown is back in Ethiopia .
`` We 're honoured and delighted to have been able to facilitate the rightful return , '' said Sigrid Kaag , the Dutch minister for foreign trade and development cooperation .
`` This is the crowning achievement of returning this heritage to its rightful place . ''

Precious Ethiopian Crown Returned — After 21 Years Stashed In A Dutch Apartment
Enlarge this image toggle caption The Office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed via AP The Office of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed via AP
More than two decades after it went missing, a ceremonial crown dating back to the 18th century has found its way home to Ethiopia. The country's prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, received the glistening artifact at a ceremony Thursday in Addis Ababa, in a triumphant end to a twisty saga that transcends national borders.
Abiy expressed his gratitude to the Dutch officials who facilitated its return — and to the man who found it, Sirak Asfaw, who was there for the handoff.
Sirak, a political refugee who fled to the Netherlands in the 1970s, played a big role in the curious journey of the ornate bronze crown, which Ethiopian authorities say had been missing since 1993.
Sirak told The New York Times last year that it turned up in a suitcase that a guest had brought to his house, back in 1998. He says he opened the bag and found the crown after its gleam caught his eye — and though he remains unwilling to name the guest publicly, he says he confronted the visitor and held onto the crown.
What to do next though, Sirak says, was not exactly obvious.
"What would you do if you found an incredibly valuable historical Ethiopean [sic] artefact ... abroad?" he asked on an online discussion platform for Ethiopians not long after finding it, according to a video released last year.
It's not clear how his query was answered, but Sirak is clear about what happened next: He just held onto it at his home for safekeeping — for more than two decades.
YouTube
He says he didn't trust the authorities in power in Ethiopia at the time. "To hand over such priceless cultural heritage onto strange hands, or officials of that regime, is very hard to do," he said in the video, referring to the authoritarian regime that governed Ethiopia until recently.
"Furthermore," Sirak said, "should the artifact fall into other foreign hands and wise, Ethiopian-minded leaders would claim it back, the oft-heard answer could be: 'You may borrow it from us.' "
That comment was a pointed reference to a recent dispute between Ethiopian officials and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, which owns precious artifacts seized after the British military defeated Ethiopian Emperor Tewodros II in the 19th century. The museum has offered to loan the artifacts back to Ethiopia — an offer that Ethiopian officials have rejected as insufficient.
"You end up in such a suffocating situation, not knowing who to tell or what to do, or to hand over," he explained to the BBC.
It was not until the reform-minded — and newly minted Nobel Peace Prize laureate — Abiy took office in 2018 that Sirak finally decided to come forward.
He contacted Arthur Brand, a renowned Dutch specialist in the recovery of stolen art whose work often draws comparisons to Indiana Jones. And Brand, who has described the crown as "one of the most exciting finds of my career," then encouraged Sirak to hand it over to local authorities.
So the pair reached out to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the ministry hammered out the details of how to return the artifact to Ethiopia — where it hadn't been seen since it went missing from the Ethiopian Orthodox Holy Trinity Church in the village of Cheleqot in the early 1990s.
Now, after 21 years hidden in a Dutch apartment, the crown is back in Ethiopia.
"We're honoured and delighted to have been able to facilitate the rightful return," said Sigrid Kaag, the Dutch minister for foreign trade and development cooperation. "This is the crowning achievement of returning this heritage to its rightful place."


npr--2020-02-20--Forever 21 Filed For Bankruptcy But Will Live On With New Owners

Forever 21 Filed For Bankruptcy But Will Live On With New Owners Forever 21 , the fast-fashion mall standby that filed for bankruptcy last year , will live on .
Three companies announced Wednesday that they are jointly acquiring the retailer aimed at young shoppers and that they plan to continue to operate its U.S. and international stores .
The buyers are Authentic Brands Group , which owns major brands such as Barneys New York , Aeropostale and Nine West ; and real estate companies Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners .
`` Forever 21 is a powerful retail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wealth of untapped potential , '' Jamie Salter , CEO of ABG , said in a statement .
Forever 21 currently has 593 stores globally .
The deal is valued at $ 81.1 million , according to court records , and officially closed on Wednesday .
When the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September , Forever 21 had stated that it planned to reorganize the business and would likely close up to 178 U.S. stores .
But while the company said at the time that it planned to shut down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new owners say they hope to expand in `` South America , Western and Eastern Europe , China , Southeast Asia , Middle East , and India . ''
Forever 21 was founded by Korean immigrants in Los Angeles more than 30 years ago and , until now , has described itself as a `` family-owned business . ''
It enjoyed rapid expansion in the 2000s but has struggled as mall customers have dwindled .
Other companies that were common sights in malls during the 1990s and 2000s such as Wet Seal and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Consumers are not spending like they used to , and that has made things more competitive , '' NPR 's Planet Money recently reported .
`` And in this more competitive environment , Forever 21 has been losing ground to the new crop of online retailers — companies like boohoo , ASOS , Revolve and Lulus . ''
ABG and Simon will each own 37.5 % of the company 's intellectual property and operating businesses , while Brookfield will own 25 % .
The new owners plan to keep the company 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans to seek out young customers `` by introducing refreshed creative , targeted digital campaigns , and influential collaborations . ''

Forever 21 Filed For Bankruptcy But Will Live On With New Owners
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kiichiro Sato/AP Kiichiro Sato/AP
Forever 21, the fast-fashion mall standby that filed for bankruptcy last year, will live on. Three companies announced Wednesday that they are jointly acquiring the retailer aimed at young shoppers and that they plan to continue to operate its U.S. and international stores.
The buyers are Authentic Brands Group, which owns major brands such as Barneys New York, Aeropostale and Nine West; and real estate companies Simon Property Group and Brookfield Property Partners.
"Forever 21 is a powerful retail brand with incredible consumer reach and a wealth of untapped potential," Jamie Salter, CEO of ABG, said in a statement. Forever 21 currently has 593 stores globally.
The deal is valued at $81.1 million, according to court records, and officially closed on Wednesday. When the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September, Forever 21 had stated that it planned to reorganize the business and would likely close up to 178 U.S. stores.
But while the company said at the time that it planned to shut down stores in Asia and Europe, the new owners say they hope to expand in "South America, Western and Eastern Europe, China, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and India."
Forever 21 was founded by Korean immigrants in Los Angeles more than 30 years ago and, until now, has described itself as a "family-owned business." It enjoyed rapid expansion in the 2000s but has struggled as mall customers have dwindled. Other companies that were common sights in malls during the 1990s and 2000s such as Wet Seal and American Apparel have faced similar struggles.
"Consumers are not spending like they used to, and that has made things more competitive," NPR's Planet Money recently reported. "And in this more competitive environment, Forever 21 has been losing ground to the new crop of online retailers — companies like boohoo, ASOS, Revolve and Lulus."
ABG and Simon will each own 37.5% of the company's intellectual property and operating businesses, while Brookfield will own 25%. The new owners plan to keep the company's headquarters in LA.
ABG says it plans to seek out young customers "by introducing refreshed creative, targeted digital campaigns, and influential collaborations."


