Immune To COVID? New Study Suggests Why

The first deaths in the U.S. from the coronavirus pandemic occurred weeks before previously thought and happened in California, new autopsy results revealed.

The Santa Clara County medical examiner said in a statement Tuesday that autopsies showed that the first person died there from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, on Feb. 6, and another died on Feb. 17.

Until now, the first death in the U.S. was thought to be Feb. 29 in Kirkland, Washington.

Both the California victims died at home when testing was very limited.

"Testing criteria set by the CDC at the time restricted testing to only individuals with a known travel history and who sought medical care for specific symptoms,” the county said in the statement. “As the Medical Examiner-Coroner continues to carefully investigate deaths throughout the county, we anticipate additional deaths from COVID-19 will be identified.”

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California had reported more than 35,000 cases and at least 1,326 deaths statewide as of Wednesday morning, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The state has the fourth highest number of cases in the nation behind New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, in that order.

The U.S. has more than 840,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19. At least 46,000 people have died in the U.S., and more than 77,000 patients have recovered.

Worldwide, the total number of infections is more than 2.6 million, and more than 183,000 people have died. More than 710,000 patients have recovered.

Latest Developments

United States:

-President Donald Trump told reporters on Wednesday that he did not agree with all governors' decisions to reopen their states in the coming days. "I told the governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, that I disagree strongly with his decision to open certain facilities which are in violation of the Phase 1 guidelines for the incredible people of Georgia," he said.

-Montana will lift its stay-at-home order starting Sunday, Gov. Steve Bullock announced Wednesday afternoon. Reopening of businesses and other services will be phased in over the next two weeks, with social distancing guidelines. School districts can choose to reopen after May 7. A 14-day self quarantine for out-of-state travelers remains in effect. Montana has reported 439 cases of COVID-19 and 14 deaths, among the lowest in the nation.

-California Gov. Gavin Newsom says hospitals can resume medical procedures like tumor removals and key preventative care that had been delayed to prepare for a surge of patients from coronavirus. "We’ll do this in a thoughtful and judicious way to ensure our system has the capacity," Newsom said.

-Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told reporters her state's stay-at-home order would be extended past April 20, although some revisions might be made.

-Two pet cats in New York tested positive for COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a news release Wednesday. They are the first pets in the U.S. to test positive. The cats lived in separate areas of the state and were tested after they exhibited symptoms of mild respiratory illness. In one case, the cat's owner had previously tested positive. In the other, no one in the house was known to have COVID-19. The second case may have come from an asymptomatic person in the household or from contact with someone outside the home, the CDC said. While the agency says there's no evidence that pets play a role in spreading COVID-19, it recommends that pets not be allowed to interact with anyone outside their household, cats be kept outdoors and social distancing be maintained when walking or exercising pets.

-Three more tigers and three lions have contracted COVID-19 at New York's Bronx Zoo, after one tiger tested positive earlier this month, the zoo said in a statement Wednesday. The statement said the cats were infected by a staff member.

-At least 19 people who either voted in person or worked the polls in Wisconsin's April 7 primary election have tested positive for COVID-19, according to CNN. Several of those people, however, reported other sources of possible exposure.

-Trump said at an Earth Day ceremony at the White House Wednesday that national parks were set to begin reopening, but didn't give a specific timeline.

-A total of 777 crew members on board the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt had tested positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday, the Navy said in an update. Some 3,900 results came back negative, with 99% of the crew now having been tested. More than 4,000 sailors have moved off the ship. Overall, 1,298 sailors Navy-wide have tested positive.

-Tyson foods shut down a crucial pork plant in Waterloo, Iowa, The Associated Press reported. The plant had been blamed for a massive coronavirus outbreak in the area.

-Half of approximately 280 staff members who were tested at Saint Joseph' s Medical Center in Westchester County, New York, had COVID-19.

-The state of Missouri is suing the Chinese government over the coronavirus pandemic. "The Chinese government lied to the world about the danger and contagious nature of COVID-19, silenced whistleblowers, and did little to stop the spread of the disease," State Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in a statement. Experts say the lawsuit has no chance of success, and critics contend it and similar moves to discredit China are politically motivated, the Washington Post reported. More than 6,200 people in Missouri have been confirmed to have COVID-19 and at least 229 have died.

-A lawyer in Florida has sued Gov. Ron DeSantis and officials in Hillsborough County over restrictions imposed to help stop the spread of coronavirus, alleging the emergency orders violated both the state and U.S. constitutions, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Florida has the eighth highest number of COVID-19 cases in the country, with more than 27,800. At least 867 people have died in the state.

-A 4-month-old baby in West Virginia has tested positive for the disease, the AP reported.

-Congress plans to vote Thursday on the $500 billion coronavirus relief bill passed Tuesday night by the Senate. More than $300 billion of the money would to go the small business payroll loan program that was part of a previous relief package but quickly ran out of money, the statement said. Some $75 billion would go to hospitals and $25 billion would go toward increased testing. Trump urged quick passage of the bill and said he would sign it as soon as possible.

Worldwide:

-Government officials in Switzerland say people there won't be required to wear masks in public as lockdown restrictions are eased, despite rules on mask-wearing in neighboring Austria and Germany, the AP reported. Switzerland has confirmed about 28,200 cases of COVID-19. Germany has more than 149,000 and Austria has about 15,000.

-The Berlin Marathon, scheduled for Sept. 27, has been canceled. The move came after the German government banned large gatherings through at least Oct. 24.

-Deaths in the U.K. from COVID-19 have topped 18,100, the fourth highest in Europe behind Italy, Spain and France. Britain has reported more than 134,000 cases.

-Spain's remaining restrictions will be eased gradually and at different speeds in different places, the country's prime minister said. No date has been announced for lifting restrictions, but officials have been working on a plan for several weeks. Meanwhile, the Spanish parliament approved extending the country's state of emergency for two extra weeks, through May 9, and starting Monday will let children 14 out for walks with a parent, according to the AP. Lockdown rules have slowed the daily increase in cases from more than 20% to less than 2%. Spain has been one of the three hardest hit countries in the world, along with the U.S. and Italy. The country has more than 21,000 COVID-19 deaths and more than 208,000 cases.

For the latest coronavirus information in your county and a full list of important resources to help you make the smartest decisions regarding the disease, check out our dedicated COVID-19 page.

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