After Testing Delays, US Coronavirus Cases Surge Past 1,000
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published March 11, 2020 | 09:50 AM
Washington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 11th Mar, 2020 ) :The number of novel coronavirus cases in the US surged past 1,000 on Tuesday, after public health experts criticized authorities for downplaying the epidemic and lagging behind in testing efforts.
At least 28 people have died and 1,025 people have been infected, according to a running tally by Johns Hopkins University -- nearly double the 550 total confirmed cases the day before.
The rise is linked to an expansion in testing as the bulk of diagnoses have shifted from Federal to state laboratories.
Epidemiologists have said faulty test kits coupled with a diagnostic strategy that initially targeted too few people allowed the disease to spread beyond US authorities' ability to detect it.
The failings had contributed to the virus taking root across the country, academics from Johns Hopkins University and Stanford University wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) on Monday.
Vice President Mike Pence defended the government's response at a White House briefing and said that "a million tests are in the field." He said that more would be added as the government partnered with private companies.
Just over 8,500 tests had been performed as of Monday, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
South Korea announced its first case on the same day as the United States, has tested more than 189,000 people in the same period, business Insider reported.
The JAMA report authors wrote that the only test initially authorized was one developed by the CDC.
It relied on the same technology as one authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and deployed around the world -- except that a fault meant the CDC kit was returning inconclusive results.
It was not until February 29, the date of the first US death and more than a month after the first confirmed US case, that the food and Drug Administration lifted a ban on state laboratories developing their own kits based on the WHO's tests.
- 'Don't overcorrect' - "Adopting broader testing criteria and allowing use of a wider range of tests would have been helpful in identifying the first US cases and containing the spread," said Michelle Mello of Stanford, a co-author of the JAMA report.
"Manufacturing problems like the one that arose with CDC's test are always a risk, but the fact that CDC put all its eggs in that one basket made the manufacturing snafu highly consequential," she wrote on her university's blog page.
The CDC was initially only testing people with known exposure, meaning a Californian patient on a ventilator was denied the test for five days, the patient's doctors said. The criteria were changed as a result of this case.
Mello also pointed to several inaccuracies in White House communications on the epidemic -- from declaring that containment efforts were "close to airtight" to claiming a vaccine could be ready within three to four months.
"The public messaging from Washington about the seriousness of the problem has been neither consistent nor accurate, and I worry it may have led Americans to take fewer steps to prevent community transmission than we should have," she said.
The authors argued against overcorrection, however, saying that health services would be quickly overwhelmed if everyone with a cough or fever -- or exposure to sick patients -- demanded a test.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
PM vows to work for country along with students
US ambassador meets Senate Chairman, discusses bilateral ties
UHS to issue MBBS degrees within three months after final result
Aiman Khan granted UAE Golden Visa
PSX achieves significant milestone, surpasses 72,000 mark
Pak Vs NZ T20I: Orphaned children extended special invitation to watch match
Finance Minister lauds UNDP’s unwavering support during floods
President Raisi leaves for Iran from Karachi
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 24 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 24 April 2024
Punjab CM inaugurates Pakistan’s first Virtual Women Police Station
Dutch model Donny Roelvink embraces Islam
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
PDMA predicts gusty wind, rain with thunder, hails
22 hours ago -
Iranian president Raisi given guard of honour at PM House
2 days ago -
Intellectuals, writers accolades Naseer Mirza on his literary contribution
3 days ago -
Bahawalpur Adabi Sangat hosts memorable mushaira
3 days ago -
Cattle farming vital to alleviate poverty in rural areas
3 days ago -
Pakistan: A land of tourism, archeological wonders
3 days ago
-
Transforming education sector: from job hunters to job creators
5 days ago -
Amjad Bobby remembered on 19th death anniversary for timeless contributions to music
9 days ago -
Legendary actor Nadeem’s 26 films released on Eid-ul-Fitr days in 50 years
10 days ago -
Besant Hall Cultural Centre to celebrate evening with Sanam Marvi on 26 April
10 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur presents program “Eidi Shidi”
13 days ago -
Radio Bahawalpur to broadcast Eid programs
15 days ago