Previous coronavirus daily briefing updates, March 18-20

Current daily briefings on the coronavirus can be found here. Scroll below to read previous reports, listed in eastern time.

March 20, 9:49 p.m.

After Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced Thursday evening that non-essential businesses in Pennsylvania will be penalized for refusing to close during the growing COVID-19 outbreak, he has decided to extend the period before penalization. Wolf said on Friday this is due to the high volume of waiver requests. Now, enforcement will not begin until 8 a.m. on Monday, March 23. Non-life-sustaining businesses are still required to remain closed until that time.

March 20, 9:17 p.m.

NBC News employee Larry Edgeworth died Thursday after testing positive for the coronavirus, the network announced Friday. Edgeworth, 61, had worked as an audio technician at the news organization’s headquarters in New York City, New York, for 25 years. He had underlying health issues, according to his wife, Crystal.

“I was always cheered and reassured knowing he was on the team in the field,” NBC News’ chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell said. “He always had my back whether here in the U.S. or in the most dangerous situations around the world.”

March 20, 8:40 p.m.

On March 20, the Google Doodle honored Ignaz Semmelweis, an Austro-Hungarian doctor. During the 19th century, Semmelweis proposed doctors and medical staff wash their hands to reduce the spread of infection between their patients after noticing new mothers frequently died from unknown illnesses shortly after childbirth. These new measures drastically reduced the mortality rate of new mothers, proving the effectiveness of hand washing. This earned him the nicknames “the savior of mothers” and “the father of infection control.”

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends hand washing as a preventative measure against the coronavirus.

March 20, 7:59 p.m.

Andy Cohen, the host of “Watch What Happens Live” announced on Friday he has tested positive with COVID-19. Due to the virus, Cohen said on Instagram that the production of his show has been halted. There is no specified date of when the production will return to normal.

March 20, 7:00 p.m.

An unnamed staff member in Vice President Mike Pence’s office has tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, CNN reported. “Neither President Trump nor Vice President Pence had close contact with the individual,"  Press Secretary for the Vice President Katie Miller said.

March 20, 6:27 p.m.

Pope Francis announced that the feet-washing ceremony in Holy Thursday services will be canceled. Holy Thursday services are held three days before Easter. Other measures have been taken by the Vatican to prevent a faster spread of COVID-19 during the Easter season. Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter’s Square has also been canceled.

March 20, 5:56 p.m.

Colton Underwood, the bachelor on the 23rd season of the reality show “The Bachelor,” tested positive for COVID-19. He shared a video on Twitter where he explained he had become symptomatic a few days ago and his positive test results came back Friday. Underwood, who is 28 and described himself as being in good health, said he “can’t even walk up a flight of stairs without being out of breath.”

March 20, 5:15 p.m.

Here are the lasted numbers on COVID-19, provided by Johns Hopkins University researchers:

• Global case count: 266,115

• Global death toll: 11,153

• Global recoveries: 87,363

In the U.S., New York state has skyrocketed in cases. With 7,245 cases, the state holds 43% of the entire country’s cases. The U.S. has confirmed 16,638 cases as of Friday afternoon. The national death toll has reached 216 on Friday, with the majority coming from Washington state, which holds 74 deaths and makes up 34% of the national total. The U.S. is currently the sixth most infected nation behind Iran, Germany, Spain, Italy and China.

March 20, 4:27 p.m.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a stay-at-home order for the entire state Friday afternoon during a press conference. The order will go into effect on Saturday at 5 p.m. PDT through April 7. The order requires residents to stay at home unless they have an “essential” reason to leave, such as grocery shopping or going to work if their job remains open.

“For the vast majority of you already taking precautions, your lives will not change very much,” Pritzker said. Illinois is the third state behind California and New York to issue a stay-at-home order.

March 20, 3:35 p.m.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order on Friday that postpones all non-essential medical and dental procedures. Hospitals, freestanding surgical outpatient facilities, dental facilities and all state-operated outpatient facilities are required to follow the executive order by 5 p.m. on March 21.

