• Schools and businesses across the US have closed for deep cleanings to mitigate possible spread of the novel coronavirus.
• The CDC suggests you clean and disinfect all "high-touch areas" in your home, from doorknobs to smartphones.
• Use a combination of household cleaners and disinfectants. Wear gloves and throw them out after you clean.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

As the novel coronavirus continues to spread, more and more people are looking for ways to disinfect their living spaces.

It's always a good idea to wash your hands thoroughly and avoid close contact with people who have the disease, but there are other thing you can do to deep-clean your home. 

The coronavirus is transmitted via respiratory droplets, and the CDC says that current evidence suggests it "may remain viable for hours to days on surfaces made from a variety of materials." 

There's already been an increase in demand for cleaningservices all around the world, and numerous schools and businesses have closed for deep cleanings.

Here's how the CDC suggests you do a deep-clean. 

Remember to clean first, disinfect later

Cleaning refers to the removal of germs from surfaces. Disinfecting refers to the use of chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. Both can lower the risk of infection spread, but you should clean first, disinfect after.

Don't forget to read the label on your disinfectants. Some need to remain wet for anywhere from two to ten minutes.

Use household cleaners and disinfectants on frequently touched surfaces

Look at tables, doorknobs, light switches and toilets as places to start. Before you disinfect dirty surfaces, clean them with detergent or soap and water.

For disinfecting, you can use alcohol solutions that contains at least 70% alcohol, household disinfectants registered with the EPA, or diluted household bleach solutions. Don't use expired products, and don't mix bleach with any other cleaners. Common household disinfectant brands on the EPA list include Lysol and Clorox.

The CDC recommends people create their own bleach solutions by mixing 5 tablespoons of bleach per gallon of water or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water.

Wear gloves and make sure you have good ventilation while you clean

Wear disposable gloves and throw them out after you're done using them, according to the CDC.

If you're using reusable gloves, don't use them for other purposes, and clean your hands immediately after the gloves are removed. Peel the gloves away from your body, pulling them inside out, and try not to let the outside of the glove touch your skin.

Wash dirty laundry on the warmest setting possible

There is no need to shake dirty laundry, as that can spread viruses through the air. Use the warmest appropriate water setting for washing the items and let them dry completely afterward.

If you're not using gloves when washing dirty laundry, make sure to wash your hands afterwards. Also, consider washing the laundry bag that holds your clothes, as that surface can also collect germs and viruses.

Clean your electronics 

Phones and tablets are what the CDC calls "high touch" surfaces, so you're going to want to clean them. You should avoid using rubbing alcohol, disinfectants, or similar sprays, Business Insider previously reported, in part because using them can damage the protective coating on your phone's screen.

Instead, turn off your device, lightly dampen a microfiber cloth with soap and water, and scrub the screen. You can also use a UV sanitation device, which beams UV-C rays at your phone in order to kill germs.

Read more:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's how to escape a flooding vehicle

JPMorgan is the biggest bank in the US and a bellwether for the global financial system. So when it comes to the bank's most senior leaders, and particularly those in position to replace CEO Jamie Dimon, Wall Street pays attention.

Wall Street is paying even closer attention to who might succeed Dimon after JPMorgan said on Thursday that he underwent emergency heart surgery. Dimon is currently recuperating after the operation. 

Business Insider last year identified the lender's 70 or so most important executives. We compiled the list by speaking with current and former employees, competitors, and recruiters, focusing our search on the operating committee and an executive cohort one level down at JPMorgan's four business units. We decided to avoid most staff members in the control or corporate functions, aside from a few key people.

A JPMorgan spokesman declined to comment for the project.

At the top is Dimon, who's been the CEO or chairman of the firm since January 2006, roughly 18 months after his Chicago lender, Bank One, was purchased by JPMorgan Chase. Dimon enjoys a reputation as the best banker, or among the best bankers, of his generation — and, as Roger Lowenstein wrote in The New York Times Magazine in 2010, the "least hated."

When asked about his eventual retirement, Dimon has said he'd like to work for another five years or so. The comment became a running joke among Wall Street analysts, investors, and even JPMorgan execs. But Dimon is approaching the typical retirement age, and there's been talk that his "another five years" might actually be counting down.

Last year, JPMorgan moved its longtime chief financial officer and potential-successor shortlist member Marianne Lake to a job running consumer lending. The credit-card chief Jennifer Piepszak took Lake's role as CFO.

The moves were widely interpreted as being part of succession planning, with some wondering if this meant Lake was out of the running or just getting needed operating experience, or if Piepszak was now the favored one. 

Gordon Smith and Daniel Pinto, two executives who report to Dimon, will lead the bank while he recuperates.

Smith had some wise words in late May on how he thinks about the bank's broader leadership team, in the context of all the focus on Dimon's replacement.

"It's very obvious and understandable why Jamie's succession is what gets the vast majority of the ink," he said at an investor conference that month. "But what we all worry about is — yes, the CEO, but who are the 15 people or so, plus or minus, that will be on the operating committee of the firm that will steer it for the next decade, the decades following Jamie's rolling five [years until retirement]? What will be that group of people?"

This list gives you the inside track on identifying that group. Note that the chart is interactive, so you'll need to click through on "direct reports" to get the full list of names. 

Have more information about the organizational structure or something else at JPMorgan? Contact the reporter by phone, email at dcampbell@businessinsider.com, or encrypted chat with Signal.

SEE ALSO: JPMorgan just handed its CFO a new role and it could be a sign she's a candidate to replace Jamie Dimon

DON'T MISS: These are the 30 most powerful people in Bank of America Merrill Lynch's $8 billion bond-trading division

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: WeWork went from a $47 billion valuation to a failed IPO. Here's how the company makes money.

• The new coronavirus is primarily a respiratory illness, and it typically spreads via airborne particles from an infected patient's coughs or sneezes.
• Some research suggests the virus can also spread via fecal matter. Multiple studies have found traces of the virus in infected patients' poop.
• SARS, another coronavirus, also spread through poop.
• Here's what you can do to protect yourself.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

To lower your risk of catching the new coronavirus, health authorities recommend staying 6 feet from individuals who show any signs of illness. That's because the coronavirus typically spreads via airborne particles when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Those viral particles can then infect someone after they land on their nose or mouth or get inhaled.

But a growing body of research suggests the coronavirus can also spread via poop particles.

A study of three coronavirus patients in Singapore, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, revealed that the virus showed up in their stool. Samples taken from the toilet bowls and sinks in the patients' isolation rooms came back positive for the virus. 

That evidence supports findings from researchers at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, who also detected viable virus particles in coronavirus patients' feces.

China's National Health Commission has confirmed that the virus can spread through contaminated poop,  the South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday. 

The fact that the virus can be passed through both our respiratory and digestive systems may explain how it spread from its origin city of Wuhan, China to more than 80 countries in just a few months, researchers suggest.

The virus can travel in poop particles

The authors of the Chinese CDC study wrote that "stool samples may contaminate hands, food, water, etc.," then cause infection if the particles enter a person's mouth, nose, or eyes. For example, an infected patient could use the bathroom, forget to wash their hands or give only a cursory rinse, then touch a friend's hand. That friend could then rub their face and get virus. In medicine, this is known as fecal-oral transmission.

"This virus has many routes of transmission, which can partially explain its strong transmission and fast transmission speed," the study authors wrote.

That research and the new case study from Singapore adds to a growing body of evidence we have about fecal-oral transmission risk. Here are three other pieces of evidence:

• Researchers detected coronavirus RNA in poop from the first US patient — a man from Snohomish County in Washington state who was diagnosed in late January — according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine.
• Another January study, which has yet to be peer-reviewed, detected an enzyme signature of the virus in cells from coronavirus patients' small intestines and colons. Typically, coronavirus particles dock to cell receptors in our upper respiratory tract. But those same receptors live in our digestive system, and the study authors suggested that our intestines could be invaded too. 
• Blood and anal swabs from nearly 140 coronavirus patients at a Wuhan hospital revealed traces of the virus as well. 

Other coronaviruses — like those that infect horses and cats— frequently spread via poop. If a healthy horse eats a piece of hay contaminated with fecal matter from an infected horse, for example, it can get sick. Researchers think the new coronavirus jumped from bats to another animal before infecting humans. That initial spread from bats likely happened via poop, too.

How to protect yourself 

The Chinese CDC said the possibility of fecal-oral transmission further underscores the importance of frequent hand washing and the need to disinfect objects and surfaces in medical facilities, transportation vehicles, public toilets, and homes. 

Other viruses like Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E also spread via fecal-oral transmission. Such viruses can use "a vehicle such as food, water, or utensil, and enter a new host through the mouth," according to the US CDC.

Accordingly, careful food-handling and washing is also important. Both the US and Chinese CDCs recommend boiling drinking water if there's a possibility it could be contaminated with sewage, and not eating raw food like shellfish or produce that may have been harvested or washed in contaminated water.

Avoiding swimming pools that may contain contaminated water is also important.

SARS spread through poop, too

During the 2002-2003 SARS outbreak (SARS is also a coronavirus), researchers documented an instance in which one sick person had diarrhea in a Hong Kong apartment building, and the virus then traveled through the pipes to infect other residents.

In that instance, an issue with the drainage pipes caused a situation in which running exhaust fans with the bathroom door closed created enough negative pressure to suck fecal droplets out of the sewage system and into the bathroom. Those virus-laden droplets then landed on floor mats, towels, and toiletries that residents touched.

Up to 76% of SARS patients experienced diarrhea. The symptom has also cropped up among a minority of patients with the new coronavirus: The first US patient had diarrhea the day after he arrived at the hospital. Coronavirus patients in Vietnam have also reported diarrhea as a symptom, and a non-peer-reviewed study of 1,099 Chinese patients found that 4% had diarrhea, too. 

But a person with the new coronavirus doesn't need to have an upset stomach to shed the virus in their poop. One of the patients from the Singapore case study had normal stool, but their poop still tested positive. 

Morgan McFall-Johnsen contributed reporting to this story.

Read more about the new coronavirus:

Some coronavirus patients experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea before they get a fever. They could spread the virus through poop.

