Current daily briefings on the coronavirus can be found here. Scroll below to read previous reports, listed in eastern time.
Tom Hanks has announced that he and his wife Rita have tested positive for coronavirus. “Rita and I are down here in Australia. We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some bad aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too. To play thins right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and we were found to be positive,” Hanks posted on Twitter. “We Hanks’ will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?”
The NBA has suspended the season after a player of on the Utah Jazz tested positive for COVID-19. “The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice,” the NBA said in a statement. “The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.
On Wednesday night, President Trump announced major travel restrictions in response to the coronavirus. “We will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days,” Trump said as he addressed the country from the White House. This suspension does not include the United Kingdom.
This travel restriction will go into place on Friday. Trump added that there will be exemptions for Americans who undergo screening for COVID-19.
What can people do to bolster their immune system to protect against effects of COVID-19? Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) and Regents Professor, McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Public Health, appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast this week and offered a few tips that everyone can follow as the new coronavirus spreads.
• Maintain a healthy weight, stay in good physical shape
• Don’t miss dosages of medications for underlying medical conditions, like high blood pressure
• Get enough sleep and eat a healthy diet
• Drastically lower alcohol intake
El Salvador has declared a national quarantine, restricting any foreigners from entering the country for 30 days. All schools will also be closed for 21 days, despite the country having zero confirmed cases of COVID-19.
The neighboring country of Guatemala announced earlier in the day that it was not allowing anyone to enter the country that were Europeans or citizens of China, Iran or South Korea to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were no confirmed cases in Guatemala.
NBA players across the league are reacting to news of the coronavirus causing some games to be played without fans, including Golden State Warrior Steph Curry. “You don’t really know what to expect. I’ve been in the league a very long time and never had to deal with anything like this, so it will be different, it will be weird,” Curry said. The Brooklyn Nets will be playing the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco on Thursday in an empty arena.
Elsewhere in the Bay Area, the San Jose Sharks are preparing to host a trio of hockey games to an audience of empty seats. “All three San Jose Sharks games (March 19 vs. Montreal, March 21 vs. Boston and March 29 vs. Arizona) will be played as scheduled at SAP Center but will be closed to the general public,” the team said on Wednesday.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced 43 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the total in the Empire State to 243 as of Wednesday afternoon. The highest concentration of cases was in Westchester County, where AccuWeather’s Dexter Henry has been reporting from. More than 120 cases have been reported there.
New York City, which canceled the half marathon scheduled for this Sunday, has the second-most cases in the state with 52. Earlier on Wednesday, CBS News announced it was directing employees to work from home for two days after two employees tested positive for COVID-19, one at each of the Tiffany Network’s 57th Street facilities in Manhattan, Variety reported.
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a state of emergency on Wednesday afternoon during a press conference about the coronavirus. Bowser said that the District’s health department is renting a facility that can quarantine up to 50 people. As of Wednesday afternoon, there have been 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19, but no fatalities. D.C. Health advisory is recommending that non-essential mass gatherings, including conferences and conventions, be postponed or canceled through March 31.
NCAA President Mark Emmert released a statement saying that the upcoming NCAA basketball tournament, known to many as March Madness, will take place in empty arenas. “I have made the decision to conduct our upcoming championship events, including the Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, with only essential staff and limited family attendance,” Emmert said. “This decision is in the best interest of public health, including that of coaches, administrators, fans, and most importantly, our student-athletes.” The tournament is set to begin next week.
Confirmed cases are on the rise in New Jersey. Governor Phil Murphy said another eight cases of COVID-19 were discovered and the patients included three women and five men and ranged in age from 17 to 66. According to health officials in the Garden State, 80 people have been tested and 23 have returned presumptive positive results, but none have yet to be confirmed by the CDC. A day earlier, Murphy announced the state’s first fatality from COVID-19, 69-year-old John Brennan from Bergen County.
