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Coronavirus live blog: Cases now in all 50 states and D.C., US death toll over 100

Washington leads the nation in deaths, with 54. Thirty of those deaths were connected with a nursing home in a Seattle suburb.

Key updates:

  • More than 100 people have now died from the new coronavirus
  • West Virginia has become the final U.S. state to report a confirmed case of the new coronavirus 
  • New York Gov. Cuomo says there won't be a shelter-in-place order for NYC.
  • Four Brooklyn Nets players test positive for COVID-19.
  • The governor of Texas has activated the National Guard to assist with coronavirus response in the state.
  • The White House is proposing a roughly $850 billion emergency stimulus to address the economic impact of the new coronavirus, according to sources.
  • President Trump wants checks sent out to the public within two weeks. 
  • The Pentagon will be providing 5 million respirators and 2,000 ventilators.
  • The EU will ban most foreign travelers for 30 days to curb the spread of coronavirus.
  • Marriott has started to furlough what is expected to be tens of thousands of employees around the world. 
  • Ohio's primary election, originally scheduled to take place on Tuesday, has been postponed after the Ohio Department of Health issued an emergency health order. 
  • Wuhan, the Chinese city at the center of the outbreak, reported just one new case Tuesday. Officials there believe the worst of the crisis is over for China.

NASA moves entire agency to Stage 3

NASA has announced all centers and facilities will be elevated to Stage 3, which means all employees and contractors will move to mandatory telework until further notice. Mission-essential personnel will continue to be granted access onsite.

The announcement was made by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

“Although a limited amount of employees have tested positive for COVID-19, it is imperative that we take this pre-emptive step to thwart further spreading of the virus among the workforce and our communities," Bridenstine said, "I strongly encourage you and your families to follow all local, state and federal guidelines to stay healthy and to help slow the spread of the virus."

Nevada closes casinos, restaurants

The governor of Nevada has ordered the closure of casinos and restaurants to fight spread of the coronavirus.

U.S. death toll tops 100

The death toll in the U.S. from the new coronavirus passed the 100 mark on Tuesday after Washington state reported six new fatalities, bringing the country’s total to 103.

Washington leads the nation in deaths, with 54. Thirty of those deaths were connected with a nursing home in a Seattle suburb.

New York on Tuesday reported more confirmed cases than Washington state for the first time. New York has topped 1,300 cases, while Washington was just over 1,000.

The U.S. Surgeon General is asking young people to be vigilant in stopping the spread of the virus. In a video shared by the White House Tuesday night, Jerome Adams asks young people not to gather in groups of 10 or more. 

As of late Tuesday evening US cases according to Johns Hopkins were at 6,362.

West Virginia is last U.S. state to report positive case of new coronavirus

West Virginia's governor announced Tuesday that his state has reported its first confirmed case of COVID-19. That means there have been cases of this new coronavirus in all 50 U.S. states. 

Gov. Jim Justice said the case is in the eastern panhandle of the state. 

"We knew it was coming, we've prepared for this and we shouldn't panic. We should be cautious, we should be concerned, but we should not panic," Justice said. 

Marriott starts to furlough tens of thousands of employees

Marriott International Inc. confirmed Tuesday it has started to furlough what it expects will be tens of thousands of employees as it adjusts operations around the world, due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Wall Street Journal was first to report the development on Tuesday. A Marriott International spokesperson confirmed the news and began shutting down some of its properties last week. 

"Our associates will keep their health benefits during this difficult period and continue to be eligible for company- paid free short-term disability that provides income protection should they get sick," a spokesperson said in a statement.  

New York State's Governor says New York City won't shelter-in-place

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office immediately pushed back on the idea of a shelter-in-place order for the city, reiterating that it cannot be done without the state's permission and that "there is no consideration" of issuing one.

Mayor Bill de Blasio said earlier Tuesday that residents should be prepared for the possibility of a shelter-in-place order within days.


Reports: US COVID-19 deaths at 100

Both CNN and the Washington Post are reporting that, by their estimates, U.S. COVID-19 related deaths are now up to at least 100. As the Washington Post reports, citing experts, that number is expected to rise "quickly." Illinois reported its first death Tuesday. Health officials are urging the population to please practice social distancing, and limit interactions entirely when possible, so the health systems aren't overwhelmed. 

The Brooklyn Nets announce multiple players have COVID-19, including Kevin Durant

Four players for the professional basketball team were tested for the new coronavirus and found to have COVID-19, including Kevin Durant, the team announced Tuesday. A press release read, "the organization is currently notifying anyone who has had known contact with the players." ESPN reporter Malika Andrews obtained the full statement and posted it to Twitter

New York City mayor says the city should "prepare" for the possibility of shelter in place

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that even though a shelter in place order has not been issued, New Yorkers should prepare for the possibility of such a directive. 

