A Chinese virus in Washington state

A SARS-like virus reaches the US; abortion rights are set to come before the Supreme Court. Tonight's Sentences was written by Cameron Peters. TOP NEWS Global concern over a virus spreading in China Kevin Frayer/Getty Images - Concerns are growing over a virus in China after an expert with the country’s National Health Commission confirmed that the virus — previously thought to be contracted from animals — could be transmitted through human-to-human contact. [[NPR / Malaka Gharib and Marc Silver](] - So far, there have been almost 300 confirmed cases of the SARS-like virus across six countries, and six deaths. However, some researchers fear there could be as many as 1,700 cases still undetected. [[Vox / Julia Belluz](] - At least one case of the virus has been confirmed in the US so far: A patient in Washington state was diagnosed with the virus on Monday. [[Seattle Times / Roni Caryn Rabin](] - The virus — called a coronavirus — comes from the same family as the SARS virus and has caused pneumonia-like symptoms in those infected. In 2002 and 2003, a SARS epidemic, which also touched off in China, killed nearly 800 people and infected more than 8,000. [[Washington Post / Lena H. Sun and Miriam Berger](] - The virus was first reported in Wuhan, a city of some 11 million people, but there are concerns that it could spread quickly during a season of heavy travel surrounding the Chinese Lunar New Year. [[NYT / Javier C. Hernández](] - The World Health Organization will meet in an emergency session on Wednesday to determine whether an international public health emergency should be declared over the spread of the virus. In the past, similar emergencies have been declared for outbreaks of Ebola and the Zika virus. [[AP / Yanan Wang and Ken Moritsugu](] - Airline passengers from Wuhan arriving at US airports in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, and Atlanta are now being screened by the CDC for the virus. [[Chicago Tribune / Lauren Zumbach](] Abortion rights are under threat from a conservative Supreme Court - Almost 47 years to the day after Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in the US, an upcoming Supreme Court case could imperil abortion rights nationwide. The possible result, according to activists: a patchwork mosaic of laws either protecting or prohibiting abortion on a state-by-state basis. [[NPR / Julie Rovner](] - Though a ruling in the case — June Medical Services v. Gee — isn’t expected until June, more than 200 congressional Republicans filed a friend-of-the-court brief earlier this month advising that the Court uphold the restrictive Louisiana law in question and consider overturning Roe. [[NYT / Sheryl Gay Stolberg](] - The law, which, if implemented, would require doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, isn't the first of its kind. A similar Texas law was struck down by the Court in 2016 — before new conservative judges joined the Court. [[AP / David Crary](] - Pro-abortion activists have deemed the law a “targeted restriction on abortion providers,” arguing that it would do little for patient health but go a long way toward impinging on abortion rights. [[Vox / Ian Millhiser](] - The case will be heard in early March. The Trump administration has urged the Court to uphold the Louisiana law and filed a brief in support of it. [[The Advocate / Elizabeth Crisp](] MISCELLANEOUS Impeachment is hungry work, so Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey keeps his desk full of candy. [[The Morning Call / Laura Olson](] - Revisiting Gamergate and the lessons we should have learned. [[Vox / Aja Romano](] - The future of technology could be just three atoms thick. [[NYT / Amos Zeeberg](] - Why the Census starts early in Alaska’s most remote villages. [[NPR / Hansi Lo Wang](] VERBATIM “I wonder, what will you tell your children was the reason to fail and leave them facing the climate chaos you knowingly brought upon them? ... Our house is still on fire. Your inaction is fueling the flames by the hour.” [[Greta Thunberg at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Tuesday / New York Times](] LISTEN TO THIS Vox's Andrew Prokop explains everything you need to know as President Trump's Senate impeachment trial gets underway. [[Spotify / Today, Explained](] [Read more from Vox](#) [AI can help find illegal opioid sellers online. And wildlife traffickers. And counterfeits.]( [The existential lure of astrology]( [The Supreme Court showdown over Obamacare will be delayed until after the election]( [More than half the world’s millennials fear a nuclear attack this decade]( [California has been passing tough animal welfare laws. A court just handed the state a big victory.]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences](, or [unsubscribe]( to stop receiving all emails from Vox. View our [Privacy Policy]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved.