Coronavirus Latest: Virus Updates for March 16, 2020


Coronavirus Latest: Virus Updates for March 16, 2020

Fear of the coronavirus is leading nations, from the U.S. to much of Europe and Latin America, to close up and shield their citizens from the spreading outbreak.

That meant shutting borders, airports, seaports and, in France, its iconic cafes and restaurants. Spain and Libya declared emergencies. Italy had 175 new deaths, pushing its total to 1,441.

U.S. President Donald Trump tested negative for the coronavirus, as he extended travel bans to the U.K. and Ireland. New York City reported its first fatality.

Key Developments:

  • Cases topped 152,000 worldwide, with deaths at 5,700
  • China has 80,824 confirmed cases, 3,189 deaths
  • In the U.S., nine new deaths and 520 new cases were reported
  • France’s prime minister says people ignore warnings
  • Schools in Jakarta will close for two weeks
  • African nations from Rwanda to Mauritania reported first cases

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Wife of Spain’s PM Tests Positive (7:30 a.m. HK)

The wife of Spain’s prime minister, Begona Gomez, has tested positive for the coronavirus, the government in Madrid said in a statement.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez earlier Saturday declared a state of emergency for 15 days, significantly limiting mobility, as the government seeks to stop the outbreak.

Negative Test for Trump (7:28 a.m. HK)

President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus, the White House doctor, Sean Conley, said in a statement.

Trump was tested late Friday, after a discussion with his doctor, Conley said. The results were received on Saturday.

One week after having dinner with a delegation from Brazil at his Mar-a-Lago resort, the president remains symptom-free, Conley said.

A close aide to President Jair Bolsonaro was photographed standing next to Trump, and later tested positive for the virus. Bolsonaro has also been tested; the results came back negative for the virus.

NYC Hospitals Prepare for Surge (7 a.m. HK)

New York hospitals are developing emergency plans to make rooms and resources available for a surge in cases that’s expected to place historic pressure on the region’s health-care system.

New York Presbyterian’s 13 hospitals and New York City’s public hospitals announced they would end elective surgeries, a move likely to be followed by others. Tents appeared in parking lots of medical facilities to triage lower-risk patients, and laboratories and hospitals were finally ramping up their ability to test people with symptoms.

N.Y. Hospitals Pitch Tents, Nix Surgeries

Britain Prepares Hospitals for More Cases (6:23 a.m. HK)

The U.K. government is in talks with private health-care providers to get them to release beds for the National Health Service if necessary. Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged companies to increase the production of ventilators and promised to buy them for the NHS.

King County Cases Rise 18% (5:55 p.m. NY)

Seattle reported an 18% jump in infections, to 388, with three new deaths, pushing the total to 35, the King County health department said. Of the fatalities, 27 are associated with a nursing home in Kirkland, the department said.

Libya Closes Airports, Schools (5:45 p.m. NY)

Libya closed schools for two weeks and airports, seaports and border crossing for three weeks as part of an emergency declaration to fight the outbreak, the prime minister said.

Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj said $370 million has been set aside to fight the illness.

U.S. Air Travel Slumps 30% (5:25 p.m. NY)

The volume of air travelers in the U.S. has tumbled at least 30% with steeper declines at some airports, a Transportation Security Administration official said on a telephone briefing about new restrictions aimed at Europe.

Travel from 26 European nations, sharply restricted as of midnight, will probably decline from the 50,000 arrivals recorded Thursday and Friday as people rushed to beat a midnight ban, officials said. The Trump administration has added the U.K. and Ireland, effective Monday, citing a rise in cases. U.K. deaths have almost doubled.

Travelers At Airports As U.S. Warns On Travel Abroad

Empty lines at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on March 12.

Photographer: Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg

U.S. officials are adding contract medical workers at 13 airports to screen Americans coming home from Europe. Non-U.S. citizens will be denied entry and sent back, officials said.

The U.K. in 2018 accounted for 4.7 million visitors to the U.S. who spent $15.7 billion, the U.S. Travel Association said. The federal government needs to take “aggressive steps” to support travel-related jobs, the group said.

Amtrak Cuts Service on Demand Drop (5:15 p.m.)

Amtrak is temporarily suspending or reducing service, mostly on the east coast, as demand drops.

The railroad will cut about a third of daily service from Boston to Washington and run trains on a Saturday schedule through March 29. Keystone Service in Pennsylvania will run a Saturday schedule every day. Two trains to Canada will only operate in New York State.

Spain Declares Emergency (4:16 p.m. NY)

Spaniards’ freedom of movement will be significantly limited for the next 15 days under the state of emergency declared by Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.

The Spanish government will take full control of administration nationwide, Sanchez said in an address. People will only be allowed to leave their houses in specific circumstances, he said.

Spanish Economy Takes A Hit As Virus Keeps Spaniards Away

Members of the Mossos d’Esquadra police force speaks to a truck driver as they carry out controls to monitor access near Barcelona, Spain, on March 13.

Photographer: Angel Garcia/Bloomberg

GOP Chairwoman Tested for Virus (4:10 p.m. NY)

Ronna Romney McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, has been tested for the coronavirus after experiencing fever and flu-like symptoms.

Demonstrations As The Electoral College Cast Their Ballots For President

Photographer: Jeff Kowalsky/Bloomberg

“She went to her local hospital in Michigan for treatment,” RNC communications director Michael Ahrens said in a statement posted on Twitter.

McDaniel has been blaming Democrats for using the virus as a way to spread panic and undermine President Trump.

France Closes Cafes, Restaurants, Shops (3:55 p.m. NY)

France is shuttering restaurants, cafes and shops deemed non-essential, following in the footsteps of neighboring Italy to curb the new coronavirus’s spread.

“Too many people still go to cafes and restaurants,” French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said at a press conference in Paris on Saturday. Philipe “We must show more discipline.”

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People gather at a cafe’s terrace in Le Touquet on March 14.

Photographer: Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images

At least 4,500 people in France have contracted the virus, double from 72 hours ago.

Canadians Warned Over Travel (3:50 p.m. NY)

Canadians are being urged to avoid non-essential travel. “New restrictions may be imposed with little warning.” Global Affairs Canada posted on its travel advisory website. “Your travel plans may be severely disrupted and you may be forced to remain outside of Canada longer than expected.”

Norway Closes Airport, Borders (2:07 p.m. NY)

Norway will shut all airports, ports and border crossings, calling in the army to help enforce what appears to be the nation’s closure to the outside world, Prime Minister Erna Solberg announced.

The nation may also seek infection control gear from China.

Countries around Europe, from Spain to Russia, are announcing measures to restrict the movement of people both inside and outside their nations.

FDA Clears Druggists to Make Sanitizer (2:15 p.m. NY)

The Food and Drug Administration is encouraging licensed pharmacists and physicians to make their own batches of hand sanitizer to combat widespread shortages. The agency is worried that home-made concoctions are not as safe to use as what pharmacists and doctors could make, using high-quality ingredients and at least 60% alcohol.

Hand sanitizer has mostly disappeared from physical stores around the nation as well as from most on-line retailers.

Alitalia Makes Face Masks Mandatory on Board (1:20 p.m. NY)

Alitalia said it will immediately require all passengers to wear facial masks onboard flights. The masks must be provided by the passengers themselves, a difficulty given the shortage in Italy, the epicenter of the coronavirus outside of China.

The locked-down nation announced another 175 deaths on Saturday, for a total of 1,441 dead. The total cases rose to 21,157.

Medical Experts Say NYC Hospitals Unready (1:35 p.m. NY)




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