Workers at 6 US hospitals reveal how they respond to potential coronavirus cases — including face shields and negative-pressure isolation chambers

People are racing to buy face masks amid the coronavirus outbreak, but they probably won't protect you from illness

The outbreaks of both the Wuhan coronavirus and SARS likely started in Chinese wet markets. Photos show what the markets look like.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Pathologists debunk 13 myths about the coronavirus, including why masks won't help

Apple is deepening its financial services play as a means of invigorating revenue, and its expertise could make it a legitimate threat to legacy players. Google's platform-agnostic approach, wide international penetration, and top talent position it as a hub with unrivaled global reach beyond just consumer payments. And Amazon — which has eaten up market share in every industry it's touched, and now has its sights on financial services — could swiftly undercut legacy players.

In The Tech Companies In Financial Services report, Business Insider Intelligence will examine the moves that Apple, Google, and Amazon are making to gain a larger foothold in the global financial services industry. We will then detail each tech company's threat to incumbents and outline potential next steps based on their existing moves in the financial services sphere.

The companies mentioned in the report include: Apple, Amazon, Google, Goldman Sachs, Mastercard, Barclaycard, Citi, Chase, Capital One, Paytm, and PhonePe.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

• Apple's expertise in consumer-facing tech products makes it a legitimate threat to legacy players. Its next move could be a debit card or PFM app, both of which would be cohesive with its existing offerings.
• Google's money movement and commerce services form a payments hub with unrivaled global reach. Google could pursue global expansion by modifying its offerings in other markets like it did in India, pursuing Europe, and even delving into digital remittances.
• Amazon is an expert disruptor — and it has its sights set on the financial services industry next. Amazon could develop checking and savings accounts, bring Amazon Pay in-store, and white-label its Amazon Go store technology to deepen its financial services footprint.

In full, the report:

• Outlines the threat posed by Apple, Amazon, and Google to legacy financial players.
• Identifies each tech giant's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats moving further into financial services.
• Discusses each company's moves in financial services and their anticipated next steps in the space.

Join the conversation about this story »

• Jamie Dimon, CEO and chairman of JPMorgan Chase, underwent heart surgery on Thursday.
• Daniel Pinto and Gordon Smith, two executives who report to Dimon, will lead the bank while Dimon recuperates. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase chairman and CEO, underwent emergency heart surgery on Thursday, the bank said in a memo to employees, clients, and shareholders. He is currently in recovery.

"We want to let you know that Jamie experienced an acute aortic dissection this morning," the memo said. "He underwent successful emergency heart surgery to repair the dissection."

Dimon, 63, is "awake, alert, and recovering well," the memo said.

Daniel Pinto and Gordon Smith, two senior executives with JPMorgan, will lead the bank while Dimon recovers, the memo said.

Dimon has been CEO of chairman of JPMorgan since January 2006, and as Business Insider's Dakin Campbell has reported, enjoys a reputation as the best banker, or among the best bankers, of his generation. He's also taken a lead as the chairman of the Business Roundtable in advocating for a more community-minded form of capitalism. 

Read the memo on Dimon's surgery below:

SUBSCRIBE TO READ: We identified the 70 most powerful people at JPMorgan. Here's our exclusive org chart.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: A podiatrist explains heel spurs, the medical condition Trump said earned him a medical deferment from Vietnam

• The coronavirus outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China, has killed more than 3,300 people and infected nearly 98,000.
• The virus, which causes a disease known as COVID-19, has spread to at least 86 other countries.
• More than 330 deaths have been reported outside of mainland China, including 12 in the US. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The death toll of the coronavirus outbreak has surpassed 3,300, with nearly 98,000 people infected. China has seen a drop-off in its rate of new cases, but the virus has gained momentum in other parts of the globe.

As of Thursday, the coronavirus — which causes a disease known as COVID-19 — has spread to every province and region in China as well at least 86 other countries. At least 335 people have died outside of mainland China.

The US has reported at least 224 cases, including 46 passengers who were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship that was quarantined in Japan. The country has confirmed 12 coronavirus deaths: 11 in Washington state and one in California.

The World Health Organization considers the outbreak an international public-health emergency and warned that the window of opportunity to contain it is narrowing.

Here's everything we know.

SEE ALSO: The US has reported 12 coronavirus deaths among at least 224 cases. Here's what we know about the US patients.

DON'T MISS: Here are the symptoms of the deadly Wuhan coronavirus and when you should be worried

The coronavirus has killed 3,348 people.

"The people who are likely to die first will have other illnesses," Adrian Hyzler, the chief medical officer at Healix International, which offers risk-management solutions for global travelers, told Business Insider. 

Indeed, most patients who have died were elderly or otherwise unwell, according to Chinese officials.

It had infected at least 97,886 people as of Wednesday.

The vast majority of cases, about 83%, are in China.

This chart shows the rate at which the coronavirus has spread.

The virus' global fatality rate has hovered around 3.4% for about a week.

The World Health Organization announced that the estimated death rate was 3.4% on Tuesday, though some health experts predict it could ultimately be lower as more cases get reported.

A previous study from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention found a fatality rate of 2.3%.

Cases have been confirmed in at least 86 countries beyond China.

Outside of China, cases have been reported in:

• Afghanistan
• Algeria
• Andorra
• Argentina 
• Armenia 
• Australia
• Austria
• Azerbaijan
• Bahrain
• Belarus
• Belgium
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Brazil
• Cambodia
• Canada
• Chile
• Croatia
• Czech Republic 
• Denmark
• Dominican Republic 
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• England
• Estonia
• Faroe Islands
• Finland
• France
• Gibraltar
• Georgia
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• India
• Indonesia 
• Iran
• Iraq
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Japan
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Latvia 
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Lebanon
• Luxembourg 
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• Monaco
• Morocco
• Nepal
• The Netherlands
• New Zealand
• North Macedonia
• Nigeria
• Norway
• Oman
• Pakistan
• Palestine
• The Philippines
• Poland
• Portugal
• Qatar
• Romania
• Russia
• Saint Barthelemy
• San Marino
• Scotland
• Senegal 
• Singapore
• Slovenia
• South Africa 
• South Korea
• Spain
• Sri Lanka
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan
• Thailand
• Tunisia
• United Arab Emirates
• Ukraine 
• US
• Vietnam

The US has reported at least 224 coronavirus cases in total, including 49 repatriated citizens.

"We are asking the American public to prepare for the expectation that this might be bad," Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said in a press briefing last week. 

Twelve deaths have been confirmed in the US — 11 in Washington state and one in California.

The most recent US death from the coronavirus was reported in King County, Washington. County health officials confirmed the victim was a woman in her 90s.

The first death — a man in his 50s who had chronic underlying health issues — was reported on Saturday at EvergreenHealth, a hospital in King County.

Two deaths announced March 3 were actually patients who died February 26, but their coronavirus diagnoses weren't confirmed until later. They are now the earliest known coronavirus fatalities in the US. 

The California death, announced March 4, was a Placer County patient who traveled on a Grand Princess cruise ship in February. The ship went from San Francisco to Mexico, and another person who was onboard at the same time has also tested positive. 

"While we have expected more cases, this death is an unfortunate milestone in our efforts to fight this disease, and one that we never wanted to see," Aimee Sisson, Placer County's health officer, said in a statement. 

The US has recorded several cases of "community spread"— patients who had no known exposure to the virus or travel history in China.

Sixteen US states have reported coronavirus cases in total, though in Nebraska, the infections are only among repatriated citizens. 

Forty-six of the US patients were passengers on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan.

On February 17, more than 300 Americans who had been quarantined on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan were brought back to the US. Fourteen sick people were flown on the same plane as healthy people (though they were kept isolated), and many others on the flight later tested positive. Everyone who was on the cruise was quarantined at US military bases for two weeks. Many were released on Monday.

Health experts and US officials have criticized the decision to quarantine people on the ship, suggesting that the confined spaces and poor hygiene practices on board may have helped the virus spread.

Three US citizens who were evacuated from Wuhan and put under quarantine also tested positive for the virus.

The World Health Organization said last week that the virus has "pandemic potential."

The WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a global public-health emergency on January 30. For now, the organization doesn't recommend limiting the movement of travel or trade.

The global-health emergency declaration has been used five times since it was created in 2005.

"They only do this for extraordinary illnesses that are of international concern," Hyzler said. "Suddenly the world is alerted to a much greater extent and they'll start pouring a lot more assistance and aid to airports, to transport hubs, and do their best to control this outbreak."

The WHO said the virus isn't yet a pandemic.

 "Does this virus have pandemic potential? Absolutely, it has. Are we there yet? From our assessment, not yet," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. 

The first case of the coronavirus was reported in Wuhan in December.

The central Chinese city has a population of 11 million.

The virus' pneumonia-like symptoms include fever and difficulty breathing.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person is at risk if they:

• Experience fever, coughing, or shortness of breath within 14 days of traveling to China
• Have come into close contact with someone who has shown these symptoms and recently traveled to China

The study from the Chinese CDC showed that patients older than 80 have a 15% chance of dying.

The study looked at 44,000 confirmed patients in China. The data suggests that patients in their 50s were about three times more likely to die than patients in their 40s. 

Coronavirus patients with underlying health problems are also more likely to die than otherwise healthy people.

Patients with heart disease had a 10% chance of dying, according to the study. The fatality rate for patients who reported no pre-existing conditions was less than 1%. 

Chinese and US health officials both say the incubation period for the virus ranges from one to 14 days.

Many countries have formulated quarantine policies based on a 14-day incubation period — the amount of time that passes between when a patient gets infected and when their coronavirus test comes back positive.

But one recent study revealed that a patient's incubation period was 19 days. Another study published early in February analyzed 1,099 coronavirus cases in China and reported that incubation period could be as long as 24 days.

A female tour guide in Japan tested positive for the virus a second time last month — evidence that people could get the coronavirus multiple times.

The patient — as a woman in her 40s living in Osaka, Japan — first tested positive for the virus on January 29. She was discharged from the hospital on February 1 and declared virus-free on February 6.

Nearly two weeks later, she developed throat and chest pains. She tested positive again on February 26. China has also reported cases of people getting reinfected. 