npr--2020-02-20--After The Diamond Princess Cruise, Coming Home To A Life In Isolation

After The Diamond Princess Cruise , Coming Home To A Life In Isolation What 's it like living with a coronavirus infection , isolated in a biocontainment unit ?
For Carl Goldman , diagnosed this week in Nebraska , his condition does n't feel any different than a typical cold , he tells NPR 's Noel King .
But the treatment is unusual : Doctors visit him each day wearing Hazmat suits , and hospital staff wave at him from behind double-sealed windows .
Goldman arrived at the University of Nebraska Medical Center Monday , after being evacuated from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 620 passengers were infected with the coronavirus .
The cruise through Southeast Asia was a gift for his wife Jeri Seratti-Goldman , for Christmas and her birthday .
As owners of a local radio station in Santa Clarita , Calif. , the Goldmans were looking forward to a break , but it did n't turn out quite how they hoped .
`` Who knew we were going to end the cruise in beautiful Omaha ? ''
Goldman says .
The couple left California for the 16-day cruise on Jan. 17 .
But then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got bad news .
The ship 's captain reported that a passenger who had already left the ship was diagnosed with the coronavirus .
The captain doubled the ship 's speed , rushing back to Yokohama , Japan .
Instead of getting off the ship , passengers were tested by Japanese health officials and were told they could n't leave their cabins .
They were kept aboard for 12 days to try to contain the disease .
Food was delivered three times a day by crew members in masks and gloves .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ movies .
From their room , they could see ambulances carry away sick passengers .
Goldman and his wife were only able to leave their rooms and visit the ship 's deck three times during those 12 days under quarantine , Goldman recalls .
The couple 's suite had a balcony , but not all the passengers had one .
`` We were one of the lucky ones , '' he says .
The U.S. State Department chartered flights to bring home many of the Americans on the ship .
It was n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Goldman started feeling sick .
`` When we were flying back from Japan to the states , about two hours into the flight , I woke up with a high fever after napping a little bit , '' he says .
Along with 12 other infected evacuees , Goldman was flown to Omaha , Neb .
When the flight landed , he asked to ride shotgun in the ambulance , but was denied .
He tested positive for the coronavirus .
He is recovering in a biocontainment unit at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to spend 14 days in isolation .
The unit is a separate area in the hospital with its own ventilation system and security .
His wife does n't have the infection .
She is now in a different wing of the same hospital , though she does n't have the virus .
Doctors in Hazmat suits check on Goldman each day , he says .
`` I 've got a little cough still ... my voice is a bit raspy , and I 'm a little fatigued , but that may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the travel and everything else on top of it , '' he says .
`` It does n't feel any different than recuperating from a regular cold . ''
As of Tuesday , he reported that his vitals are strong .
`` They 're giving me a lot of Gatorade , '' he says .
He is not taking any medication , but many monitors surround him , with tangled wires attached to his body .
It 's not completely clear why Goldman got sick while his wife avoided the virus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The answer might just be luck , says Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases .
`` In any kind of viral infection , there 's always a wide range of responses , almost like a bell-shaped curve , '' he tells NPR .
Some people have no symptoms at all , while a fraction have more intense reactions , he says .
Elderly people , or individuals with certain chronic conditions may be more vulnerable , Fauci says .
But `` there is no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate , '' he adds .
`` Even the most infectious of all viruses , like measles , does n't get 100 % of vulnerable people . ''
While he 's been infected , Goldman has been getting warm wishes from friends , he says — including some he had n't heard from in decades .
Goldman has been reporting about his experience on his radio station 's web site .
Though he knows there 's no treatment currently , Goldman hopes that he and other COVID-19 cases in the United States will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease .
`` Each case gives them a little bit more information , '' he says .
`` It 's going to be a learning experience for everybody . ''
Elena Renken is an intern on the NPR science desk .

