Coronavirus live updates: US now third highest globally in COVID-19 total cases - ABC News
Coronavirus live updates: US now third highest globally in COVID-19 total cases - ABC News |
- Coronavirus live updates: US now third highest globally in COVID-19 total cases - ABC News
- Coronavirus updates: Vice President Pence tests negative, Italy death toll surges, world tops 300K cases - USA TODAY
- Pences Test Negative; States Warn That Supplies Are Dwindling - The New York Times
- Coronavirus live updates: US surpasses 26,000 cases as Senate negotiates massive stimulus package; New Jersey, Hawaii join in restrictions - USA TODAY
| Coronavirus live updates: US now third highest globally in COVID-19 total cases - ABC News Posted: 22 Mar 2020 01:55 AM PDT 
This comes as the number of deaths have now surpassed 13,000 across the globe.The United States now has 26,747 diagnosed COVID-19 cases, the third highest total globally, while the number of deaths around the world has now surpassed 13,000. As the number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases increases, some states are acting quickly by ordering variations of stay-at-home orders for residents. Oregon issued such an order on Friday night, joining states that include California, Illinois and New York. The respiratory virus, known officially as COVID-19, has reached every continent except Antarctica, and every state in America since emerging in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December. Globally, there are at least 306,000 diagnosed cases and at least 13,301 coronavirus-related deaths, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. More than 92,000 people have recovered worldwide. Today's biggest developments:
Here's how the news is unfolding today. All times Eastern. 6:57 a.m.: Russia's military is sending medical aid to ItalyRussia's military is sending medical aid to Italy to help in its fight against the coronavirus epidemic, including disinfection vehicles and military virologists. Russia's defense ministry in a statement announced military transport planes will be delivering eight mobile brigades of military medics, special disinfection vehicles and other medical equipment to Italy, starting from Sunday. It followed a phone conversation between president Vladimir Putin and Italy's prime minister Giuseppe Conte, during which Putin offered help. The move obviously highlights the EU's relative failure so far to aid Italy in the epidemic and follows China sending a plane-load of medics to help. The authoritarian governments see this as a diplomatic and PR opportunity. Italy was already one of the friendliest countries to Russia in the EU and this obviously won't go unremembered. 5:29 a.m.: Saudi Arabia suspends domestic flights, buses and taxis for at least two weeksSaudi Arabia announced 48 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, bringing the total to 392, with five of the new infections being healthcare workers in Riyadh, according to a health ministry spokesman. All domestic flights, buses, taxis and trains in the Kingdom have been suspended for at least 14 days to help stem the spread of the coronavirus, an Interior Ministry official told the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA). 5:17 a.m. Turkey imposes partial curfew and bans picnics and barbecues as cases have doubled each day in the past weekTurkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan early on Sunday did his best to reassure his people about the nation's efforts to control the coronavirus pandemic, saying Turkey is doing its duty to protect citizens. "I hope we will get over these difficult times together. Just follow the rules and guidance and also continue staying at homes," Erdogan posted on Twitter while reiterating that those older than 65 and anyone with a chronic disease should not go outside. Turkey imposed a partial curfew on Saturday for senior citizens and those with chronic diseases, but stopped short of a blanket curfew. Earlier on Saturday, Turkey suspended flights from 46 additional countries and banned picnics and barbecues, as the number of cases has roughly doubled every day for the past week. Turkey now has 947 confirmed cases of the virus, with 21 deaths. 2:49 a.m.: Amazon hiring for 100,000 new roles while raising wages for hourly workersPosting on his Instagram account Saturday night, Amazon's Jeff Bezos wrote a letter to all Amazon employees announcing that Amazon will be hiring for 100,000 new roles and raising wages for hourly workers while also detailing how the company plans on working through the crisis. 2:24 a.m.: Audible offering free streaming of children's storiesOn Saturday night, Audible started offering free streaming of children's stories in 6 different languages to help parents as long schools are closed. Tune into ABC at 1 p.m. ET and ABC News Live at 4 p.m. ET every weekday for special coverage of the novel coronavirus with the full ABC News team, including the latest news, context and analysis. 10:47 p.m.: DJ D-Nice brings party to InstagramWith so many Americans isolating at home, DJ D-Nice managed to gather more than 100,000 Instagram users at a virtual party, as he spins music from his homeYour text to link... This is the largest crowd the Bronx-born DJ has attracted since launching the "parties" on Wednesday. Some of the users tuning in Saturday: Oprah, Mark Zuckerberg, Bernie Sanders, Joe Biden, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, and countless other celebs, singers and athletes. 9:30 p.m.: NY ATC Center, LGA tower will be closed overnight for sanitizationThe New York Air Route Traffic Control Center and New York's LaGuardia Control Tower will now be closed overnight for sanitization, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. During this time other air traffic facilities will provide needed key services and some flights will be rerouted around the airspace, but the FAA expects a minimal impact on traffic since the volume during these hours is low. Flights were briefly suspended at New York City and Philadelphia airports Saturday afternoon when an air traffic controller trainee at New York Air Route Traffic Control Center in Ronkonkoma, New York, tested positive for coronavirus. What to know about Coronavirus:ABC News' Matt McGarry, Patrick Reevell, Ahmad Hemingway and Alexandra Faul contributed to this report.  |
| Posted: 21 Mar 2020 06:04 PM PDT CLOSE  Some local, state and federal agencies have turned to drastic measures to try to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. USA TODAY As more U.S. states enact strict stay-at-home orders to slow the community spread of COVID-19, Italy's daily death toll continues to climb: Almost 800 more people have died from the virus, officials said Saturday, marking a new daily high. The news comes as Vice President Mike Pence his wife Karen Pence were tested Saturday for coronavirus after a staffer for Pence tested positive for COVID-19. Saturday evening, Pence's spokeswoman tweeted the results of both tests were negative. The White House's coronavirus task force's Saturday briefing included several other updates:
