# Reporter who foresaw COVID's danger dies at 69

> Helen Branswell, a reporter who warned about early COVID-19 risks, dies at 69.
- Title: Reporter who foresaw COVID's danger dies at 69 · Seattletimes
- Summary: Helen Branswell, a reporter who warned about early COVID-19 risks, dies at 69. helen branswell, seattle times, covid-19 · reported by Seattletimes.
- Keywords: helen branswell, seattle times, covid-19, reporter, breast cancer, stat, white house, nfl, pulitzer prize, george polk award, news, local
- Source: Seattletimes — https://seattletimes.com/nation-world/a-reporter-who-saw-covid-coming-has-died
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: helen branswell, seattle times, covid-19, reporter, breast cancer, stat, white house, nfl, pulitzer prize, george polk award, news, local
## Helen Branswell's death
Helen Branswell, a reporter who saw the pandemic coming well before others, died at 69 in Ottawa.
## Cause of death
Her death was from complications of a recurrence of breast cancer, her sister said.
## Early pandemic warnings
She posted on Twitter in 2019 about unexplained pneumonia in China, saying it might be nothing.

> Hopefully this is nothing out of the ordinary
## Early pandemic warnings
Two days later, she wrote, not liking the looks of this outbreak.

> Not liking the looks of this
## First article on pandemic
On Jan 4, 2020, she published her first article on growing clusters of unexplained pneumonia.
## Fauci panel challenge
She challenged Fauci about low risk of spread, saying it was spreading efficiently.

> Explain to me why the risk is low, somebody. Because to me, when i look at this virus spreading, it’s spreading very efficiently
## Fauci's response
Fauci admitted the risk of a global pandemic was absolutely yes.

> Is there a risk that this is going to turn into a global pandemic? Absolutely, yes
## CDC criticism
She criticized the CDC for not holding public briefings, calling them invisible.

> You’re invisible now, sir. Your agency is invisible
## Award recognition
She won a 2020 George Polk Award and was a 2021 Pulitzer Prize finalist.
## Expert praise
Experts called her a godlike figure for infectious disease reporting during the pandemic.

> a godlike figure to people who are infectious-disease epidemiologists
## Key takeaway

Helen Branswell, a reporter who warned about early COVID-19 risks, dies at 69.