"Even though a decision has not been made by the city or by the state, New Yorkers should be prepared right now for the possibility of a shelter in place order," de Blasio said. 

Pentagon will provide respirators, ventilators to HHS

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper says the Pentagon will provide 5 million respirators and 2,000 specialized ventilators to federal heath authorities to help in the response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Esper tells Pentagon reporters that the ventilators are designed for use by deployed troops and the military will need to train Health and Human Services personnel how to use them.  

Macy's and Nordstrom closes all stores nationwide

Macy's and Nordstrom are the latest national retailers to close their doors in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The closures include all Macy's brands including Bloomingdale’s, Bluemercury, Macy’s Backstage, Bloomingdales the Outlet and Market by Macy’s stores.

Nordstrom will be closed for two weeks. Macy's did not say when it will reopen. 

Target announces reduced hours

The retail chain announced Tuesday that it is limiting hours across the country to protect the vulnerable. Target said with customers depending on the store for things like "food, medicine and other essentials" they will remain open, but reduce their hours. On their website, Target said "beginning tomorrow, March 18, all Target stores will close by 9 p.m. local time daily, which will provide the team additional time for cleaning and restocking each day."

Texas governor activates National Guard

Texas governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday activated the Texas National Guard to be prepared to assist with response efforts for COVID-19. 

According to the governor's office, this measure will ensure that the state's National Guard can aid in various ways across Texas as necessary. Healthcare employees and first responders who are members of the Texas National Guard are not included in this activation so that they can continue serving in their respective fields.

EU countries closing borders

The leaders of European Union nations have agreed to institute a travel ban that prohibits most foreigners from entering the bloc for 30 days to discourage the spread of the new coronavirus. 

EU leaders agreed on Tuesday to shut down the 27-nation's bloc's external borders immediately.  

White House reportedly pitches stimulus bill

The White House is reportedly pitching a roughly $850 billion stimulus package to Congress in response to the coronavirus pandemic. As part of that effort,  Trump wants checks sent out to the public within two weeks, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Tuesday.

Across the United States, more than 4,660 people have been infected by the COVID-19 virus and 95 people have died.

Movie theaters close nationwide, Disney postpones 'Black Widow' 

The largest movie theater chains had tried to remain open even as Hollywood postponed its upcoming release plans. AMC Theaters, the nation's largest chain, said Tuesday its theaters would close altogether for at least six to 12 weeks. 

Disney also postponed most of its May releases on Tuesday, including that of Marvel's “Black Widow.”  

The Fresh Market adds senior hours

The Fresh Market has designated the first hour of each weekday for senior shoppers and those most at-risk of coronavirus. 

The grocery chain said those hours are from 8 AM – 9 AM, Monday through Friday. 

Italy now has 1/3 of world's coronavirus deaths 

Italy, the second hardest-hit nation after China in the world's coronavirus pandemic, has announced a new figures that show it has one-third of the world's total deaths from the new virus.

Italy on Tuesday added more than 3,500 new positive cases, bringing its total to 31,506. In addition, another 345 people with the virus have died, bringing Italy's total deaths to 2,503.

Trump says US can be "rolling again" after virus

President Donald Trump is insisting that the U.S. can be “rolling again” quickly after the coronavirus outbreak if “we do this right.”

Trump spoke as he opened Tuesday's daily coronavirus briefing at the White House. A day earlier, Trump urged the American public to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people. He also urged the elderly to stay at home and practice social distancing for the next couple of weeks.

Trump says that Americans' public health and the U.S. economy can be protected through what he says are "shared sacrifices" and "temporary changes."

The president adds that, “if we do this right, our country and the world frankly, but our country can be rolling again pretty quickly.”

Across the United States, over 4,660 people have been infected by the COVID-19 virus and 95 people have died.

IRS will defer tax payments with no interest or penalties

Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin says tax payments will be deferred with no interest or penalties for 90 days. He announced the news at a White House Coronavirus task force press conference. 

Mnuchin encouraged everyone to file their taxes by April 15, despite the extended deadline set in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said Americans should file so that they get their refunds as soon as possible. 

For Americans that owe taxes, Mnuchin said individuals would be able to defer up to $1 million and corporations will be able to defer $10 million.

RELATED: Trump wants checks to public 'now' in virus response, says treasury secretary

Medicare expands telemedicine to keep seniors safe during outbreak

Medicare says it will immediately expand telemedicine coverage nationwide to help seniors with health problems stay home to avoid the coronavirus. 

Medicare administrator Seema Verma says the change allows millions of older people to take care of ongoing medical problems as well as any new concerns, while also heeding public health advice to stay home during the outbreak.