Few children have gotten sick, but Chinese authorities reported that a baby received a diagnosis just 30 hours after being born.

Other one-off cases of the virus in children include a 9-month-old girl in Beijing, a child in Germany whose father had the virus as well, and a child in Shenzhen who was infected but displayed no symptoms.

But the virus seems to affect mostly adults. A study published in late January speculated that "children might be less likely to become infected or, if infected, may show milder symptoms" than adults. 

Disease experts say it's good that the virus hasn't spread much among kids because children are less likely to wash their hands and cover their mouths — behaviors that can spread germs.

Nearly 3,400 Chinese healthcare workers have been infected. At least 13 have died.

Research published in February found that nearly a third of hospitalized patients studied at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University were healthcare workers. 

On February 7, Li Wenliang, a doctor in Wuhan who was censored after sounding the alarm about the coronavirus, died from the disease. The 34-year-old doctor alerted a group of alumni from his medical school about a worrisome pneumonia-like illness in December. But Li was silenced by the police in Wuhan and forced to sign a letter saying he was "making false comments."

He later caught the coronavirus and died. In total, at least 13 healthcare workers have died from COVID-19. Neurosurgeon Liu Zhiming, a director at the Wuchang hospital in Wuhan, also died of the coronavirus, as did Peng Yinhua, a 29-year-old doctor who postponed his wedding to help treat patients.

The CDC has issued a warning to avoid all nonessential travel to China, South Korea, Italy, and Iran.

The virus has forced school closures in China, Japan, India, the US, Iran, and Italy. The UN warned on Wednesday that nearly 300 million kids have had their education disrupted.

Japan has closed all elementary, junior high, and high schools until early April.

On Thursday, Iran announced it was closing schools and universities until at least March 20, and India announced closures of all primary schools up to 5th grade through March 31. A day earlier, Italy said it was closing all schools as well.

One coronavirus case in New York — a 50-year-old attorney who infected nine other close contacts— has prompted some school closures in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Westchester. One of Washington state's largest school districts, Northshore, moved its classes online for two weeks starting Thursday, after a parent volunteer tested positive for the virus.

Tourist attractions around the world have been shuttered temporarily.

Shanghai Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Tokyo Disneyland have all been shuttered, though the Tokyo park plans to reopen on March 16. The Badaling section of the Great Wall is temporarily closed as well.

The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem closed on Thursday for two weeks. The Louvre also closed for three days but reopened on Wednesday. 

A senior member of the International Olympic Committee said the future of the Tokyo Games could be in jeopardy.

IOC member Dick Pound told the Associated Press that a decision about the games will likely come in May. For now, he added, athletes should continue training.

"As far as we all know, you're going to be in Tokyo," Pound said. "All indications are at this stage that it will be business as usual. So keep focused on your sport and be sure that the IOC is not going to send you into a pandemic situation."

The CEO of the Olympic organizing committee, Toshiro Muto, told CNN on Wednesday that that officials intend for the games to go on as planned. 

South Korea's total cases have surpassed 6,000.

South Korea has confirmed 6,088 infections and 35 deaths as of Thursday.

The nation saw a spike in coronavirus cases after a 61-year-old woman transmitted the virus to other members of a fringe religious group, the controversial Shincheonji Church of Jesus.

On February 23, South Korean president Moon Jae-in warned that the country faced "a grave turning point" in its efforts to contain the outbreak. 

Iran has reported 107 deaths — the same number as Italy.

Italy and Iran have highest number of coronavirus deaths outside of China. Sources from Iranian hospitals told the BBC that the death count in Iran could be even higher: around 210.

The total number of infections in Iran has reached 3,513.

Multiple senior Iranian officials have contracted the virus. Mohammad Mirmohammadi, a 71-year-old adviser to Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, died of the virus on Monday. 

Iran's parliament is now closed.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani signed an order last week that banned public gatherings like weddings, concerts, and sports games. The ban is slated to lift in time for the Persian New Year on March 20. 

Some Middle Eastern countries — including Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Kuwait, Pakistan, and Turkey — have restricted travel to and from Iran. 

Italy banned public events in 11 towns, closed public buildings, and restricted transport in the country's northern region.

The country's case total has reached 3,089, and 107 people have died.

"We are asking basically that everyone who has come from areas stricken by the epidemic to remain under a mandatory house stay," Italy's health minister, Roberto Speranza, said in a press conference on February 22.

On Wednesday, the Italian government prohibited fans from attending sporting events until April 3.

Switzerland, which has 95 infections so far, has banned all public and private events with more than 1,000 attendees until March 15.

"The Federal Council is aware that this measure will have a significant impact on public life in Switzerland," the Swiss government said in a statement on February 28. "However, the move is expected to provide effective protection to people in Switzerland and to public health. It should prevent or delay the spread of the disease in Switzerland, thus reducing its momentum."

China has changed the way its cases are counted multiple times.

On February 13, the Hubei province's health commission added 14,800 people to its list of cases and reported 242 additional deaths — an enormous single-day jump. The commission said the spike was due to a change in the way cases were counted: The newer numbers included clinical diagnoses made via CT scans of patients' lungs in addition to lab-test results.

On February 20, however, the commission went back to only counting lab-confirmed cases.

The true number of infected people worldwide is probably still higher than the official total, since people with very mild symptoms are not going in to hospitals or doctor's offices.

"There's another whole cohort that is either asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic," Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a February 6 briefing.

Once more mild cases are tallied and incorporated into models, he added, "we're going to see a diminution in the overall death rate."

The Trump administration has imposed a travel ban on foreign nationals who have been in China within the past 14 days.

The ban went into effect February 2, with exceptions made for immediate family members of American citizens and permanent residents.

US citizens returning home who have been in China's Hubei province — where Wuhan is located — within the past 14 days may be quarantined for up to two weeks. 

To prevent the spread of the coronavirus, all travelers should wash their hands frequently with soap and water, making sure to scrub for at least 20 seconds, the CDC says.

Travelers should also avoid touching their eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands. Wearing a mask is unlikely to be your best defense, however. 

Some experts think the coronavirus jumped from animals to people at a seafood market in Wuhan. But a recent study suggested the virus could have originated outside the market in late November or early December.

Since most of the early patients had links to one market where live animals were sold, scientists pinpointed it as the likely origin point of the virus.

But a group of Chinese scientists recently published a study suggesting that the virus could have started somewhere else. Though the first 41 cases were reported on December 31, the scientists determined that the virus could have started spreading from person to person as early as late November. The seafood market in Wuhan, they wrote, may have "boosted" the circulation of the virus.

Researchers think the new coronavirus originated in bats, then jumped to an intermediary species — most likely pangolins, pigs, or civets — that passed it to people.

Researchers at the South China Agricultural University have suggested that the endangered pangolin may have been the intermediary species between bats and people.

An earlier paper in the Journal of Medical Virology suggested that the virus might have jumped from bats to snakes to humans, but that's unlikely. Cui Jie, a virologist who helped identified SARS-related viruses in bats in 2017, said the strain from Wuhan was clearly a "mammalian virus."

SARS also originated in bats. It jumped to humans from civet cats a Chinese market that sold live animals. SARS killed 774 people from November 2002 to July 2003.

COVID-19 is more contagious but less deadly than SARS. The two belong to the same coronavirus family.

The total number of cases and deaths have far surpassed those of the SARS outbreak.

Chinese officials have warned that the virus can mutate.

A study of a Chinese family in the southern province of Guangdong found that the virus mutated several times as it spread from one family member to the next. 

But Michael Farzan, a biologist at Scripps Research, told STAT that the mutation rate for the virus is "much, much lower" than that of the flu.

"That lowers the chance that the virus will evolve in some catastrophic way to, say, become significantly more lethal," Farzan said.

In late January, officials quarantined Wuhan and nearby cities by shutting down all transportation. They remain locked down.

All of the city's public transportation — including buses, metros, and ferries — was halted on January 23. Trains and airplanes coming into and out of the city were also shut down, and roadblocks were installed to keep taxis and private cars from exiting.

Wuhan's 11 million residents were told not to leave the city, barring special circumstances.

China has imposed travel restrictions on the rest of the Hubei province as well. Huanggang, a city of about 7.5 million people, placed its urban core under lockdown on January 23, closing subway and train stations as well as theaters and internet cafés. Additional cities followed suit with their own travel restrictions.

A CNN analysis in February found that more than 780 million people in China — more than half the population — were under some sort of travel restriction.

As the outbreak grew in January and February, doctors in Wuhan reported that there were not enough resources to treat the large number of patients.

China has less than two physicians for every 10,000 residents, according to data from the WHO.

In Wuhan, patients have faced hours-long lines to receive medical care, the BBC reported. According to Reuters, some people with symptoms of the virus were denied full-time admission to local hospitals in Wuhan because there were no beds available.

The ban on transportation in Wuhan has also forced people to travel by foot to hospitals, The New York Times reported.

Initially, test kits were reportedly reserved for patients with the most severe symptoms.

The New York Times reported that doctors in Wuhan were running short on test kits early in February. After a person has been tested, it takes one to two days for the results to come back. Combined, these factors created a lag time between when people were infected and when cases were confirmed via blood tests.

At the height of the outbreak in China, Wuhan constructed 16 makeshift hospitals. One of those hospitals closed on Monday.

Two of the hospitals were constructed in just 10 days.

Construction on the first hospital, the Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital, started January 23. The facility — which includes 1,000 beds — welcomed its first patients on February 3. By its tenth day of operation, the building was running at about full capacity, according to official figures reviewed by Business Insider.

The second hospital, the Leishenshan Hospital, is slightly larger: 1,600 beds. The site's construction started January 27, and the building was completed February 6. 

China also turned an exhibition hall, gymnasium, and sports stadium into emergency medical sites. The stadium-turned-hospital closed on Monday after discharging its last 34 patients. 

The Chinese government has barred citizens from booking overseas tours, flights, and hotel stays.

Many countries have evacuated citizens and employees from China.

Airports around the world have implemented screening protocols.

Twenty US airports — including New York's John F. Kennedy, Los Angeles International Airport, and Chicago's O'Hare — are screening passengers for the virus. Airports in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and South Korea are also screening people.