After The Diamond Princess Cruise, Coming Home To A Life In Isolation
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeri Seratti-Goldman Jeri Seratti-Goldman
What's it like living with a coronavirus infection, isolated in a biocontainment unit? For Carl Goldman, diagnosed this week in Nebraska, his condition doesn't feel any different from a typical cold, he told NPR's Noel King. But the treatment is unusual: Doctors visit him each day wearing hazmat suits, and hospital staff wave at him from behind double-sealed windows.
Goldman arrived at the University of Nebraska Medical Center on Monday, after being evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where more than 620 passengers were infected with the coronavirus.
The cruise through Southeast Asia was a gift for his wife, Jeri Seratti-Goldman, for Christmas and her birthday. As owners of a local radio station in Santa Clarita, Calif., the two were looking forward to a break, but it didn't turn out quite how they hoped. "Who knew we were going to end the cruise in beautiful Omaha?" Goldman says.
The couple left California for the 16-day cruise on Jan. 17. But then, about two weeks in, they got bad news. The ship's captain reported that a passenger who had already left the ship was diagnosed with the coronavirus.
The captain doubled the ship's speed, rushing back to Yokohama, Japan.
Instead of getting off the ship, passengers were tested by Japanese health officials and were told they couldn't leave their cabins. They were kept aboard for 12 days to try to contain the disease.
Food was delivered three times a day by crew members in masks and gloves. The couple entertained themselves by reading and watching movies. From their room, they could see ambulances carry away sick passengers.
Goldman and his wife were able to leave their rooms and visit the ship's deck only three times during those 12 days under quarantine, Goldman recalls. The couple's suite had a balcony, but not all the passengers had one. "We were one of the lucky ones," he says.
toggle caption Carl Goldman
The U.S. State Department chartered flights to bring home many of the Americans on the ship. It wasn't until their flight back to the U.S. that Goldman started feeling sick.
"When we were flying back from Japan to the States, about two hours into the flight, I woke up with a high fever after napping a little bit," he says.
Along with 12 other infected evacuees, Goldman was flown to Omaha, Nebraska. When the flight landed, he asked to ride shotgun in the ambulance but was denied. He tested positive for the coronavirus. He is recovering in a biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where he'll have to spend 14 days in isolation. The unit is a separate area in the hospital with its own ventilation system and security.
His wife doesn't have the infection. She is now in a different wing of the same hospital, though she doesn't have the virus.
Doctors in hazmat suits check on Goldman each day, he says. "I've got a little cough still ... my voice is a bit raspy, and I'm a little fatigued, but that may be also because of the jet lag and the travel and everything else on top of it," he says. "It doesn't feel any different than recuperating from a regular cold."
toggle caption Carl Goldman
As of Tuesday, he reported that his vitals are strong. "They're giving me a lot of Gatorade," he says. He is not taking any medication, but many monitors surround him, with tangled wires attached to his body.
It's not completely clear why Goldman got sick while his wife avoided the virus, even though they were sharing a cabin. The answer might just be luck, says Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
"In any kind of viral infection, there's always a wide range of responses, almost like a bell-shaped curve," he told NPR.
Some people have no symptoms at all, while a fraction have more intense reactions, he says.
Elderly people or individuals with certain chronic conditions may be more vulnerable, Fauci says. But "there is no virus that has a 100 percent attack rate," he adds. "Even the most infectious of all viruses, like measles, doesn't get 100% of vulnerable people."
While he has been infected, Goldman has been getting warm wishes from friends, he says — including some he hadn't heard from in decades. Goldman has been reporting about his experience on his radio station's website.
toggle caption Carl Goldman
Though he knows there's no treatment currently, Goldman hopes that he and other COVID-19 cases in the United States will give doctors more data to study the disease. "Each case gives them a little bit more information," he says. "It's going to be a learning experience for everybody."
Elena Renken is an intern on the NPR science desk.


npr--2020-02-20--Roger Stone Sentenced To More Than 3 Years Amid Furor Over Trump And DOJ

Roger Stone Sentenced To More Than 3 Years Amid Furor Over Trump And DOJ A federal judge sentenced Roger Stone , a political adviser to President Trump , to more than three years in prison on Thursday amid an uproar about what critics call Trump 's interference in the workings of justice .
Judge Amy Berman Jackson found herself in the middle of a political sandstorm as she and the parties closed in on sentencing for Stone following his conviction last year .
Stone also was ordered to pay a $ 20,000 fine and to serve two years of supervised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led to Thursday 's sentencing amid intense attention from Trump , his supporters and his critics .
The charges had been serious , the trial had been appropriate and the system worked , she said .
`` He was not prosecuted , as some have complained , for standing up for the president , '' the judge said .
`` He was prosecuted for covering up for the president . ''
Stone 's defense boiled down to `` who cares , '' as Jackson put it .
But she warned that disregarding lies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represent a threat to Washington institutions and the foundations of democracy .
`` The defense says , 'Who cares ? '
I 'll say this : Congress cared , '' Jackson said .
`` The United States Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney 's Office for the District of Columbia that prosecuted the case — and is still prosecuting the case — cared .
The jurors , who worked under difficult circumstances , cared .
The American people cared .
And I care . ''
A jury found Stone guilty of lying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tampering .
Prosecutors initially recommended that he receive a sentence of between seven and nine years in prison .
Attorney General William Barr thought that suggestion was too severe and , according to his account , decided to order the U.S. Attorney 's Office for Washington , D.C. , to file a second memo calling for less prison time .
Over the same period of hours , Trump criticized the initial sentencing recommendation on Twitter and , separately , praised Barr for , as the president put it , `` taking charge '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the perception that he was involving himself in the workings of the Justice Department , which is supposed to be independent .
Even the loyalist Barr asked publicly for Trump to dial back his Twitter commentary because the discussion made his job `` impossible , '' Barr said .
Trump made clear in subsequent posts on Twitter and in person that he did n't intend to stop and that he reserved the right to get involved at any time with Barr .
`` I do make his job harder .
I agree @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday .
Although the president said he has chosen not to exercise what he called his privilege to do so , he added , `` I 'm allowed to be totally involved .
I 'm sort of the chief law enforcement officer ...
I could be involved if I wanted . ''
The same day , Trump used his clemency powers on a number of high-profile convicts , including former Illinois Gov .
Rod Blagojevich and former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik .
Stone 's friends have formed a group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should receive a pardon .
Trump criticized the handling of Stone 's case on Thursday even as it was underway in court .
Later , Trump told an audience in Las Vegas that he thought Stone had been treated unfairly and has `` a very good chance of exoneration , '' although Trump did n't specify what exactly he believes will happen or what action he might take .
Jackson addressed the controversy over the government 's sentencing memos , and grilled the federal prosecutor representing the government Thursday .
He was contrite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court for the confusion the government has caused regarding sentencing .
I want to make clear to the court that this confusion was not caused by the original trial team .
It had authorization to submit the original sentencing memo Monday before last , '' said Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crabb Jr. Four federal prosecutors who had been handling the case withdrew from the case last week , hours after the Justice Department intervened .
Jackson pressed Crabb for more information on the process that led the government to file the supplemental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a miscommunication between the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and Barr about the filing .
But the government stands by its case , he said .
Jackson asked Crabb , who signed the supplemental memo , whether he wrote it .
Crabb said he could n't discuss internal deliberations .
Asked whether he was directed to sign it by someone else , he again said he could n't discuss the matter .
More than 1,000 former Justice Department lawyers and employees have called on Barr to step down rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 've called Trump 's improper takeover .
A number of Senate Democrats also have said Barr must resign .
Stone sought to serve as an intermediary between Trump 's campaign in 2016 and WikiLeaks , which was releasing material stolen by Russian cyberattackers aiming to embarrass political targets in the United States .
Trump and his top advisers believed that Stone had some kind of inside line with WikiLeaks and its boss , Julian Assange , and that Stone either could get material for the campaign 's use or at least get previews @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , Stone 's attempts to use his own network to get through to Assange appeared to fall short , although he suggested in public that he was looped in about WikiLeaks ' plans .
When lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee questioned Stone about what had taken place , he lied about his contacts and the material in his possession , prosecutors said .
`` Stone 's false statements about documents had a significant impact on the committee 's investigation , '' prosecutors wrote in their first sentencing memo .
Stone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his , Randy Credico , from talking on his own to House investigators .
That was the episode in which Stone invoked a moment from the movie The Godfather Part II in which a mob informant , Frank Pentangeli , declines to give testimony to a Senate committee after earlier implicating a crime boss privately to investigators .
In the first memo , prosecutors wrote that the totality of the false statements , the witness tampering and the unanimous finding of guilt by jurors merited the seven to nine years in prison as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The second Justice Department sentencing memo did n't recommend a set amount of time beyond saying that it believed Stone did n't deserve prison time in the seven-to-nine-year range .
The second memo also acknowledged the ultimate sentence was up to the judge .
Defense attorney Seth Ginsberg urged Jackson to ignore the noise about the case and bear in mind that Stone is a 67-year-old first-time offender with a family and friends .
`` It 's important not to focus on the many things going on outside this courtroom , for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today is a sentence that will be imposed on a real person — not a media figure , not a political character , but a real person , '' Ginsberg said .
Stone himself did not address his punishment on Thursday .
He was given the the opportunity to offer a statement but declined .
`` Your honor , I choose to remain silent at this time , '' Stone said .