There are at least 307 deaths and more than 25,400 confirmed cases in the U.S. Worldwide, the death toll surpassed 13,000, with at least 4,825 deaths in Italy, the country that has witnessed the most deaths. The world surpassed 305,000 total cases as of Saturday, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard. Our live blog on the coronavirus is being updated throughout the day. Refresh for the latest news. More headlines: Trump says his own hotels are among those hurting amid pandemicPresident Donald Trump says his own hotels are among those hurting due to the coronavirus crisis. At a press briefing on Saturday, Trump was asked about the pandemic's impact on his many businesses, particularly Trump-branded hotels worldwide. While not involved in their day-to-day operation, Trump said he's aware business is down substantially. While the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas is closed, along with numerous other well-known Strip properties, other Trump hotels were still taking reservations Saturday evening, including locations in Chicago, Miami and Washington. If local or state officials advise the remaining properties to close, Trump said they will. That decision, he said, would be made by sons Eric and Donald Jr., whom he put in control of the Trump Organization shortly before he assumed office in January 2017. – Gary Dinges Another Disney resort temporarily closesDisney is temporarily shuttering its Hawaiian resort amid the coronavirus outbreak. Aulani, part of the massive Ko Olina development in Oahu, will close at 5 p.m. local time Tuesday, according to an advisory posted on the resort's website. The shutdown will last at least through the end of March. Aulani has 351 hotel rooms, plus 481 Disney Vacation Club timeshare villas. The resort opened in August 2011 and was expanded in 2013. Amenities include a Disney spa, fitness center, pools, waterslides and a kids' clubhouse. In the U.S., Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood temporarily shut down March 14. Disney World followed the next day, along with Disney-owned hotels, shopping and dining destinations in both Anaheim, California, and Orlando. – Gary Dinges Gas hits lowest average price since December 2016Gas prices across the U.S. continue to drop as the coronavirus pandemic continues to restrict transportation and travel. As of Saturday, the national average price for gas is $2.15, which is 44 cents cheaper than the average a year ago, according to AAA. The last time average gas prices were this low was December 2016. Gas prices plummeted in recent weeks because of oil price feuds between Saudi Arabia and Russia, and looming recession fears sparked by the coronavirus pandemic. Saudi Arabia slashed crude oil prices and increased production, sending U.S. oil down 63 percent since March 9. Nineteen states now have gas price averages that are less than $2, AAA says. – Jazmin Goodwin Child welfare a major concern during closuresHundreds of thousands of vulnerable U.S. children could face a heightened risk of abuse and neglect as coronavirus-related school closures keep them at home and away from the nation's biggest group of hotline tipsters – educators. Teachers, administrators, school counselors and other educational professionals report one in every five child-mistreatment claims in the nation, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Other major sources include law enforcement and social workers. Those reports could plummet, experts predict, as children's social circles contract to just family members, which collectively represent just 12 percent of hotline calls. – Suzanne Hirt, Andrea Ball and Katie Wedell United Airlines reinstates some international flightsA day after Friday's announcement that it would reduce international flights by 95% for April due to the government's coronavirus-induced travel advisories, United Airlines said it is reinstating a handful of international flights to Asia, Australia, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe "in an effort to get customers where they need to be" and "help displaced customers who still need to get home." The reinstated routes will be in effect through the end of the month and include outbound flights between Newark and Amsterdam, Munich, Brussels and Sao Paulo; Washington Dulles to London; San Francisco to Frankfurt; and San Francisco to Seoul. – Rasha Ali American Airlines' first cargo-only flight in 35+ years carries medical gearAmerican Airlines is finding a purpose for some of its idle planes, flying its first cargo-only flight since 1984, when the airline retired its Boeing 747 freighters. In a press release issued Thursday, the airline announced that it would be using currently grounded widebody passenger aircrafts to move cargo between the United States and Europe. The first cargo flight departed from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport on Friday and was scheduled to land Saturday in Frankfurt, Germany. The airline will fly four cargo flights this weekend, carrying medical supplies, mail for members of the U.S. military, packages and telecommunications equipment. American also transported much-needed COVID-19 testing kits from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Chicago O'Hare Airport this week on one of its domestic narrowbody planes. – Morgan Hines and Rasha Ali Italy coronavirus cases, deaths spikeItaly reported 793 coronavirus-related deaths and 6,557 new cases Saturday, the highest daily count yet in the nation's health crisis. The latest figures raised Italy's death toll from the virus to 4,825. Emergency Commissioner and Civil Protection Chief Angelo Borrelli said 42,681 people were currently infected with the coronavirus in Italy. It was the second day in a row that Italy registered a record number of deaths and new cases. Italy surpassed China this week in the number of coronavirus-related deaths. New Jersey becomes latest state to enact strict measuresNew Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced Saturday that he would be ordering residents to stay at home, effective at 9 p.m. He also canceled gatherings of any number, including parties, weddings and religious ceremonies. "We need you to just stay at home," Murphy said. "We have to change our behaviors." Illinois plans to require residents to stay home as much as possible, aside from meeting their basic needs, starting Saturday evening. New York plans to ban all nonessential travel beginning Sunday evening, following California's lead, which began Friday. Connecticut and Oregon were preparing to do the same. Fauci: efforts at containing coronavirus are workingDr. Anthony Fauci said efforts to contain the spread of the virus are working, but Americans need to continue to follow the 15-day guidelines for containing the disease. "I think we're getting to the solution that everybody in the country is looking for," said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "We know we are clearly having an effect," Fauci