US health officials do not recommend face masks for the general public.

For healthy people, hand-washing and avoiding close contact with sick patients is a better way to prevent infection.

"Wearing masks, except in the situation of a healthcare provider, has never been shown to be a very effective way to protect yourself from infectious diseases," Eric Toner, a scientist at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told Business Insider.

Stocking up on face masks can also reduce the supply for medical workers that need them. 

At a hearing last week, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said the US needed 300 million N95 masks — which filter out most airborne particles from the surrounding air — to protect healthcare workers during an outbreak. At present, it only has 30 million, he said.

The virus has weakened the tourism industry and disrupted supply chains in China, threatening to slow global economic growth to the lowest point since the financial crisis.

Bank of America predicted last week that global GDP growth would slow to 2.8% for 2020. That would be the first reading under 3% since the financial crisis, and the lowest reading since 2009.

Bank of America economist Aditya Bhave wrote in a note that growth momentum was already weak before the outbreak, but added that the virus would likely have "large spillover effects" on the global economy.

There are no vaccines to prevent humans from contracting the virus, but drugmakers are racing to develop one.

At least six drug companies — Johnson & Johnson, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, Moderna, and Gilead Sciences — have announced plans to research and develop treatments for the new coronavirus.

Some are developing vaccines from scratch, while others are testing existing drugs. Moderna appears to be leading the race so far: The company said on Monday that it had sent a vaccine candidate to US health officials.

Fauci said he hopes to start testing vaccine candidates in people by mid-April.

On February 26, Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar declined to promise that a coronavirus vaccine would be affordable for all Americans. A day later, he backtracked, saying that any vaccine developed in conjunction with the US government would need to be financially accessible to the public. 

Rosie Perper and Aylin Woodward contributed to this report.

• Read more:
• We're in an 'age of epidemics,' a scientist says. More diseases like the coronavirus will jump from animals to people.
• The genetic code of the Wuhan coronavirus shows it's 80% similar to SARS. New research suggests a potential way to neutralize the virus.
• Scientists have published over 50 studies on Wuhan coronavirus in the last 3 weeks. They learned that 75,800 people in Wuhan could be infected.
• The first patients have arrived at the hospital China panic-built to treat the Wuhan coronavirus. Here's what it looks like inside.

• The Seattle area is on high alert over the coronavirus and the large tech companies located there have asked their employees to work from home.
• As many as 80% of the tech employees who participated in a poll on anonymous chat app Blind said they were currently working from home. 
• And in another poll, 60% said their productivity wasn't being impacted thanks to the virus. 
• But there are concerning signs that the worst is yet to come in the workplace. For instance, people of Asian descent are at increased risk for being stigmatized.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Over 2,000 tech workers polled by anonymous chat app Blind indicate widespread concern about catching the coronavirus from their workplaces. 

The poll consisted of 2,068 people who work at Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Expedia, LinkedIn or Uber. Blind does not collect the identities of workers but it does verify that they have corporate email addresses at whichever employer they claim. 

Over 80% of respondents who worked at Microsoft, Expedia and LinkedIn said they were working from home thanks to the outbreak of the coronovirus. At 76%, almost as many Amazon workers in this poll said the same. And a large number of workers polled from companies headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area are working from home, too: 58% of Uber employees polled; 55% of Facebook employees, and 34% of Google employees. 

Amazon and Facebook have each confirmed a case of the virus in Seattle. They have shut down certain office locations, GeekWire reported, and advised employees in the region area to work from home. 

Microsoft has not confirmed cases as of yet but has told employees in Seattle and San Francisco to work from home in accordance with guidance from King County health officials, where Microsoft is located. Kings County has confirmed 31 cases of the virus and nine deaths, most of them residents from the LifeCare nursing home.

The majority of tech workers polled said they were fairly satisfied with the measures their companies are taking to keep them safe. The two least satisfied groups, based on this limited poll of a tiny fraction of their workforces, worked at Google and Uber, at 41% and 50% respectively. Google and Uber were not immediately available for comment, but Google has now asked all employees in Washington state to work from home, as well.

In another poll of just under 6,000 people on Blind, not restricted to specific tech companies, about 70% said that the coronavirus made them very or somewhat hesitant to go into their offices to work and their fear of working in an office is rising. 

No harm to productivity

The biggest bright spot: given the work-from-home instructions, limits on travel and cancellations of major tech conferences, about 60% of those nearly 6,000 polled said that the virus has not significantly impacted their productivity.

We'll see if that feeling holds. The work-from-home mandate in Seattle will continue until March 25 for Microsoft and March 31 for other offices. LinkedIn, owned by Microsoft but based in the Bay Area, has also told its employees to work from home.

As of March 5, San Francisco's health department was reporting two confirmed cases of Coronavirus. Should that number rise, it is likely that more companies in the Bay Area will ask their employees to work from home as well.

In fact, one well-known VC, Sequoia, wrote a memo today warning all startup founders that the virus could wreak havoc on their own employees' productivity, particularly sales and marketing, and that they should brace for tough times ahead.

But perhaps the most concerning part is a third poll, taken by 7,311 respondents, about witnessing backlash to employees of Chinese in the wake of the coronavirus: 11% of respondents said they had witnessed such behavior.

The CDC was so concerned about people of Asian descent being stigmatized by the illness that it issued a warning about it. The glass-half full view shows that 88% have not witnessed such behavior, but this data suggests that companies, employees as well as friends and mental health professionals would benefit from increased awareness.

Are you an insider at Amazon, Google or Microsoft insider with insight to share? Contact Julie Bort at jbort@businessinsider.com or on encrypted chat app Signal at (970) 430-6112 (no PR inquiries, please). Open DMs on Twitter @Julie188.  

• Now read:
• A startup CEO who relies on factories in China says his business won't be hurt by the coronavirus. Here's how he navigated the crisis.
• A false rumor about an Austin tech worker with coronavirus keeps spreading, and it shows a big challenge facing modern companies when information moves at viral speed.
• The remarkable lawsuit pitting Oracle against its own board members now suggests Larry Ellison should give back $1.6 billion for the 2016 NetSuite acquisition

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Behind the scenes with Shepard Smith — the Fox News star who just announced his resignation from the network

• The Grand Princess cruise ship arrived off the coast of San Francisco on Thursday. The CDC is investigating a "small cluster" of coronavirus cases associated with its previous voyage.
• The first patient to die of the new coronavirus in California was on the Grand Princess from February 11 to 21.
• The ship is from the same cruise line as the Diamond Princess, which was quarantined for more than two weeks in the port of Yokohama, Japan.
• It is not yet clear whether Grand Princess passengers or crew will face a similar quarantine, but some people are showing symptoms.
• California Gov. Gavin Newsom has so far not allowed the ship to dock in the port of San Francisco.
• For the latest coronavirus case total, death toll, and travel information, see Business Insider's live updates here.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A coronavirus patient who had recently traveled on the Grand Princess cruise ship has died in California, the state confirmed. The ship is now sitting off the coast near San Francisco, waiting for test results from current passengers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating a "small cluster" of cases connected to the ship, according to a statement that the company, Princess Cruises, sent to passengers on Wednesday. Three passengers from the ship's last voyage went home and later tested positive for the new coronavirus, including the person who died, the CDC said in an email to Business Insider.

The Grand Princess turned back toward San Francisco instead of docking in Ensenada, Mexico, as scheduled out of an "abundance of caution," the company said. But California Gov. Gavin Newsom did not allow it to dock. He also declared a state of emergency for California.

Some passengers currently on board have started to show symptoms, according to Gov. Newsom and Princess Cruises.

The Grand Princess is from the same line as the Diamond Princess, which hosted one of the largest outbreaks of the new coronavirus outside China. More than 700 people who were on board the Diamond Princess tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new virus. The ship sat in the port of Yokohama, Japan, for weeks as the local government placed everyone on board under quarantine.

"The CDC is continuing to actively collect information," the cruise line said on Wednesday. "We have shared essential travel and health data with the CDC to facilitate their standard notification to the State and County health authorities to follow up with individuals who may have been exposed to people who became ill."

It added: "We anticipate that further review of the situation will be necessary on arrival in San Francisco."

Some passengers are 'under care for respiratory illness'

The patient who died of the coronavirus in California was on the Grand Princess from February 11 to 21. At least one other confirmed coronavirus case in California — a person in Sonoma County — was on the cruise at the same time as the patient who died. The CDC did not immediately provide information about the third infected passenger.

Princess Cruises said that 62 passengers still on board were also on that trip.

The US Coast Guard planned to fly coronavirus test kits out to the ship via helicopter on Thursday, according to an update that Princess Cruises posted on Wednesday evening. 

The ship's medical team will administer the tests, and helicopters will return them to a lab in Richmond, California, the update said.

Tweets from ABC7 reporter Kate Larsen suggested that the helicopters arrived on Thursday.

The cruise line added that fewer than 100 passengers and crew members had been identified for testing, and that they have been asked not to leave their cabins.

That includes guests who are "currently under care for respiratory illness," the company said, along with passengers and crew members showing symptoms, and all passengers who were on the previous voyage.

It is not yet clear whether other passengers — those not on the previous voyage — were also asked to stay in their rooms.

Officials will not allow anyone to leave the ship until the test results come back, Princess Cruises said.

Newsom said state authorities are following up with passengers who were on the previous voyage but left when that cruise ended.

Next steps for the Grand Princess are not yet clear

Experts have criticized the way Japan's government quarantined Diamond Princess passengers and crew on that ship. Some have said that keeping people on the ship may have helped the virus spread among them.

"I admit, our isolation policy was not perfect," Shigeru Omi, a health adviser to the Japanese government, said at a press conference on February 24. "No place is perfect except in a hospital."

It is not yet known what the CDC plans to do if more people on the Grand Princess test positive for COVID-19.

In an email to Business Insider, the CDC said "all precautions will be taken as the investigation is underway to determine possible risk of spread."

In its statement to its passengers, Princess Cruises said: "We are closely recording and monitoring all persons who have reported to the medical center with cold and flu symptoms during the voyage. As a precaution, we are also conducting additional enhanced environmental disinfection onboard in addition to our regular stringent cleaning and sanitation protocols."

