Coronavirus Update: AI discovers a potential treatment, China raises the death toll, and more

PLUS: The Covid-19 headlines you need to know, a distraction, and something to read. [View this email in your browser]( | [Manage newsletter subscriptions](newsletter=wir) [(image) WIRED Coronavirus Update Logo] 04.17.20 This is a special edition of our Coronavirus Update newsletter. To receive this email every weekday, [sign up here](newsletter=wir), and send your feedback to [mail@wired.com](mailto:mail@wired.com?subject=Coronavirus%20Update%20Feedback). A software program finds a potential treatment, China releases new numbers, and a clever patch could create more life-saving ventilators. Here's what you should know: Headlines AI [uncovers a potential treatment]( for Covid-19 patients A software program that combines drug industry data with scientific research papers identified a rheumatoid arthritis drug that could potentially dampen some of the most severe symptoms of Covid-19. Now it's being tested in a clinical trial. China [raises the death toll]( by 50 percent in Wuhan Amid concerns over the accuracy of China's coronavirus figures, officials there have now revised the tally to 3,869 deaths from Covid-19 in Wuhan, an increase of 1,290 from their previous figure. According to an unidentified official from Wuhan’s epidemic command center, the new estimates were released to protect the “credibility of the government” and to maintain "respect for each individual life.” A vital hack could [turn medical devices into ventilators]( As hospitals desperately search for ventilators, hundreds of lower-grade breathing devices sit dormant in hospital closets because their manufacturers say they can't perform the same life-saving functions. But a security researcher discovered that those capabilities are in fact built into many of these machines—they might just need a simple patch to unlock them. Bluetooth-based contact tracing has its problems—but [there are solutions]( Last week, when Apple and Google announced a joint effort to start a contract-tracing network—a tool that would allow health professionals to see who infected patients had been close to, and notify users if they had been around someone infected—privacy enthusiasts were immediately concerned. Could it be used to track people? Will it be used for ads? WIRED spoke to cryptographers, security experts, and technologists to answer your questions. Daily Distraction Cracked your phone in quarantine? Or just want a new one? You're in luck: Apple is releasing a new iPhone SE—a $400 smaller version of their flagship iPhones—and you can [preorder it today](. Something to Read You've seen the videos of rockets launching—that iconic blaze that sends them roaring into the stars. But what if instead of lifting from a pad, rockets were placed in a massive centrifuge that spun them to more than 5,000 mph and sent them screaming into space? That's exactly what SpinLaunch, the [space industry's best-kept secret](, plans to do. Sanity Check If you're struggling to find inspiration to work out, maybe it's time to upgrade your equipment. This [tech-filled mirror]( is a shiny gym replacement for your home. Even though it is pretty expensive, it's so cool that you just might be more likely to use it. One Question What are “mild” symptoms of Covid-19? Early analysis indicates that about [80 percent]( of coronavirus cases are nonsevere, but what does that mean? According to the [WHO](, mild symptoms include the sniffles, coughing, sore throat, and a low-grade fever—pretty much a cold. If you’re showing mild respiratory symptoms, even if you think it might be coronavirus, the CDC recommends you [isolate at home]( and contact your health care provider. Telemedical services are now provided through most health insurance plans, and staying put for your appointment reduces the risk of transmission to others. If you start experiencing more severe symptoms like sustained difficulty breathing, gastrointestinal distress, confusion, or are coughing up blood or large amounts of mucus, inform your doctor to evaluate whether or not you need additional treatment. Covid-19 Care Package ❓Not sure what social distancing is? Or flattening the curve? We answered [the most popular Covid-19 questions](. 💻Some of you are work-from-home pros, but if you're new to it, here's how to [stay productive without losing your mind](. 🥺 It's hard not to be anxious about a global pandemic, but here's how you can [protect yourself and your family without spiraling](. 💉Over 30 companies are working on a vaccine, but it's probably still at least a year away. Here's [everything you should know](. 📦The Covid-19 virus can linger on objects for as little as a few hours or as long as a couple days, depending on the surface. [Here's the research](. 👫Quarantined with a loved one? Here's how to [not hate them]( before all this is over. 🧼It's not just your hands that need washing—your gadgets, clothes, and home need it too. Here's how to [properly disinfect your stuff](. 🦠Read all of [our coronavirus coverage here](. [drugs and coronavirus]( [AI Uncovers a Potential Treatment for Covid-19 Patients]( [Software suggested an arthritis drug might quell an out-of-control immune response that damages the lungs. Now it's being tested in a clinical trial.]( [a man sleeping with a cpap mask]( [A Vital Hack Could Turn Medical Devices Into Ventilators]( [Hundreds of thousands of lower-grade breathing devices are going unused because manufacturers say they can’t perform life-saving functions. But a new patch might change that.]( [red strings pinned to white wall]( [Is Apple and Google's Covid-19 Contact Tracing a Privacy Risk?]( [Apple and Google's Bluetooth-based system isn't perfect. But many of the biggest concerns have solutions.]( [workout mirror ]( [Mirror's Home Gym Is an Expensive—but Fun—Piece of Glass]( [This smart, space-efficient gym replacement might make you actually want to work out. Plus, it's shiny.]( [Sign up for WIRED's Coronavirus Update Newsletter]( SIGN UP [You Have Questions, We Have Answers]( [Sign up for our new Coronavirus Update newsletter for the latest on the pandemic.]( [Subscribe to WIRED]( [GET WIRED](  [Get unlimited access to our coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.](  [Subscribe to support our journalism.](  [Exclusive offer: 1 year for $10 $5]( [(image) WIRED Logo]( [(image) WIRED on Facebook]( [(image) WIRED on Twitter]( [(image) WIRED on Instagram]( [(image) WIRED on LinkedIn]( [(image) WIRED on YouTube]( This e-mail was sent to you by WIRED. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, wired@newsletters.wired.com, to your address book. View our [Privacy Policy]( [Unsubscribe]( or [Manage your newsletter subscriptions](newsletter=wir)