March 20, 3:15 p.m.

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to create shortages, several corporations have pitched in to help restock the empty shelves. Distilleries in the U.K. and the U.S. are helping by producing hand sanitizer rather than alcohol. Since hand-sanitizers require a base of 60%-plus alcohol, distilleries are fully equipped for this task.

March 20, 2:26 p.m.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Italy soared to more than 47,000, over half of China’s confirmed 80,967, according to data collected by BNO News. The Washington Post reported Friday that a prominent trend in Italy showed men made up nearly 60% of people with confirmed cases of the virus and more than 70 of the nation’s mortality rate from COVID-19. The same trend of a higher mortality rate in men also appeared in South Korea.

“From Italy we’re seeing another concerning trend, that the mortality in males seem to be twice in every age group of females,” Dr. Deborah Birx on the White House coronavirus task force said Friday. “This should alert all of us to continue our vigilance to protect Americans who are in nursing homes."

March 20, 1:07 p.m.

The U.S. and Mexico announced plans to limit travel over their shared border, The Associated Press reported. President Donald Trump and Mexico Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said recreational and tourist travel would be prohibited. The restrictions are set to take place at midnight Friday. Earlier this week, the U.S. and Canada announced similar restrictive measures for travel over their respective border. On Thursday, the U.S. State Department issued a level 4 'do not travel' advisory, telling Americans to avoid all international travel due to the spread of COVID-19.

March 20, 12:05 p.m.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he will sign an executive order mandating that 100% of the state's workforce must stay home, with the exception of essential services. "This order excludes pharmacies, grocery stores, and others," he stated. New York state has more than 5,700 confirmed cases of COVID-19, which is more than many countries including the U.K., Switzerland, and the Netherlands, according to Johns Hopkins University data. If New York were a country it would rank ninth in total cases, coming in right behind South Korea, which has more than 8,600. Thirty-eight deaths have been reported in the state.

March 20, 11:19 a.m.

In an eerie sign of the times, one municipality in southeastern Pennsylvania is strictly enforcing social distancing. At Firefighters Park in Middletown Township, about 30 minutes north of Philadelphia, the basketball rims have been removed from the popular courts and the playground and swing sets have been closed off with caution tape. The measure targeted “high interaction” park amenities and went into effect Tuesday. However, by Wednesday, some residents must have become restless as the tape had been stripped off the playground.

March 20, 11:08 a.m.

At the direction of President Donald Trump, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that Tax Day is being moved from April 15 to July 15. "All taxpayers and businesses will have this additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties. I encourage all taxpayers who may have tax refunds to file now to get your money," Mnuchin stated.

March 20, 10:41 a.m.

"It's at least going to be several weeks," until Americans can resume some semblance of normal life, said Anthony Fauci, director of the NIAID. "I cannot see that all of the sudden -- next week or two weeks from now -- it's gonna be over," Fauci told Savannah Guthrie of NBC's Today show. Fauci's remarks are similar to those made by a professor of biocomplexity at the University of Virginia. Madhav Marathe this week told AccuWeather's Bill Waddell, "I think if anybody thinks we’ll be doing this for two weeks and then we’re done ... I don’t think that’s going to work out. We’ll go right back where we started."

March 20, 10:20 a.m.

For the second consecutive day, China's Hubei province, home to the metropolis of Wuhan where the COVID-19 pandemic originated, reported no new cases of suspected infections. China's National Health Commission said over 700 patients were released from hospitals in the province Thursday, and there were two new deaths.

In total, Hubei has reported 67,800 cases of confirmed infections including 50,005 in Wuhan, the commission said. Across mainland China there have been 80,967 reports of confirmed cases and 3,248 deaths. On Thursday, Italy surpassed China as the country with the most fatalities and has more than 3,400 as of Friday morning.

March 20, 9:40 a.m.