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Do you work for Princess Cruises? Are you on the Grand Princess? Contact this reporter at mmcfalljohnsen@businessinsider.com. You can also reach out on Signal at 646-768-4730.

• Read more:
• How the 'failed' quarantine of the Diamond Princess cruise ship started with 10 coronavirus cases and ended with more than 700
• More than 100 Americans who were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship have finally gone home. 2 shared photos and details from their quarantine on a military base.
• The US has reported 11 coronavirus deaths among nearly 150 cases. Here's what we know about the US patients.
• 7 reasonable pieces of coronavirus stockpiling advice from doomsday preppers

Join the conversation about this story »

• This is a preview of The Content Moderation Report from Business Insider Intelligence.
• Purchase this report.
• To check to see if you already have access to Business Insider Intelligence through your company, click here.

Content moderation has become a top priority for social platforms — including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn — amid rising public and political scrutiny and escalating content-related crises.

Brands, lawmakers, and even social media execs are coming to grips with the reality that platforms are not up to the task of moderating content on their own, primarily due to their massive scale. The scale of the problem — and the difficulty of fixing it — roughly correlate with the scale of platforms themselves.

Even if 99% of harmful content is removed from a large platform, an enormous amount can still remain. Even leadership at social platforms believe their platforms should have oversight from external stakeholders, with some either publicly stating that belief or privately meeting with regulators. Tech execs including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey have each come out in support of new regulation around platform content. 

Social platforms are committed to getting content moderation right, but a paradigm shift in how online content is governed on platforms is likely coming. Additional stakeholders — like brands, lawmakers, or even users themselves — will increasingly be called in to aid the effort.

Most significantly, regulators around the world are likely to intensify pushes to influence or control online content moderation — and first attempts are likely to be led by the EU, which was also the first mover on creating data privacy regulation. In the near term, we expect regulation to take shape around two areas: Governments may start requiring companies to make more detailed disclosures of their respective moderation efforts; and governments will create rules aimed specifically at moderating political content.

In The Content Moderation Report, Business Insider Intelligence analyzes one of the most pressing issues currently facing social platforms — content moderation — and lays out how we expect the debate to evolve and why we think regulation is soon to emerge.

This report also uses proprietary data collected from our 2019 Digital Trust Survey, an online survey of 1,974 respondents from Business Insider's proprietary panel fielded from April 23 to May 16, 2019. Respondents to our Digital Trust Survey are social media users and tend to be younger, male, affluent, North American, and early adopters of tech.

As a result, respondents in our sample are more likely to be aware of changes on tech platforms, and they also have money to spend by clicking into ads they see on platforms. So, while our sample isn't representative of the general population, it offers a window into sentiment among a high-value segment. 

The companies mentioned in this report are: AT&T, Epic Games, Facebook, Google, Johnson & Johnson, LinkedIn, PepsiCo, Pinterest, Snapchat, Twitter, Verizon, Walmart, YouTube. 

Here are a few key takeaways from the report:

• Platforms with inadequate or ineffective content moderation measures face stiff consequences, such as brand boycotts, reduced trust among users, and even platform abandonment. Frustration over ineffective content moderation could lead users to abandon platforms altogether, at least among respondents to our 2019 Digital Trust Survey: More than a quarter (27%) of respondents said they'd stop using a social platform if it continued to allow harmful content, for example. 
• A broader group of stakeholders — like brands, lawmakers, or even users — will increasingly aim to influence or control how online content is governed. "Multistakeholderism" could appeal to at least some platform users: 70% of respondents to our 2019 Digital Trust Survey believe that stakeholders other than social companies should have final say in determining what content is permitted on platforms.
• Regulators around the world could intensify their pushes to control online content moderation. Over the past year, several governments have proposed new rules — most notably, the EU's "Digital Services Act"— that would influence how tech platforms moderate content. 
• As confidence in platforms' ability to self-regulate wanes, nonregulatory solutions are being proposed and pursued. Two forms of such nonregulatory solution have emerged in the past year, including the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) in June and Facebook's Oversight Board in September. 
• As scrutiny mounts, smaller platforms might have greater success luring ad spend by positioning themselves as trusted environments. Respondents to our 2019 Digital Trust Survey consider Linkedin, Pinterest, or Snapchat to be the platforms least likely to show them deceptive content out of all platforms surveyed.

In full, the report:

• Analyzes how the content moderation debate has evolved, in particular in the EU and US. 
• Identifies how social platforms currently moderate user-generated content and how those efforts have expanded.
• Discusses why and how regulation and other emergent forms of oversight are likely to take shape around how online content is governed. 
• Contains 39 pages and 17 figures.

Interested in getting the full report? Here's how to get access:

1. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >> Purchase & Download Now
2. Join thousands of top companies worldwide who trust Business Insider Intelligence for their competitive research needs. >> Inquire About Our Enterprise Memberships
3. Current subscribers can read the report here.

Join the conversation about this story »

• The US has the world's highest death rate for the new coronavirus at 5.4%, compared to a global average of 3.4%.
• That's likely because the CDC has focused on testing the most severe cases.
• New testing standards and more widely available test kits could pick up more mild cases in the US and lower the death rate.
• For the latest case total, death toll, and travel information, see Business Insider's live updates here.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The US has the world's highest death rate for the new coronavirus: Based on the ratio of confirmed deaths to reported cases, 5.4% of patients have died. That's far higher than the global rate of 3.4% that World Health Organization reported on Tuesday — and even higher than mainland China's 3.7%.

Only the Philippines has a higher coronavirus death rate than the US, and that's because it has only had three cases. One of them, a man from Wuhan, China, became the first known fatality outside China in early February.

It's highly unlikely that the coronavirus is more deadly in the US; rather, the number is a product of limited testing in the country.

Because widespread testing wasn't possible in the US immediately after the first cases were reported, the CDC held stringent standards for who qualified for a test. Until Wednesday, the agency only tested people who had recent exposure to a confirmed patient, had travelled to a country with an outbreak, or required hospitalization.

So the US still probably has not tested or diagnosed many patients with mild cases.

"There's another whole cohort that is either asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic," Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a February 6 briefing. "We're going to see a diminution in the overall death rate."

As of Thursday, the US' national coronavirus case count was 221. That total includes results from state-level coronavirus testing, implemented more widely. The CDC had only confirmed 99 cases across the country as of Thursday at noon. If you calculate the death rate based on only those federally verified cases, it jumps to roughly 10%. 

'Other countries are testing much more broadly than we are'

Because flawed tests and limited funding initially meant testing capacity in the US was restricted, the CDC has tested about 1,526 people in the US. Alex Azar, the US secretary of health and human services, told ABC on Sunday that 3,600 Americans had been tested in total.

South Korea, by contrast, has implemented free coronavirus-testing drive-thrus and tested more than 136,000 people. The country's death rate is currently just 0.5% — 35 deaths out of a total of 6,088 reported infections. (It is constantly evolving, however, as patients' illnesses progress and as more people are diagnosed.) 

"Other countries are testing much more broadly than we are," William Schaffner, an infectious-disease specialist at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, previously told Business Insider. "We are trotting along while they're racing along."

To be sure, the US has a much lower case count overall than either South Korea or China, so any death significantly impacts the country's fatality rate. But again, the low case count is likely due to how few people have been tested.

"I'm in coronavirus briefings with groups of experts as well as members of Congress and the military," Matthew McCarthy, a hospitalist at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, tweeted on Sunday. "These meetings are contentious, but there's one thing we agree upon: Coronavirus has been circulating in the United States for weeks. We didn't detect it because we weren't testing properly."

The CDC changed its testing standards this week

The new CDC's new testing standards are much more open-ended, saying that "clinicians should use their judgment" to determine if patients should be tested for the new coronavirus. 

US officials also said they are working to distribute more tests. Azar told ABC on Sunday that "we now have 75,000 tests available."

"The estimates we're getting from industry right now — by the end of this week, close to a million tests will be able to be performed," Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, said at a White House press briefing on Monday. On Thursday, however, senators briefed on the matter said that timeline was unlikely, according to Bloomberg. 

Some experts say the US government should have taken steps to ramp up testing weeks ago.

"It is well within the realm of possibility that there are 100,000 people infected with this right now in the United States," Yale professor Howard Forman, a radiologist and expert in healthcare management, told Business Insider. "Healthcare providers may be being exposed, other patients may be being exposed, and until you can give confidence to people about those answers, we are in a crisis here."

Aria Bendix, Aylin Woodward, and Jessica Snouwaert contributed reporting.

• Read more:
• Growing evidence suggests the coronavirus can spread through poop. Here's how to protect yourself.
• How to clean your home to prevent coronavirus spread
• More than 100 Americans who were on the Diamond Princess cruise ship have finally gone home. 2 shared photos and details from their quarantine on a military base.
• 13 tips for protecting your child against the coronavirus, according to a pediatrician

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Pathologists debunk 13 myths about the coronavirus, including why masks won't help

• Microsoft says it will continue to pay vendors who work hourly in the Seattle area and northern California during the coronavirus outbreak — even if conditions mean that they can't come to work.
• The company previously asked employees in the Seattle area and San Francisco Bay Area to work from home until March 25.
• King County, home to Microsoft's headquarters, has been called the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. The county has 51 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by coronavirus, and a related 10 deaths.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Microsoft on Thursday said it would continue to pay service workers who are paid hourly in the Seattle area and northern California during the coronavirus outbreak, regardless if conditions mean they can't come into the office. 

"We recognize the hardship that lost work can mean for hourly employees," Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a blog post announcing the policy. As a result, we've decided that Microsoft will continue to pay all our vendor hourly service providers their regular pay during this period of reduced service needs."

Generally speaking, hourly service workers might include custodial staff, kitchen staff, or shuttle drivers, all of whom Microsoft relies upon to keep its headquarters and offices running. Generally speaking, Microsoft contracts these services out to local providers in each area, rather than employ them directly.

"This is independent of whether their full services are needed. This will ensure that, in Puget Sound for example, the 4,500 hourly employees who work in our facilities will continue to receive their regular wages even if their work hours are reduced," Smith wrote.

