Please Stay Tune on this Thread As We Share Some Live Coronavirus Live Update For Nairalanders To Have Update on this Pandemic Situation and Be Aware From the Global Perspectives

March 13, 2020

LOUISIANA POSTPONES PRIMARY

— Louisiana postponed its presidential primary which would have taken place on April 4, Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin announced today. Louisiana, the first state to postpone a primary, will now hold it on June 20.

— President Trump plans to declare a national emergency today, according to the Washington Post. That means he'd have more authority to use $40 billion disaster-relief funds, according to the New York Times.

— Miami Mayor, Francis Suarez, tested positive for the coronavirus after attending an event in Florida with a Brazilian government aide who later tested positive for the virus, according to the Miami Herald.

March 14, 2020

EUROPE IS THE NEW EPICENTER, WHO SAYS

— The Food and Drug Administration approved a new coronavirus test from the pharmaceutical company Roche that could be a breakthrough for testing, according to NPR. The new test is simpler and quicker than the initial test approved by the FDA, Paul Brown, a senior executive for Roche said.

— An employee who works at the Monroe Correctional Complex, a Washington State prison tested positive for the coronavirus, which might be the first case tied to a prison, according to the New York Times.

— Europe is now the epicenter of the pandemic, the World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a media briefing today. New COVID-19 cases in China are declining, while cases in other parts of the world are increasing.

— There are now over 145,000 cases of COVID-19 worldwide and 5,411 deaths. There are over 70,200 people who have already recovered, according to the Johns Hopkins dashboard.

— Stocks rebounded on Friday after President Trump declared a national emergency that would "open up access" to federal funds.


HOUSE PASSES RELIEF PACKAGE, APPLE CLOSING STORES

— The pentagon will close for visitors (not people who work in the Defense Department buildings) at midnight on Sunday, according to a statement from the Defense Department. They are also stopping all domestic travel for military service members, department of defense civilians and their families in the U.S. for two months starting on Monday, according to another statement.

— The House overwhelmingly passed a coronavirus economic relief package which dedicates tens of billions of dollars to help people affected by the coronavirus. This package would help pay sick leave, unemployment insurance, free testing and other measures, according to the Washington Post.

— The coronavirus has now spread to 49 states. There are a total of 146,838 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 5,539 deaths and 71,718 recoveries worldwide, according to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard.

— Apple is closing down its stores outside of China until March 27, according to a statement.

— Guatemala is expanding its travel restrictions by banning arrivals (subjecting them to quarantine) from the U.S. and Canada, President Alejandro Giammattei said on Friday. Earlier this week, the country had banned arrivals from European countries, China, Iran, South Korea and North Korea in an effort to fight the coronavirus.

U.S. EXTENDS TRAVEL BANS TO IRELAND AND UK

— US is expanding travel bans to the UK and Ireland starting on Monday at midnight, Vice President Mike Pence announced today (March 14). Originally, his travel bans had just extended to the rest of Europe.

— President Trump took a coronavirus test but doesn’t know the results yet, he announced at a press conference today. A Brazilian official and several others who were with Trump last weekend, tested positive for the coronavirus. Trump had originally said he "isn't concerned” and likely won’t be tested.

FRANCE SHUTS DOWN RESTAURANTS, CLUBS

— France is shutting down restaurants, cafes, cinemas and clubs starting at midnight Saturday, French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said on Saturday (March 14). Markets, food shops, pharmacies, gas stations, banks, newspaper and tobacco stores and places of worship will remain open, he said. But religious ceremonies and gatherings will be postponed.

— Trump is considering some travel restrictions within the country, according to CNN.

— An 82-year-old woman with COVID-19 died in New York City this weekend, NYC's first coronavirus-related death, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said during a media conference Saturday.

SPAIN ANNOUNCES NATION-WIDE LOCKDOWNS

— Spain, experiencing the second-worst coronavirus outbreak in Europe, announced nation-wide lockdowns on Saturday. Spain's prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced today that the public must stay home unless they need to do something essential such as buy food, go to work, care for those in need or get healthcare themselves. There are 6,315 confirmed cases and 191 coronavirus-related deaths in Spain as of Saturday afternoon.

— Louisiana reported its first coronavirus-related death, a 58-year-old Orleans Parish resident who had underlying health conditions, according to a statement from the Louisiana Department of Health.

—"I feel fine, things are going well, just taking the proper precautions," Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, who was confirmed to have COVID-19 this week, said in a video posted on Twitter. He is currently under isolation.

March 15, 2020

TRUMP TESTS NEGATIVE, ITALY CASES CONTINUE RISING

— President Trump tested negative for the coronavirus, according to a statement from the White House.

— Georgia delayed its presidential primary, becoming the second state to do so. The primary that was originally set to take place on March 24 will now take place on May 19, according to a statement.

— Coronavirus cases in Italy rose by around 20% on Saturday, the largest daily increase in cases yet, according to the Washington Post.

NEWBORN TESTS POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS

— There are now 156,400 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 5,833 deaths and 73,968 recovered from COVID-19 worldwide, according to the Johns Hopkins dashboard; There are 2,952 cases in the U.S. and 57 deaths.

— A newborn baby tested positive for the coronavirus in London, marking what's likely the youngest case of the disease, according to The Guardian. The baby's mother was tested positive for COVID-19 when she was taken to a hospital with suspected pneumonia days before giving birth.

— The Vatican is closing Holy Week celebrations to the public, according to the New York Times.

— The UK advised against "all but essential travel to the USA," in response to the travel restrictions that the U.S. put in place for the UK and other European countries, according to a post from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on its website.

