News & Opinions

Today, researchers and leaders from the Allen Institute for AI, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), Microsoft, and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health released the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset (CORD-19) of scholarly literature about COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, and the Coronavirus group. Requested by The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the dataset represents the most extensive machine-readable Coronavirus literature collection available for data and text mining to date, with over 29,000 articles, more than 13,000 of which have full text.

The presidential campaign trail as we know it could be a thing of the past — Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders’ campaigns suspending all appearances until further notice amid the deadly coronavirus pandemic. Gone are the enormous star-studded rallies embraced by both Sanders and President Trump, making way for weird conference calls and digital town halls to prevent the spread of the highly contagious virus.

The Cuyahoga County Court is looking to release hundreds of inmates from the Cuyahoga County Jail Saturday morning due to coronavirus concerns. Judges concerned about the virus spreading through the jail. Cuyahoga County judges are holding a special Saturday morning session to try to settle cases with guilty pleas, release inmates or send them to prison, or release them on house arrest. Administrative Judge Brendan Sheehan told the I-TEAM earlier this week that inmates are already in poor health, and it wouldn’t take much for the coronavirus to spread wildly behind bars.

Officials in Los Angeles County are releasing inmates and making fewer arrests to reduce the risk of a coronavirus outbreak in the jail and prison systems. "Our population within our jails is a vulnerable population just by who they are, where they are located, so we're protecting that population from potential exposure," Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters Monday.

The State of Minnesota's Public Defender's Office has been pushing for the release of jail inmates throughout the State, in order to protect them from the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Chief Public Defender Bill Ward sent an email to all staffers, urging them to get on board and demand that their clients be released. Some of the clients have not yet been convicted. He also said that the jails are a "petri dish" of infections. This looks to only impact the local and county jails, no mention of releasing inmates early from within the prison system.

Some spring breakers in Florida didn’t get the social distancing memo. Hundreds of people packed Clearwater Beach Thursday as President Trump urged Americans to avoid gatherings of 10 people during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Local reporter Sarah Hollenbeck, of WFTS-TV, captured the sunny scene with tight clusters of college-aged beach-goers scattered across the sand.

A new report claims that the first people infected with the virus took sick more than a month before China ever admitted the virus existed, according to The Western Journal. Based on Chinese government documents to which it had access, the South China Morning Post reported that a 55-year-old in the Hubei province, which contains the city of Wuhan, contracted the disease on Nov. 17. However, the Chinese government reported that the first case was on Dec. 31, according to The New York Times.

A 21-year-old Spanish soccer coach was killed by the coronavirus while also battling leukemia, according to a report. Francisco Garcia, a youth team coach at Malaga club Atletico Portada Alta, only received his cancer diagnosis after going to the hospital with symptoms of the virus, the Independent reported. The coach had been advised to seek medical help after he began experiencing trouble breathing, Spanish newspaper Malaga Hoy reported.

Ohio called off its presidential primary just hours before polls were set to open there and in three other states, an 11th-hour decision the governor said was necessary to prevent further fueling the coronavirus pandemic that has paralyzed the nation. Health Director Amy Acton declared a health emergency that would prevent the polls from opening out of fear of exposing voters and volunteer poll workers — many of them elderly — to the virus. Arizona, Florida and Illinois were proceeding with their presidential primaries.

Beautiful day outside. And I think we have some great things to talk about. I’ll start by discussing the Federal Reserve. As you know, it just happened minutes ago, but, to me, it makes me very happy. And I want to congratulate the Federal Reserve. For starters, they’ve lowered the Fed rate from what it was, which was 1 to 1.25. And it’s been lowered down to zero, to 0.25 or .25. So it’s 0 to .25. That’s a big difference. It’s quite a bit. It’s about a point.

After the first case of covid-19, the disease caused by the new strain of coronavirus, was announced in the United States, reports of further infections trickled in slowly. Two months later, that trickle has turned into a steady current.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) on Monday called for the United States to take more drastic measures to address the Chinese coronavirus pandemic, including a national “shutdown” that would only exclude “absolutely essential work” and stipends to affected workers to assist them in paying their bills as the pandemic continues to unfold across the globe. “The time has come for extraordinary measures to combat the Chinese coronavirus. What seems extreme today will seem obvious tomorrow,” Cotton, an outspoken skeptic of the House’s relief package, said on Monday.

As the old joke goes, European heaven is where the policemen are English, the cooks French, the bankers Swiss, the post office German, and the lovers Italian. European hell is where the policemen are German, the cooks English, the bankers French, the post office Italian, and the lovers Swiss. My version as an American physician practicing in Italy: health heaven is where the funding, hospitals, and doctors’ education are American, the lifestyle and access to care Italian. Health hell? Italian budgets, medical education, and intensive care units; American prices, insurance coverage, Big Mac diets, drunk driving, and street-corner opiates.

Former Fugees member Pras Michel showed up to Manhattan Family court wearing a full Tyvek suit Monday — after an intern with coronavirus had been there a week prior. The “Ghetto Superstar” rapper — who was cuffed last week for not proving he made a $20,000 child support payment — showed up wearing a head-to-toe white Tyvek suit and handed over a receipt that he said proves he made the payment over the weekend.

President Donald Trump on Monday released a series of coronavirus guidelines to slow the spread that calls for a lockdown of America, including the closing of restaurants and schools. 'Each and every one of us has a critical role to play in stopping the spread,' the president said in the White House briefing room. And while his guidelines will be revisited after the initial 15 day proposal, the president warned the virus could affect American life well into the summer. 'People are talking about July, August, something like that,' Trump said. 'They could be right in that period of time where it washes through.'

French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday called for citizens to restrict themselves from taking unnecessary trips outside of their homes for at least two weeks. “We must all limit the number of people with who we’re in contact with every single day. Scientists say so, that's the absolute priority,” Macron said, according to a Sky News translation of the televised address

Researchers on Monday administered the first shot in a trial for a potential vaccine for the novel coronavirus, federal officials said. The trial is taking place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle and aims to enroll 45 healthy adults over a six-week period, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Study participants will receive two doses of the vaccine approximately 28 days apart.

