"Welcome to a special edition of our weekly newsletter on the new disease, covid-19. In 12 short weeks the virus has spread from a wet market in Wuhan, across China and out into the world.
So far 58 countries have reported over 83,000 cases—though the true figure is almost certainly a lot larger. At least 2,800 people have died. This week, for the first time, the daily toll of new cases outside China began to outstrip the spread of the infection inside. The first cases have turned up in countries as distant from each other as Brazil and Pakistan.
In our cover leader in this week’s issue, we set out the threat from the disease and warn that, now that the virus is overwhelming attempts to contain it, it is past time for governments to prepare. But a huge amount remains misunderstood about the virus and its effects. Here we present seven articles that tell the story of the birth of a pandemic. We look at the biology of the disease and the dynamics of its spread; how public-health systems are gearing up to deal with the inevitable surge in infections; and how scientists are working on vaccines and new antiviral medicines. We also look at how the virus is affecting China—from the lives of migrant workers stuck in their villages to the political calculations of President Xi Jinping. And lastly we look at how covid-19 is harming global business and the world economy.
A pandemic is more than a disease. It tests a society’s health systems, its government and politicians, and its economy. We hope that our coverage prepares you for what to expect."