On Wednesday, Dr. Anthony Fauci testified in front of the House Oversight Committee on the growth of coronavirus cases in the U.S. Fauci is the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases, and he said, “We will see more cases and things will get worse than they are right now.”
“How much worse we’ll get will depend on our ability to do two things. To contain the influx of people who are infected coming from the outside, and the ability to contain and mitigate within our own country. Bottom line: It’s going to get worse.” Click here to see his full testimony.
The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) has confirmed New Mexico’s first cases of the coronavirus. As of Wednesday afternoon, the state had tested 90 people with three people testing positive for COVID-19.
“We are actively monitoring the hospital bed capacity in New Mexico and the availability of facemasks, respirators, and other personal protective equipment needed for infection control. We are working with healthcare facilities to be prepared if there are shortages and to implement alternative sites for healthcare if needed, and to increase the supply of personal protective equipment,” the NMDOH stated.
San Francisco officials have issued a ban on all group events larger than 1,000 people, Mayor London Breed announced Wednesday. The ban went into effect immediately.
The Golden State Warriors will play the Brooklyn Nets without fans on Thursday night at the Chase Center to help against the spread of coronavirus. The ban will last at least two weeks.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee banned gatherings of more than 250 people, including sporting events. The ban encompasses Snohomish, King and Pierce counties, which include nearly 4 million people, according to NBC Sports.
This could impact the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament as Spokane, Washington, is the location for part of the tournament. The Seattle Mariners could also see a change by hosting their regular-season games in Arizona, according to The Athletic.
The in-house physician for the U.S. Congress reportedly expects 70-150 million people in the U.S. to contract the coronavirus. According to a report by Axios on Wednesday, Dr. Brian Monahan delivered the prediction to a gathering of Capitol Hill staffers at a closed-door meeting this week. Axios cited two anonymous sources who reportedly said they had knowledge of the meeting and what was discussed. A number of cases in that range would represent about one-third to nearly half of the U.S. population.
🚨World Health Organization declares coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. The announcement came as the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organizations have “been assessing this outbreak around the clock” and that the number of cases of COVID-19 outside of China has exploded 13-fold in the last two weeks.
“There are now more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries, and 4,291 people have lost their lives,” Tedros added. “Thousands more are fighting for their lives in hospitals. We are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction.” Tedros went on to say, “We have never before seen a pandemic sparked by a coronavirus and we have never before seen a pandemic that can be controlled at the same time.”
Adjusting to the new normal in the coronavirus era isn’t easy. Just ask Mark Rutte, the prime minister of the Netherlands, who seconds after announcing on live TV the implementation of a new “no-handshake” policy, promptly turned to Jaap van Dissel, a top Dutch infectious disease doctor, and shook his hand. “Sorry, sorry, we can’t do that anymore!” Rutte said. What to do if you can’t shake hands? “You can shake feet, touch elbows as you wish,” the prime minister advised.
The demand for flights has fallen more in recent days due to coronavirus fears than after 9/11, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes told CNBC. Airlines such as Delta, United, and American are waiving change fees to accommodate travelers who are worried about the spread of coronavirus. And on the rails, Amtrak is doing the same.
Three TSA agents from San Jose, California, are being treated for the coronavirus and are being quarantined at home after testing positive, the Transportation Security Administration reported.
The CDC has expanded guidance for people who are 60 years old and up, and said older adults “are more likely to develop serious outcomes, including death, if infected with COVID-19.”
“This seems to be a disease that affects adults and most seriously older adults. Starting at age 60, there is an increasing risk of disease and the risk increases with age,” Director for the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease Nancy Messonnier said. Messonnier urged those who are the highest-risk people and their families stock up on “enough household items and groceries so that you will be prepared to stay home for a period of time.”
Will using a disinfectant on your Apple products to protect against the spread of coronavirus harm them?
Apple says it’s OK to gently wipe the hard, nonporous surfaces using 70% isopropyl alcohol wipes or Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, however, do not use bleach or let moisture in any opening.