Amazon is hiring an additional 100,000 employees in the U.S. to meet the surge in demand from online shopping amid the coronavirus outbreak, the company said Monday. The company is looking to add extra full-time and part-time positions for warehouse and delivery workers. Through the end of April, it will raise pay for these employees by $2 per hour in the U.S., £2 per hour in the UK, and approximately €2 per hour in many EU countries. Amazon currently pays $15 per hour or more in some areas of the U.S. for warehouse and delivery jobs.

Coronavirus has been with us for longer than you think. According to documents seen by the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the Chinese government first detected a case of COVID-19 on Nov. 17. Yet it still hasn’t been able to confirm that this case really is the fabled “Patient Zero.” Officially, the coronavirus didn’t exist until Dec. 31. The new leak of government documents therefore pushes the discovery of COVID-19 back by several weeks.

The first case of someone in China suffering from Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, can be traced back to November 17, according to government data seen by the South China Morning Post. Chinese authorities have so far identified at least 266 people who were infected last year, all of whom came under medical surveillance at some point. Some of the cases were likely backdated after health authorities had tested specimens taken from suspected patients.

We’re beginning to see what was really going on with all those closed-down WalMarts. Corona Virus is just an excuse; we went through this same hysteria with the Swine Flu epidemic of 1976 and again with the TEOTWAWKI of Y2K. And Avian Flu, and SARS and a dozen other crises. Yes, follow commonsense practices for hygiene, take care of yourself. Seek medical help if necessary. Do NOT surrender to fear. Fear is our biggest enemy. Videos that surfaced in the last few days show us how our mainstream media managed to convince Americans to fight each other for toilet papers.

San Francisco's mayor has announced an unprecedented three week lockdown that will begin on Tuesday at midnight and which bans anyone from leaving their home for anything other than doctor's visits or trips to the supermarket. In addition to the lockdown in city parameters, six counties in the Bay Area are being told to 'shelter in place'. The lockdown is the strictest action to be taken in America. Anyone who breaks it faces legal repercussions. It will last until April 7. Mayor London Breed called it a 'defining moment' on Monday morning. 'This is going to be a defining moment for our city.

Sirens blared across Puerto Rico’s busiest beaches on Monday as police cleared hundreds of tourists from the U.S. territory’s coast in a crackdown on people violating a newly imposed curfew aimed at curbing the new coronavirus. Using loudspeakers, police in patrol cars ordered people off the beach: “Please stay at home. Governor’s executive orders. The beach is closed.” The sweep surprised many tourists in the capital of San Juan, some of whom disregarded orders to stay inside their hotels on a sunny day.

A French bishop who visited the Vatican last week has tested positive for coronavirus, his diocese announced on Monday. Bishop Emmanuel Delmas of Angers tested positive for COVID-19 on the evening of March 15. The Diocese of Angers said in a statement on March 16 that the bishop first experienced symptoms during his time in Rome. Delmas was part of a delegation of 31 French bishops who met with Pope Francis during their ad limina visit on March 9. Vatican media shared photos of the bishops sitting one meter apart with a significant distance from the pope.

After consultation with the Wolf Administration and Pennsylvania Department of Health, today the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced the indefinite closure of all Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores and licensee service centers, effective at 9:00 PM Tuesday, March 17, to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Additionally, sales at www.FineWineAndGoodSpirits.comOpens In A New Window will cease at 5:00 PM today. “This was a tremendously difficult decision to make, and we understand the disruption our store closures will have on consumers and licensees across the commonwealth,” said Board Chairman Tim Holden. “But in these uncertain and unprecedented times, the public health crisis and mitigation effort must take priority over the sale of wine and spirits, as the health and safety of our employees and communities is paramount.”

The governor is extending restrictions statewide to battle COVID-19 infections. All non-essential businesses are urged to close. Non-essential businesses according to the state include community and recreation centers; gyms, including yoga, barre, and spin facilities; hair salons, nail salons and spas; casinos; concert venues; theaters; bars; sporting event venues and golf courses; retail facilities, including shopping malls and except for pharmacy or other health care facilities within retail operations.

Dallas County and the city of Dallas will close all bars, dine-in restaurants, gyms and theaters in an unprecedented effort to stop the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The restaurants will be allowed to operate delivery and take-out following an order from Mayor Eric Johnson and Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, but cannot have their dining room open. The new rules go into effect at 12:00 a.m. Tuesday, meaning Monday is the final day any of those businesses can be open.

Gov. John Bel Edwards said Monday that all bars, gyms and movie theaters will close in an effort to keep coronavirus from spreading. Restaurants will be limited to delivery and drive-thru orders only. Edwards said on Twitter: “Today, I am taking additional measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by further limiting gatherings to fewer than 50 people, closing casinos, bars & movie theaters and limiting restaurants to delivery and drive-through orders only.

Someone had to say it. People are over-shopping in preparation for the spread of the coronavirus. In order to reassure the American people that there is no disruption in the food and supply chain across the country, President Trump offered some words of advice. “You don’t have to buy so much.” On Sunday, President Trump held a call with two dozen executives from consumer and grocery companies including Target, Campbell, and Costco. The topic of discussion was hoarding and the safety of their supply chain as we face the coronavirus crisis. During a press conference he urged the American public to ease up on shopping for food and supplies like cleaning products and other household supplies.

“It might be US army [sic] who brought the epidemic to Wuhan,” tweeted a Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson last week. He then followed up by tweeting a report from a conspiracy website, stating that it provided “further evidence that the virus originated in the US.” There are no words to describe the absurdity of the accusation, but for those who monitor China’s ruling regime it comes as no surprise. Deflection and blame are par for the course, but what is surprising is how many in the United States media are inadvertently carrying water for Beijing.