For example, a patient with diabetes wouldn't have to postpone a regular follow-up visit with the doctor to keep safe. He or she could do it via Skype instead. Medicare acted following a directive from Congress and emergency declarations by the Trump administration.

Vice President Pence urges construction companies to donate masks to hospitals

The Trump administration is urging U.S. construction companies to donate their inventories of safety masks to hospitals and forgo new orders as the nation battles the coronavirus pandemic.

Vice President Mike Pence said the single-use N95 masks, which are designed to filter 95 percent of airborne particles and commonly used in the construction industry, are "perfectly acceptable" for hospital use.

Pence, who is heading up the White House Coronavirus Task Force, visited the Minnesota headquarters of 3M, the maker of the N95 mask, earlier this month to discuss the production increase.

Pence and Surgeon General Jerome Adams have said the average American does not need to go out and buy a mask. They have urged Americans to leave the masks for medical professionals.

Maryland postpones primary from April 28 to June 2

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has postponed the state's April 28 primary to June 2. But Hogan said Tuesday the state is moving forward with a vote-by-mail April 28 special general election to fill the congressional seat left vacant by the death of Elijah Cummings.

Hogan says it would endanger public health to allow thousands of people to assemble in places like schools and senior centers, which are already closed. He says it would be especially risky for poll workers and election judges, because most of them are retirees and in the most vulnerable population. 

Amazon limits shipments to warehouses for next 3 weeks


Amazon said Tuesday that it will only accept shipments of cleaning equipment, medical supplies and household goods from suppliers at its warehouses for next three weeks to fill surging demand of those items.

The online retailer has been sold out of items like disinfecting wipes and toilet paper as the new coronavrius spreads and more people shop online at home. Amazon said the restrictions will last until April 5.

It applies to large vendors and third-party sellers, who list items to sell on Amazon.com directly. 

TSA says at least eight officers have tested positive

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration says at least eight airport screening officers have now tested positive for the new coronavirus. The most recent case was confirmed Tuesday at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.

On Monday, a screening officer tested positive for the virus at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The previous cases were at airports in San Jose, California; Fort Lauderdale and Orlando in Florida.

French Open postponed until September

The French Open has been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

 It is the first Grand Slam tennis tournament affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The French tennis federation says the clay-court tournament will be played from Sept. 20 to Oct. 4.

The main draw was originally scheduled to begin in Paris on May 24. The next major tennis championship currently on the calendar is Wimbledon, which is to start in late June in England.

Last week, the men's and women's professional tennis tours began announcing cancellations of various tournaments in response to the viral outbreak.

IOC says no need for "drastic decisions" on Olympics yet

The IOC says there is “no need for any drastic decisions at this stage” about staging the Tokyo Olympics with more than four months until the opening ceremony.

After consulting with sports bodies about the effects of the coronavirus outbreak, the IOC says “any speculation at this moment would be counter-productive.”

The International Olympic Committee says financial interests will not dictate its decisions “thanks to its risk management policies and insurance.”

The IOC says 43% of places at the games have yet to be confirmed.

Fed will buy short-term loans to try to ease flow of credit

The Federal Reserve says it will buy short-term loans from banks and companies to support the flow of credit as the economy grinds to a halt amid the viral outbreak.

The Fed is reviving a program that it first used during the 2008 financial crisis to unclog a short-term lending market for what is known as “commercial paper.” 

Large businesses issue commercial paper to raise cash to meet payrolls and cover other short-term costs.

Copa America postponed to 2021 because of coronavirus

The Copa America has been postponed until 2021 because of the coronavirus outbreak.

South American soccer body CONMEBOL says the tournament in Colombia and Argentina will be played between June 11 and July 11.

Those are the same dates as the postponed European Championship. CONMEBOL had already suspended the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana because of the outbreak.

White House seeks $850 billion economic stimulus

The White House is proposing a roughly $850 billion emergency stimulus to address the economic cost of the new coronavirus, sources told the Associated Press. 

The request will be outlined to Senate Republicans Tuesday and will aim to provide relief for small businesses and the airline industry and include a massive tax cut for wage-earners.

Kentucky Derby now set for September due to virus

Churchill Downs is postponing the Kentucky Derby from May to September because of the coronavirus pandemic. Track officials say the race will move from May 2 to Sept. 5.

That would mark the first time in 75 years that the race won't be run on the first Saturday in May. The last time the Derby wasn't held on the first Saturday in May was in 1945, when the federal government banned horse racing because of World War II. 

RELATED: It's official: 146th Kentucky Derby now September 5

Virus dampens St. Patrick's Day revels around the world

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations around the world have fallen victim to the new coronavirus. Parades and parties planned for Tuesday were canceled around the globe as governments imposed restrictions to slow the spread of the virus.