As the grip of panic and anxiety holds firm over the minds of Americans, food distributors are assuring them that the U.S. isn’t likely to run out of food during the pandemic. One of America’s largest food distributors, UNFI, says some warehouses are running at 200% to 500% of average capacity this time of year, according to NPR. It's like the weekend before Thanksgiving — every day. 

But even when the supplies exist, there can be shortages in stores due to the time it takes to package and ship the food. Because of this, people are encouraged to buy no more than what they would use within a couple weeks.

March 20, 6:44 a.m.

The latest updated numbers from researchers at Johns Hopkins University show the global death toll surging past 10,000 after the most destructive day yet.

• Total confirmed cases: 245,484

• Total deaths: 10,031

• 86,035

March 19, 10:02 p.m.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an order for all California residents to stay at home amid growing COVID-19 concerns. According to the order, California residents should not leave their house if it is not to get food, provide care to a relative or friend, receive necessary health care themselves or have an essential job. The state currently has 952 confirmed cases and 18 deaths related to the virus, according to Johns Hopkins University.

In a letter written to President Trump, Gov. Newsom requested immediate assistance. According to Newsom, the state is projecting to see 56% of its residents, a total of 25.5 million people, infected within the next eight weeks.

March 19, 9:24 p.m.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott announced the first two COVID-19-related deaths in the state on Thursday, CNN reported. According to Scott and the state heath commissioner, both people — one man and one woman — were elderly. The state of Vermont had a total of 22 confirmed cases as of Thursday evening, according to Johns Hopkins University.

March 19, 9:06 p.m.

During a CNN Town Hall regarding COVID-19, Director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci said there is “a good chance” that someone cannot be infected by the virus more than once. “Projecting what we know about viruses, I would say that there is a very good chance that you're protected," Fauci said.

March 19, 8:51 p.m.

Two COVID-19-related deaths were reported in Wisconsin on Thursday, making them the first in the state. Gov. Tony Evers announced the deaths were a Fond du Lac County man in his 50’s and a Ozaukee County man in his 90’s. According to CBS, no further details have been reported.

March 19, 8:37 p.m.

Two Los Angeles Lakers have tested positive for COVID-19, the team announced over Twitter. Both players are reportedly quarantined under the care of the team physician and not experiencing any symptoms. Boston Celtics player Marcus Smart has also tested positive. He posted videos over Twitter telling people he also has no symptoms and is in self-quarantine.

March 19, 8:15 p.m.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an order on Thursday morning limiting gatherings on beaches in the state to less than 10 people. Speaking to Fox News, DeSantis said the “hot spots” for visitors, like Miami and Fort Lauderdale, are closed entirely. On Thursday night, the Florida Government website was down due to such high traffic.

“...Spring break’s done. Any place to go for bars and all this done. They don't have a place to go,” DeSantis said, according to CNN.

March 19, 6:57 p.m.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Thursday that he enacted a moratorium against the removal or homeowners or renters due to foreclosures or evictions as a response to COVID-19. The state currently has 743 confirmed cases and nine deaths related to COVID-19, according to Johns Hopkins University. “Keeping people in their homes protects all of us against increased risk of contracting and spreading #COVID19," Murphy posted on Twitter.

March 19, 6:09 p.m.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has ordered all “non-life-sustaining” businesses by 8 p.m. on Thursday. Wolf said that any businesses that do not comply with the order will risk citations, fines and license suspensions starting Saturday. Non-life sustaining business includes mining, construction, various types of retail stores, personal care services, schools and more. Restaurants may continue to operate as takeout only and religious groups are allowed to continue operation. Business, labor, political and professional organizations are considered non-life sustaining.

March 19, 5:37 p.m.

COVID-19 could continue to have an impact on people’s lives for several months, according to researchers at the Biocomplexity Institute at the University of Virginia.The data collected by the institute indicates that stricter measures and restrictions may have to be taken to stop any further transmission of the virus. Madhav Marathe, a director and distinguished professor of the institute told AccuWeather National Reporter Bill Wadell “I think if anybody thinks we’ll be doing this for two weeks and then we’re done… I don’t think that’s going to work out. We’ll go back to where we started.” Marathe also mentioned the government’s involvement, stating that state governments in the country “should actively start building temporary medical facilities.”

