The CDC has expanded its earlier travel warning to advise Americans to avoid all non-essential travel to China. That’s a massive step-up from earlier warnings to avoid all non-essential travel to Wuhan. Wuhan has an estimated 11 million people versus almost 1.4 billion in China.

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It’s also a huge deal for the estimated 8000 Americans that visit China each day. However, in the face of increasing concerns about the virus, it’s something noteworthy and something the CDC should have done earlier.

The former FDA chief is concerned that China is underestimating cases by the 10s of thousands which would fit well with other reports we’ve seen. A whistle blower nurse from China has stated that Wuhan could have 90+ thousand people sick.

It explains China’s decision to build two 1000+ bed hospitals in a city where they’re reporting only a few thousand infected that already has 60,000+ hospital beds. (6.5 beds per 1000 people).

Globally, things don’t look better.

Germany has confirmed the first human-to-human transmission outside of China helping to support a spreadable flu-like virus with a 1-14 day incubation period. Especially with concerns about spread from random coughs or sneezes in asymptomatic people – millions of people have a cough or a sneeze at any one time.

Companies have begun to respond. 3M, the global industrial giant, has said it’s increasing production of its respiratory protection products.

No news in the US has come since recent claims about 110 patients across 26 states being tested a day ago. The test takes just 4-6 hours, but transportation to the lab causes delays. Work is being done with the FDA to transport the test to hospitals themselves. I recommend keeping an eye out for updates on the U.S.’ situation.