Roger Stone Sentenced To More Than 3 Years Amid Furor Over Trump And DOJ
Enlarge this image toggle caption Drew Angerer/Getty Images Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Updated at 3:23 p.m. ET
A federal judge sentenced Roger Stone, a political adviser to President Trump, to more than three years in prison on Thursday amid an uproar about what critics call Trump's interference in the workings of justice.
Judge Amy Berman Jackson found herself in the middle of a political sandstorm as she and the parties closed in on sentencing for Stone following his conviction last year.
Stone also was ordered to pay a $20,000 fine and to serve two years of supervised release.
Jackson defended the process that led to Thursday's sentencing amid intense attention from Trump, his supporters and his critics. The charges had been serious, the trial had been appropriate and the system worked, she said.
"He was not prosecuted, as some have complained, for standing up for the president," the judge said. "He was prosecuted for covering up for the president."
Stone's defense boiled down to "who cares," as Jackson put it. But she warned that disregarding lies to Congress and his other actions would represent a threat to Washington institutions and the foundations of democracy.
"The defense says, 'Who cares?' I'll say this: Congress cared," Jackson said. "The United States Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia that prosecuted the case — and is still prosecuting the case — cared. The jurors, who worked under difficult circumstances, cared. The American people cared. And I care."
Sentencing amid controversy
A jury found Stone guilty of lying to Congress, obstructing its investigation and witness tampering. Prosecutors initially recommended that he receive a sentence of between seven and nine years in prison.
Attorney General William Barr thought that suggestion was too severe and, according to his account, decided to order the U.S. Attorney's Office for Washington, D.C., to file a second memo calling for less prison time.
Over the same period of hours, Trump criticized the initial sentencing recommendation on Twitter and, separately, praised Barr for, as the president put it, "taking charge" of the case.
Trump drew criticism for the perception that he was involving himself in the workings of the Justice Department, which is supposed to be independent.
Even the loyalist Barr asked publicly for Trump to dial back his Twitter commentary because the discussion made his job "impossible," Barr said.
Trump made clear in subsequent posts on Twitter and in person that he didn't intend to stop and that he reserved the right to get involved at any time with Barr.
"I do make his job harder. I agree with that," Trump told reporters on Tuesday.
Although the president said he has chosen not to exercise what he called his privilege to do so, he added, "I'm allowed to be totally involved. I'm sort of the chief law enforcement officer ... I could be involved if I wanted."
The same day, Trump used his clemency powers on a number of high-profile convicts, including former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik.
Stone's friends have formed a group to advocate that he, too, should receive a pardon. Trump criticized the handling of Stone's case on Thursday even as it was underway in court.
Later, Trump told an audience in Las Vegas that he thought Stone had been treated unfairly and has "a very good chance of exoneration," although Trump didn't specify what exactly he believes will happen or what action he might take.
Government apologizes for "confusion"
Jackson addressed the controversy over the government's sentencing memos, and grilled the federal prosecutor representing the government Thursday. He was contrite.
"I want to apologize to the court for the confusion the government has caused regarding sentencing. I want to make clear to the court that this confusion was not caused by the original trial team. It had authorization to submit the original sentencing memo Monday before last," said Assistant U.S. Attorney John Crabb Jr.
Four federal prosecutors who had been handling the case withdrew from the case last week, hours after the Justice Department intervened.
Jackson pressed Crabb for more information on the process that led the government to file the supplemental memo.
Law Judge Sentencing Stone, Amy Berman Jackson, Seen As Rigorous And Fair Judge Amy Berman Jackson To Hand Down Stone's Sentence Listen · 4:15 4:15
Crabb told her that there was a miscommunication between the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia and Barr about the filing. But the government stands by its case, he said.
Jackson asked Crabb, who signed the supplemental memo, whether he wrote it. Crabb said he couldn't discuss internal deliberations.
Asked whether he was directed to sign it by someone else, he again said he couldn't discuss the matter.
More than 1,000 former Justice Department lawyers and employees have called on Barr to step down rather than continue to go along with what they've called Trump's improper takeover.
A number of Senate Democrats also have said Barr must resign.
The Stone matter
Stone sought to serve as an intermediary between Trump's campaign in 2016 and WikiLeaks, which was releasing material stolen by Russian cyberattackers aiming to embarrass political targets in the United States.
Trump and his top advisers believed that Stone had some kind of inside line with WikiLeaks and its boss, Julian Assange, and that Stone either could get material for the campaign's use or at least get previews about when more revelations were coming.
In fact, Stone's attempts to use his own network to get through to Assange appeared to fall short, although he suggested in public that he was looped in about WikiLeaks' plans.
When lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee questioned Stone about what had taken place, he lied about his contacts and the material in his possession, prosecutors said.
"Stone's false statements about documents had a significant impact on the committee's investigation," prosecutors wrote in their first sentencing memo. Stone also sought to dissuade a contact of his, Randy Credico, from talking on his own to House investigators.
That was the episode in which Stone invoked a moment from the movie The Godfather Part II in which a mob informant, Frank Pentangeli, declines to give testimony to a Senate committee after earlier implicating a crime boss privately to investigators.
The guidelines
In the first memo, prosecutors wrote that the totality of the false statements, the witness tampering and the unanimous finding of guilt by jurors merited the seven to nine years in prison as contemplated by the federal sentencing guidelines.
Stone's attorneys had asked Jackson for probation.
The second Justice Department sentencing memo didn't recommend a set amount of time beyond saying that it believed Stone didn't deserve prison time in the seven-to-nine-year range. The second memo also acknowledged the ultimate sentence was up to the judge.
Defense attorney Seth Ginsberg urged Jackson to ignore the noise about the case and bear in mind that Stone is a 67-year-old first-time offender with a family and friends.
"It's important not to focus on the many things going on outside this courtroom, for the sentence the court is going to impose today is a sentence that will be imposed on a real person — not a media figure, not a political character, but a real person," Ginsberg said.
Stone himself did not address his punishment on Thursday. He was given the the opportunity to offer a statement but declined.
"Your honor, I choose to remain silent at this time," Stone said.