2 ER DOCTORS IN CRITICAL CONDITION WITH COVID-19

Two ER doctors — a man in his 40s in Washington and a 70-year-old in New Jersey — are in critical condition after being infected with the novel coronavirus and developing COVID-19.

“I am deeply saddened by this news, but not surprised. As emergency physicians, we know the risks of our calling. We stand united with our colleagues and our thoughts and prayers for a full and speedy recovery are with each of them and their families,” Dr. William Jaquis, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), said in a statement.

It is uncertain how the Washington doctor caught the virus, whether at work or through other community-based spread, the ACEP statement said. The doctor had complied with all personal protective equipment (PPE) procedures.

As for the New Jersey physician, that doctor leads his institution’s emergency preparedness in Patterson, and was admitted to the hospital days ago with upper respiratory issues. That person, who has tested positive for COVID-19, is in isolation in the facility’s intensive care unit.

CRUISE SHIP WITH COVID-19 CASES LOOKS FOR PLACE TO DOCK

— New York Governor Andrew Cuomo asked the president to mobilize the military to help in the fight against the coronavirus, in an opinion piece published in the New York Times.

— A cruise ship, MS Braemar, with over 600 passengers and at least five confirmed coronavirus cases is trying to find somewhere to dock after being denied entry at various ports in the Caribbean, according to CNN.

— Nike is shutting down all of its stores in the U.S., Canada, New Zeand, Western Europe and Australia until March 27, according to a statement.

— Hoboken in New Jersey is the first city in the U.S. that's implementing a curfew to fight the coronavirus, according to Insider. Residents of Hoboken must stay inside save for emergencies or if they're required to work during the night, according to Mayor Ravinder Bhalla.

ITALY REPORTS 368 DEATHS IN A SINGLE DAY

— Italy had 368 coronavirus-related deaths in the last 24 hours, Civil Protection Department Chief Angelo Borrelli announced at a press conference today. That brings Italy's total coronavirus death toll to 1,809. The country has a total of 24,747 positive cases of COVID-19, with 3,590 of those cases recorded in the past day.

— Columbia is blocking all non-residents from entering the country and requiring residents to self-isolate for 14 days, President Ivan Duque said on Twitter.

— Germany is introducing border controls with Austria, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and Switzerland to slow the spread of the virus, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said during a news conference on Sunday (March 15).

— There are now 3,244 positive cases of COVID-19 in the US and 62 deaths.

CITIES ACROSS THE US TAKE MEASURES TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS

— Labs across the US will be able to screen up to 4,000 people a day starting this week, the administration announced Sunday (March 15).

— New York City's public schools will start to shut down this week, New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday.

— California will close down all bars, night clubs, wineries and brew pubs, California's governor Gavin Newsom said Sunday.

— New York City's hospitals will be required to cancel elective surgeries starting on Monday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

— Starbucks stores in the US and Canada will become a "to go" model for two weeks meaning customers can still order but won't be able to sit down at the stores, according to a statement.

— Boston declared a public health emergency and required bars, restaurants and nightclubs to reduce their capacity by half and close by 11 p.m., Mayor Marty Walsh announced Sunday. Food drive through and delivery services can continue normal business hours, according to a statement.

March 16, 2020

CITIES ACROSS THE US TAKE MEASURES TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF THE CORONAVIRUS

— Labs across the US will be able to screen up to 4,000 people a day starting this week, the administration announced Sunday (March 15).

— New York City's public schools will start to shut down this week, New York's Governor Andrew Cuomo said Sunday.

— California will close down all bars, night clubs, wineries and brew pubs, California's governor Gavin Newsom said Sunday.

— New York City's hospitals will be required to cancel elective surgeries starting on Monday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said.

— Starbucks stores in the US and Canada will become a "to go" model for two weeks meaning customers can still order but won't be able to sit down at the stores, according to a statement.

— Boston declared a public health emergency and required bars, restaurants and nightclubs to reduce their capacity by half and close by 11 p.m., Mayor Marty Walsh announced Sunday. Food drive through and delivery services can continue normal business hours, according to a statement.

CDC RECOMMENDS CANCELLING, POSTPONING EVENTS WITH OVER 50 PEOPLE

— All bars and restaurants in Massachusetts will shut down "on-premise consumption" starting on Tuesday until April 6, Governor Charlie Baker announced Sunday. All gatherings of larger than 25 people are also prohibited, according to the order.

— The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending that for the next 8 weeks, organizers cancel or postpone events with over 50 people, according to guidance posted on their site on Sunday.

— The Tennessee man who bought 17,700 bottles of hand sanitizer and was under investigation for price gouging, donated all of it to people in Tennessee after outrage from the public, according to the New York Times.

— The first dose of a vaccine for COVID-19 will be given to a person on Monday, kickstarting a clinical trial, according to a government official, as reported by AP News.

US COVID-19 CASES REACH 3,774

— There are now 169,387 confirmed cases of COVID-19; 6,513 deaths and 77,257 recoveries worldwide, according to the Johns Hopkins Dashboard. There are 3,774 positive cases in the U.S. and 69 deaths.

— New York City will close down all of its bars and restaurants, save for takeout and delivery service starting on Tuesday (March 17), Mayor Bill de Blasio said Sunday night.

— An Irish budget airline, Ryanair, said it expected to ground most of its planes in Europe in the next week to 10 days, according to a statement.

— LVMH, a French luxury goods company will use its perfume and cosmetics production lines to create hand disinfectant gel and deliver them for free to health authorities in France, according to the BBC.