It was disgusting to see the way Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders politicized the coronavirus pandemic during their debate Sunday night. I expected as much, to be honest. A public health crisis is no time for partisanship. Sadly, for the left, they saw the coronavirus pandemic was just another opportunity for them to take down Trump. From the Russian collusion hoax to the bogus impeachment, they’ve tried relentlessly to find something to not just damage him, but to end his presidency.

Tensions over the federal government’s response to the coronavirus spilled onto social media Monday as President Trump and Gov. Andrew Cuomo exchanged a series of searing tweets over New York’s request for assistance. “Just had a very good tele-conference with Nation’s Governors. Went very well. Cuomo of New York has to ‘do more’, ” Trump tweeted.

Israel illuminated the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem with the colors of the Italian flag Sunday evening in a show of solidarity with the European nation, which just announced that another 370 had died in the last 24 hours from the coronavirus. Italy! Jerusalem is with you!” Jerusalem mayor Moshe Leon said in a statement.

Broadway is dark, the city’s 1.1 million public school students are home from school, and the Big Apple’s 27,000 restaurants will close their doors to diners Tuesday — but none of those warnings could keep Mayor Bill de Blasio from a trip to his favorite public gym in Brooklyn on Monday morning. “Text I just received (from someone who is definitely not making this up): ‘I just walked by DeBlasio [sic] going into the Y to work out so YOLO?'” a Twitter user named Teddy Goff wrote at 10:08 a.m.

Although the "racist"-sounding “Wuhan virus” is now labeled as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, in America the real pandemic, more accurately described as pandemonium, is at the local supermarkets where store shelves resemble those in Venezuela. America is in the grips of a panic the likes of which we haven’t seen before. What exactly is a pandemic, other than a scary sounding word from science fiction movies?

The Newport Oregon Police Department is notifying the public that they are not to call the emergency line simply because they ran out of toilet paper. While many people have been blitzing shopping areas in order to stock up on toilet paper, the police department is offering a number of alternative options you can use in case you run out.

Global aviation is shutting down because of the coronavirus outbreak and travel restrictions designed to contain it, and many airlines will need government bailouts within weeks or face bankruptcy.

Canada is closing its borders to noncitizens because of the coronavirus pandemic, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau noted that the ban does not apply to U.S. citizens “for the moment.” “We can still slow the spread of this virus,” Trudeau said at a press conference at Rideau Cottage in Ottawa, where he announced the border closing. “It is time to take every precaution to keep people safe

Coronavirus cases in the UK have surpassed 380 this week, leading to widespread panic about the spread of the disease. Many worried Brits have taken to wearing gloves while out and about, in the hopes of protecting themselves from the virus. However, experts have warned against this practice, and suggest that wearing gloves could actually increase your risk of catching the virus.

David Clarke, the former sheriff of Milwaukee County and an outspoken conservative firebrand who was once considered for a role in the Trump administration, had a tweet removed from his Twitter timeline after he encouraged people to defy medical experts’ opinions regarding how to handle the present coronavirus situation.

The death toll from an outbreak of coronavirus in Italy has risen in the last 24 hours by 349 to 2,158, an increase of 19.3%, the Civil Protection Agency said on Monday. The total number of cases in Italy, the European country hardest hit by the virus, rose to 27,980 from a previous 24,747, up 13%, the slowest rate of increase since the contagion first came to light on Feb. 21.

Nobel laureate Michael Levitt, an American-British-Israeli biophysicist who teaches structural biology at Stanford University and spends much of his time in Tel Aviv, unexpectedly became a household name in China, offering the public reassurance during the peak of the country’s coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak. Levitt did not discover a treatment or a cure, just did what he does best: crunched the numbers.

The world’s largest gun store, in metro Atlanta, has had lines that are six and eight people deep. A gun store in Los Angeles had lines that stretched down the block. And at least one store in Idaho put limits on sales after its shelves were nearly cleared out. Just as grocery stores have been stripped bare by Americans panicked by coronavirus, guns and ammunition have started flying off the shelves. Retailers say the buying frenzy is being fueled by consumers who are worried that people are becoming so desperate and unpredictable, they need to ensure they can protect themselves.

Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, is holding up the House-passed coronavirus relief bill and preventing it from being delivered to the Senate for a vote. The House was expected to make technical corrections Monday to the bipartisan measure, passed by the House early Saturday, but Gohmert is insisting on reading them, a Democratic leadership aide confirmed to NBC News on Monday.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) is floating a plan to “get cash into the hands of affected workers and their families” due to national shutdowns of businesses in nearly every industry from the coronavirus outbreak. In a series of posts online and in a Fox News Channel interview, Cotton said American workers who are being forced to stay home from their jobs due to shutdowns in the midst of the coronavirus crisis need immediate relief in the form of cash payments.

Six Bay Area counties are expected to announce a “shelter in place” order for all residents on Monday, directing everyone to stay inside their homes and away from others as much as possible for the next three weeks as public health officials desperately try to curb the rapid spread of coronavirus across the region.

Idris Elba is the latest celebrity to announce he’s tested positive for coronavirus. “This morning I tested positive for Covid 19,” he captioned a video of himself and his wife, Sabrina Dhowre, 30. “I feel ok, I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to the virus. Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I’m doing. No panic.”

“If everyone makes this change, or these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus,” Trump said in the White House briefing room. “We’re going to have a big celebration all together.”

“Every American adult should immediately receive $1,000 to help ensure families and workers can meet their short-term obligations and increase spending in the economy,” Romney, a Utah Republican senator and 2012 presidential nominee, said in a statement Monday. Romney called for the provision as part of a stimulus package he hopes will pass in addition to a House measure now under negotiation in Congress. Besides the $1,000 check, Romney is calling for grants for affected small businesses with revenue loss greater than 50%, adjustments to the Pell Grant requirements for students hurt by the closure of colleges and universities, and a requirement for health insurance companies to cover telehealth services.

