On Tuesday, the U.S. stock market took a nosedive as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) officials warned of the crippling implications coronavirus threatens to everyday life.
The CDC’s director, Nancy Messonnier explained that two out of three requirements for a “pandemic of new disease” have been met, and people in the U.S. must prepare for the worst with the spread of coronavirus.
“It’s not a question of if this will happen but when this will happen and how many people in this country will have severe illnesses,” she said. “Disruption to everyday life might be severe.”
The news spooked markets, tanking the Dow Jones Industrial Average over 900 points, S&P 500 slid 2.6% while the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.4%. CNBC reports that Monday’s session was the market’s worst in two years.
On Monday, radio show host Rush Limbaugh warned of China possibly “weaponizing” the coronavirus as a biological warfare tactic to sink the markets.