The United States Treasury Department is considering delaying the April 15 tax deadline for filing income taxes to mitigate the impact of coronavirus on U.S. businesses and households, The Wall Street Journal reported. According to the report, it’s unclear how long officials might extend the deadline past April 15.
The start of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo is just over four months away, but organizers are discussing the possibility of postponing the Summer Games to a later date. According to a report in Kyodo News, a representative of the organizing committee’s executive board will “propose a possible delay of this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics,” at a meeting later this month.
Haruyuki Takahashi, a former senior managing director at a large advertising firm, told Kyodo News that “time is running out,” and added, “We need to deal with (the crisis) based on reality.” However, the organizing committee released a comment later on Wednesday saying the Games will go ahead as scheduled and denied knowledge of Takahashi’s suggestion, according to Kyodo News.
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. topped 1,000 during the overnight hours and the death toll climbed to 29. Here are the updated COVID-19 global numbers as of Wednesday morning, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University.
Vodka won’t kill coronavirus. The CDC recommends that if soap and water are not readily available, people should wash hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. With many retailers experiencing a shortage of hand sanitizer and other cleaning products, some folks are seeking alternative methods.
One fan of Tito’s Vodka inquired with the company on Twitter about using the spirit as part of a recipe to create a DIY sanitizer. Tito’s responded to the inquiry with the following tweet. The customer’s initial tweet has since been deleted. “Per the CDC, hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60% alcohol. Tito’s Handmade Vodka is 40% alcohol, and therefore does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC. Please see attached for more information.”
Coachella and Stagecoach have been postponed to October due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The New York International Auto show is postponed until late August, the first time the annual event has been rescheduled since WWII, CNBC reports.
Live audiences for all sorts of events are being canceled as coronavirus fears rise. There will be no live audience for the Democratic Presidential debate in Phoenix on March 15, due to the spread of the coronavirus, according to the Democratic National Committee.
Shows such as The Wendy Williams Show, Dr. Phil, Jeopardy!, and Wheel Of Fortune will also be held without audiences due to coronavirus concerns, Deadline reported on Tuesday.
Drive-through coronavirus testing has arrived in the U.S. The state of Washington has the first drive-thru coronavirus testing facility in the nation, according to NPR. The University of Washington Medical Center can currently test 40 to 50 people per day using the method, CBS affiliate KIRO reports.
Students attending Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and many other universities are being told not to return after spring break, according to announcements from the colleges.
Universities that have made changes to their academic schedule:
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Harvard University
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
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Duke University
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University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
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Stanford University
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Rice University
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Vanderbilt University
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Bucknell University
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Berea University
Greece’s Olympic Committee announced that the torch lighting ceremony in ancient Olympia will take place without fans or spectators present on Thursday, which will be the first in more than 35 years to be held without spectators.
Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden both canceled their Tuesday night rallies due to coronavirus fears.
They were set to have a rallies in Cleveland, Ohio, where three new confirmed cases were announced on Monday.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem confirmed the first presumptive case of COVID-19 in South Dakota.
“The cases are travel related. While we wait for the CDC to conduct their confirmatory testing, the Department of Health staff is working to identify additional people who came in close contact with these individuals to decrease the spread of illness,” Gov. Noem said.
Where did the name COVID-19 come from? The disease caused by the new strain of coronavirus was officially named COVID-19 on Feb. 11 by the World Health Organization (WHO). The “CO” stands for corona, the “V” for virus, “D” for disease and the “19” represents the year the outbreak was discovered.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “Having a name matters to prevent the use of other names that can be inaccurate or stigmatizing. It also gives us a standard format to use for any future coronavirus outbreaks.”
A third presumptive case has been confirmed in Minnesota. The infected person is in their 30s and in critical condition, the Minnesota Department of Health reported.