The White House on Monday denied that it’s considering a national curfew in response to the coronavirus outbreak. “That’s not even in the realm of things we’re asking governors for,” said Katie Miller, a spokeswoman for Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the Trump administration’s response to COVID-19.

Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) has closed its dine-in areas and switched to a “to go” format for at least two weeks to help control the rapid spread of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States and Canada.

Germany’s transport ministry plans to halt flights from Iran and China in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus, newspaper Bild reported on Monday, citing government sources.

Michigan’s governor orders all bars, restaurants, entertainment venues, more to close amid coronavirus outbreak Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will order all bars and restaurants in the state of Michigan to shut down their dine-in services in response to the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak.

This map includes states and territories with one or more laboratories that have successfully verified and are currently using COVID-19 diagnostic tests. As of the morning of March 15, 84 state and local public health laboratories in 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam have successfully verified COVID-19 diagnostic tests and are offering testing.

Two emergency physicians, one in his 40s in Washington state and a 70-year-old New Jersey doctor, are in critical condition after contracting COVID-19, according to a national physicians group. In Patterson, N.J., the physician is in charge of emergency preparedness at his organization, which the American College of Emergency Physicians declined to name. The doctor was admitted to the hospital a few days ago with upper respiratory problems and remains in isolation in its intensive-care unit, according to a news release from ACEP.

The Italian government plans to take control of Alitalia, a draft decree seen by Reuters showed on Monday, as the loss-making carrier risks going belly up due to the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. The government has earmarked 600 million euros ($670 million) to keep the airline afloat, the draft decree also showed.

Stocks fell sharply Monday even after the Federal Reserve embarked on a massive monetary stimulus campaign to curb slower economic growth amid the coronavirus outbreak. The S&P 500 dropped 8.4% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2,083 points, or 9%. The Nasdaq Composite traded 8.2% lower. The major averages were off their session lows, however. The S&P 500 fell as much as 11.4% while the Dow lost more than 12% earlier. The Nasdaq was briefly down 11.7%.

The International Monetary Fund on Monday said it “stands ready” to use its $1 trillion lending capacity to help countries around the world that are struggling with the humanitarian and economic impact of the novel coronavirus. “As a first line of defense, the Fund can deploy its flexible and rapid-disbursing emergency response toolkit to help countries with urgent balance-of-payment needs,” IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said in a statement.

Goldman Sachs on Sunday downgraded its outlook for the economy in the first two quarters of 2020 as the coronavirus zaps all growth from the U.S. Jan Hatzius, Goldman’s chief economist, lowered his first-quarter GDP growth forecast to zero from 0.7%. The economist also sees a 5% contraction in the second quarter, followed by a sharp snapback for the remainder of the year.

On Monday, the House of Representatives will have to vote on a revised version of the coronavirus relief package that passed early Saturday morning, after “technical changes” were hastily added to the bill, Roll Call reported. After hours of negotiations between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin, H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act sailed through congress with a vote of 363-40-1. Democratic legislators voted in lock-step for the bill while 40 Republicans voted against, bucking President’s Trump’s stated support for the emergency relief package. Rep. Justin Amash (I-Mich.) cast the abstaining vote

European Union countries must take care not to damage food and medicine supply lines as they slap on border restrictions in the drive to curb the spread of coronavirus, the EU’s executive arm said on Monday. From Portugal in the west to economic powerhouse Germany to Hungary in the east, EU countries have tightened frontier controls across the normally open-border Schengen zone which includes most member states as well as non-members Switzerland and Norway.

In the span of a few days, coronavirus has upended American higher education. More than 400 colleges have canceled classes or moved them online to slow the virus’s spread. While some schools hope that the shift will be temporary, others have confirmed that in-person classes and events will be canceled for the rest of the semester. The nationwide closures mark what could easily be the most massive and sudden shake-up of higher education to date. For many students and faculty alike, the swift switch to online learning has cast dramatic uncertainty on the rest of the school year.

On Monday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) called for the nationalization of certain parts of the supply chain, and stated that “we’re getting close to a reality where the government has to ensure that the food supply, that it is not only available, but that it’s equitably distributed.”

The White House put in place new measures Monday to protect President Donald Trump and his staff during the coronavirus outbreak, including taking the temperature of anyone who enters the complex, such as visitors and members of the press corps. The steps expanded on screenings the White House began on Saturday for anyone who gets close to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, who is leading the administration’s response to the virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19, also known as the new coronavirus, to be a pandemic on March 11. The virus has killed thousands of people worldwide, with over 135,000 confirmed cases and over 5,000 deaths. Public reaction has been mixed — many people have been rushing to grocery stores to stock up for a potential quarantine, while others have called the responses to be an overreaction. According to Dr. Marty Makary, a medical professor at Johns Hopkins University, the coronavirus is something that “people need to take seriously.”

The first participant in the trial will receive the experimental vaccine on Monday, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the trial has not been publicly announced yet. The National Institutes of Health is funding the trial, which is taking place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle, the official said.

It's been a crazy week, hasn't it? On Monday, the stock market tanked. On Tuesday, Italy shut down. On Wednesday, Seattle closed its schools. On Thursday, Denmark locked down. By Friday, it seemed most of our country was in an advanced state of panic. Hysteria is sweeping the globe, and it's ridiculous.

Antivirals and other medicines created for past outbreaks like malaria, AIDS, and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) are being tested and showing early signs of success in treating the new coronavirus, experts say. If the progress continues, medical experts in the United States could have a new regimen from drugs that are readily available and generally cheap to treat the most seriously infected patients and provide prophylactic protection for healthcare workers.

Denmark has passed an emergency law that allows for the government to force people to take a vaccine for coronavirus. The emergency law gives authorities sweeping powers to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and will remain in force until March 2021. Citizens who refuse to be tested for the coronavirus will face fines and potential prison time, and will be prevented from entering shops, grocery stores, public institutions and hospitals while also being restricted from using public transport.

