one thing for sure, the masses are getting educated on how a virus spreads.

 

CDC Warns Coronavirus Coming To US, Will Be "Tremendous Public Health Threat"

February 21, 2020

 

Summary:

 

8 new cases confirmed in Lombardy brings daily total to 16 new cases in Italy

China pledges to build 19 new hospitals in Wuhan

253 more passengers depart the diamond princess as 11 of 13 American evacuees in Nebraska test positive

Local authorities in China warn people will be punished for not returning to work if ordered

WHO's Tedros: Window for confronting virus rapidly closing

CDC says virus tremendous health threat, warns more human to human transmission of the virus in the US likely

First case declared in Lebanon

Iran confirms 9 more cases as virus reaches Tehran

South Korea reported massive jump in cases on Friday as total climbed to 204

Global Times insinuates that US might be covering up coronavirus cases

Health officials in Hubei 'apologize' for changing case confirmation 'criteria'

 

• • *

 

Update (1240ET): As we mentioned below, the CDC had some pretty chilling words for the American public during a press conference on Friday. During the 12:15pm ET update, the organization warned that it had centralized 'surge' virus response due to a lack of testing kits and the fact that every state but three is unprepared for the epidemic.

 

During the press conference, the CDC described the virus as a "tremendous public healht threat" and warned that human to human transmission in the US is "very possible, even likely."

 

The announcement comes after the Washington Post reported last night that the CDC opposed the State Department's decision to bring the 14 Americans confirmed to have been infected with the virus aboard the 'Diamond Princess' back to the US with the other ~300 evacuees - thereby breaking the quarantine and risking a broader outbreak, and exposing many of the passengers on the flight who hadn't been infected to the virus.

 

The CDC was so mad, it reportedly asked for its name to be removed from a press release about the evacuation.

 

We also noted at the time that the decision to break the quarantine and bring the 14 infected persons back seemed idiotic.

 

So far, it's looking like that's exactly what's happening: As we noted earlier, 11 of 13 people quarantined in Nebraska have now tested positive.

 

Just imagine what happens if it hits Omaha, or Chicago. Or New York (which has already had a few scares):

 

Update (1230ET): Remember those two hospitals that China slapped together in Wuhan that some have compared to prisons, and which have reportedly been rife with problems?

 

Well, now China is planning to build another 19 makeshift hospitals to quarantine more infected patients in Wuhan.

 

So far, the city of 11 million has converted 13 existing venues into hospitals, with a total of 13,348 beds. The 19 new hospitals would create 30,000 beds, according to China's Global Times.

 

In other news, minutes ago, two more coronavirus cases were confirmed in northern Italian region of Lombardy, bringing the country's total announced on Friday to 16. Italy now has some 19 cases.

 

It's unclear whether the patients were infected in Italy, or abroad. Some 250 others are in isolation awaiting testing results. Most of the cases have been found in northern Italy.

 

In the US, the CDC has warned that only three states, California, Nevada and Illinois, have the testing capacity needed to confront a coronavirus outbreak. Until more become available, the CDC will be handling any necessary 'surge testing'. They added that future human to human transmission in the US is possible, even 'likely' (which is why the US probably should have left those 'DP' passengers in Japan).

 

Meanwhile, here's what we're looking at so far for cases ex-China in Asia.

 

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/cases-covid-19-south-korea-double-overnight-alarming-prison-outbreak-reported-china