Signs of hope?

With more reported US cases of the novel coronvirus than in both Italy and Spain — the next highest hit countries — combined, the surgeon general warns Americans to brace for "our Pearl Harbor moment" in the coming week. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( US officials warn of "our Pearl Harbor moment" as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the US [nears 340,000](. Europe and South Korea may be showing signs of hope. How are countries dealing with the economic impact of COVID-19 on their societies and banking systems? The pandemic has changed the way people and products are moving around the world. Some hope that lessons learned can help in the fight against climate change. --------------------------------------------------------------- Our coronavirus coverage has never been behind a paywall. No paywalls, ever. 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[donate]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today Signs of hope in Spain and Italy as US preps for hard week [A Reuters photographer holds a picture of penitents of the "Cristo Resucitado y Nuestra Senora de Loreto" brotherhood taken in April, 2019, in front of the street of the procession, on Palm Sunday, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Ronda, southern Spain, April 5, 2020.]( Credit: Jon Nazca/Illustration/Reuters With more [reported US cases]( of the novel coronvirus than in Italy and Spain — the next highest-hit countries — combined, the US surgeon general warns Americans to brace for "[our Pearl Harbor moment](" in the coming week. In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19, and urged to temporarily hand over power. But Spain and Italy are showing [signs of hope](, as new infections and death tolls are starting to slow. And in Ethiopia, researchers are testing a [treatment integrating modern science with traditional medical]( knowledge. What does this [coronavirus sound like](? Scientists at MIT have made a musical representation of the virus's amino acid and protein structure. It's surprisingly soothing. More: ['We were trapped for too long': coming back to life after lockdown in Wuhan]( Also: [Tiger tests positive for coronavirus at Bronx Zoo, first known case in the world]( Stemming the economic impact of COVID-19 The US passed a historic $2 trillion package late last month, but [implementing the economic bailout]( for workers and businesses has been fraught with missteps. [The World asks how the US stimulus compares]( to those of European countries. The coronavirus pandemic leaves regulators and bankers in Europe wondering if they have done [enough to "crisis-proof"]( their system. In East Africa, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund have sent nearly [$160 million to Kenya and Rwanda]( to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19 and support emergency medical funding. And: ['Kill your earnings': Jim Cramer’s surprising take on the coronavirus crisis]( [South Korea flattened the curve. What happens next?]( South Korea has won praise for how it's flattened the curve of COVID-19 infections. But a rise in imported cases threatens to roll back some of the country’s progress. “It's easy to be self-congratulatory at this point, [but it's really just the first wave]( and you’ll have to wait for the next one,” said Dr. Jerome Kim of the International Vaccine Institute. South Korea has a well-known reputation for being a so-called “delivery nation.” But the country is being forced to confront an ugly truth: [Convenience can come with a cost](. Earlier this month, a deliveryman working for a massive, Amazon-like online retailer called Coupang died on the job. His colleague thinks overwork was the cause. More: [How to persuade others social distancing works]( --------------------------------------------------------------- The Number in the News: 80 If you're an ant the size of a sesame seed, danger can come in many forms. Maybe something is about to land on top of you. Maybe another animal is eyeing you as a snack. Regardless of the threat, ants need to know how to get away fast. Some sting their enemies, while other ants bite predators with surprisingly powerful jaws. But Myrmecina graminicola ants don't do that. When having to choose between fight or flight, they roll. Donato Grasso is an ant ethologist and studied these rolling ants at the University of Parma, in Italy. [The Number in the News]( is The World’s daily smart speaker show. You’ll learn one number you won’t forget and why it’s in the news today. [Click here]( to add The Number in the News to your Amazon or Google flash briefing and hear a new episode seven days a week. [International doctors can help the US fight COVID-19. But can they get here?]( One in four doctors in the US were [born in another country](. Many are on visas, often working in poor or rural areas that may soon be the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic and leave them at risk for falling ill themselves. But unlike other US doctors, who might be citizens or legal permanent residents, for doctors working on visas, getting sick could have implications for their visa status. “Once we’re disabled, we can’t work; then, we can’t live in the country,” [one Indian doctor in Iowa told The World](. [Coronavirus has changed how we transport goods and ourselves. But will it last?]( [American Airlines passenger planes parked due to flight reductions made to slow the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), at Tulsa International Airport in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on March 23, 2020.]( Credit: Reuters/Nick Oxford/File Photo The coronavirus pandemic has done more to curb flying than any social movement ever could. Global air travel has plummeted since the crisis started. Airlines around the world have cut up to 95% of trips. Although many travel habits and systems will likely return to normal once the pandemic subsides, climate advocates hope the disruption could be a catalyst for systemic changes in how we transport our goods and ourselves. At least some of the behavioral changes resulting from social distancing measures may “stick,” they say — and that could be [good news for the climate](, too. --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme As the Easter holidays approach, children may be wondering what stay-at-home orders mean for the Easter Bunny. In New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the Easter Bunny is, indeed, an "[essential worker](" — even though he might need some help with egg hunts this year. [New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirms Easter Bunny is classed as an "essential worker."]( [Credit: Screenshot from Twitter]( --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Remembering Bill Withers]( - [The coronavirus pandemic has an unofficial film in Spain]( - [COP26 climate talks postponed to 2021]( - [South Korea moves to prevent second wave of coronavirus]( - [Brazilians protest their president’s response to COVID-19]( - [How Iranians are coping]( - [British family recreates ‘Les Miserables’ with coronavirus-inspired lyrics]( - [Coronavirus vaccine being tested in monkeys]( - [Russian doctor arrested]( - [International doctors in the US]( - [How other countries are managing economic crisis]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. 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