In Nashville, Tennessee 53,127 hotel rooms have been canceled amounting to $26 million in spending lost due to the coronavirus, according to Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. and WKRN.
New York governor deploys national guard to COVID-19 hotspot. Andrew Cuomo told reporters he’s sending the National Guard to New Rochelle, a small city in Westchester County just to the northeast of the Bronx. “It is what they call a cluster,” the governor said at a press conference. “The numbers are going up unabated.” Cuomo said National Guard members will assist with food delivery and cleaning.
The Empire State saw 31 new cases, bringing the total up to 173 — 108 of which are in Westchester County. “This is the single greatest public health challenge we have in the state right now,” Cuomo said.
The state of New Jersey recorded its first death from COVID-19 on Tuesday. Governor Phil Murphy, who announced the news on Twitter, said a man in his 60s from Bergen County died due to the virus. “We are sad to report the first death in a case of COVID-19 in New Jersey,” Murphy said. He also added that three additional cases were confirmed in the Garden State. A day earlier, he declared a state of emergency in New Jersey, which had 15 active cases as of Tuesday.
More professional soccer leagues across Europe will hold games in empty stadiums, according to The Associated Press, which reported that the decision includes all games in Spain, France and Portugal as well as some in Germany.
Serie A, the top league in Italy, held several contests in empty stadiums, but on Monday, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said all sports in Italy have been halted as the entire country remains in lockdown.
Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams told ABC News on Tuesday morning that Americans should “absolutely be prepared for a huge spike in the outbreak on United States soil.” However, he also urged Americans to not be afraid.
Citing H1N1, SARS and MERS, Adams said the country has faced similar situations in the past and citizens need to rely on a proper understanding of the virus in order to best prepare themselves.
A shift in strategies has changed focuses for U.S. communities in how the virus is viewed and treated, Adams said. Initially, when the virus was mainly spreading from mainland China, a containment posture focused on how to keep the virus away from other areas. But now, as the virus can threaten from many different directions and different countries around the world, communities have shifted to a mitigation strategy.
“Mitigation means that within your community, how do you lower the impact of the virus and prevent it from spreading?” Adams said. “Things like school closures, things like pulling down large social gatherings, things like telework policies. Those are all steps that folks should be thinking about in case they have an outbreak in their community…. This is likely going to get worse before it gets better.“
What is this difference between SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19?
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), SARS-CoV-2 refers to the virus while COVID-19 refers to the disease. Using the term COVID-19, or just referring to the disease as “coronavirus,” has been used more generally and has helped the general public differentiate the current outbreak from the SARS epidemic in 2002 and 2003.
Here are the updated COVID-19 global numbers on Tuesday morning, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. The world passed the threshold of 4,000 total deaths in the early morning hours.
Officials in Santa Clara County, California, have announced a ban on gatherings of 1,000 people or more following the county’s first confirmed coronavirus-related death. Airports, schools, shopping malls and other places where 1,000 people or more may be in transit are exempt from the ban.
The ban could impact events scheduled at SAP Center, home of the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. “We will adhere to the mandated guidelines. No events are scheduled at SAP Center until Tues., March 17. We will be reviewing each scheduled event due to take place for the rest of the month and provide an update in the coming days,” a statement on the team’s website said.
Ohio State has suspended all in-person classes and opted to move to virtual instruction through at least the end of the month, according to The Columbus Dispatch. University-sponsored international travel has also been put on hold through at least April 20 due to coronavirus concerns.
The announcements from the university came just hours after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine confirmed the state’s first confirmed cases of COVID-19.
“I understand that our policy guidelines will cause measurable disruption, but the risk of not acting outweighs the inconvenience of these temporary measures,” President Michael V. Drake said in an email to the campus community late Monday night. “The safety of our campus community is always our top priority.”
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 7-9.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 5-6.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 2-4.
Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from Feb. 27 to March 1
Additional reporting by Lauren Fox, Brian Lada and Maria Antonieta Valery Gil.
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