Irish authorities called off Dublin’s parade, which usually draws half a million revelers, and pleaded with people not hold house parties. Thousands of pubs across Ireland have been closed. Festivities in London and U.S. cities including New York, Chicago and Boston are also off.

But even a pandemic could not quash the desire to celebrate all things Irish. People across Ireland have been posting images of their improvised family celebrations using the hashtag #RTEVirtualParade.

Germany, Turkey working to bring citizens home

Turkey is bringing home more than 3,600 of its citizens who have been stranded in nine European countries after Turkey suspended flights to 20 destinations over the coronavirus outbreak.

Germany has launched a drive to bring home thousands of tourists stranded in popular winter vacation spots across the globe — particularly people on package holidays in Morocco, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, the Maldives and Egypt.

Volkswagen to close Europe plants for two weeks

German automaker Volkswagen says it is shutting down most of its European plants for two weeks due to the virus outbreak. Volkswagen officials are saying that the situation with the outbreak is so uncertain that the company can't given a reliable earnings outlook for this year.

Ohio calls off Democratic primary hours before it begins

The Democratic presidential primary is consumed with uncertainty after leaders in Ohio called off Tuesday's election just hours before polls were set to open to combat the new coronavirus.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said late Monday that the state's health director will declare a health emergency and order the polls closed.

Not since New York City postponed its mayoral primary on the day of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has an election been pushed off in such a high profile, far-reaching way.

Elections officials in Arizona, Illinois and Florida said they were moving forward with plans to vote.

RELATED: VERIFY: Text messages about national quarantine and 'Stafford Act' are fake

Reports: Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson released from hospital

Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, have reportedly been released from an Australian hospital five days after they were diagnosed with the new coronavirus.

Queensland state's health department would not comment on media reports Tuesday that the 63-year-old celebrities had been discharged from the Gold Coast University Hospital to self-isolate in a rented house.  

China's epicenter reports just one new case

Wuhan, the city at the center of China's coronavirus outbreak, recorded just one new case on Tuesday as officials said they believed the country was over the worst of the crisis. Another 20 cases were recorded around the country, including nine in Beijing. All were reported among people who arrived from overseas.

Beijing has required all arrivals to undergo 14 days of quarantine but has not closed its borders. Other Chinese cities have adopted similar measures, even as authorities work to restart industries that are key to global supply chains.

RELATED: Dollar General asks stores to dedicate first hour of each day to senior shoppers

Seattle to give $5 million in grocery vouchers

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced the city will provide $5 million in grocery vouchers to families in need during the coronavirus pandemic.

Vouchers will be mailed out in two $400 installments to 6,250 qualifying households currently enrolled in city-supported child care programs and food assistance programs.

RELATED: Some grocery stores limiting hours to keep shelves stocked during coronavirus outbreak

More businesses announce temporary closures

Nordstrom says it will temporarily close all of its stores for two weeks starting Tuesday as it tries to limit the spread of the new virus.

It is the latest retailer to announce temporary closures and joins such chains such as Nike, Everlane, Apple and Abercrombie & Fitch in closing its doors.

24 Hour Fitness announced it is temporarily closing all its gyms.

RELATED: Universal moves new releases to on-demand, AMC limits crowds

Effect on sports grows

The Kentucky Derby is being postponed to September 5, according to a report in the Courier-Journal of Louisville, citing unidentified sources close to the race. A formal announcement by the racetrack will be made Tuesday.

The NFL says it will proceed with its draft but without public events next month in Las Vegas. It will still be televised, but the format may be modified.

Major League Baseball has pushed back opening day until mid-May at the earliest.

NHL players have been told they can return home and self-isolate there until the end of March while hockey is on hold.

NASCAR suspended its season until May. The series plans to return to the track at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia on May 9. 

Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials say they are holding off on postponing the Indianapolis 500.

WWE announced Monday that its signature pay-per-view event, WrestleMania, will be held without an audience at the company's training center in Florida on April 5. The event typically sells out stadiums with tens of thousands in attendance.

RELATED: Millennials are 'core group' that will stop coronavirus, White House task force head says

South Korea extends school closures; may shut down churches

South Korea has further postponed the beginning of the new school year by two weeks to protect students from the spread of the coronavirus.

A South Korean province surrounding Seoul has threatened to shut down nearly 140 churches that have failed to implement preventive measures amid a spread of the coronavirus in the country’s most populous metropolitan region.

RELATED: Amazon looks to hire 100,000 to keep up with orders amid coronavirus pandemic

Third Australian lawmaker tests positive

A third Australian government lawmaker has tested positive for the coronavirus ahead of the planned resumption of Parliament next week following a scheduled two-week break.

New South Wales state Sen. Andrew Bragg said Tuesday that he had suffered flu-like symptoms and tested positive for the virus after attending a friend’s wedding on March 6. Authorities say at least six wedding guests have contracted the virus.

 

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