npr--2020-02-20--Coronavirus: South Korea Says COVID-19 Cases Doubled In 24 Hours

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Korea has doubled in just 24 hours , to 104 from 51 , the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday .
Many of the new cases of coronavirus are linked to a Christian sect in Daegu , a city in southern South Korea .
Korea 's CDC says a woman who became the country 's 31st confirmed patient on Feb. 18 had attended services held by a religious group called the Shincheonji Church of Jesus , The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony .
The woman , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wuhan , China — where the novel coronavirus was first discovered in December — the KCDC says .
It adds that she was reported to have 1,160 contacts – by far the most of anyone on its list of patients .
`` The church has shut down '' because of the outbreak , NPR 's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul .
`` Daegu has closed some public facilities , '' he adds .
`` A U.S. Army garrison in Daegu restricted travel in and out of the base and imposed a quarantine on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' In a message posted online , the Shincheonji church expressed deep regret over the coronavirus cases .
It also said it 's cooperating with authorities and is spending several days sterilizing its buildings in Daegu .
The same woman who attended the church also visited Cheongdo Daenam Hospital , which has emerged as a second cluster of infections .
Patients and staff there are being tested for the respiratory virus , and the hospital is being disinfected , according to the KCDC .
South Korea is also reporting its first coronavirus-related death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cheongdo Daenam Hospital cluster .
While the 63-year-old man had tested positive for the virus , the exact cause of death was still being investigated , the KCDC says .
More than 75,000 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed worldwide , according to a disease-tracking dashboard created by the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering .
The virus has killed more than 2,000 people — most of them in China 's Hubei province , the center of the outbreak .
Globally , nearly 17,000 people had recovered from the illness as of Thursday afternoon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been on the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship have died after being infected with the novel coronavirus .
Japan 's health ministry says the male and female passengers were hospitalized last week .
They were both in their 80s .
The man and woman are the first Diamond Princess passengers to die during the virus outbreak .
The cruise ship has been under a quarantine at Yokohama 's port near Tokyo since Feb. 3 .
Both of the passengers died about a week after tests confirmed they were infected with the respiratory virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prefecture and the female passenger was from Tokyo , the health ministry said .
It added that while the man died from COVID-19 , the woman died from pneumonia .
A total of 634 people from the Diamond Princess have tested positive for COVID-19 , the Japanese agency said .
More than half that number are identified as `` asymptomatic pathogen carriers , '' meaning that while they do n't show signs of the illness , they can still transmit the disease to others or become sick themselves .
The deaths were reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the governments of Hong Kong , Australia , Israel , Canada and other countries work to repatriate their citizens .
Like the Americans who recently arrived in the U.S. , those passengers face new quarantines back home .
When passengers test positive for the novel coronavirus , they 're taken off the Diamond Princess and sent to local hospitals .
Those diagnoses also reset the 14-day quarantine period for their traveling partners and close contacts .
About 3,700 passengers and crew were aboard the ship when it initially arrived at the Yokohama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the hundreds

Coronavirus: South Korea Says COVID-19 Cases Doubled In 24 Hours
Enlarge this image toggle caption Heo Ran/Reuters Heo Ran/Reuters
Updated at 2 p.m. ET
The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in South Korea has doubled in just 24 hours, to 104 from 51, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. Many of the new cases of coronavirus are linked to a Christian sect in Daegu, a city in southern South Korea.
Korea's CDC says a woman who became the country's 31st confirmed patient on Feb. 18 had attended services held by a religious group called the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, The Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony.
The woman, who was born in 1959, had visited Wuhan, China — where the novel coronavirus was first discovered in December — the KCDC says. It adds that she was reported to have 1,160 contacts – by far the most of anyone on its list of patients.
"The church has shut down" because of the outbreak, NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul. "Daegu has closed some public facilities," he adds. "A U.S. Army garrison in Daegu restricted travel in and out of the base and imposed a quarantine on personnel who had visited the church."
In a message posted online, the Shincheonji church expressed deep regret over the coronavirus cases. It also said it's cooperating with authorities and is spending several days sterilizing its buildings in Daegu.
The same woman who attended the church also visited Cheongdo Daenam Hospital, which has emerged as a second cluster of infections. Patients and staff there are being tested for the respiratory virus, and the hospital is being disinfected, according to the KCDC.
South Korea is also reporting its first coronavirus-related death — and the patient was from the Cheongdo Daenam Hospital cluster. While the 63-year-old man had tested positive for the virus, the exact cause of death was still being investigated, the KCDC says.
More than 75,000 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed worldwide, according to a disease-tracking dashboard created by the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering.
The virus has killed more than 2,000 people — most of them in China's Hubei province, the center of the outbreak. Globally, nearly 17,000 people had recovered from the illness as of Thursday afternoon ET.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kevin Frayer/Getty Images Kevin Frayer/Getty Images
2 Diamond Princess passengers die after contracting COVID-19
Two Japanese passengers who had been on the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship have died after being infected with the novel coronavirus. Japan's health ministry says the male and female passengers were hospitalized last week. They were both in their 80s.
The man and woman are the first Diamond Princess passengers to die during the virus outbreak. The cruise ship has been under a quarantine at Yokohama's port near Tokyo since Feb. 3.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Eugene Hoshiko/AP Eugene Hoshiko/AP
Both of the passengers died about a week after tests confirmed they were infected with the respiratory virus. The male passenger was from Kanagawa prefecture and the female passenger was from Tokyo, the health ministry said. It added that while the man died from COVID-19, the woman died from pneumonia.
A total of 634 people from the Diamond Princess have tested positive for COVID-19, the Japanese agency said. More than half that number are identified as "asymptomatic pathogen carriers," meaning that while they don't show signs of the illness, they can still transmit the disease to others or become sick themselves.
The deaths were reported as the shipwide 14-day quarantine expires and as the governments of Hong Kong, Australia, Israel, Canada and other countries work to repatriate their citizens. Like the Americans who recently arrived in the U.S., those passengers face new quarantines back home.
When passengers test positive for the novel coronavirus, they're taken off the Diamond Princess and sent to local hospitals. Those diagnoses also reset the 14-day quarantine period for their traveling partners and close contacts.
About 3,700 passengers and crew were aboard the ship when it initially arrived at the Yokohama terminal. That number is now dropping by the hundreds