King County, home to Microsoft's headquarters, has been called the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. The county has 51 diagnosed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by coronavirus, and 10 related deaths.

Microsoft on Wednesday also asked employees in the Seattle area and San Francisco Bay Area"who are in a job that can be done from home" to work remotely until March 25 after King County advised local employees to allow remote work.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's how to escape a flooding vehicle

Tech companies and auto companies are all racing to be the first to roll out self-driving cars onto the road.

The stakes are high for everyone involved. The self-driving revolution and the prevalence of ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft threatens to reduce individual car ownership, which would eat into a sizable piece of automakers' core business.

Meanwhile, tech companies are jockeying for a piece of the self-driving-car market, which Apple CEO Tim Cook dubbed"the mother of all AI projects." These companies are all looking to deploy self-driving cars as part of a commercial ride-hailing service that would operate similarly to how Uber and Lyft do now.

In a new free report, Business Insider Intelligence— Business Insider's premium research service — takes an in-depth look at the most expansive self-driving-car tests taking place in the US, and offers insights on the leaders in the self-driving-car race.

To get your copy of this free report, click here.

Join the conversation about this story »

• A nurse in self-quarantine penned an anonymous open letter, condemning the delay in coronavirus testing for healthcare workers who contract the disease.
• The nurse wrote she started feeling sick after caring for a patient who tested positive for the virus.
• She said she was wait-listed for receiving a coronavirus testing kit, as the CDC was prioritizing running samples by severity of the illness with so few tests available to give out per day.
• "This is not the ticket dispenser at the deli counter; it's a public health emergency!" she wrote in the letter. "I am a registered nurse, and I need to know if I am positive before going back to caring for patients."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A California nurse who went into self-quarantine after developing symptoms fitting that of the novel coronavirus— which causes the disease named COVID-19 — condemned the delay in testing for healthcare workers, saying she can't protect her patients if she can't protect herself.

The nurse, who works at a northern California Kaiser facility, anonymously penned an open letter after she claimed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put her on a wait list for a coronavirus testing kit.

"This is not the ticket dispenser at the deli counter; it's a public health emergency!" she wrote in the letter. "I am a registered nurse, and I need to know if I am positive before going back to caring for patients."

The nurse wrote she started feeling sick after caring for a patient who tested positive for the virus.

"I volunteered to be on the care team for this patient, who we knew was positive," the nurse wrote. "I did this because I had all the recommended protective gear and training from my employer. I did this assuming that if something happened to me, of course I too would be cared for."

She said the CDC was prioritizing running samples by severity of the illness, since there are so few tests available to give out per day. However, the nurse emphasized that health care officials more immediate results in order to get back to caring for their patients.

"I am appalled at the level of bureaucracy that's preventing nurses from getting tested," she wrote. "That is a health care decision my doctor and my county health department agree with. Delaying this test puts the whole community at risk."

As of Thursday, the death toll for the coronavirus surpassed 3,300, with nearly 98,000 cases confirmed worldwide. In the US, there are at least 221 cases, with 12 deaths — 11 in Washington state and one in California.

On March 5, Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the coronavirus task force in the US, confirmed that there are not enough tests to meet the demand, but he hoped there would be in the coming weeks.

• Read more:
• California and Washington state have both declared a state of emergency after their first coronavirus deaths —here's what it means
• The US has reported 12 coronavirus deaths among at least 221 cases. Here's what we know about the US patients.
• Coronavirus live updates: Nearly 98,000 people have been infected and more than 3,300 have died. The US has reported 12 deaths. Here's everything we know.
• California just reported its first coronavirus death: a patient in the Sacramento area who recently returned from a cruise

SEE ALSO: Thousands of Chinese doctors volunteered for the frontline of the coronavirus outbreak. They are overwhelmed, under-equipped, exhausted, and even dying.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Here's how to survive an avalanche

• As banks are more willing to work with fintechs, they're rethinking their approach to the young companies.
• Business Insider spoke to execs at JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs to understand how the Wall Street titans have overhauled their approach to working with startups. 
• From quick ways to prove out a concept, to a sounding board of VCs that provides feedback to their portfolio companies, banks are getting creative to streamline what has traditionally been a lengthy process. 
• Click here for more BI Prime stories.

Big banks are looking to speed up their approach to working with startups as they increasingly go beyond their own walls in search of tech innovation. 

Wall Street giants have been vocal about labeling fintechs, which have traditionally looked to disrupt their business, as friends, not foes. That could mean paying for their service, acquiring them, making an investment, or starting a partnership.

But as eager as banks are to work with newcomers in the space, navigating such a large and complicated organization can often be mind-numbing for the early-stage companies. 

"Almost every fintech will tell you it's a blessing and a curse to work with banks," Michael Elanjian, head of digital innovation at JPMorgan's CIB, told Business Insider. "The difficulty is that bank policies and procedures have historically led to longer sales cycles. The benefit, is that access to a bank's size, scale, and distribution can be immensely powerful."

Startups often don't have the resources to keep up with the mountains of legal documents, confusing internal infrastructures, and long onboarding times typically accompanied with working with a big bank. 

As a result, banks are attempting to cater more towards younger companies that could provide a spark on the innovation front.

Business Insider spoke to executives from JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs to understand how Wall Street's biggest firms are evolving to be the most attractive partner for young, agile fintechs. 

"By working in the ecosystem and being viewed as a partner of choice, it allows us to see around corners. See at the edges. See where the world is headed," Stephanie Cohen, Goldman Sachs chief strategy officer, told Business Insider.

Sign up here to receive updates on all things Innovation Inc.

JPMorgan built a rapid way for fintechs to prove their businesses

When it comes to working with fintechs, sometimes a bank's biggest issue lies in knowing if it even wants to go forward with a company. 

JPMorgan's Elanjian aimed to overhaul that process for firm's corporate and investment banking division in 2019 as part of a mandate to work with more startups.

"One of our goals is to partner more and work with the fintech community to build an innovative ecosystem," Elanjian said. "Client needs continue to evolve, and we want to be creative in providing solutions."

Enter rapid proof of concept — RPOC for short. 

The process was developed in 2019 to cut down the time and resources it would take for the bank to realize whether or not it wanted to work with a startup, and required coordination among 150 across the bank. The goal was to speed up how quickly the CIB could decide if it wanted to work with a fintech. 

"It's about increasing the large end of the funnel, and the pace at which we move through sourcing and evaluating and into the decision and implementation stage," Elanjian said. 

Part of that included cutting down on the documentation a fintech would need to get through before being able to even test its technology with JPMorgan. NDAs were standardized and made digital, while the evaluation agreement was made more "fintech-friendly," cutting out 80% that was only applicable for large vendors. 

Synthetic data in an AWS sandbox

But RPOC isn't just about minimizing paperwork. A huge time suck for both fintechs and banks is around the former proving to the latter they can indeed deliver on their pitch. As Wall Street's needs become more data-focused, this becomes even more difficult since banks aren't willing to hand over a key to their database for startups to play in.

"It's really hard to make an assessment based on claims with a lot of data-related activities," Elanjian said. "Coming up with a framework that helps evaluate these solutions in an efficient manner, being respectful to the company's time as well as our own employees, was a core pillar to the strategy.  We needed a way to test something for viability and being able to act in a quick and efficient manner was a real pain point we were trying to solve."

JPMorgan's solution was to build a sandbox on AWS where tools could be tested in a controlled environment. A handful of data sets were pre-approved, along with the creation of synthetic data mirroring JPMorgan's own data, to speed up how quickly data-intensive tools could be tested.

All of this has resulted in big time and money savings for the bank. Elanjian said with RPOC the average time it takes for the bank to make a decision on a fintech dropped from nine months to three weeks. Meanwhile, costs went from tens of thousands of dollars to a few hundred. 

To be sure, the sample size is small. Elanjian said only a handful of fintechs were run through RPOC in 2019. However, he already has plans to expand the process to how all businesses across the bank, not just the CIB, handle fintechs. 

But, even with the expansion, there is no target on how many fintechs the bank would like to see with RPOC.

"We don't set goals based on the number of companies evaluated," Elanjian said. "That can too easily lead to solutions in search of problems. We're focused on the quality of our partnerships, and how aligned they are to our strategic priorities."

Morgan Stanley is leaning on the VC community

For Morgan Stanley, the shift to more of a focus on buy over build has been taking place over the better half of the last decade, Sean Manahan, a managing director and head of of technology business development at the bank, told Business Insider. 

As Morgan Stanley aims to be more targeted in its work with fintechs, the bank is looking to lean on those backing the newcomers for help.

Manahan said this year the bank created a formalized program to give feedback to a handful of venture capital firms on specific issues Morgan Stanley is looking to solve. The idea is to have an open dialogue between the bank and fintechs so the fintech knows exactly what the bank is looking for. 

"That insight early means startups, even before we meet with them at these different events with our business, have insight in terms of what they need to bring to the table," Manahan said. 

Morgan Stanley also has a system in place around sourcing, testing, and onboarding fintechs quickly. Recently, Manahan said the bank went from a one-hour meeting with an artificial-intelligence focused startup just coming out of stealth to rolling out an active project within six weeks. 

Part of the bank's quickness comes down to having the technology and business teams involved from the start, he said.

It's also important both parties understand what each other is looking for, Manahan added.

"I think oftentimes where banks or fintechs could get into a problem is where they take that intent and confuse it for a sale or force an immediate purchase," he said.

To that point, Manahan believes working with VCs can help with the process.

While Morgan Stanley has had strong ties with fintech investors for decades, the decision to put a formal process in place is to get a better sense of what was working well. 

"We're going to actively track the insight and the feedback that we're getting," Manahan said. "We're going to baseline the experience, and we're going to track how we can move faster and what type of information that we share earlier allows them to be better prepared to work with us."

Goldman Sachs is assigning point people to help fintechs navigate the firm

For Goldman Sachs, Cohen said the process of sourcing and bringing on fintechs isn't necessarily a highly formalized one. Instead, it can vary on a case-by-case basis. 