House Democrats are set to vote on dismantling President Trump’s travel ban this week and rein in the executive branch’s authority to declare travel restrictions. Known as the No Ban Act, the bill would reverse restrictions on the countries under the travel ban and strengthen provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act that prohibit religious discrimination.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is enlisting a pair of petite animals to urge the public to "stay the F home" and "ignore the morons" in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The "Terminator" star and former California GOP governor tweeted a video on Sunday showing him chowing down with two pets, Whiskey and Lulu.

Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin speculated on Sunday that more Republicans will die of coronavirus than Democrats. Appearing on MSNBC’s “AM Joy,” Rubin blamed media consumed by supporters of President Donald Trump, including Fox News, for downplaying the threat and keeping their “core viewers” from taking precautions.

Reporters on Capitol Hill are being asked to stay at least six feet away from senators this week to reduce the possibility of spreading the coronavirus while the Senate remains in session to work on stimulus legislation. The Senate sergeant at arms has asked the media galleries to urge members to maintain six feet of distance from senators and from fellow journalists during their daily activities.

The decline in the stock market (as measured by the S&P 500 Index) since the top on February 19 exceeds 20%, a circumstance which by convention defines the end of the prior bull market. The advance from the previous bear market low (March 9, 2009) saw the index rise from 676.53 to its peak of 3,386.15, an increase of 400.52%.

Gov. Phil Murphy said Monday that New Jerseyans should not leave their homes between 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. The only exceptions, according to the governor’s recommendation, would be emergency or essential travel.

President Trump’s fear of Joe Biden seems well-founded, especially since Biden is now favored to move into the White House in 2021, by some estimates. “With Trump facing an unlikely reelection, this means it is most likely at this point Joe Biden will win the general election in November,” Washington, DC research firm Sandhill Strategies predicted in a March 16 analysis. The coronavirus outbreak has triggered a bear market in stocks and a likely recession, which is a death sentence for presidential reelection hopes. “No U.S. President has won reelection in recent history after a period of economic downturn,” Sandhill points out.

San Francisco, March 16 (IANS) The most promising drug to potentially treat coronavirus -- Gilead Sciences' remdesivir -- is being given a second shot at clinical trials after three seriously-affected patients in the US treated with remdesivir recovered albeit with some side effects.

The Supreme Court on Monday postponed oral arguments scheduled for its March session, including a potentially landmark dispute over subpoenas for President Trump’s financial records, amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. A court spokeswoman said the move was “in keeping with public health precautions” in response to the outbreak, which has infected 18 people in Washington, D.C., and more than 3,800 nationwide.

A team of Australian researchers say they've found a cure for the novel coronavirus and hope to have patients enrolled in a nationwide trial by the end of the month.

As much of the world goes into various stages of lockdown because of the Wuhan coronavirus, Mexico is in denial. The government’s response thus far has been to downplay the risks and carry on with life as normal. Mexican officialdom has taken almost no steps to contain the virus or prepare for an outbreak, despite a warning last week from the deputy health minister that a widespread outbreak is inevitable and that community transmission could begin there in a matter of weeks.

While the media continues parroting Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda in the face of the Wuhan virus, the Trump administration is firing back. In response to the outrageous charge from a Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson that the U.S. Army might have been behind the transmission of the Chinese coronavirus to Wuhan, the State Department Friday summoned the Chinese ambassador to the United States.

The European Union moved Monday to suppress the spread of the coronavirus by restricting foreign travelers while also proposing fast-track traffic lanes to make sure vital medical equipment reaches EU citizens. The plan was announced almost a week after a nationwide lockdown took effect in Italy, the country with the most reported virus cases in the world except for China. Spain followed suit over the weekend, while other EU nations have adopted ad hoc national measures, including partial border closures.

A coronavirus carrier has concealed her symptoms and flown from Los Angeles to Beijing to seek treatment in China. The Chinese woman, who lives in the US with her family, claimed to have been denied the coronavirus test three times by American doctors before resorting to the drastic measure, said officials in Beijing.

An American Airlines passenger delayed a flight to Nashville for over eight hours by joking about having the coronavirus, according to a report. The flight was set to depart 6:30 p.m. Saturday from Dallas, but takeoff was hampered by a man, who first refused to lift his tray table, then claimed he had the deadly virus, news station WKRN reported.

On Monday, the debate continues regarding the most effective way to limit the spread of coronavirus while taking into account the consequences for the economy of any measures taken. Several senior members of the Health Ministry have now renewed their demands for a comprehensive shutdown across the country. Until now, the guidelines for the public have been evolving in a gradual manner. In the last week alone, the number of people permitted to gather has been reduced from 5,000 to 2,000, and then from 100 to 10.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Sunday called on members of Congress to practice “social distancing” in response to the coronavirus outbreak. “As you know, at the direction of the Sergeant at Arms, the House and Senate have canceled Capitol tours for now. As the House continues our work to confront this public health emergency, we must ensure that we can continue to serve our constituents effectively,” Pelosi said in a Dear Colleague letter.

The White House is pushing back on a report that the Trump administration is considering recommending a nationwide curfew in order to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, saying that it is “not correct.” Katie Miller, a spokeswoman for Vice President Pence’s office, and White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere each disputed a report from CNN that the Trump administration is discussing encouraging a nationwide curfew that would order nonessential businesses to close at a certain time in the evening.

More than 10,000 British soldiers, sailors and airmen could be put on standby in the coming weeks as the coronavirus crisis worsens. Officials have been drawing up plans for weeks and are now ready to submit proposals to the prime minister.

