China

Employees of the Egyptian Quarantine Authority prepare to scan the body temperature of incoming travelers at Cairo International Airport.

Health & Safety

Why The World Cares More About The New Coronavirus Than The Flu

2:33pm February 04, 2020

by Nurith Aizenman

Every year, viruses like influenza kill hundreds of thousands worldwide — yet countries don't respond with lockdowns or airport screenings. Here's why they're doing so over the coronavirus outbreak.

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More than 20,000 people have been diagnosed with a new coronavirus in China since it was identified in December. Here, volunteers in protective suits deliver daily supplies to people who are under self-quarantine at a village in Shandong province, China.

Coronavirus Cases Have More Than Tripled In Past Week; 20,000 Sickened In China

10:05pm February 03, 2020

by Bill Chappell

Last week, China had 4,400 cases of the Wuhan coronavirus. On Monday alone, Chinese health officials reported 2,829 new cases.

An employee wears a protective mask as he sits in the showroom of an Apple Store after it closed Saturday in Beijing. Apple announced it was closing all 42 of its stores in China until February 10 due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Health & Safety

8th Case Of Coronavirus Confirmed In The U.S. Amid Skyrocketing Outbreak

5:32pm February 01, 2020

by Amy Held

State health officials in Massachusetts confirmed the latest case of the fast-spreading respiratory virus in a Boston man returning from Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the outbreak.

One of the first cases of the new coronavirus in Hong Kong was found at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Hong Kong. Health workers in the city fear an influx of patients.

Coronavirus Fears Lead Nurses To Threaten Strike In Hong Kong If Borders Aren't Shut

5:32pm February 01, 2020

by Jason Beaubien

Hong Kong is dealing with hundreds of suspected cases. Nurses say they'll walk out on Monday if the city doesn't seal its border with China.

Travelers wearing face masks walk along a concourse at Beijing Capital International Airport on Thursday. American schools are advising students to avoid travel to China, and some are working to evacuate students already there. China reported nearly 11,80

As Coronavirus Spreads, U.S. Students In China Scramble To Leave

5:29pm February 01, 2020

American schools are advising students to avoid travel to China, and some are working to evacuate students already there. The U.S. issued a "Do Not Travel" advisory for China on Thursday.

There are now nearly 10,000 cases of coronavirus — far more than the reported number of SARS cases worldwide during a 2003 outbreak.

U.S. Warns Americans 'Do Not Travel To China' As Coronavirus Infections Surpass SARS

7:27pm January 31, 2020

by Bill Chappell

There are now nearly 12,000 cases of coronavirus — far more than the reported number of SARS cases worldwide during a 2003 outbreak.

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A worker in a protective suit uses a large fogger to disinfect outdoor areas in a village in Qingdao, Shandong province, as the deadly new coronavirus continues to spread in China.

Coronavirus Has Now Spread To All Regions Of Mainland China

10:02pm January 30, 2020

by Bill Chappell

A coronavirus expert tells NPR the outbreak is only getting started and the global spread will get worse — including in the U.S.

Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, speaks at a news conference Tuesday at the Department of Health and Human Services.

1st Person-To-Person Spread Of Coronavirus Has Occurred In U.S., CDC Says

3:42pm January 30, 2020

by Bill Chappell

A woman who had recently traveled to China passed the respiratory virus on to her husband when she returned to Chicago, CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said.

Hermione Dickey, 8, and her mother, Priscilla, head to the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport. They were among the passengers on a U.S. evacuation flight out of Wuhan, China.

Coronavirus: Americans Evacuated From Wuhan Will Remain At U.S. Air Base For 3 Days

11:34pm January 29, 2020

by Bill Chappell

"These people are not under federal quarantine orders," Dr. Chris Braden of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

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The Interior Department is grounding its fleet of drones — including Chinese-made models such as this specialized "government edition" Mavic Pro, made by DJI.

National

Interior Department Grounds All Of Its Drones, Citing Cybersecurity, Other Concerns

5:47pm January 29, 2020

by Bill Chappell

The move is a turnabout for Chinese firms such as drone giant DJI — which made special "government edition" drones that the Interior Department approved last summer.