March 19, 4:43 p.m.

A poll conducted by Gallup shows the American public is becoming increasingly concerned by COVID-19. Six in 10 Americans report being “very” or “somewhat worried." The same poll was conducted in February, which reported to be 36% lower than the recent March poll. According to Gallup, the level or worry reported is much higher than that of other outbreaks, including SARS, West Nile virus and anthrax.

Additionally, 86% of Americans polled expressed the virus will have a “very” or “somewhat negative" affect on the global economy. Half of workers in the U.S. also indicated that they believe the virus will have a negative affect on their workplace, another poll by Gallup showed.​​​​​​​

March 19, 3:30 p.m.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that over 7,500 New Yorkers were tested on Wednesday night, and 1,769 new positive cases were found, with the vast majority coming from New York City county. He said 38% of cases were between the ages of 20 and 54. To combat the spread, Cuomo is mandating 75% of the non-essential workforce begin working from home, starting Thursday.

March 19, 3:00 p.m.

Forbes has reported that almost 862 million children, about half of the world’s student population, are currently out of school due to COVID-19. Globally, 107 countries have shut down schools and another 12 have issued local school closures. Just one week prior, only 15 countries had issued the closure of schools. USA Today reported that about 70% of U.S. schools have closed as of Tuesday.

March 19, 2:29 p.m.

Italy surpassed China in number of COVID-19 related deaths on Thursday, reporting 3,405 fatalities and China reporting 3,249 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. China, however still doubles Italy in confirmed cases with 81,155, compared to Italy’s 41,035 cases. That puts Italy’s death rate at just over 8%, double China’s death rate of 4%.

March 19, 2:08 p.m.

The U.S. received a shipment from Italy this week that could greatly enhance COVID-19 testing efforts. An Air National Guard cargo plane delivered 500,000 swabs from Italy to Memphis, Tennessee, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman confirmed to Defense One, a website that covers the military and national security. Air Force Brig. Gen. Dr. Paul Friedrichs said the swabs are used to collect samples from individuals undergoing coronavirus screening. “This is a great example of how nations are working together to ensure that we’re meeting the global demand,” Friedrichs said.

March 19, 1:49 p.m.

President Trump told reporters that the anti-malaria drug chloroquine is in the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval process to be tested as a COVID-19 treatment. Research studies have proven that the drug is effective at preventing and treating the virus that causes SARS. Per Trump’s orders, the FDA is fast-tracking the approval process, however FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said the drug would be in a clinical trial to determine its safety and has not yet been approved for COVID-19 patients.

March 19, 1:33 p.m.

The State Department is reportedly set to announce a Level 4 global travel advisory as coronavirus cases continue to rapidly increase. Politico reported Thursday that the measure is coming, citing three anonymous sources. The advisory is the top-tier warning that can be issued and is reserved for times of war or other serious disruptions. The department is also set to advise all American citizens abroad to either return home or stay in place, according to the report. Americans will also be instructed not to travel abroad.

March 19, 12:33 p.m.

Are robots here to save the day? The Westin Medical Center Hotel in Houston began deploying LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots packed with ultraviolet lights to sanitize rooms after stays. The technology used by the robot has been previously used in the medical field and has been proven to kill bacteria in other strands of the coronavirus family, such as SARS and MERS.

Melinda Hart, a spokesperson for Xenex Disinfection Services, the robot manufacturer, told AccuWeather that the company has seen significantly more interest in their products since the COVID-19 outbreak, “We are shipping robots overseas daily, and U.S. demand has surged this week."

March 19, 12:02 p.m.

The Prince's Palace of Monaco has reported that the country's leader, Prince Albert II, has tested positive for COVID-19. Two days ago, Prince Albert banned all group gatherings and, just over 24 hours ago, he announced the principality would go into indefinite lockdown.

March 19, 11:37 a.m.