"We don't try to make everyone fit in the same narrow bucket," Cohen said. "I think what we are really doing is trying to figure out how we can add the most value to them and how they can be most value-add to us, which to us is about having the right people attached to it and allowing them to help you navigate the organization."

Whether a fintech is discovered by investors, bankers, or one of the business groups, Cohen said the goal is to ensure the bank has a united front. The strategy is a nod toward the motto "One Goldman Sachs," which was coined by David Solomon, Goldman Sachs' CEO.

And as the bank looks to work with more fintechs to free up its engineers to focus on areas "they can really make a difference," Cohen said, making that process as smooth as possible will be top of mind. 

As a result, Cohen said Goldman is focused on assigning someone from Goldman to each startup to help them navigate the Wall Street giant. 

"One of the pain points, I think, for the outside world would have been there are a lot of calls from Goldman Sachs. There were a lot of different people that they would have had to deal with. And now we have combined all of that into one area," Cohen said. "I think it dramatically simplifies the process."

SEE ALSO: Here's how 44 insiders at powerful banks, buzzy startups, and big investors are thinking about financial innovation — and why the term 'fintech' may be on its last legs

SEE ALSO: POWER PLAYERS: Meet the 8 executives leading the most innovative tech projects on Wall Street

SEE ALSO: Virtual and augmented reality could be game-changing for how Wall Street tackles data in the coming decade

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: WeWork went from a $47 billion valuation to a failed IPO. Here's how the company makes money.

• More than 100,000 people have been infected with the new coronavirus and 3,460 have died. About 80% of cases and deaths are in China.
• But the death rate — the number of known deaths out of the total number of confirmed cases — varies widely by country right now.
• Generally, the death rate seems to decrease as more people are tested and cases are confirmed.
• The following chart shows the death rates in countries with confirmed deaths and more than 100 cases.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The death rate from the new coronavirus is higher in the US so far than anywhere else in the world. The rate, a basic calculation that divides the number of known deaths by the total number of confirmed cases, was about 6% in the US as of Friday morning. Fourteen Americans have died out of less than 250 confirmed cases.

South Korea, which has the second-highest number of cases outside China, has a death rate that's one-tenth of that. Out of 6,593 cases, 42 people have died: o.6%.

While this variation between countries may sound concerning, the rate strongly depends on how many people get tested for the virus. In countries like South Korea and China, which have tested hundreds of thousands of people, the death rate is lower than in, say, the US, which has tested less than 2,000. 

Given that the outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, is still growing and evolving, and countries' case totals and death tolls are constantly changing, countries' death rates are not static and will continue to fluctuate.

Many health experts predict that death rates overall will decrease as the number of cases rises and the amount of testing increases. South Korea, which has tested more than 140,000 people, offers solid evidence for that prediction so far.

Why more testing could decrease the death rate

Widespread testing could mean a lower death rate because the majority of coronavirus cases — about 80% — are considered mild. But the cases tested and reported first are often those with the most severe symptoms, since those people go to the hospital. Milder cases, on the other hand, could go uncounted or get reported later on.

"If indeed we discover that there are far more cases that are actually being reported, and that one of the primary reasons for this is that we're just not detecting asymptomatic or mild or moderately symptomatic cases that don't end up seeking healthcare, then our estimates for the case fatality rate will likely decrease," Lauren Ancel Meyers, an epidemiologist at the University of Texas at Austin, previously told Business Insider.

Mild cases, she added, "may not make it onto the radar of public health agencies."

Indeed, in the US so far, many people without severe symptoms haven't been tested because of limited testing availability.

The death rate is not the same as your chance of dying

The World Health Organization estimated on Tuesday that the global death rate for the coronavirus is about 3.4%. 

The death rate of a disease is different from its mortality rate — the latter is the number of deaths out of the number of people in an at-risk population. A death rate is not a reflection of the likelihood that any given person will die if infected.

According to Brett Giroir, the assistant secretary for health at the Department of Health and Human Services, the best estimates of the overall mortality rate for COVID-19 in the US are between 0.1% and 1%.

Read more:

The coronavirus has pandemic 'potential' as it spreads in South Korea, Italy, and Iran, according to WHO

One key indicator will tell us when the coronavirus outbreak is winding down — but we're not seeing it yet

A day-by-day breakdown of coronavirus symptoms shows how the disease, COVID-19, goes from bad to worse

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Pathologists debunk 13 myths about the coronavirus, including why masks won't help

• Walmart confirmed to Business Insider that it sent an audio message to its truck drivers on March 4 with advice on how to conduct business amid coronavirus concerns. 
• Joe Metzger, who is senior vice president of supply chain at Walmart, advised truckers to purchase any needed sanitary supplies with their company cards, along with other preventative measures communicated in a February 28 memo to all Walmart US employees.
• The Walmart executive contacted drivers in the days after Business Insider reported that Walmart truckers, as well as contract and company drivers at Amazon, said they had not received information on how to navigate coronavirus on the road. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Walmart executive sent an audio message to the mega-retailer's trucking fleet on March 4 about how to navigate coronavirus, the company confirmed to Business Insider. 

In the audio recording, Joe Metzger, who is senior vice president of supply chain at Walmart, repeated the points mentioned in a February 28 memo that all of Walmart's 1.5 million US employees received. 

"Stay home when you are sick," the memo said. "Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash."

Despite the distribution of that memo, Walmart truck drivers told Business Insider this week that their employer had not communicated with them about coronavirus.

"We haven't heard anything from anybody," one truck driver for Walmart, who did not want his name published for fear of retribution, told Business Insider on March 2.

"I'm not too concerned about it," the driver added. "I police myself with washing my hands, not shaking as many hands, using hand sanitizer." 

Days after that story was published, truck drivers said they received the voice memo from Metzger. He advised truckers to buy any necessary cleaning supplies using their company cards. 

"This is one way we share information with our drivers," a Walmart spokesperson told Business Insider. "This audio message included information from the last week's memo that was sent to all US associates, including our truck drivers."

One truck driver noted that he received Lysol wipes on Tuesday morning. The Walmart spokesperson said these wipes have long been part of the standard cleaning kit in the tractors. "We are working to ensure drivers continue to have access to their cleaning wipes," the spokesperson added.

Walmart truck drivers are among the best-paid in the industry. The retailer employs 9,000 truck drivers in the US, and their median salary is $90,000— nearly twice the national median.

It's also notoriously difficult to become a Walmart trucker; some have compared the training process to getting into Harvard. 

Walmart has been adding more and more truckers to its "Elite Fleet" in recent years. Greg Smith, executive vice president of supply chain for Walmart US, told Business Insider last year that relying more on its well-paid, in-house fleet helps avoid issues that using outside trucking companies bring — like high turnover. 

"Based on some of the efficiency that our teams have driven in our fleet, our fleet is now more competitive, and it has a better level of service in a lot of cases than we have with third parties," Smith said. 

SEE ALSO: Walmart and Amazon truck drivers say their employers haven't provided guidance about how to deal with coronavirus

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: What it takes to be a first-class flight attendant for Emirates

This is a preview of a research report from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about Business Insider Intelligence, click here.

In the US, the in-store mobile wallet space is becoming increasingly crowded. Most customers have an option provided by their smartphone vendor, like Apple, Android, or Samsung Pay. But those are often supplemented by a myriad of options from other players, ranging from tech firms like PayPal, to banks and card issuers, to major retailers and restaurants.

With that proliferation of options, one would expect to see a surge in adoption. But that’s not the case — though Business Insider Intelligence projects that US in-store mobile payments volume will quintuple in the next five years, usage is consistently lagging below expectations, with estimates for 2019 falling far below what we expected just two years ago. 

As such, despite promising factors driving gains, including the normalization of NFC technology and improved incentive programs to encourage adoption and engagement, it’s important for wallet providers and groups trying to break into the space to address the problems still holding mobile wallets back. These issues include customer satisfaction with current payment methods, limited repeat purchasing, and consumer confusion stemming from fragmentation. But several wallets, like Apple Pay, Starbucks’ app, and Samsung Pay, are outperforming their peers, and by delving into why, firms can begin to develop best practices and see better results.

A new report from Business Insider Intelligence addresses how in-store mobile payments volume will grow through 2021, why that’s below past expectations, and what successful cases can teach other players in the space. It also issues actionable recommendations that various providers can take to improve their performance and better compete.

Here are some of the key takeaways:

• US in-store mobile payments will advance steadily at a 40% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to hit $128 billion in 2021. That’s suppressed by major headwinds, though — this is the second year running that Business Insider Intelligence has halved its projected growth rate.
• To power ahead, US wallets should look at pockets of success. Banks, merchants, and tech providers could each benefit from implementing strategies that have worked for early leaders, including eliminating fragmentation, improving the purchase journey, and building repeat purchasing.
• Building multiple layers of value is key to getting ahead. Adding value to the user experience and making wallets as simple and frictionless as possible are critical to encouraging adoption and keeping consumers engaged. 

In full, the report:

• Sizes the US in-store mobile payments market and examines growth drivers.
• Analyzes headwinds that have suppressed adoption.
• Identifies three strategic changes providers can make to improve their results.
• Evaluates pockets of success in the market.
• Provides actionable insights that providers can implement to improve results.

Subscribe to an All-Access membership to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to:

	This report and more than 250 other expertly researched reports
	Access to all future reports and daily newsletters
	Forecasts of new and emerging technologies in your industry
	And more!

Learn More

Purchase & download the full report from our research store

Join the conversation about this story »

• Hospitals are confronting the rising threat of the novel coronavirus in the US. 
• The spread of the coronavirus outbreak in the US could push the healthcare system to its limits. 
• In a February webinar presentation hosted by the American Hospital Association, an expert laid out "best guess" estimates about how many Americans could be impacted. 
• He projected that there could be as many as 96 million cases in the US, 4.8 million hospitalizations, and 480,000 deaths associated with the novel coronavirus.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Hospitals are bracing for millions of Americans to be hospitalized as part of the novel coronavirus outbreak. 

The American Hospital Association, which represents thousands of hospitals and health systems, hosted a webinar in February with its member hospitals and health systems. Business Insider obtained a copy of the slides presented. 

The presentation, titled "What healthcare leaders need to know: Preparing for the COVID-19" happened February 26, with representatives from the National Ebola Training and Education Center. 