npr--2020-02-20--North Korea Claims Zero Coronavirus Cases, But Experts Are Skeptical

North Korea Claims Zero Coronavirus Cases , But Experts Are Skeptical As China 's neighbors battle the spread of the coronavirus , one nation in particular is arousing international concern : North Korea .
While the country publicly insists it is completely free of the virus , and a World Health Organization official has said there are `` no indications '' so far of COVID-19 infection there , experts question how long that may be the case .
`` Not one novel coronavirus patient has emerged , '' North Korea 's flagship Rodong Sinmun newspaper recently quoted Song In Bom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ committee , as saying .
Song credited his country 's prompt response and establishment of a quarantine system for the lack of cases .
South Korea 's Unification Ministry , which is in charge of inter-Korean relations , said Monday that Pyongyang had reported to the World Health Organization that it had tested 141 suspected cases of coronavirus and all came up negative .
But South Korean media , relying on anonymous sources , have reported cases of COVID-19 in North Korea , some of them fatal .
Those reports have not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said , `` The United States is deeply concerned about the vulnerability of the North Korean people to a coronavirus outbreak . ''
As of Thursday , the death toll from COVID-19 exceeds 2,100 .
More than 100 cases have been confirmed in South Korea .
Pyongyang says it has mobilized quickly to fight for its `` national survival . ''
It has closed its border and cut transport links with neighboring China , extended its quarantine period from 15 to 30 days , and restricted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization staff in Pyongyang .
Observers believe fears of the virus may also have led North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to reduce his public appearances and scale back or cancel military parades and exercises .
He was not seen in public between Jan. 25 and Feb. 16 .
Reports suggest that closing the border with China , North Korea 's main trading partner , has caused economic activity to slump and prices to soar .
Freedom of movement within the country is restricted even in ordinary circumstances , which could slow spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's system `` makes it very easy for doctors to organize , '' says Dr. John Linton , head of the International Health Care Center at Severance Hospital in Seoul .
If medics bring an X-ray machine to a village , for example , `` the doctor will blow a whistle and everyone will line up , '' he says .
Linton , a descendant of American missionaries , was born and raised in South Korea and has visited many of North Korea 's provincial and county-level hospitals , where he helped build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If you build an operating room and you put the equipment in the hands of the North Korean doctors , they do very well , '' he says .
`` The problem with North Korea is they do not have supplies , and they do not have equipment . ''
Some hospitals , he says , do n't even have running water .
Hands are washed in basins of still water and disinfectants .
He says he has seen `` disposable gloves being used twice ... beer bottles functioning as IV containers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Korea has no cases , Linton says North Koreans have reached out to him through back channels to ask for supplies .
`` Through private sources , they 're asking for disposable gowns , gloves and hazmat suits , which are undoubtedly lacking , '' he says .
`` So something is going on , otherwise they would n't be asking for this . ''
Linton wants to deliver supplies , but international sanctions against North Korea complicate things .
He warns that if COVID-19 becomes a pandemic and spreads there , `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It 's our health issue . ''
North Korea 's track record of fighting epidemics does not bode well for its handling of the coronavirus outbreak , other experts warn .
Other communicable diseases are widespread in the country , which has one of the world 's highest rates of tuberculosis and an estimated 15 % of the population is infected with Hepatitis B .
`` Past epidemics that originated in China have always spread to North Korea , and vice versa , '' says Choi Jung-hoon , a North Korean neurologist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
During the 2003 SARS epidemic and other disease outbreaks , he says , cases in North Korea often went unreported or underreported .
`` Given past examples , North Korea 's official announcement that it has no patients can not be trusted , '' says Choi , now a research professor at Korea University 's Public Policy Research Institute in Seoul .
Choi recalls working to contain an outbreak of scarlet fever in 2006 and 2007 .
His job was to look for infected passengers aboard North Korean trains .
`` On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people , North Koreans of every class , who needed to get somewhere , '' he says .
`` Male and female , young and old , everyone . ''
Choi roamed the aisles , scanning for travelers with rashes or signs of fever .
`` During the four months that I was on the trains , I think I found over 500 suspected patients , '' he says .
The only problem was that the patients he found had measles — not scarlet fever .
North Korea is unable to identify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone contain them .
`` North Korea has no capability or will to run quarantine facilities and isolate patients , '' he says , in the event of a coronavirus outbreak .
He also questions North Korea 's claims to have sealed its porous border with China .
He notes that smugglers go back and forth across rivers separating the two countries .
`` I believe that they still travel across the border to make a living , '' he says , `` and I 'm pretty sure that they have carried the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his job of identifying those with scarlet fever put him at risk of becoming infected himself .
But he had little choice .
And besides , infection was hardly the only risk .
`` After work , we doctors would sit around and drink and talk about the day .
We would get drunk , but even then , we were careful not to comment on our political system . ''
Doing so could land them in a labor camp .
In other words , criticizing North Korea 's handling of an epidemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease itself .