Infectious disease experts estimate the death rate in Wuhan has fallen to 1.4%,which is near-half the original estimate of an up to 3% fatality rate, according to a report by STAT, the medical news publication. The change came after infectious disease experts calculated the fatality rate among those who have symptoms of the new coronavirus in Wuhan, China, the initial epicenter of the outbreak. The WHO has previously pegged the COVID-19 death rate at 3.4%.

March 19, 11:02 a.m.

Is it safe for COVID-19 patients to take ibuprofen? Right now, the WHO said that based on current information, it is monitoring the situation but "does not recommend against the use of ibuprofen." In a brief Twitter thread, the WHO added, "We are consulting with physicians treating the patients and are not aware of reports of any negative effects, beyond the usual ones that limit its use in certain populations."

Still, claims are floating around social media suggesting that ibuprofen, the active ingredient in over-the-counter drugs like Advil, aggravates the symptoms of COVID-19. According to NBC News, other medical experts concur with the WHO's guidance. "There are no hard data at all saying that ibuprofen puts you at any kind of a disadvantage or interferes with the inflammatory response of the body such that it can't fight off the virus," Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University, told NBC News.

March 19, 10:48 a.m.

Many stores around the U.S. are designating time for vulnerable shoppers to get the items they need. Walmart announced that starting March 24, an hour-long period would be set aside each Tuesday for customers 60 and older. Others, such as Target, are also reserving weekly time slots for shoppers such as pregnant women and those with comprised immune systems.

Whole Foods Market, Dollar General, Big Lots, Safeway, and Stop & Shop are some popular stores that have set aside times for vulnerable shoppers. In a statement, Whole Foods Market said the goal is to help those customers shop in a safer, less-crowded environment.

However, some experts such as University of Pennsylvania infectious disease doctor Alysa Rain now fear that have a large number of senior citizens gathering at the same time could potentially enhance the risk.“It was a good idea in general, but it’s a little bit dangerous if it’s not controlled.”

March 19, 10:11 a.m.

The U.S. is closing in on 10,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and, as of Thursday morning, had surpassed France and South Korea, two other hotspots, in total cases reported. New York state is reporting more than 3,000 cases. The death toll in the U.S. hit 150, according to Johns Hopkins University figures. Globally the death toll has climbed above 9,000.

March 19, 8:01 a.m.

In North Korea, despite the country's close proximity to major hotbeds China and South Korea, data from Johns Hopkins University researchers currently shows that no cases of coronavirus, as North Korean officials have also not reported any cases.

General Robert Abrams, commander of US Forces Korea, refutes claims that the country doesn't have any cases due to the lack of military activity in recent weeks. On Feb. 20, all schools in the country were delayed from starting for at least one month, The Daily NK reported.

March 19, 6:54 a.m.

The latest updated numbers from researchers at Johns Hopkins University show that Wednesday brought another day of frightening growth in cases.

• Total confirmed cases: 221,416

• Total deaths: 8,966

• Total recovered: 84,179

Wednesday's rise of 17,700 new cases was the second largest day of growth since the beginning of the outbreak, following only Monday of this week.

March 18, 9:55 p.m.

Princess Beatrice of York, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth, decided to delay her wedding and cancel the planned reception, according to Reuters. Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, a British property developer, had been planning to hold the ceremony on May 29 at London’s St. James’s Palace.The change in plans comes after the British government advised citizens to avoid social gatherings to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

“They are particularly conscious of government advice in relation to both the wellbeing of older family members and large gatherings of people,” the palace said in a statement. Queen Elizabeth II was to give the couple a private reception in the Buckingham Palace gardens.

March 18, 9:20 p.m.

In a White House press conference on Wednesday, coronavirus response coordinator for the White House coronavirus task force Dr. Deborah Birx called for people to be aware that there may be a “disproportional number” of cases for the millennial generation. “Even if it’s a rare occurrence, it may be seen more frequently in that group and be evident now,” Birx said, then calling on the generation to take part in preventative measures against the virus.