said. "We will get through it, I promise you." Fauci encouraged Americans who do not have symptoms to not get tested. Doing so, he warned, would make it harder for health care workers to prioritize the highest risk Americans. It would also use up highly needed personal protective equipment. "When you go in and get tested you are consuming personal protective equipment masks and gowns," Fauci said. "Those are high priority for the health care workers who were taking care of people who have coronavirus disease." Fauci also repeated the call for health care providers to "Please, put off, cancel, elective medical and surgical procedures." - Michael Collins, John Fritze, Richard Wolf Get daily coronavirus updates in your inbox:Sign up for Daily Briefing New York securing 6,000 ventilators; still needs 18,000 moreNew York officials have identified about 2 million medical-grade masks and 6,000 ventilators to combat the patient surge. The state previously expected to need 24,000 additional ventilators; it still trying to find another 18,000 of the devices. The lifesaving ventilators are being purchased as part of a push to scour the globe for the breathing systems to avoid expected shortages in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo. said. New York's scramble to buy more medical supplies came as authorities moved to lock down communities statewide, banning all nonessential travel. – David Robinson, New York State Team Sanitizing masks: Can they be reused?Trump drew criticism on social media for questioning why masks couldn't be sanitized, rather than being thrown away. "Some don't lead themselves to doing that," Trump acknowledged, "but many do." Trump said that "we have very good liquids" for sanitizing masks and he indicated that is something public health officials are starting to do. Most masks are usually authorized for one-time use, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance this week indicating masks could be reused as a last resort. The University of Nebraska Medical Center began an experimental procedure to decontaminate its masks with ultraviolet light and reuse them, according to a report in the New York Times. "The president thinks we're being wasteful if a potentially contaminated mask is being discarded," tweeted Jonathan Reiner, a professor of medicine at George Washington University. "Let's offer the White House some used masks." - John Fritze Health care workers among those who should get priority testing, officials sayCoronavirus testing is "ramping up" but the priority must still go to the those already in intensive care, symptomatic health care works, and symptomatic workers in long-term care facilities, members of the coronavirus task force said Saturday. "Not every single person in the United States needs to get tested," said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He expressed particular concern that any testing, unnecessary or not, required the tester to use up scarce protective gear. He said the testing process otherwise is getting to where the country wants it to be. Admiral Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health under the Trump administration, said testing has been completed on 195,000 Americans through the initial testing outlets: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local laboratories, and members of the American Clinical lab Association. The latest figures, he said, do not include tens of thousands of tests by local hospitals and other health clinics. - Doug Stanglin FAA lifts ground stop at NYC-area airportsThe Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary ground stop for all flights leaving from New York City-area airports after an FAA air traffic controller tested positive for COVID-19, lifting the stop a short while later. In an alert posted online Saturday, the agency advised air traffic controllers to "stop all departures" to Kennedy, LaGuardia, Newark and other airports in the region. The directive also affects Philadelphia International Airport. The employee who tested positive, at the New York Air Route Traffic Control Center in Ronkonkoma, has not been at the facility since Tuesday. The FAA has contacted local health authorities and is developing a plan to sanitize the affected areas. - Morgan Hines and Leora Arnowitz Some cruise ships are still roaming the seasWhile many major cruise operators are idling their fleets in response to the coronavirus pandemic, some ships are still at sea or trying to find a port as they deal with fears that passengers or crew may have become infected with COVID-19. On Saturday, the Costa Luminosa cruise ship, which had at least three confirmed cases of coronavirus aboard, continued its disembarkation process in Savona, Italy. The ship has been allowed to dock despite the country being in a state of lockdown, issued on March 9. The Italian cruise line said that 198 guests (113 Italian and 85 Swiss passengers) had disembarked, out of 716 total. The process will resume Sunday. Friday, 721 people had left the ship during a stop in Marseilles, France, including French, German, Austrian, American and Canadian passengers. The same day, a jet carrying 359 people, including American and Canadian passengers, landed at Atlanta's international airport, federal officials said. Three people on the flight have tested positive for COVID-19 but had no symptoms, while 13 others are sick but haven't been tested, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Friday. Senators to reconvene on stimulus package that includes $1,200 checksRepublican and Democratic senators were reconvening Saturday, extending marathon negotiations from Friday on a stimulus package that did not produce a deal. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell had set midnight Friday as the deadline for an agreement. McConnell's plan, which was released in full on Thursday, would, among other provisions, send direct payments of $1,200 to individuals and provide assistance to businesses affected by the coronavirus. The Republican from Kentucky aims to pass the bill by Monday. – Nicholas Wu Stay up-to-date on COVID-19 news:Get the Coronavirus Watch in your inbox Stocks post worst week since financial crisisU.S. stocks dropped Friday, capping their worst week since the height of the financial crisis as investors remained jittery about the direction of the economy despite hopes for government and central bank action to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The Dow Jones industrial average tumbled 913.21 points to close at 19,173.98, falling back below 20,000 after wild price swings over the past week. The Standard & Poor's 500 fell 4.3% to end at 2,304.92. The Nasdaq Composite lost 3.8% to close at 6,879.52. For the week, the Dow dropped more than 17%, its worst one-week percentage drop since October 2008. – Jessica Menton Officials look to malaria drug, experimental antivirals as COVID-19 therapiesPresident Donald Trump said this week that the malaria drug chloroquine and the experimental antiviral drug remdesivir are being tested as possible