Its borders with France, Austria and Switzerland were shut on Monday morning, except for commercial traffic. France is considering more stringent lockdowns, with its health chief saying the situation is "deteriorating fast". Meanwhile, the European Commission has proposed a temporary ban on non-essential travel to the European Union. The measure would initially last for 30 days, and long-term residents in the EU, family members of EU nationals and diplomats would be exempt as well as cross-border and healthcare workers and people transporting goods

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Sunday that people throughout the U.S. should avoid events of 50 people or more for the next eight weeks. The announcement comes as some major cities have already banned large events and ordered bars and restaurants to close. The CDC said in its release that it "recommends that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States."

Google sister company Verily launched a website late on Sunday that invites adults in northern California to answer questions about their recent health and travel that could result in their getting a free coronavirus test.

Monday marked another stage in the global battle to outwit the new coronavirus, as reported infections in the rest of the world overtook those in China. Millions of people in Europe and the United States began holing up at home amid rapid-fire border closures announced by one nation after the other. Stocks tumbled even further in Monday morning trading on Wall Street as the economic fallout of the outbreak widened. The S&P 500 lost more than 7% at the open, triggering a 15-minute halt to trading, and losses deepened after trading resumed, mirroring sharp falls elsewhere around the world.

Wolf has shut down schools in Pennsylvania, put counties in lockdown, and said he could even order businesses to shutter their doors. Such are the powers the Democratic governor has since declaring a disaster emergency on March 6. In the space of a week, Gov. Tom Wolf has shut down schools statewide, put four counties in lockdown, and ordered restaurants in some areas to close dine-in facilities. And if coronavirus cases continue to multiply, the Democratic governor could also limit travel, order evacuations, and even commandeer private property to cope with the public health crisis.

The Hixson man who bought 18,000 bottles of sanitizer and attempted to sell the product online is now under investigation by Tennessee's Attorney General. Matt Colvin told Channel 3 before the investigation began that he was considering donating the leftover inventory.

Donald Trump has defended his response to the coronavirus outbreak hours after admitting that a domestic travel ban is a possibility if COVID-19 gets 'too hot' in certain areas of the US. The president tweeted: 'Sleepy Joe Biden was in charge of the H1N1 Swine Flu epidemic which killed thousands of people. The response was one of the worst on record. Our response is one of the best, with fast action of border closings & a 78% Approval Rating, the highest on record. His was lowest!' By Thursday night there were more than 1,700 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 41 deaths.

Public health and national security experts shake their heads when President Donald Trump says the coronavirus "came out of nowhere" and “blindsided the world.” They've been warning about the next pandemic for years and criticized the Trump administration's decision in 2018 to dismantle a National Security Council directorate at the White House charged with preparing for when, not if, another pandemic would hit the nation.

China, Russia and Iran are flooding the global information space with false claims about the new coronavirus, according to U.S. officials, who say one of the biggest lies — that the virus that causes COVID-19 is a U.S. bioweapon and was brought to China by U.S. Army personnel — is just the latest in a “surge of propaganda” aimed at undermining America’s image on the world stage. Beijing, Moscow and Tehran are using a vast web of social media accounts, fake news outlets and state-controlled global satellite media to promote false claims by academics and, at times, government officials to blame Washington for the crisis now gripping most of humanity.

Kentucky has taken the extraordinary step of forcing a resident diagnosed with coronavirus to self-quarantine after refusing to do so. Governor Andy Beshear said on Saturday that authorities in the state found four more confirmed cases of the pathogen, including one patient in Nelson County who was forced into his home. According to Beshear, a 53-year-old man tested positive for coronavirus at the University of Louisville.

Britain's coronavirus crisis could last until Spring 2021 and see 7.9million people hospitalised, a secret briefing for senior NHS figures has revealed. The document, seen by The Guardian, shows health chiefs expect the virus to last for another 12 months, and details how it will impact key staff in the NHS, police and fire brigade. It says: 'As many as 80 per cent of the population are expected to be infected with COVID-19 in the next 12 months, and up to 15 per cent (7.9 million people) may require hospitalisation.' It is understood the document was drawn up in recent days by Public Health England's preparedness and response team.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf on Sunday ordered all restaurants and bars in Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties to close their dine-in facilities as of Monday. The measure, in place for 14 days, is being taken to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. "Businesses that offer carry-out, delivery, and drive-through food and beverage service may continue to do so, but eating and drinking inside restaurants and bars is temporarily prohibited," an announcement from the governor said.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said Sunday there were now 56 cases of COVID-19 confirmed in the province, with 17 of those confirmed between Saturday and Sunday. And for the first time, it appears some of the cases came from community spread instead of via travel. Of the 17 cases, 14 are in Calgary and three are in Edmonton, Kenney said, adding he thinks the province has reached an “inflection point” in the pandemic.

Restaurants in Indonesia are taking some dishes off the menu after the price of onions soared ten-fold to cost more than beef, while a spike in garlic prices is also affecting staple dishes amid import disruptions from China due to coronavirus. Shipments from China of goods and produce have been hurt in the past few months as a lockdown in some areas and extended holidays to curb the virus outbreak have thrown global supply chains into turmoil. Southeast Asia’s largest economy imports most of its onions and garlic from China and economists already see higher food prices fanning inflation, although they say lower oil prices should keep the headline rate within Bank Indonesia’s range of 2%-4%.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced late Sunday that the Big Apple’s nightlife will shut down and its restaurants and bars will only provide takeout or delivery service as authorities struggle to get ahead of the mounting coronavirus pandemic. The restrictions will take effect at 9 a.m. Tuesday and are similar to measures announced in Ohio, Washington, DC, and across much of Western Europe, all of which have been hit by the deadly virus, too.

The Chinese Communist Party has ramped up its propaganda efforts to control the narrative surrounding the novel coronavirus—by rejecting criticism....

All bars, entertainment and recreational facilities have been ordered by the state to close across Washington and restaurants will be limited to take-out or delivery orders only, Gov. Jay Inslee said Sunday night. The order goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday morning, an Inslee spokesperson said, though King County has chosen to enact its ban immediately. “Given the explosion of COVID-19 in our state and globally, I will sign a statewide emergency proclamation tomorrow to temporarily shut down restaurants, bars and entertainment and recreational facilities," Inslee said in a press release announcing the new order.

