Coronavirus briefing: Five updates for Saturday, March 7
The director-general of the World Health Organization thanked Facebook and Instagram early Saturday for “stepping up and playing their part” in helping medical professionals stay safe as the world continues to fight COVID-19.
The praise comes after the social media giants announced late Friday that they would be banning ads and listings for medical masks as part of their initiative to stop coronavirus-related abuses.
More than 100,000 cases of the COVID-19 disease have been confirmed worldwide with more than 3,400 deaths as of March 7, according to Johns Hopkins University. The United States has more than 340 confirmed cases with 17 deaths.
The World Health Organization has labeled the coronavirus outbreak a “very high” risk of spread and impact, but has so far stopped short of declaring it a global pandemic.
Trying to stop people from ‘exploiting’ public health emergency
The director-general of the World Health Organization thanked Facebook and Instagram early Saturday for trying to help limit the risk of stock shortages for medical professionals.
The praise comes after the social media giants announced late Friday that they would ban ads and listings for medical masks as part of their initiative to stop coronavirus-related abuses.
“It’s great when businesses step up and play their part in the COVID-19 response. These new steps by Instagram and Facebook are aimed at making sure life-saving personal protective equipment is preserved for those who need it most, esp frontline healthworkers,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Physical and online retailers have struggled to keep up with the pace of demand for medical masks, particularly the N95, even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reminded people that masks and respirators should not be used by the general public.
Facebook’s director of Product Management, Rob Leathern, and the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, announced the policy change late Friday on Twitter.
“We’re banning ads and commerce listings selling medical face masks on Instagram and Facebook. Supplies are short, prices are up, and we’re against people exploiting this public health emergency,” said Mosseri.
It comes a day after a company spokesman told CNBC that Facebook would be removing any political ads that contained misinformation related to COVID-19.
More than half of all states have reported COVID-19 cases
More than half of all the states have reported COVID-19 cases as the novel coronavirus continues to spread across the country.
As of Friday night, officials in 28 states have confirmed positive tests for COVID-19 though not all of the cases have been confirmed by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tests, according to MSN. The majority of cases are in New York, California and Washington state, according to NBC News.
The United States has more than 340 confirmed cases with 17 deaths. Two of the fatalities were in Florida and are the first recorded outside of the West Coast, according to the Washington Post.
China quarantine hotel collapses, trapping dozens
A hotel that was being used as a coronavirus quarantine center collapsed in the Chinese city of Quanzhou, trapping at least 70 people under the rubble Saturday, according to multiple reports.
The five-story Xinjia Express hotel in southeast China’s Fujian province was being used to monitor those who had close contact with COVID-19 patients, according to Fox News.
Video posted on social media shows a rescue team searching through the rubble of the Xinjia hotel.
About 35 people have been pulled from the rubble, according to the BBC.
It’s still unclear what caused the building to collapse.
Pope Francis to livestream public blessings
Pope Francis will be livestreaming his traditional Sunday noon blessing in an attempt to prevent crowds from gathering at Vatican City as COVID-19 infections continue to spread across Italy, according to the Associated Press.
Wednesday’s audience will be handled the same way.
The decision comes a day after the Vatican confirmed its first case of the novel coronavirus and closed some of its offices as a precaution Friday, Time reports. The pope, who is still recovering from a cold, was tested for COVID-19 earlier in the week. The results came back negative, according to the New York Post.
Tips to help protect yourself from coronavirus
There’s no vaccine for the coronavirus, and experts say one may be months away from mass production.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest avoiding close contact with people who are sick; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; staying home when you are sick; covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue; and cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
The agency also advises washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
The CDC does not advise that healthy people wear face masks, but says they should be worn by coronavirus patients to help avoid spreading the illness.