COVID-19 therapies and could slow the epidemic. "It could have a very positive effect, or a positive effect, maybe not very, but maybe positive," Trump said. "It's very, very exciting." There is no current treatment for the virus beyond supportive care that generally includes IV liquids, oxygen, fever reducers and pain killers. Chloroquine as been in use since 1944 to fight malaria and has antiviral effects. Researchers believe it may interfere with the ability of the new virus to fuse to cell walls and infect them. Remdesivir is an antiviral drug used to treat the Ebola virus and is known to be effective against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), both coronaviruses with similarities to SARS-CoV-2. It is an experimental drug developed a decade ago by Gilead Sciences, a California-based biotech firm. – Elizabeth Weise and Ken Alltucker More coronavirus news and information you need to know:Pennsylvania eases nurse licensing rules to fill the ranksPennsylvania is suspending some administrative rules for nurses, like temporarily extending license expiration dates, to ensure that nurses are available to provide care during the outbreak. Pennsylvania's Department of State said Saturday that it is also waiving associated license fees. "We are taking this action to ensure that Pennsylvania has plenty of nurses available to treat patients and that these nurses do not have to worry about renewing their licenses while responding to COVID-19," Pennsylvania Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar said in a statement. She said the moves would also allow more than 14,000 nurse practitioners to be more flexible in meeting public-health needs. The changes also will allow nursing school graduates who meet certain requirements to immediately apply for a graduate permit so they can assist in the COVID-19 response. The permit authorizes graduate nurses to practice under supervision of a registered nurse until they can take the examinations. US-Mexico border will close for nonessential travelThe U.S.-Mexico border will be closed to nonessential travel to further help stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, Trump announced Friday. "As we did with Canada, we're also working with Mexico to implement new rules at our ports of entry to suspend nonessential travel," Trump said. "These new rules and procedures will not impede lawful trade and commerce." Trump said that Mexico is also suspending air travel from Europe. The expected announcement follows the closure of the border between the U.S. and Canada to nonessential travel, which was announced Wednesday. Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters the closure would happen at midnight Friday. – David Oliver Tax Day deadline moved backCLOSE Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced the April 15 tax deadline has been extended due to the coronavirus. Video Elephant The IRS will postpone the April 15 tax deadline by 90 days for millions of individuals who owe $1 million or less and corporations that owe $10 million or less, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. To be sure, Americans still have to meet the April 15 deadline if they are expecting a refund or are requesting a six-month extension, but they can defer payment for up to 90 days beyond that. "We encourage those Americans who can file their taxes to continue to file their taxes on April 15 because for many Americans, you will get tax refunds and we don't want you to lose out on those tax refunds," Mnuchin said. "We want you to make sure you get them." "All you have to do is file your taxes," Mnuchin said. "You'll automatically not get charged interest and penalties." – Jessica Menton How many cases of coronavirus in US?The United States had more than 20,000 cases of coronavirus as of Saturday and over 270 deaths. More coronavirus news and information from USA TODAY:Contributing: The Associated Press Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/03/21/coronavirus-updates-us-states-under-stay-home-orders-stocks-drop/2888166001/  |
| Pences Test Negative; States Warn That Supplies Are Dwindling - The New York Times Posted: 21 Mar 2020 09:38 PM PDT  Here's what you need to know:Image  The vice president tested negative for the coronavirus.Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen Pence, tested negative for the coronavirus, a spokeswoman for Mr. Pence said Saturday night. At a White House press briefing on Saturday, Mr. Pence disclosed that he and Ms. Pence would be tested later that afternoon after an official in his office tested positive. The White House physician advised him that he "has no reason to believe I have been exposed," Mr. Pence said, noting that the person in his office did not come into close contact with Mr. Pence or President Trump. "I am pleased to report that he is doing well," Mr. Pence said of the employee, whom he did not name, adding that the person "has not been to the White House since Monday." The White House first disclosed the employee's illness on Friday evening. Mr. Pence's spokeswoman, Katie Miller, said in a statement that "further contact tracing is being conducted in accordance with C.D.C. guidelines," but she did not immediately reply to a request for more details about the official's role. Several former and current Trump administration officials have self-quarantined over concerns of exposure to the virus. Those include Mick Mulvaney, the former acting White House chief of staff, and Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary. Last week, Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter and adviser, stayed home "out of an abundance of caution" after an Australian official she recently met with tested positive for the coronavirus, a White House spokesman said. By Friday, she had returned to work, watching from the sidelines as her father sparred with reporters in the briefing room. A person familiar with the situation said she had tested negative for the virus. As urgency for medical supplies builds, the White House says companies are stepping up to help.
At a news conference on Saturday at the White House, Vice President Mike Pence said the federal government had ordered "hundreds of millions" of N-95 masks for health care facilities across the country, but he did not say precisely when they would be delivered to workers. And President Trump said another company, Hanes, was now on the roster of major corporations coordinating with the administration. The White House's moves appeared unlikely to satisfy calls for more aggressive action from Washington as the nation grappled with a coast-to-coast reorientation of American life. More than 21,000 cases have been confirmed in the United States, and many more infections are expected in the coming weeks. Video transcript transcript 'We're Working Quickly,' Trump Says About Coronavirus Relief EffortsPresident Trump discussed his approval of a major disaster declaration for the State of New York, attempts to address medical supply shortages and other developments in the pandemic.