As part of the presentation to hospitals, Dr. James Lawler, a professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center gave his "best guess" estimates of how much the virus might spread in the US.

Lawler's estimates include:

• 4.8 million hospitalizations associated with the novel coronavirus
• 96 million cases overall in the US
• 480,000 deaths
• Overall, the slide points out that hospitals should prepare for an impact to the system that's 10 times a severe flu season. 

Here's the slide: 

The slide does not give a particular time frame.

The slide represents "his interpretation of the data available. It's possible that forecast will change as more information becomes available," a spokesman for Nebraska Medicine told Business Insider in an email. 

The American Hospital Association said the webinar reflects the views of the experts who spoke on it, not its own.

"The AHA regularly hosts webinars and conference calls that include a variety of voices and opinions that seek to provide relevant information to professionals at hospitals and health systems that are on the front lines of preparing for and protecting their patients and communities," a spokeswoman for the AHA told Business Insider in an emailed statement. "The slides you shared reflect the various perspectives of field experts and should not be attributed to the AHA."

In particular, the slide points out that hospitals should prepare for an impact to the system that's 10 times a severe flu season. 

Lawler isn't alone in anticipating widespread infections. Marc Lipsitch an epidemiology professor at Harvard University told The Atlantic he predicts anywhere from 40-70% of people globally will be infected with the novel coronavirus within the next year. 

See the presentation hospitals are using to prepare for a major coronavirus outbreak in the US.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: What's really going on inside an insect-munching venus flytrap

• Patagonia's Women's Better Sweater 1/4-Zip Fleece ($99) is one of the best basics I've invested in — it's warm, versatile, and has a flattering slim fit.
• The Better Sweater 1/4-Zip Fleece comes in 13 colors and sizes XXS-XXL, with some colorways on sale for $49.50.
• I've worn it to the office and on the weekends, as well as on hikes, road trips, and flights, for the last three years.

Whether it's a symptom of living a semi-nomadic lifestyle or a desire to buy fewer (and better) things, I tend to rely upon a rotation of quality basics most days. And one of the best basics I've invested in is the Patagonia Women's Better Sweater 1/4-Zip Fleece ($99). 

If you're unfamiliar with America's (quarter-zip) sweetheart, it's a good case study in form, function, and feel-good shopping. It's also a part of Patagonia's popular Better Sweater collection and a staple for many people I know. 

The Better Sweater 1/4-Zip Fleece is a hip-length, knit pullover made from 100% recycled polyester fleece. The simple silhouette is sleek, but not restrictive, and has one small pocket on the sleeve. 

While slim-fitting, it's still roomy enough to be practical for camping, road trips, and transatlantic flights. Thanks to princess seams at the back, it has a tailored look that doesn't feel out of place for weekend errands or low-key outings, too.

I find that it's compact enough for a carry-on bag, and it has a good warmth-to-weight ratio for cool days — as well as a wind flap under the quarter-length zipper. Even though I've worn it around my apartment far more often than on hikes, it was one of the first things I packed for a long weekend in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota this past June. 

Like most of Patagonia's core offerings, the Better Sweater is also relatively guilt-free as far as buying new clothing goes. Aside from the 100% recycled polyester material, it's Fair Trade Certified sewn, and dyed with a low-impact process that reduces the use of dyestuffs, energy, and water required to make it. You can find out more about this process on Patagonia's website. 

The Better Sweater 1/4-Zip Fleece ($99) comes in 13 colors and sizes XXS-XXL. The classic colors rarely go on sale — like most of Patagonia's bestsellers — but some color options are available for as low as $49.50.

In terms of sizing, the slim fit means my standard small was surprisingly close-fitting, though not unpleasantly tight. If you prefer a looser fit or need room to add layers underneath, you may want to consider sizing up — or opt for the men's version of the Better Sweater 1/4-Zip ($99), which doesn't have the princess seams and includes a pocket on the chest.

Patagonia also has a famously generous returns, repairs, and exchanges policy in case you need a different size or don't love it as much as you'd need to for the $100 investment. You can find the fine print here for returns, but the gist is this: If it doesn't live up to your expectations, the company wants to make it right. 

The bottom line

Overall, the Better Sweater 1/4-Zip Fleece is one of the most comfortable, versatile, and frequently worn items in my rotation of much-loved basics. If you're looking for something cozy enough for a weekend morning or chilly hike, but also flattering and nice enough to wear around town, I recommend checking it out.

Join the conversation about this story »

• Axiom Space, a startup co-founded by a former NASA space station program manager, has inked a deal to fly all-private missions to orbit with SpaceX rockets and ships.
• Axiom told Business Insider that "part of the crew is locked in" for the first mission, scheduled to launch in 2021, but declined to name those private astronauts.
• NASA says it can accommodate two private missions to the International Space Station (ISS) per year, and Axiom plans to launch that many per year.
• The startup eventually hopes to fly its own modules to the ISS in a few years, then later reconfigure them into a private space station.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Axiom Space, a startup co-founded by a former NASA manager, has inked a deal with SpaceX to launch the first all-private crewed missions into orbit.

The venture capital-backed company announced the deal on Thursday. The news, broken in Forbes by Jonathan O'Callaghan, follows a NASA announcement in June that the agency is opening up its modules on the International Space Station (ISS) to private crew members for $35,000 a night.

Private astronauts have flown to the ISS for years, but always as part of a larger professional crew and always on board Russia's Soyuz spaceship. Axiom, led by CEO and co-founder Mike Suffredini, who managed NASA's space station program for a decade before retiring from the agency, says it aims to launch the first all-private ISS mission "as soon as the second half of 2021."

"This history-making flight will represent a watershed moment in the march toward universal and routine access to space," Suffredini said in a statement. 

That first mission will fly a privately trained commander and three other private astronauts aboard SpaceX's new Crew Dragon spaceship. Crew Dragon has flown to orbit and back and proved its escape system works. The spaceship has yet to fly any people, but that should change this spring with SpaceX's Demo-2 test mission for NASA, which will rocket veteran astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley into orbit.

When asked about its arrangement with SpaceX or how much a ticket aboard Crew Dragon might cost, a spokesperson for Axiom told Business Insider in an email that "it is our policy not to discuss pricing or contract details." However, NASA's Office of Inspector General estimated in a November 2019 report that the agency would pay roughly $55 million per astronaut (which is about $35 million cheaper than a spot aboard Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spaceship).

The spokesperson also declined to name the mission commander or any space tourist on the flight, but said "part of the crew is locked in," indicating one or more the four crew members have yet to finalize a contract to fly.

"[W]e have a pipeline of prospects with whom we are always in various stages of discussion about seats on several of our planned flights," the spokesperson said.

The first mission is slated to dock with the ISS for more than a week to allow the private crew to experience "microgravity and views of Earth that can only be fully appreciated in the large, venerable station," the announcement said.

Around 2024, though, Axiom hopes to launch its own private modules to attach to and expand the ISS — then reconfigure them into a private space station once NASA decides to de-orbit its decades-old, football-field-sized facility.

NASA, when asked about the fresh announcement, gave Business Insider the following statement:

"Axiom's partnership with SpaceX directly supports NASA's broad strategy to facilitate the commercialization of low-Earth orbit by United States entities. NASA's goal is to achieve a robust economy in low-Earth orbit from which NASA can purchase services as one of many customers. A robust commercial space economy ensures national interests for research and development in low-Earth orbit are fulfilled while allowing NASA to focus government resources on deep space exploration through the Artemis program and land the first woman and next man on the surface of the Moon in 2024."

Axiom is on its way to cornering the private space-mission market

NASA told Business Insider that, as part of its plans to increasingly commercialize low-Earth orbit and the ISS itself, the agency "intends to accommodate up to two short-duration private astronaut mission opportunities" per year.

"Interested entities need to make an agreement with NASA for those missions," NASA said. "At this point, all private astronaut mission opportunities are available to outside entities."

However, Axiom hopes to launch two all-private missions per year to the ISS. Should NASA sign off on such an arrangement, Axiom may be the premier private-mission provider for some time.

Such a decision may affect the plans of competitors such as Bigelow Aerospace, which is also building private space station modules designed to attach to the ISS or serve as independent research laboratories (and hotels) in orbit.

Although Axiom can approve whomever it wants to fly aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon, NASA says it and its space station partners "will have final approval for all crew traveling to the ISS."

"Private astronauts will have to meet FAA regulatory requirements, which include liability waivers, insurance, and indemnification during launch and reentry activities," NASA said.

Those who are approved for flight will train at Axiom and NASA facilities in Houston, Texas, and, for Crew Dragon-specific training, at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. At NASA facilities, private astronauts will be trained by KBR, "a leading solutions provider to the civil, military and commercial space industry" that recently signed a Space Act Agreement with the agency and has helped train professional astronauts for decades.

"The commander will be trained to the same level as a NASA astronaut," Axiom said, and with a company-designed curriculum crafted in part by "two former NASA astronauts and a long-time Mission Control flight director."

Axiom views itself as distinct compared to Space Adventures, which recently acquired seats aboard Crew Dragon missions and has flown space tourists for decades.

"Space Adventures is a broker. Axiom is not. Axiom is a full-service mission provider that manages its own missions," the spokesperson said. "Additionally, our flights will go to ISS and allow customers to experience life aboard ISS and have, essentially, better views and room to move around — as opposed to merely floating in a capsule in orbit for a few days."

Axiom says it hopes to take advantage of its fuller access to reach a customer base made up of governments "that want to get into human spaceflight" or expand their existing presence on the ISS. The company is also, of course, targeting (presumably very wealthy) private individuals.

Practically, the startup says it hopes to help agencies and companies — likely including NASA and SpaceX — test Mars-bound systems. Axiom also wants to boost commercial activity in space and profit from "in-space research, microgravity manufacturing, or media and brand partnerships."

SEE ALSO: A 35-year-old NASA astronaut, M.D., and Navy SEAL reveals his secrets of success — and his greatest mistake

DON'T MISS: SpaceX and Amazon are making huge gambles on internet satellites that just might pay off — and transform where people live and work

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are in an epic feud that's lasted years