7 Major Coronavirus Developments and a Heartbreaking Story — Saturday, March 28, 2020

Warning from Cranston Mayor Fung

Mayor Fung took to social media to warn students at Cranston High School West about adhering to social distancing restrictions as they come off of a 14-day self-quarantine.

Rhode Island's Struggling Testing System

Again Friday, Rhode Island failed to significantly expand its testing program -- the number of total tests registered was 268.

In contrast, Massachusetts reported 5,750 tests conducted.

Massachusetts' Public Health Commissioner Tests Positive for COVID-19

Public Health Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH said in a statement, "I want to notify the public that I have tested positive for COVID-19.  I was tested Thursday night and received the results back today from the State Public Health Laboratory. As the public health commissioner and an essential state employee, I have been vigilant about practicing social distancing from my colleagues and members of the public.

My symptoms so far have been mild. I have notified my appropriate close contacts and will rest and recuperate at home, while continuing to carry out my work responsibilities remotely. The Department of Public Health offices will be thoroughly cleaned over the weekend.

I hope everyone will continue to take seriously the threat of COVID-19."

Numbers

203 Cases in Rhode Island

3,240 Cases in Massachusetts

35 Deaths in Massachusetts

105,016 Cases in the United States

1,781 Deaths in the United States

612,484 Global Cases

27,677 Global Deaths

136,614 Global Recoveries

Tech Breakthrough

Abbott has received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the fastest available molecular point-of-care test for the detection of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), delivering positive results in as little as five minutes and negative results in 13 minutes.

The company says:

What makes this test so different is where it can be used: outside the four walls of a traditional hospital such as in the physicians' office or urgent care clinics.

The new Abbott ID NOW COVID-19 test runs on Abbott's ID NOWTM platform—a lightweight box (6.6 pounds and the size of a small toaster) that can sit in a variety of locations.

Because of its small size, it can be used in more non-traditional places where people can have their results in a matter of minutes, bringing an alternate testing technology to combat the novel coronavirus.

We're ramping up production to deliver 50,000 ID NOW COVID-19 tests per day, beginning next week, to the U.S. healthcare system.

This comes on the heels of our announcement last week of the availability of the Abbott RealTime SARS-CoV-2 EUA test under FDA EUA, which runs on m2000 RealTime molecular system for centralized lab environments. Combined with ID NOW, Abbott expects to produce about 5 million tests in April.

Testing remains a crucial step in controlling the novel COVID-19 pandemic. Continuing to supply healthcare providers with new technologies to help curb the spread of infection is a top priority for public health officials and healthcare providers.

Are Lenders Lending? Wall Street Journal Says 'It Is Getting Tougher'

A report by the Wall Street Journal:

Banks and financial-technology firms are starting to toughen their approval standards for new loans to consumers and small businesses. That means many people could find it hard to get credit just when they most need it, as the novel coronavirus pandemic puts thousands out of work.

Large U.S. lenders including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Capital One Financial Corp. and Santander Consumer USA Holdings are among the companies reviewing and revising certain lending criteria, according to people familiar with the matter. Planned moves include approving fewer consumers with lower credit scores, asking for more income documentation and placing lower spending limits on new credit cards.

American Express Co. has scaled back financing offers to small businesses, according to people familiar with the matter. Fintech lenders Square and On Deck Capital said this week they would do the same.

Lockdown in India Forces Migrant Workers to Walk Hundreds of Miles to Get Home

The Washington Post has a report on the harrowing travels of migrant workers trying to get home during the countrywide lockdown.

The workers set out on foot in the wee hours of the morning for villages hundreds of miles away, walking along the roads they helped build and past apartment towers they helped raise.

Chandra Mohan, a 24-year-old plumber in a suburb of India’s capital, left at 3 a.m. on Friday. By midmorning, he had walked 28 miles, one bag on his back and another slung across his chest. He still had more than 600 miles to go to reach his home in the state of Bihar.

Mohan is one of thousands of people leaving India’s largest cities one footstep at a time, fleeing a pandemic in a historic exodus. There are no planes, no trains, no interstate buses and no taxis. So Mohan walked east with 17 other young men, all laborers like him. They were unsure of their route or where they would sleep or how they would eat, but one thing was certain: Without work, they cannot survive in the city.

Follow GoLocal's Non-Stop Coverage

Signup for our FREE email newsletter.

Get the most important news - real-time.

SIGN-UP HERE