US
Two years since Covid was first confirmed in U.S.
A 35-year-old man returned to the U.S. from Wuhan, China on Jan. 15, 2020 and fell ill with a cough and fever.
He had read an alert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about an outbreak of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan and sought treatment at an urgent care clinic in Snohomish County, Washington four days later.
On Jan. 21, the CDC publicly confirmed he had the first known case of coronavirus in the U.S., although the agency would later find the virus had arrived on the West Coast as early as December after testing blood samples for antibodies.
The man said he had not spent time at the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, where a cluster of early cases were identified in December. He was admitted to isolation unit at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Wash. for observation.
After confirming the Washington state case, the CDC told the public it believed the risk “remains low at this time.” There was growing evidence of person-to-person transmission of the virus, the CDC said, but “it’s unclear how easily this virus is spreading between people.”
Then President Donald Trump told CNBC the U.S. had it “totally under control.”
“It’s one person coming in from China. We have it under control. It’s going to be just fine,” Trump told “Squawk Box” co-host Joe Kernen in an interview from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
However, Dr. Anthony Fauci would confirm the public’s worst fears on Jan. 31: People could carry and spread the virus without showing any symptoms. Dr. Helen Chu’s research team at the Seattle Flu Study started examining genomic data from Wuhan. It became clear early on that person-to-person transmission was happening, Chu said. By using the flu study’s databank of nasal swab samples, the team was able to identify another Covid case in a 15-year-old who hadn’t recently traveled, indicating it was spreading throughout the community.
In late February, a senior CDC official, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, warned that containing the virus at the nation’s borders was no longer feasible. Community spread would happen in the U.S., she said, and the central was question was “how many people in this country will have severe illness.”
In the two years since that first confirmed case, the virus has torn through the U.S. with a ferocity and duration few anticipated. The human toll is staggering, with more than 860,000 people dead and more than 69 million total infections. Hospitals around the nation have been pushed to the breaking point with more than 4 million admissions of confirmed Covid patients since August 2020, when the CDC started tracking hospitalizations. The hospital admissions are an undercount because they do not include the wave of cases that first hit the U.S. in the spring 2020 when hospitals were caught flat footed and testing was inadequate.
Though the U.S. now has effective vaccines and therapeutics to fight Covid, the future course of the pandemic remains uncertain as the virus mutates into new variants that are more transmissible and can evade vaccine protection. The highly contagious omicron variant has pushed infections and hospitalizations to record highs across the globe this month, a shock to a weary public that wants a return to normal life after two years of lockdowns, event cancellations, working from home and mask and vaccine mandates.
The rapid evolution of the virus and the dramatic waves of infection that would follow, from alpha to delta and omicron, came as a surprise to many elected leaders, public health officials and scientists. Dr. Michael Osterholm, a top epidemiologist, said the Covid mutations are the big unknown that will determine the future course of the pandemic.
“We don’t yet understand how these variants emerge and what they are capable of doing,” Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy in Minnesota, told CNBC. “Look at how omicron caught us as a global community surprised by the rapid transmission, the immune evasion. Look at delta and all the impact it had on disease severity,” he said.
Tech
Apple to spend $30 billion on Broadcom chips as it boosts US sourcing
Apple , opens new tab plans to spend more than $30 billion under a multi-year chip supply deal with Broadcom, bolstering its U.S. sourcing as President Donald Trump’s administration pushes to expand domestic chip manufacturing.
Broadcom shares rose more than 4%, while Apple shares were down marginally.
Apple said on Wednesday the deal, which was struck earlier this week and runs through 2031, covers FBAR filters – or radio-frequency chips used for wireless connectivity in its devices – that it had been developing with Broadcom since at least 2023.
Broadcom will invest $1.5 billion to expand its Fort Collins, Colorado, factory under the deal, which Apple said would result in the production of at least 15 billion chips and support its work with the Trump administration to source more components domestically.
“The cutting-edge components built in Fort Collins are essential to delivering the incredible performance and connectivity our customers expect, and we’re proud to deepen our investments in U.S.-based suppliers that share our commitment to excellence and innovation,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement.
“We’re grateful to the president and his administration for supporting important projects like this.”
In August 2025, Apple raised its U.S. investment commitment to $600 billion over four years, adding $100 billion to a previously announced spending plan.
US
Israel’s Netanyahu tells CNN he and Trump align on big things over Iran
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a CNN interview on Tuesday that despite occasional disagreements with US President Donald Trump on Iran, they see “eye to eye” on the big things related to handling Tehran.
Netanyahu said it was too early to say what would happen after Washington and Tehran signed an interim peace deal.
“The President believes that he can stop Iran’s nuclear programme,” Netanyahu told CNN, but added that he has his doubts.
“On the big things we see eye to eye, and occasionally we don’t, but we’re true allies,” he said.
US
Mamdani Starts Summer Jobs Program for 100,000 Youth
Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani on Tuesday officially launched the Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), as more than 100,000 young New Yorkers prepare to begin paid jobs across the city’s five boroughs.
The six-week program, running from July through August, places participants in thousands of workplaces, including community organizations, small businesses, hospitals, cultural institutions and government agencies. The initiative gives young people valuable work experience while helping them develop professional skills and earn an income.
“For so many young New Yorkers, a summer job is more than just a way to pass the time—it is a step toward their future,” Mayor Mamdani said. “For years, SYEP has helped thousands of young people launch their careers, develop professional skills and give back to their communities while earning a paycheck. Congratulations to this year’s participants. I hope you not only learn new skills at work but also discover more about yourselves this summer.”
Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga said the program provides young people with essential workplace experience while promoting long-term economic success.
“The road to professional and personal success is paved by programs like SYEP,” Arteaga said. “Beyond workplace experience, the program also offers education in financial literacy and creates opportunities for young people in high-risk communities to build stable and successful futures.”
Marking its 63rd year, SYEP remains the nation’s largest youth employment program. NYC Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Sandra Escamilla-Davies said the initiative continues to open career pathways by connecting participants with employers, mentors and meaningful work experiences.
“SYEP helps young people explore their interests, build professional skills and prepare for the future while strengthening communities across New York City,” Escamilla-Davies said. “Together with programs such as Summer Rising, Saturday Night Lights and Summer Night Lights, it offers safe and engaging opportunities that continue to benefit participants long after the summer ends.”
Earlier this year, Mayor Mamdani released a video encouraging young New Yorkers to apply for the program, resulting in a record number of applications.
The program is designed to support young people who often face barriers to employment, including residents of NYCHA housing, homeless youth, young people with disabilities, those involved with the justice system, youth in foster care and individuals at high risk of gun violence.
Studies have found that participation in SYEP improves school attendance, builds workplace skills and reduces crime and incarceration. A 2021 study found that participants were 17 percent less likely to be arrested and 23 percent less likely to face felony arrests. Research also shows that participants are significantly less likely to be incarcerated in New York State more than five years after completing the program.
As part of its partnership with the city, Lyft will provide 1,200 free two-month Citi Bike memberships to SYEP participants, helping them commute to work and travel across the city. The company will also host interns on its Social Impact team, offering hands-on experience and opportunities to develop leadership and communication skills.
“We’re proud to continue partnering with the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development because access to transportation is access to opportunity,” said Inbar Kishoni, Senior Manager of Community & Equity Programs at Lyft Urban Solutions. “Since 2022, Lyft has provided free Citi Bike memberships and practical work experience to help young New Yorkers build skills and confidence. When young people move, cities move with them.”
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