| Greetings, QuickTake readers! In this edition: Bernie Sanders bows out, WHO hits back at Trump, and an unusually large hole has opened in the ozone layer over the Arctic.  Virus may spread twice as fast Covid-19 raced through China much faster than previously thought, a U.S. research team said, suggesting that widespread vaccination or immunity will be needed to end the pandemic. Each person infected early in Wuhan's outbreak likely spread the virus to as many as six people, not two or three as the WHO reported in February. At that rate, roughly 82% of the population would need immunity to stop the virus from spreading. Meanwhile, a new projection of Covid-19 deaths in the U.S. predicted that daily fatalities could peak on April 12, with as many as 126,000 dead, significantly lower than last week's estimates. More: - Trump's top health advisers are prepping a plan to safely reopen the U.S. economy in phases starting in May.
- A study of infected patients in New York found that the virus originated in Europe in about two-thirds of cases.
- Some companies say there aren't enough chemicals or plastic bottles to make more hand sanitizer. Sales jumped 239% in March.
$ignificant figures $500 billion. Top Democrats are seeking to double the Trump administration's next virus stimulus package to allocate more funding to "community-based financial institutions," Pelosi and Schumer said. $165.7 billion. The combined net worth of the Walton family grew 2.6% this year as recession-wary shoppers continue to flock to Walmart to stock up on pantry staples during the coronavirus pandemic. 779. New York state recorded its highest one-day jump in fatalities for an overall death toll of about 6,300. "Rigorous social distancing" is helping to "flatten the curve," Cuomo said, "but it's not a time to be complacent." Highly quotable "Everyone's anxious to get out as soon as possible." Thousands of Wuhan residents rushed to train stations and the airport after Chinese authorities lifted the city's 76-day lockdown and mass transit resumed. "The path toward victory is virtually impossible." Bernie Sanders quit the 2020 race, saying his campaign "would interfere with the important work in this difficult hour," leaving Joe Biden as the likely nominee. "No need to use COVID to score political points." The WHO chief sought to rise above Trump's criticisms and the threat of U.S. funding cuts, saying "if you don't want more body bags, then refrain from politicizing it." This is not normal Crack in the shield. Scientists say a "mini-hole" opened in the ozone layer—but this time, over the Arctic—formed by freezing polar vortex air that swirled into the stratosphere, causing ozone levels to plummet.  The future is now "New window to the universe." A year after the Event Horizon Telescope captured the first-ever image of a black hole, astronomers observed in the finest detail yet a black hole spitting fire from the heart of a distant quasar.  What's good Helping hand. A group of Berlin residents developed a volunteer-based food and medication delivery service called Shop4Me for more than a hundred neighbors in their building to use during the virus crisis.  Now that you're caught up... Tell your friends to sign up to receive our newsletter five days a week. Follow QuickTake on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. BTW: Nepal's police are using a device known as a "multipurpose fork" to catch people violating the country's virus lockdown. See how it works. Thanks for reading!
-Andrew Mach | 
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