 Officials in a number of states, including New York and California, have issued dire predictions and warned of dwindling supplies of crucial gear, like protective equipment, and what they believe will be a vast demand for ventilators. Mr. Trump has sent conflicting signals on how the federal government might solve the supply issues. On Saturday, he said that he had not used the Defense Production Act — which empowers the government to mobilize the private sector to increase the production of scarce goods — because companies were stepping up voluntarily. He cited Hanes and General Motors, which he said would make masks and ventilators. "We want them on the open market from the standpoint of pricing," Mr. Trump said. A Hanes spokesman said the company has agreed to make up to six million masks a week along with a group of other yarn and clothing companies after Trump administration officials reached out about a week ago. The masks will not be the highly sought-after N-95 masks. Hanes is negotiating a contract with the U.S. government to supply the masks at market rates, the spokesman said. Other companies the administration announced coordination with include Honeywell and 3M. Mr. Trump also said Pernod Ricard USA had repurposed production facilities in four states to manufacture hand sanitizer, with the first delivery expected on Tuesday. Tim Cook, the chief executive of Apple, said on Saturday that the company would donate millions of masks to health professionals fighting the virus in the U.S. and Europe. Meanwhile, luxury and fashion and manufacturers are pivoting from clothing to surgical masks and other protective gear. In the United States, entities as diverse as Christian Siriano, a fashion designer favored by former first lady Michelle Obama, Dov Charney, the founder of Los Angeles Apparel and the former chief executive of American Apparel, and Karla Colletto, a swimwear company, all said this weekend they had begun to repurpose their operations to create masks and hospital garments. In Europe, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world's largest luxury goods company, announced on Saturday it had ordered 40 million face masks from a Chinese supplier. They are bound for France. L'Oreal and Coty, the beauty conglomerates, announced they would use their facilities to produce large quantities of hand sanitizer for European hospitals. Separately, the Food and Drug Administration announced on Saturday that it would permit a Silicon Valley company, Cepheid, to start selling a diagnostic test that could determine in about 45 minutes whether a patient has the virus that causes Covid-19. The company's chief medical officer, David Persing, said the tests would be compatible with systems it already had in place at thousands of hospitals and clinics, and that they were likely to hit the market late next week. He did not say how many would be available or how much they would cost. Hawaii's governor ordered a 14-day quarantine for anyone arriving in the state.Gov. David Ige of Hawaii, seeking to slow the increase of coronavirus cases in his state, on Saturday ordered a mandatory 14-day quarantine for everyone arriving in Hawaii, including both tourists and returning residents. He said his order was the first of its kind in the nation. "The threat of Covid-19 is extremely serious, and it requires extreme actions," he said in a news conference. Under Mr. Ige's emergency proclamation, returning residents are to quarantine in their homes, with visitors to stay in their hotel rooms or rented lodgings. They are to leave only to seek medical care. Mr. Ige said in a Facebook post that failure to follow the order would be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $5,000, up to a year's imprisonment or both. The Hawaii Department of Health on Saturday reported 48 cases of coronavirus in the state, an increase of 11 from the day before. A majority of the state's cases are linked to travel, according to Mr. Ige. The mandate will go into effect on Thursday. The governor said the delay was to give tourists time to cancel or postpone their trips, which he said he hoped they would do. "We know that our economy will suffer from this action," he said. But it is necessary, he added, to "flatten the curve" so that the state's health care system is not overwhelmed. A Washington State hospital warned that it could run out of ventilators by early April.Dr. Marty Brueggemann, the chief medical officer at Virginia Mason Memorial in Yakima, Wash., warned Saturday that the hospital could run out of life-preserving ventilators by April 8 if the case projections don't improve and the hospital isn't able to acquire other machines. Dr. Brueggemann said he's witnessed a jarring juxtaposition of what's going on inside the hospital, which is controlling visitors and preparing for an onslaught of patients, only to leave the facility and find people out in the community gathered in large groups, making clear to him that the general population doesn't grasp the gravity of the situation. "We will have to decide who gets a ventilator and who doesn't," Dr. Brueggemann said. "That's only 19 days away." Washington's Department of Health has told local leaders that only the highest-priority areas will have access to the government's stockpile of protective equipment, including N95 masks. Long-term care facilities with confirmed infections and hospitals with the largest number of confirmed cases are at the top of the list, while sites lower down include homeless shelters or medical facilities that don't have confirmed cases. The agency cautioned that not all requests will be fulfilled, and leaders at places like neighborhood health clinics have already seen weeks pass without requests being approved. Experts predict an explosive growth in the number of critically ill patients in some areas of the U.S., similar to that occurring now in Italy. Efforts are being made to suppress the outbreak and expand medical capacity. But if forced to ration, medical workers ask, how do they make the least terrible decision? Who even gets to decide, and how are their choices justified? In the United States, some guidelines already exist for this grim task. In an effort little known even among doctors, federal grant programs helped hospitals, states and the Veterans Health Administration develop what are essentially rationing plans for a severe pandemic. Now those plans, some of which may be outdated, are being revisited for the coronavirus outbreak. Without bold action, the U.S. could be overwhelmed, researchers say.Even if the United States cuts its rate of transmission in half — a tall order — some 650,000 people might become infected in the next two months. That was the conclusion of Columbia University researchers who used a New York Times database of known cases and Census Bureau transportation data to model how the outbreak could evolve. The estimates are inherently uncertain, and they could change as the United States adopts additional measures to control the outbreak. Congress is negotiating a rescue plan that could cost more than $1 trillion.After a day of negotiations over an economic stabilization package, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, asked top Republican negotiators to "draft final legislative text that reflects their compromise products" and deliver it later in the evening. His goal, he said in a statement Saturday night, is to ensure senators could review it before a procedural vote Sunday that would allow the relief for American families and businesses impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. "Republicans and Democrats have worked together to produce a compromise that should be able to pass the Senate with an overwhelming bipartisan majority," Mr. McConnell said. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, said in his own statement that an agreement on the draft legislation, which is expected to exceed $1.3 trillion, had not yet been reached, but Democrats "look forward to reviewing their first draft and negotiating a bipartisan compromise." Mr. McConnell along with Mr. Schumer, Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the House minority leader, are scheduled to meet with Steven T. Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, in Mr. McConnell's office Sunday morning, according to a person familiar with the plans. Executives of airlines, UPS and FedEx pledge to postpone layoffs in return for a big bailout.In a letter to congressional leaders on Saturday, the chief executives of major airlines, UPS and FedEx said that they would postpone mass layoffs and stock buybacks and dividends if Congress secured a large enough bailout for their industry. "We are united as an industry and speaking with one voice," wrote the group, which included the heads of Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines. "We urge you to swiftly pass a bipartisan bill with worker payroll protections to ensure that we can save the jobs of our 750,000 airline professionals." If Congress approves at least $29 billion in grants for the industry, the executives said they would commit to no furloughs or layoffs through August. If an equal amount in loans is passed, they would commit to limits on executive compensation and to freezing stock buybacks and dividends for the life of the loan. In a separate letter to senators on Saturday, Sara Nelson, the president of the Association of Flight Attendants union, echoed the call for grants tied to employment, criticizing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's plan to provide the industry with loans. "Federal aid designed for payroll is the only way to prevent massive layoffs," she said. "Loans won't cut it." Ms. Nelson also said that such aid should be tied to limits on buybacks, executive pay and dividends, as well as protecting union contracts. Europe's crisis keeps getting worse.Italy has imposed a lockdown, deployed the army and risked its economy to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Yet Italy's toll is growing more staggering by the day: On Saturday, officials reported 793 additional deaths, by far the largest single-day increase so far. Italy has surpassed China as the country with the highest death toll, becoming the epicenter of a shifting global pandemic. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Saturday that all Italian businesses must close until April 3, with the exception of those essential to maintaining the country's supply chain, Reuters reported. Supermarkets, pharmacies, postal and banking services will remain open, and essential public services including transport will be ensured, Mr. Conte said. "It is the most difficult crisis in our postwar period," Mr. Conte said in a video posted on Facebook. The government is expected to publish an emergency decree on Sunday to make the latest crackdown immediately effective. The virus's effects are being felt throughout Europe. Poland has reported fewer than 500 cases, but one of the country's hospitals was shut down and evacuated on Saturday after 30 patients and staff members were found to have the virus. France, one of the hardest hit countries in Europe, raised its totals to 14,459 confirmed cases and 562 deaths, and said it had ordered over 250 million face masks from French and foreign suppliers. The governor of the German state of Baden-Wurttemberg asked hospitals in his state to estimate capacity in their intensive care units, so that French patients in need of respirators from the heavily hit Alsace region can be transferred for treatment. The German authorities banned people in Berlin from meeting in groups of more than 10 people, with the exception of lawmakers, courts and those providing essential services, and Spain's health ministry reported a surge in the number of coronavirus deaths to 1,326 and total cases to 25,000, a rise of about 25 percent from a day earlier. In the Madrid region, which has had 60 percent of Spain's cases, hospitals are overflowing and facing equipment shortages. Officials ordered that a field hospital with about 5,500 beds be set up in the Spanish capital's main exhibition center. In the Valencia region, three field hospitals have been added, with a combined 1,000 beds. Hotels have also been converted into hospitals in Madrid and Catalonia, where 122 people have died. But Italy's struggle is among the world's most pronounced, and it is increasingly being seen as a tragic warning for other countries to heed, in part because it is still paying the price of early mixed messages by scientists and politicians. The people who have died in staggering numbers recently — more than 2,300 in the last four days — were mostly infected during the confusion of a week or two ago. Trump wrote to Kim Jong-un offering North Korea help in its coronavirus fight.President Trump sent a letter to North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, expressing his willingness to help the North battle the coronavirus, and North Korea responded by expressing gratitude. "I would like to extend sincere gratitude to the U.S. president for sending his invariable faith to the Chairman," said Kim Yo-jong, the North Korean leader's sister and policy aide, in a statement carried by the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency. Ms. Kim lauded Mr. Trump's decision to write the letter as "a good judgment and proper action." In the letter, Mr. Trump "wished the family of the Chairman and our people well-being," Ms. Kim said, referring to his brother by one of his official titles. According to Ms. Kim, Mr. Trump also explained his plan to move relations between the two countries forward and "expressed his intent to render cooperation in the anti-epidemic work, saying that he was impressed by the efforts made by the Chairman to defend his people from the serious threat of the epidemic." The White House confirmed that Mr. Trump had sent Mr. Kim a letter but did not comment on its specifics. Mr. Trump and Mr. Kim have repeatedly touted their unusual relationship. But relations between Pyongyang and Washington have cooled since the leaders' second summit meeting, held in Vietnam in February of last year, collapsed over differences regarding how quickly North Korea should dismantle its nuclear weapons program and when Washington should ease sanctions. Mexico is allowing Central American migrants to be returned to Mexico.The Mexican government is allowing the United States to immediately return Central American migrants who cross the southwestern border illegally as part of new travel restrictions that took effect on Saturday. The United States will begin immediately returning some migrants from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to Mexico, according to a Customs and Border Protection official and an official with the Mexican government. The Trump administration has said the policy is necessary to combat a potential outbreak of the coronavirus in border facilities. Mexico, in an about-face, confirmed that some Central Americans would be returned to Mexico. Officials at the Foreign Relations Ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the specifics of the plan. As recently as Friday, Marcelo Ebrard, the foreign minister for Mexico, said his country would only accept Mexicans who were rapidly returned. Central American migrants were sent to Mexico from the United States under a different policy that allows them to make an asylum claim but forces them to wait south of the border as their cases wind through the U.S. immigration system. Under the new rule, migrants found to have a criminal history or unaccompanied children will not be immediately returned. But Central Americans and Mexicans will be driven to the nearest port of entry and rushed back to Mexico. Chad Wolf, the acting secretary of homeland security, said other border crossers would be flown back to their home country. It remains unclear whether the directive from the top health officials in the United States would prevent every migrant from having an opportunity to claim asylum. Immigration lawyers have said the rule potentially violates laws that say the United States must provide a migrant on American soil the opportunity to ask for protections and not force migrants to return to places where they would face persecution. New York is declared a "major disaster" area.Video transcript transcript 'Everything Is Uncharted': New Yorkers Confront Life Amid a Coronavirus ShutdownWith restrictions tightened on businesses and daily activity, residents are grappling with uncertainty about resources, health care and their paychecks.