North Korea Claims Zero Coronavirus Cases, But Experts Are Skeptical
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kim Won-Jin/AFP via Getty Images Kim Won-Jin/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 5:30 p.m.
As China's neighbors battle the spread of the coronavirus, one nation in particular is arousing international concern: North Korea. While the country publicly insists it is completely free of the virus, and a World Health Organization official has said there are "no indications" so far of COVID-19 infection there, experts question how long that may be the case.
"Not one novel coronavirus patient has emerged," North Korea's flagship Rodong Sinmun newspaper recently quoted Song In Bom, an official with an emergency health committee, as saying. Song credited his country's prompt response and establishment of a quarantine system for the lack of cases.
South Korea's Unification Ministry, which is in charge of inter-Korean relations, said Monday that Pyongyang had reported to the World Health Organization that it had tested 141 suspected cases of coronavirus and all came up negative.
But South Korean media, relying on anonymous sources, have reported cases of COVID-19 in North Korea, some of them fatal. Those reports have not been independently confirmed. In a statement last week, State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said, "The United States is deeply concerned about the vulnerability of the North Korean people to a coronavirus outbreak."
As of Thursday, the death toll from COVID-19 exceeds 2,100. More than 100 cases have been confirmed in South Korea.
Pyongyang says it has mobilized quickly to fight for its "national survival." It has closed its border and cut transport links with neighboring China, extended its quarantine period from 15 to 30 days, and restricted the activities of foreign diplomatic and international organization staff in Pyongyang.
Observers believe fears of the virus may also have led North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to reduce his public appearances and scale back or cancel military parades and exercises. He was not seen in public between Jan. 25 and Feb. 16.
Reports suggest that closing the border with China, North Korea's main trading partner, has caused economic activity to slump and prices to soar.
Freedom of movement within the country is restricted even in ordinary circumstances, which could slow spread of the disease. And North Korea's system "makes it very easy for doctors to organize," says Dr. John Linton, head of the International Health Care Center at Severance Hospital in Seoul. If medics bring an X-ray machine to a village, for example, "the doctor will blow a whistle and everyone will line up," he says.
Linton, a descendant of American missionaries, was born and raised in South Korea and has visited many of North Korea's provincial and county-level hospitals, where he helped build operating rooms and fight tuberculosis.
"If you build an operating room and you put the equipment in the hands of the North Korean doctors, they do very well," he says. "The problem with North Korea is they do not have supplies, and they do not have equipment."
Some hospitals, he says, don't even have running water. Hands are washed in basins of still water and disinfectants. He says he has seen "disposable gloves being used twice ... beer bottles functioning as IV containers."
Despite Pyongyang's claim that North Korea has no cases, Linton says North Koreans have reached out to him through back channels to ask for supplies.
"Through private sources, they're asking for disposable gowns, gloves and hazmat suits, which are undoubtedly lacking," he says. "So something is going on, otherwise they wouldn't be asking for this."
Linton wants to deliver supplies, but international sanctions against North Korea complicate things. He warns that if COVID-19 becomes a pandemic and spreads there, "it's not just their health issue. It's our health issue."
North Korea's track record of fighting epidemics does not bode well for its handling of the coronavirus outbreak, other experts warn. Other communicable diseases are widespread in the country, which has one of the world's highest rates of tuberculosis and an estimated 15% of the population is infected with Hepatitis B.
"Past epidemics that originated in China have always spread to North Korea, and vice versa," says Choi Jung-hoon, a North Korean neurologist who defected to South Korea in 2012. During the 2003 SARS epidemic and other disease outbreaks, he says, cases in North Korea often went unreported or underreported.
"Given past examples, North Korea's official announcement that it has no patients cannot be trusted," says Choi, now a research professor at Korea University's Public Policy Research Institute in Seoul.
Choi recalls working to contain an outbreak of scarlet fever in 2006 and 2007. His job was to look for infected passengers aboard North Korean trains.
"On the train, there were all kinds of people, North Koreans of every class, who needed to get somewhere," he says. "Male and female, young and old, everyone."
Choi roamed the aisles, scanning for travelers with rashes or signs of fever.
"During the four months that I was on the trains, I think I found over 500 suspected patients," he says.
The only problem was that the patients he found had measles — not scarlet fever. North Korea is unable to identify many diseases, Choi says, let alone contain them.
"North Korea has no capability or will to run quarantine facilities and isolate patients," he says, in the event of a coronavirus outbreak.
He also questions North Korea's claims to have sealed its porous border with China. He notes that smugglers go back and forth across rivers separating the two countries.
"I believe that they still travel across the border to make a living," he says, "and I'm pretty sure that they have carried the virus from China."
Choi says his job of identifying those with scarlet fever put him at risk of becoming infected himself. But he had little choice. And besides, infection was hardly the only risk.
"After work, we doctors would sit around and drink and talk about the day. We would get drunk, but even then, we were careful not to comment on our political system." Doing so could land them in a labor camp.
In other words, criticizing North Korea's handling of an epidemic can sometimes be more hazardous than the disease itself.


npr--2020-02-20--California Lawmakers Expected To Apologize For U.S. Internment Of Japanese Americans

