The United States now leads the world in the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases with 82,404 surpassing both Italy and China, according to Johns Hopkins University.
There are 529,093 confirmed cases worldwide with 23,956 confirmed deaths from coronavirus (COVID-19) and 122,135 recoveries planet wide. 1,201 people have died from COVID-19 related illnesses in the US.
On Tuesday President Trump said that he wanted to have the country reopened for business by Easter, on April 12, despite warnings from public health experts that the worst effects of the coronavirus were yet to come.
- Over 3 million people have applied for unemployment in the US, surpassing the Great Recession peak of 665,000 in March 2009 and the all-time cap of 695,000 in October 1982.
Canada enforced the Quarantine Act yesterday ordering international arrivals to stay away from others for at least 14 days.
The new legislation Came just a week after Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the closure of the Canada-U.S. border for all non-essential travel.
Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau protested against the Trump administrations aspiration to station troops near the Canadian border to prevent illegal crossings.
“Canada and the United States have the longest unmilitarized border in the world, and it is very much in both of our interests for it to remain that way,” Trudeau said. “[This has] benefited our two countries and both economies tremendously, and we feel that it needs to remain that way.”
Check out the map with real time COVID-19 updates here.
In an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has provided a series of tips and tricks. If you are infected with COVID-19 it is advised that you stay home for at least two weeks.
Consider the following steps If you’re sick with COVID-19 or think you might have it to help protect other people in your home and community.
Check out the CDC’s constant updates on COVID-19 at their website, which is updated regularly.
Stay home except to get medical care
- Stay home: Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and are able to recover at home without medical care. Do not leave your home, except to get medical care. Do not visit public areas.
- Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care if you have trouble breathing, or have any other emergency warning signs, or if you think it is an emergency.
- Avoid public transportation: Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.
Separate yourself from other people in your home, this is known as home isolation
- Stay away from others: As much as possible, you stay away from others. You should stay in a specific “sick room” if possible, and away from other people in your home. Use a separate bathroom, if available.
- See COVID-19 and Animals is you have questions about pets.
Call ahead before visiting your doctor
- Call ahead: Many medical visits for routine care are being postponed or done by phone or telemedicine.
- If you have a medical appointment that cannot be postponed, call your doctor’s office, and tell them you have or may have COVID-19. This will help the office protect themselves and other patients.
If you are sick wear a facemask in the following situations, if available.
- If you are sick: You should wear a facemask, if available, when you are around other people (including before you enter a healthcare provider’s office).
- If you are caring for others: If the person who is sick is not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then as their caregiver, you should wear a facemask when in the same room with them. Visitors, other than caregivers, are not recommended.
Note: During a public health emergency, facemasks may be reserved for healthcare workers. You may need to improvise a facemask using a scarf or bandana.
Cover your coughs and sneezes
- Cover: Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
- Dispose: Throw used tissues in a lined trash can.
- Wash hands: Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Clean your hands often
- Wash hands: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
- Hand sanitizer: If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.
- Soap and water: Soap and water are the best option, especially if hands are visibly dirty.
- Avoid touching: Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid sharing personal household items
- Do not share: Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people in your home.
- Wash thoroughly after use: After using these items, wash them thoroughly with soap and water or put in the dishwasher.
Clean all “high-touch” surfaces everyday
Clean high-touch surfaces in your isolation area (“sick room” and bathroom) every day; let a caregiver clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in other areas of the home.
- Clean and disinfect: Routinely clean high-touch surfaces in your “sick room” and bathroom. Let someone else clean and disinfect surfaces in common areas, but not your bedroom and bathroom.
- If a caregiver or other person needs to clean and disinfect a sick person’s bedroom or bathroom, they should do so on an as-needed basis. The caregiver/other person should wear a mask and wait as long as possible after the sick person has used the bathroom.
High-touch surfaces include phones, remote controls, counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables.
- Clean and disinfect areas that may have blood, stool, or body fluids on them.
- Household cleaners and disinfectants: Clean the area or item with soap and water or another detergent if it is dirty. Then, use a household disinfectant.
- Be sure to follow the instructions on the label to ensure safe and effective use of the product. Many products recommend keeping the surface wet for several minutes to ensure germs are killed. Many also recommend precautions such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product.
- Most EPA-registered household disinfectants should be effective. A full list of disinfectants can be found hereexternal icon.
Monitor your symptoms
- Common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever and cough. Trouble breathing is a more serious symptom that means you should get medical attention.
- If you are having trouble breathing, seek medical attention, but call first.
- Call your doctor or emergency room before going in and tell them your symptoms. They will tell you what to do.
- Wear a facemask: If available, put on a facemask before you enter the building. If you can’t put on a facemask, cover your coughs and sneezes. Try to stay at least 6 feet away from other people. This will help protect the people in the office or waiting room.
- Follow care instructions from your healthcare provider and local health department: Your local health authorities may give instructions on checking your symptoms and reporting information.
