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The Search for a COVID-19 Patient Zero After 12 Months
Months before the World Health Organization assigned a pandemic label to SARS-CoV-2, the earliest signs of an outbreak were discussed by users of the WeChat social network in China.
Residents of Wuhan shared their symptoms and concerns starting in the middle of November 2019, and they were puzzled because the influenza and winter season were coming to an end at that time.
Months before the World Health Organization assigned a pandemic label to SARS-CoV-2, the earliest signs of an outbreak were discussed by users of the WeChat social network in China.
Residents of Wuhan shared their symptoms and concerns starting in the middle of November 2019, and they were puzzled because the influenza and winter season were coming to an end at that time.
For scientists such as Edward Holmes from the University of Sydney, the determination of how the virus jumped from bats to an intermediate animal, and ultimately to shoppers at Wuhan markets, would be crucial in terms of developing treatments and vaccines, but such details have proven to be elusive.
Dr. Holmes is not ready to give up in his efforts to trace the origins of the novel coronavirus, but he admits that new challenges seem to arise on a daily basis. In Spain, for example, scientists from the University of Barcelona have detected traces of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage samples collected as early as March 2019.
A similar situation has been experienced in Italy, where the virus is believed to have been spreading as early as September of last year; nonetheless, Dr. Holmes is not convinced about these reports because they lack genetic sequencing work. One strong hypothesis, which many scientists support to a certain extent, hinges upon a superspreader event in Wuhan, perhaps at a single market.
There is also a possibility that patient zero may have passed away from COVID-19 complications and without leaving behind comprehensive medical records.
U.S. President Makes Personal Calls to Election Officials in Michigan
Despite abandoning a federal lawsuit in Michigan, United States President Donald Trump has not stopped intervening in the ballot counting and vote certification processes.
U.S. President Makes Personal Calls to Election Officials in Michigan
Despite abandoning a federal lawsuit in Michigan, United States President Donald Trump has not stopped intervening in the ballot counting and vote certification processes.
According to a report published by the Detroit Free Press, two Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers received telephone calls from Trump after they announced their intention to prevent certification from taking place in the state's most populous region. Ultimately, the two board members voted for certification, but they allegedly did so under pressure and duress following a public comment session that featured profanity and veiled threats.
Trump is quickly running out of legal options to contest the elections and retain his seat in the White House; as of November 20, his remaining hope is to prove voting irregularities in the state of Pennsylvania, which he lost by more than 70,000 votes.
Disappearance of Taiwanese Fighter Jet Prompts Grounding of All Aircraft
All F-16 fighter jets operated by the Taiwan Air Force have been grounded following a mysterious crash on Tuesday.
Disappearance of Taiwanese Fighter Jet Prompts Grounding of All Aircraft
All F-16 fighter jets operated by the Taiwan Air Force have been grounded following a mysterious crash on Tuesday.
A training mission over the Pacific Ocean turned into tragedy just minutes after takeoff. A nighttime rescue mission was launched after the aircraft disappeared from radar screens and radio communications failed; although some wreckage was found, the pilot has not been found.
Americans Urged to Stay Home for Thanksgiving
The United States Centers for Disease Control have issued a travel advisory for Americans planning on visiting relatives during the Thanksgiving holiday next week.
Americans Urged to Stay Home for Thanksgiving
The United States Centers for Disease Control have issued a travel advisory for Americans planning on visiting relatives during the Thanksgiving holiday next week.
In essence, the CDC has warned against all travel at a time when a second wave of coronavirus infections is testing the capacity of hospitals in many parts of the country.
At some travel hubs such as the Charlotte International Airport, administrators estimate that travel will be reduced by more than 40% this year, and they are also frustrated by their inability to enforce the wearing of masks in the terminals.
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