California Lawmakers Expected To Apologize For U.S. Internment Of Japanese Americans It has been just over 78 years since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order authorizing the internment of Japanese Americans .
Now the California Assembly is expected to apologize for the role the state played in rounding up about 120,000 people – mainly U.S. citizens – and moving them into 10 camps , including two in California .
The resolution notes a number of federal and state laws passed beginning in 1913 that discriminated against people of Japanese descent , before apologizing `` to all Americans of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support of the unjust exclusion , removal , and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II , and for its failure to support and defend the civil rights and civil liberties of Japanese Americans during this period . ''
It also states : `` Given recent national events , it is all the more important to learn from the mistakes of the past and to ensure that such an assault on freedom will never again happen to any community in the United States . ''
Roosevelt 's order , signed a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack at Pearl Harbor , authorized the removal from the West Coast of all persons considered a threat to national security and their relocation to centers inland .
`` You 're talking about folks who were American citizens , who were forced to leave their homes , forced to leave most of their possessions behind , to leave their pets behind , '' Jeffrey Moy , national president of the Japanese American Citizens League , tells NPR .
Imagine , he adds , `` how much of a shock it was for people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them . ''
`` I wanted to make sure that we acknowledged our mistakes and hopefully learned from them , '' says Al Muratsuchi , the Assembly member who introduced the resolution .
The Democrat , who represents a district southwest of Los Angeles that includes Torrance and Manhattan Beach , says that such a reminder is important not just for the preservation of history .
It 's also important to note the `` striking parallels between what happened to Japanese-Americans before and during World War II and what we see happening today @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just the fearmongering rhetoric talking about the caravan [ of migrants from Central America ] or the images of children and families being held in cages , but we see what 's happening to Muslim Americans .
You know , after Pearl Harbor , the fear of the 'other ' focused on Japanese Americans as potential spies ; today , ever since 9/11 , that same fear of the other has been focused on Muslim Americans as potential terrorists . ''
It bears mentioning that such an apology is not novel .
Near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 , which acknowledged that the internment of Japanese Americans was `` motivated by racial prejudice , wartime hysteria , and a failure of political leadership . ''
It provided $ 20,000 to each eligible survivor .
The law also included a direct apology `` on behalf of the Nation . ''
`` What is most important in this bill has less to do with property than with honor , '' Reagan said at the time , `` for here , we admit a wrong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nation to equal justice under the law . ''
`` Unfortunately , during the years leading up to World War II , California was at the forefront and led the nation in so many ways in fanning the flames of racism and immigrant scapegoating against Japanese Americans , '' he explains , pointing to efforts by state lawmakers decades before the war to limit or strip the legal rights of Japanese Americans .
`` I felt that it was important to document this uniquely Californian history of racism and immigrant scapegoating against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's expected to pass Thursday is just the latest in a series of apologies the state has issued recently for its historical injustices against minority groups .
In an executive order last year , Gov .
Gavin Newsom formally apologized on behalf of California for the state 's `` dark history '' of violence and discrimination against Native Americans .
Earlier this month , he also announced an initiative to pardon LGBTQ people — including posthumously — who were prosecuted under a state law banning same-sex relationships , which were only decriminalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apologized in 2006 for a program of illegal deportation that targeted Mexican Americans in the 1930s and issued another apology several years later to Chinese Americans for racist laws dating back to the 19th century .
`` A decision motivated by discrimination and xenophobia , the internment of Japanese Americans was a betrayal of our most sacred values as a nation that we must never repeat , '' Newsom said Wednesday in a proclamation declaring Feb. 19 — the anniversary of Roosevelt 's executive order — to be a day of remembrance in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history should remind us to always stand up for our fellow Americans , regardless of their national origin or immigration status , and protect the civil rights and liberties that we hold dear . ''

California Lawmakers Apologize For U.S. Internment Of Japanese Americans
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rich Pedroncelli/AP Rich Pedroncelli/AP
It has been just over 78 years since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order authorizing the internment of Japanese Americans.
Now, in a unanimous vote, the California Assembly has apologized for the role the state played in rounding up about 120,000 people – mainly U.S. citizens – and moving them into 10 camps, including two in California.
The resolution notes a number of federal and state laws passed beginning in 1913 that discriminated against people of Japanese descent, before apologizing "to all Americans of Japanese ancestry for its past actions in support of the unjust exclusion, removal, and incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, and for its failure to support and defend the civil rights and civil liberties of Japanese Americans during this period."
It also states: "Given recent national events, it is all the more important to learn from the mistakes of the past and to ensure that such an assault on freedom will never again happen to any community in the United States."
Roosevelt's order, signed a little more than two months after the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, authorized the removal from the West Coast of all persons considered a threat to national security and their relocation to centers inland.
"You're talking about folks who were American citizens, who were forced to leave their homes, forced to leave most of their possessions behind, to leave their pets behind," Jeffrey Moy, national president of the Japanese American Citizens League, tells NPR.
Imagine, he adds, "how much of a shock it was for people's rights to just be stripped from them."
"I wanted to make sure that we acknowledged our mistakes and hopefully learned from them," says Al Muratsuchi, the Assembly member who introduced the resolution.
The Democrat, who represents a district southwest of Los Angeles that includes Torrance and Manhattan Beach, says that such a reminder is important not just for the preservation of history. It's also important to note the "striking parallels between what happened to Japanese-Americans before and during World War II and what we see happening today," he says.
"Not just the fearmongering rhetoric talking about the caravan [of migrants from Central America] or the images of children and families being held in cages, but we see what's happening to Muslim Americans. You know, after Pearl Harbor, the fear of the 'other' focused on Japanese Americans as potential spies; today, ever since 9/11, that same fear of the other has been focused on Muslim Americans as potential terrorists."
National California To Officially Apologize To Japanese Americans Over Internment California To Officially Apologize To Japanese Americans Over Internment Listen · 3:32 3:32
It bears mentioning that such an apology is not novel.
Near the end of Ronald Reagan's presidency, he signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which acknowledged that the internment of Japanese Americans was "motivated by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership." It provided $20,000 to each eligible survivor.
The law also included a direct apology "on behalf of the Nation."
"What is most important in this bill has less to do with property than with honor," Reagan said at the time, "for here, we admit a wrong. Here we reaffirm our commitment as a nation to equal justice under the law."
Muratsuchi says California owes survivors a separate apology.
"Unfortunately, during the years leading up to World War II, California was at the forefront and led the nation in so many ways in fanning the flames of racism and immigrant scapegoating against Japanese Americans," he explains, pointing to efforts by state lawmakers decades before the war to limit or strip the legal rights of Japanese Americans.
"I felt that it was important to document this uniquely Californian history of racism and immigrant scapegoating against Japanese Americans."
National NPR's Conversation With Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi California Legislature Considers Formal Apology For World War II Japanese Internment Listen · 3:53 3:53
The Assembly measure passed Thursday is just the latest in a series of apologies the state has issued recently for its historical injustices against minority groups.
In an executive order last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom formally apologized on behalf of California for the state's "dark history" of violence and discrimination against Native Americans. Earlier this month, he also announced an initiative to pardon LGBTQ people — including posthumously — who were prosecuted under a state law banning same-sex relationships, which were only decriminalized in 1975.
Previously, the state apologized in 2006 for a program of illegal deportation that targeted Mexican Americans in the 1930s and issued another apology several years later to Chinese Americans for racist laws dating back to the 19th century.
"A decision motivated by discrimination and xenophobia, the internment of Japanese Americans was a betrayal of our most sacred values as a nation that we must never repeat," Newsom said Wednesday in a proclamation declaring Feb. 19 — the anniversary of Roosevelt's executive order — to be a day of remembrance in California.
"This stain on our history should remind us to always stand up for our fellow Americans, regardless of their national origin or immigration status, and protect the civil rights and liberties that we hold dear."
NPR's Ina Jaffe contributed to this report.