���ϳԹ���

As the coronavirus tears through the country, scientists are asking: Are some people more infectious than others? Are there superspreaders, people who seem to just spew out virus, making them especially likely to infect others? It seems that the answer is yes. There do seem to be superspreaders, a loosely defined term for people who infect a disproportionate number of others, whether as a consequence of genetics, social habits or simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. (Kolata, 4/12)

On the first Monday in March, Michel Vounatsos, chief executive of the drug company Biogen, appeared in good spirits. The company’s new Alzheimer’s drug was showing promise after years of setbacks. Revenues had never been higher. Onstage at an elite health care conference in Boston, Mr. Vounatsos touted the drug’s “remarkable journey.” Asked if the coronavirus that was ravaging China would disrupt supply chains and upend the company’s big plans, Mr. Vounatsos said no. “So far, so good,” he said. (Stockman and Barker, 4/12)

With the first quarter in the books, big companies are preparing to disclose to investors early indications of the economic toll of the coronavirus pandemic. The respiratory illness has effectively shut down the U.S. economy, spurring a wave of layoffs and furloughs that resulted in a record 17 million unemployment claims in a span of three weeks. It also set off a scramble by companies to conserve cash. The Wall Street Journal, with help from data tracker MyLogIQ, analyzed public filings for companies in the S&P Composite 1500 Index—which covers about 90% of U.S. market capitalization—to assess the impact thus far. (Pacheco and Stamm, 4/13)