“We cannot have these large gatherings that continue to occur throughout the country for people who are off work to then be socializing in large groups and spreading the virus,” Birx said. “You have the potential then to spread it to someone who does have a condition that none of us knew about and cause them to have a disastrous outcome.” When asked about her confidence of the seasonality of the virus, Birx responded, “All we can do is look at the past to inform the future.”

March 18, 8:48 p.m.

Utah Representative Ben McAdams has become the second member of Congress to test positive for COVID-19. Similar to Florida Representative Mario Diaz-Balart, McAdams began developing symptoms late Saturday after being on the floor of the House on Friday. “On Saturday evening, after returning from Washington, D.C., I developed mild cold-like symptoms,” McAdams said in a press release on Wednesday evening. “Today I learned that I tested positive. I am still working for Utahns and pursuing efforts to get Utahns the resources they need as I continue doing my job from home until I know it is safe to end my self-quarantine. I’m doing my part as all Americans are doing to contain the spread of the virus and mitigate the coronavirus outbreak.”

March 18, 8:30 p.m.

Could increased sunshine help mitigate the rapid spread of COVID-19? A recent AccuWeather analysis examined the daily UV Index from seven major cities worldwide from Jan. 1, 2019, through mid-March 2020 compared to the 10-year average of the daily UV Index for those cities. A substantial increase in UV rays has begun and will continue for the next several months.

“If the coronavirus behaves like most other viruses, then as the sun grows stronger day by day as we head towards the summer solstice, the stronger sun and increased hours of sunshine may start to take their toll on the virus, thereby helping to slow its spread, particularly as the sun gets stronger in April and May,” said AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers.

March 18, 7:43 p.m.

Self-quarantine and mitigation efforts to suppress the spread of COVID-19 have already been attributed to the clearing of air pollution in China and other parts of the world, so could the same hold true for the U.S.? “We certainly have seen significant decreases — in fact, 24 maybe 30% or more — in terms of air pollution in some places that have been heavily affected by the coronavirus,” AccuWeather Vice President of Business Services Jon Porter said. 

NASA images showed a drastic reduction in pollution in China from January to February, as a mass of nitrogen-dioxide, emitted by power plants, industrial facilities and motor vehicles, virtually disappeared, with the exception of a few pockets. In Venice, lockdown measures have improved air pollution and less traffic on the canals has even led to unusually clear water with fish now visible swimming in the city's waterways.

March 18, 7:12 p.m.

Florida Representative Mario Diaz-Balart has become the first member of Congress to test positive for COVID-19. Diaz-Balart self-quarantined in Washington, D.C. after voting on Friday, March 13, and developed symptoms the following day. “I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better. However, it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of the virus,” the Congressman said in a statement on Wednesday evening. “We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times.”

March 18, 6:25 p.m.

COVID-19 is an "unprecedented threat," and an "enemy of humanity," according to World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Tedros called on countries around the world to come together to fight the common enemy at a press briefing Wednesday. "WHO continues to call on all countries to implement a comprehensive approach, with the aim of slowing down transmission and flattening the curve," he said.  

The director-general cited South Korea's strong response to combating the virus as an example as cases have dropped significantly in the country over the past several weeks. "At the peak there were more than 800 cases, and today the report was only 90 cases," Tedros said. His statements came at a critical time, as global cases surpassed the grim benchmark of 200,000 Wednesday.

March 18, 5:35 p.m.

U.S. stocks took another nosedive Wednesday, as the Dow's extended slide has now lost nearly all the gains that it had racked up over the course of Donald Trump's presidency, according to The Associated Press. Trading on the S&P 500 was halted briefly due to extreme volatility. Meanwhile, the NYSE is set to temporarily close its trading floor next week after two people tested positive for COVID-19. Electronic trading will be allowed to continue. According to CNBC, this will be the first time in NYSE history that the physical trading floor will have been shut down while electronic trading is allowed to stay in operation.