A sequel to a movie that you didn’t want to see in the first place is one thing, like Ghost Rider 2 after Ghost Rider. A sequel to having a COVID-19 infection would be something completely different. You may think that the one “positive” of testing positive for the COVID-19 causing coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) and surviving would be that you won’t get infected by that virus again. At least not during this pandemic. Ah, but is this assumption really true? Will you indeed be immune to the SARS-CoV2 after you’ve recovered from a COVID-19 infection? Some reports out of Japan and China seem to suggest otherwise.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker’s announcement Sunday night banning gatherings of 25 or more people sent workers scrambling to find out what that means for their jobs, their children’s daycare facilities and preschools. The executive order on gatherings — one of several issued Sunday to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus — prohibited “without limitation, community, civic, public, leisure, faith-based, sporting events with spectators, concerts, conventions, fundraisers, parades, fairs, festivals and any similar event or activity that brings 25 or more persons in a single room or single space at the same time.”

It wasn’t easy for him, but Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker did the smart and prudent thing on Friday by canceling school in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. But weirdly, Tuesday’s primary elections will go on as planned. Gov. J.B. Pritzker announces in a press conference at the Thompson Center in Chicago on Friday, March 13, 2020, that all schools statewide will be closed through March 30 in an effort to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

The mayor of Champaign, Illinois, gave herself the power to ban the sale of guns and alcohol after declaring a citywide emergency to address the coronavirus. Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen signed the executive order on Thursday declaring a state of emergency for the city. That executive order, which is in line with municipal code, comes with extraordinary powers for the mayor to enact over a short period of time as the city combats the spread of the coronavirus.

Boston-based entrepreneur and inventor of Email Dr. V.A. Shiva Ayyadurai says the coronavirus fear mongering by the Deep State will go down in history as one of the biggest frauds ever. Ayyadurai is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and is best known for his claim to have invented email.

Presidential candidates — they’re just like us in the face of the coronavirus: lots of hand washing with soap and hot water, hand sanitizers and avoiding shaking hands. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was asked at the Democratic debate on Sunday how he was protecting himself during the pandemic, with the moderator noting his heart attack in October. (Heart issues are among the underlying health conditions that make exposure to the coronavirus more deadly.)

President Donald Trump urged Americans not to hoard food on Sunday during a White House press conference that came just minutes after the Federal Reserve announced new steps to shield the U.S. economy from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. “You don’t have to buy so much,” Trump said. “Take it easy. Relax.”

Israel has long been known for its use of technology to track the movements of Palestinian militants. Now, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to use similar technology to stop the movement of the coronavirus. Netanyahu’s Cabinet on Sunday authorized the Shin Bet security agency to use its phone-snooping tactics on coronavirus patients, an official confirmed, despite concerns from civil-liberties advocates that the practice would raise serious privacy issues. The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending an official announcement.

New York City schools will be closed for at least the next four-plus weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday evening. De Blasio said at a media briefing there would be no school until April 20, and perhaps for the rest of the academic year.

From behind the big oak desk in the Oval Office, the most solemn setting in times of national emergency, President Donald Trump somberly addressed the public. Americans desperately needed reassurances about the rapidly spreading novel coronavirus. After all, it was now official: The virus had touched every continent except for Antarctica. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic. It had killed dozens and infected thousands of Americans, shut down schools, universities and businesses across the country and begun to sow widespread fear, despite Trump's assertion in late February that "like a miracle, it will disappear."

America's hospitals will be overrun with coronavirus patients in just eight days and face months of strain, according to Obama's former Medicare boss. Andy Slavitt, former Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, issued the dire warning on Twitter on Saturday along with a string of advice for the public, governments and health workers. 'Last night I was on with state & local officials around the US well into the night. 'By March 23 many of our largest cities & hospitals are on course to be overrun with cases,' he wrote.

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department suffered a cyber-attack on its computer system Sunday night during the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to three people familiar with the matter. The attack appears to have been intended to slow the agency’s systems down, but didn’t do so in any meaningful way, said the people, who asked for anonymity to discuss an incident that was not public.

Americans are feeling the strain of 'coronavirus fatigue' as new cases are being reported by the Trump administration and numerous bureaus amid a state of emergency announced on Friday, prompting further US officials to issue public bans and flight restrictions until further notice. Americans are beginning to lose sleep as the coronavirus pandemic spreads across the nation, a survey from Mattress Insider revealed. The Colorado-based company surveyed around 1,000 Americans on the coronavirus outbreak and divided responses based on demographics.

As of Sunday morning, the novel coronavirus has infected at least 152,000 people across 120 countries and territories, resulting in over 5,700 deaths. In the U.S., at least 49 states plus the District of Columbia have reported confirmed cases of COVID-19, tallying nearly 3,000 illnesses and 61 deaths.

Joe Biden's campaign said the candidate has yet to take the coronavirus test because he is unaware of any contact with the disease. "Vice President Biden has no fever, no cough, no shortness of breath or other symptoms consistent with coronavirus," the campaign said in a Friday statement. "And the campaign has not been informed of or become aware of any relevant contact with an individual who has tested positive."

Demonstrating that the paper’s priorities remained in perfect order, New York Times reporter Katie Rogers nailed the real coronavirus crisis: “Politicians’ Use of ‘Wuhan Virus’ Starts a Debate Health Experts Wanted to Avoid -- Despite the recommendations of health officials, some conservatives are using the term to describe Covid-19, prompting a blame game over who is politicizing the coronavirus.”