 The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a Major Disaster Declaration for New York, meaning billions of dollars in federal aid could be coming to New York as the rising number of coronavirus cases shows no sign of abating. As of Saturday, 10,356 New York state residents had tested positive for the virus. With 6 percent of the U.S. population, the state now accounts for nearly half of the cases in the country tallied by The New York Times. Stay-at-home orders in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are set to go into effect over the next couple days. New Jersey's takes effect at 9 p.m. Saturday, New York's at 8 p.m. on Sunday and Connecticut on Monday at 8 p.m. Non-essential businesses are ordered closed and residents are being asked to remain indoors unless exercising or shopping for food or medicine. On Friday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said that one million N-95 protective masks were being sent to hospitals in New York City and another 500,000 to Long Island. The state had also identified about 6,000 ventilators from "places all across the globe" for purchase, the governor said. With coronavirus threatening to overwhelm New York hospitals, state officials are considering turning landmark locations like the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center into makeshift hospitals. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is also looking at other locations, including two at State University of New York campuses on Long Island, and at the Westchester Convention Center. The Army Corps is expected to outfit the centers with hospital equipment as soon as Mr. Cuomo tours and green lights the locations, officials said. 103 American passengers remain stranded on the Silver Shadow cruise liner.For more than a week, the 315 passengers aboard the Silver Shadow cruise liner were stuck in their cabins in Recife, Brazil, after a Canadian passenger fell ill and ultimately tested positive for the coronavirus. Late Saturday, the State Department said the United States Embassy in Brazil and the Consulate General in Recife were working to return the American passengers on the ship on a special charter flight. The passengers received meals in their rooms and had their temperatures checked daily. No one else has gotten sick. Over the past few days, most of the 18 countries with citizens aboard the Silver Shadow have chartered aircraft and flown their residents home from Brazil. Canadian travelers left the ship on Saturday, but 103 Americans remain stranded and afloat. Ship personnel told the Americans they would be taken off the ship early Saturday and flown on a charter flight to Dallas, according to one American passenger. But that plan was canceled early Saturday without explanation. "Luxembourg, Romania, Uruguay and even Italy have flown their citizens home, but not the United States," the American passenger said in a phone call from the ship, adding that Mr. Trump's "America First" mantra has become "America Last." The passenger asked not to be identified out of fear of retribution from ship personnel. Find a little joy in these tough days.Feeling anxious about the coronavirus is understandable, but a little respite is also important. Try hosting a remote happy hour, for instance, or learning a new song — one you can sing while washing your hands. Reporting was contributed by Mike Baker, Kate Taylor, Mariel Padilla, Choe Sang-Hun, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Azam Ahmed, Vanessa Friedman, Jessica Testa, Emily Cochrane, Alan Blinder, Katie Rogers, Elaine Yu, Melissa Eddy, Christopher Flavelle, Peter Robins, Raphael Minder, Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs, Maya Salam, Vivian Wang, Isabel Kershner, Livia Albeck-Ripka, Michael Roston, James Gorman, Niraj Chokshi, Julie Bosman, Jesse McKinley, Matt Apuzzo, Selam Gebrekidan, Katie Thomas, Denise Grady, Kenneth P. Vogel, Catie Edmondson, Jesse Drucker, Ben Protess, Steve Eder, Eric Lipton, Alissa J. Rubin, Aurelien Breeden, Joanna Berendt, Jason Horowitz, Emma Bubola, Elisabetta Povoledo, Farnaz Fassihi, Sheri Fink and Kamil Kakol.  |
| Posted: 22 Mar 2020 04:02 AM PDT CLOSE President Donald Trump says everyone is working hard to pass additional legislation for economic relief during the coronavirus pandemic. USA TODAY A bipartisan deal appeared imminent Sunday on a ballooning stimulus package aimed at pumping life into a national economy staggered by coronavirus-driven shutdowns and quarantines. The deal, now estimated at $1.4 trillion, includes $1,200 checks for most U.S. adults and hundreds of billions to assist businesses ground almost to a halt by the pandemic. "We are poised to deliver the significant relief that Americans need with the speed that this crisis demands," McConnell said. The U.S. squeezed past Spain and now trails only Italy an China in reported infections. The U.S. has confirmed more than 26,000 cases and 340 deaths. Confirmed cases, however, are a function of testing. Worldwide cases of coronavirus surpassed 300,000 with more than 13,000 deaths as of Sunday, according to the Johns Hopkins University data dashboard. The gloomy news was not enough to silence Chicagoans, however, who shared in a citywide "Livin' on a Prayer" singalong Saturday night. Jennifer Gorny Carlson and her 6-year-old daughter danced on their lawn. "We just came out of the house for the first time in two weeks to dance with friends – from a safe distance – so it truly was joyful," Carlson said. Our live blog on the coronavirus is being updated throughout the day. Refresh for the latest news. More headlines: Stimulus: $1,200 checks for people, help for businesses, tooPresident Donald Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said a deal was "very near." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer expressed confidence a deal could be struck. Your $1,200 check could be in the mail very soon. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, sounded a positive note on Twitter: "Ever think you'd hear the phrase 'Congress to the rescue'? Senate Republicans now bending on funds to states. Negotiating on terms, size of funding. Good news." McConnell's plan would provide a $1,200 check for most individuals making up to $75,000 annually, with smaller checks for people making more and no checks for those making in excess of $99,000. Schumer called for "unemployment insurance on steroids," giving workers who lost their jobs checks approximating what they were making before they were let go. - Savannah Behrmann Hawaii, New Jersey enact strict measuresHawaii's governor will institute a mandatory 14-day self-quarantine starting for all people traveling to the state and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy ordered residents to stay at home as more states tightened restrictions aimed at curtailing the outbreak. Murphy also canceled gatherings of any number, including parties, weddings and religious ceremonies. "We need you to just stay at home," Murphy said. "We have to change our behaviors." Illinois required residents to stay home as much as possible, aside from meeting their basic needs. New York plans to ban all nonessential travel beginning Sunday evening, following California's lead, which began Friday. Connecticut and Oregon were preparing to do the same. Hawaii Gov. David Ige said his order applies to returning residents as well as visitors. It applies to all arrivals at Hawaii airports from the continental U.S. and international destinations and extends to other private and commercial aircraft. Get daily COVID-19 updates in your inbox: Sign up for Coronavirus Watch In Chicago, 'Livin' on a Prayer'Under stay-at-home orders amid the coronavirus outbreak, people scattered throughout the Chicago metro area belted out Bon Jovi's "Livin' On A Prayer" at 7 p.m. Saturday night, standing at windows, in yards and on balconies in freezing weather. Chicagoans shared dozens of videos capturing the citywide sing-along to social media. At least one Chicago radio station played the song at the designated hour. The song's co-writer,Jon Bon Jovi, gave Chicago a shout-out on Instagram. "Sing it out, baby. We're all going to come through this together. Be strong," Jon Bon Jovi said in a post. - Grace Hauck Italy coronavirus cases, deaths spikeFor the second day in a row on Saturday, Italy registered a record number of deaths and new cases of coronavirus. Italy reported almost 800 coronavirus-related deaths and 6,557 new cases Saturday, the highest daily count yet in the nation's health crisis. The latest figures raised Italy's death toll from the virus to 4,825 as of Saturday evening. More coronavirus news, tips and information from USA TODAY:Defense Protection Act: Trump not requiring companies to produce medical equipmentPresident Donald Trump clarified Saturday that he has not required private companies to produce extra medical equipment under the Defense Production Act. That's because, he said, he hasn't had to. "Because we have so many companies making so many products," he said. "We have the act to use in case we need it." Trump offered mixed signals on the point Friday, suggesting he had mandated companies to produce equipment and then later suggesting he hadn't. Trump and White House aides have signaled that signing the executive order invoking the Korean War-era Defense Production Act has spurred private companies to act on their own, without a direct order from Washington. Trump mentioned clothes maker Hanes as one of the companies that has voluntarily agreed to retrofit its plants to manufacture masks. - John Fritze United Airlines reinstates some international flightsA day after Friday's announcement that it would reduce international flights by 95% for April due to the government's coronavirus-induced travel advisories, United Airlines said it is reinstating a handful of international flights to Asia, Australia, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe "in an effort to get customers where they need to be" and "help displaced customers who still need to get home." The reinstated routes will be in effect through the end of the month and include outbound flights between Newark and Amsterdam, Munich, Brussels and Sao Paulo; Washington Dulles to London; San Francisco to Frankfurt; and San Francisco to Seoul. – Rasha Ali Fauci: Efforts at containing coronavirus are workingDr. Anthony Fauci said Saturday that efforts to contain the spread of the virus are working, but Americans need to continue to follow the 15-day guidelines for containing the disease. "I think we're getting to the solution that everybody in the country is looking for," said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "We know we are clearly having an effect," Fauci said. "We will get through it, I promise you." Fauci encouraged Americans who do not have symptoms to not get tested. Doing so, he warned, would make it harder for health care workers to prioritize the highest risk Americans. It would also use up highly needed personal protective equipment. "When you go in and get tested you are consuming personal protective equipment masks and gowns," Fauci said. "Those are high priority for the health care workers who were taking care of people who have coronavirus disease." - Michael Collins, John Fritze, Richard Wolf How many cases of coronavirus in US?More coronavirus news and information from USA TODAY:Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/03/22/coronavirus-updates-us-state-lockdowns-stimulus-package-congress-pence/2877552001/  |
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