March 18, 5:10 p.m.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Senate passed a bill that provides free testing for the coronavirus, offers two weeks of paid sick leave for workers that are in quarantine and bolsters unemployment insurance, according to USA Today. The bill is now headed to President Trump’s desk where he must sign it before the measures can go into effect. Congress is still working on a stimulus package that if approved, would send direct payments to Americans to help the economy.

"The House and Senate are already hard at work on the third bill in the House’s Families First agenda, which will take bold, historic action on behalf of America’s workers and families. This bill will be crafted in consultation with the public health, labor, non-profit and business communities, so that we can deliver the most effective, evidence-based response," Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said on Wednesday. 

March 18, 4:35 p.m.

The COVID-19 death toll has surged in Iran. According to The Associated Press, Iran reported another 147 fatalities on Wednesday, the country's biggest single-day spike since the outbreak erupted. More than 1,100 have died of COVID-19 in Iran and there are more than 17,000 confirmed cases there. Only China and Italy have more confirmed cases. Iranian government officials have warned the new coronavirus could kill "millions," the AP reported, as stores in Tehran, the capital city, have remained packed with shoppers and highways busy with cars. Tehran has been enjoying a nice stretch of unusually warm weather that will be ending Sunday and then temperatures, according to the AccuWeather forecast, will be at or below average into early April.

March 18, 4:05 p.m.

As the number of confirmed coronavirus cases continue to grow in the U.S., a few cities and counties have issued shelter-in-place orders. The Sonoma County Health Officer issued an order on Tuesday, March 17, which went into effect at midnight on Wednesday. After New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned residents to prepare for the possibility of a similar situation, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo stepped in, saying he would not approve of a shelter-in-place order.

Shelter-in-place orders such as the one in Sonoma County have consisted of:

• People required to stay home except to buy essential needs, essential governmental functions or to operate essential businesses

• Necessary government functions and essential stores, including grocery stores, pharmacies and banks, remain open

• Homeless are exempt, but strongly encouraged to seek shelter, with governmental and other entities urged to make shelter available to those who need it

• All public and private gatherings taking place outside of a household or living unit are prohibited

• All non-essential travel is prohibited, with limited public transportation for essential needs

March 18, 2:49 p.m.

Delta Air Lines is planning to cut its number of flights by 70% as the spread of the coronavirus has caused the demand for air travel to evaporate, CNBC reported. These cuts will last “until demand starts to recover,” CEO Ed Bastian told employees. “Our international operation will take the largest reduction, with over 80% of flying reduced over the next two to three months,” he said.

Earlier this week, the Delta terminal at the Detroit Metro Airport looked like a ghost town as people avoided air travel due to fears of the coronavirus. Other travel hubs have also seen a significant decline in passengers, including New York City’s Grand Central Station and subway stations across Toronto, Ontario. The airline industry is one of several industries across the U.S that has asked the federal government for money to help cope with its massive loss in profits, requesting more than $50 billion in rescue aid, according to The Associated Press.

March 18, 2:03 p.m.

In a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, called for people to be aware that there may be a “disproportional number” of cases for the millennial generation. “Even if it’s a rare occurrence, it may be seen more frequently in that group and be evident now,” said Birx, a member of the White House's coronavirus task force. She then called on the generation to take part in preventative measures against the virus.

“We cannot have these large gatherings that continue to occur throughout the country for people who are off work to then be socializing in large groups and spreading the virus,” Birx said. “You have the potential then to spread it to someone who does have a condition that none of us knew about and cause them to have a disastrous outcome.” When asked about her confidence of the seasonality of the virus, Birx responded, “All we can do is look at the past to inform the future.”

March 18, 1:22 p.m.

Italian Gov. Attilio Fontana of Lombardy, Italy, warned that resources needed to take care of the sick are running low, CNN reported.“Unfortunately, the numbers of the contagion are not decreasing, they continue to be high. Soon we will not be able to give an answer to those who get sick,” Fontana said, also asking for people to stay home instead of going out.

March 18, 12:36 p.m.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the federal government is sending a hospital ship to New York. The USNS Comfort will be moored in New York Harbor and holds about 1,000 rooms. Cuomo said Tuesday that the state's peak in coronavirus cases won't occur for another 45 days and health officials project the state will need 55,000 to 110,000 hospital beds and as many as 18,600-37,200 ICU beds. Currently the state only has 53,000 beds and 3,000 ICU beds. New York is the U.S. epicenter of the outbreak with more than 1,700 confirmed cases and 16 fatalities blamed on COVID-19.

March 18, 11:46 a.m.

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake rocked the Salt Lake City region shortly after 7 a.m. local time Wednesday. The temblor caused Salt Lake City International Airport to close, produced widespread reports of damage and knocked out power to more than 32,000 customers. In the aftermath, Utah gov. Gary Herbert said the state's coronavirus hotline was down. The Utah Department of Health said it created a temporary hotline. The Salt Lake City school district said due to the quake it was not able provide meals, food boxes, or laptops and iPads today to students forced to learn from home amid the COVID-19 outbreak. 

March 18, 11:15 a.m.

Global cases of COVID-19 surged past 200,000 Wednesday as the death toll surpassed 8,200 around the world. Meanwhile, the total number of recoveries hit 82,000 worldwide, making for a near exact 10 to 1 recovery to mortality ratio. In the U.S., the death toll stood at 114, with more than 6,500 confirmed cases reported.

March 18, 11:05 a.m.

For the second consecutive day, only 1 new case of COVID-19 was reported in Wuhan, China, the original epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak that began in late 2019 and has caused much of the world to grind to a halt.   

Throughout mainland China, there have been 80,894 reports of confirmed cases and 3,237 deaths since the outbreak started, according to the country's National Health Commission. March began with temperatures ranging from the upper 40s to high 50s in Wuhan but in the last week, conditions have warmed up with temperatures frequently sitting in the mid-60s to mid-70s.

March 18, 10:52 a.m.

The Eurovision Song Contest, considered to be the world's largest live music event, has been canceled  -- the first time in 64 years the event has been called off. It was originally scheduled to take place May 12, 14 and 16 in the Dutch city of Rotterdam.

March 18, 9:59 a.m.

As part of the federal government's recent coronavirus response, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced that taxpayers will be receiving a three-month reprieve to pay income taxes owed from 2019. In a Tuesday press conference, Mnuchin said that during the deferral period, individuals wouldn’t be subject to interest or penalties. The delay applies to individual taxpayers paying $1 million or less and corporations paying $10 million or less.

Some states have offered specific relief provisions in response to coronavirus, as well. A list of each state’s response has been compiled by the American Institute of CPAs.

March 18, 9:06 a.m.

In a recent study, scientists discovered how long the novel coronavirus can live in the air and on surfaces:

• In the air, the virus could be detected up to three hours after initial dispersion.

• On copper surfaces, the virus can survive for up to four hours

• On cardboard, the virus can survive up to 24 hours

• On plastic and stainless steel, the virus can survive up to two or three days.

The Environmental Protection Agency also completed a list of available cleaning products that are most effective at killing the virus.

March 18, 7:41 a.m.

Countries around the world are tightening efforts to keep potentially infected non-residents out.

• Taiwan announced on Wednesday that after midnight Thursday, no foreigners would be admitted entrance, Reuters reported.

• The European Union decided on Tuesday to deny entrance to all non-EU citizens for at least 30 days, according to CNN.

• CNN reported that the U.S. and Canada will announce a partial border closing in a joint agreement between the two countries in the next day or two, according to a Trump administration official.

• Last week, the U.S. enacted travel bans for 26 European countries.

March 18, 6:43 a.m.

Global confirmed cases and the death toll continued to rise sharply overnight. Here are the latest updated numbers compiled by researchers from Johns Hopkins University:

• Total confirmed cases: 198,193

• Total deaths: 7,954

• Total recovered: 81,961

Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 15-17

Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 12-14.

Click here for previous briefings on the coronavirus from March 10-11.

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 and Maria Antonieta Valery Gil.

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