Austin’s Mayor Adler has officially banned gatherings of 250 people or more anywhere in the city or Travis County. The ban on public or private gatherings, part of orders adopted by Adler and Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt, takes effect on 2 a.m. on Sunday March 15 and will continue until at least May 1, 2020. The COVID-19 virus is contagious and spreads through person-to-person contact, especially in group settings and the CDC recommends a community-wide aproach to using “social distancing” to help prevent the spread of illness and death.

As America confronts the coronavirus (COVID-19), we might ask: Who’s more valuable: first responders or private-equity managers? Which do we need more of right now: doctors and nurses or stock traders and their algorithms? Which is more essential: hospitals or hedge funds? Indeed, in a time of public-health crisis, we might reflect upon some of the pillars of our society and of our social order: the mostly middle-class folks who hold up the health professions. They’re not rich, and they’re not getting rich—and yet they are putting their lives at risk. For us. For America.

Krystal Ji, a China-born lawyer working in San Francisco's busy Financial District, believes that wearing face masks reduces her risk of contracting the new coronavirus. But a seemingly minor incident last week convinced the 26-year-old to ditch them. Ji was waiting for the elevator in her company's lobby, wearing a mask. When the elevator came, a man behind her saw the mask and decided to wait for the next one, even though there was plenty of room.

If there’s a silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic — and let’s be real: we could all really use a win right now — it’s that there’s probably never been a better time to ride a bike in the Big Apple. On Sunday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled a new set of guidelines for citizens hoping to help contain the burgeoning outbreak. They included working from home, if possible, avoiding subways during rush hour (a breeding ground for respiratory viruses), and walking or biking to work if possible to avoid crowding on public transportation.

Walmart will reduce its store hours in their 24-hour locations starting Sunday amid concerns of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the company announced Saturday evening. Starting Sunday, March 15, Walmart stores and Neighborhood Markets will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Stores that are already operating under reduced hours outside of that frame will keep operating as such.

When it happens, they will be asked to stay home for "a very long time", Health Secretary Matt Hancock said. The government is to release social distancing advice for elderly people on Monday - but they will not yet be asked to self-isolate for long periods. Fourteen more people have died from the virus, bringing deaths in the UK to 35. Mr Hancock told the BBC that manufacturers were being asked to help produce medical equipment, such as ventilators, to help with an expected surge in demand by the NHS.

American Airlines Inc said Saturday it plans to cut 75% of its international flights through May 6 and ground nearly all its widebody fleet, as airlines respond to the global collapse in travel demand due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As ski resorts across the United States grappled with how to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus without having to close, industry giants Vail Resorts and Alterra Mountain Company decided Saturday they would shutter 49 of North America’s most well-known resorts. Vail Resorts said it would shut down its 34 resorts for at least one week before reassessing while Alterra is closing its 15 until further notice. The Telluride Ski Resort in Colorado and the Aspen Skiing Company announced Saturday night that they will close ski operations, too.

Friends on Facebook are demanding that the Federal government (i.e., taxpayers) underwrite unlimited paid sick leave in order to stop the coronavirus plague. This sounds reasonable. We don’t want an infected person coming into work at a restaurant and spreading the infection to 100 customers. But, on the other hand, especially since our testing capabilities are so limited, wouldn’t this result in 100 percent of people with less-than-fun jobs disappearing from the workforce?

Cirque du Soleil, creator of many of the most popular shows in Las Vegas, said Saturday that it is temporarily suspending its productions in the city as well as around the world because of the new coronavirus outbreak. In a statement, the company said it made the decision based on public health authorities calling for people to limit their social interactions to stop the spread of the virus.

After years of urging its terrorists to attack major European cities, ISIS is now telling them to steer clear due to the coronavirus. Any sick jihadists already in Europe, however, should stay there — presumably to sicken infidels, according to a ‘sharia’ directive printed in the group’s al-Naba newsletter, the Sunday Times of London reported.

On March 1, the day after the first coronavirus death in the United States was announced, brothers Matt and Noah Colvin set out in a silver SUV to pick up some hand sanitizer. Driving around Chattanooga, Tennessee, they hit a Dollar Tree, then a Walmart, a Staples and a Home Depot. At each store, they cleaned out the shelves.

The nation's leading infectious diseases expert shut down a line of questioning by a CNN anchor who asked why he touched the same podium and microphone as President Trump. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and Trump participated in a news conference in the White House's Rose Garden on Friday, where the two men, along with other officials, shared a microphone to speak with reporters about the coronavirus. During an interview on State of the Union, host Brianna Keilar asked Fauci why he grabbed the same microphone as Trump when the two spoke about avoiding social contact to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Vice President Mike Pence, who heads the nation’s coronavirus response task force, told reporters Saturday that the emergency relief plan backed by President Donald Trump and passed by the House early Saturday will protect the most vulnerable American workers during the outbreak.

Dr. Antony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, urged Americans to shut down more aggressively as the coronavirus spreads. On MSNBC’s “Meet the Press” Mr. Fauci endorsed a 14-day “national shutdown” to help slow down the virus. He explained that he has brought it up with the administration, which is generally open to his ideas. “I think Americans should be prepared that they are going to have to hunker down significantly more than we as a country are doing,” he said.

Berlin is trying to stop Washington from persuading a German company seeking a coronavirus vaccine to move its research to the United States, prompting German politicians to insist no country should have a monopoly on any future vaccine.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is calling on President Trump to activate the Army Corps of Engineers to increase hospital capacity in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The governor cautioned in a New York Times op-ed that the U.S. has not dealt with the pandemic on a national level like other countries, which are still struggling, and predicted the failure of the hospital system is “all but certain.”

In the absence of a vaccine for the novel COVID-19, which is now quickly spreading across the world, doctors believe that slowing down or treating the virus might be achieved with plasma therapy.

The World Health Organization on Sunday said there is no evidence the U.S. introduced the coronavirus into China as suggested by Beijing’s foreign ministry spokesman last week. “We have neither seen the allegation nor any evidence to support it,” WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier told The Washington Times. WHO is coordinating global response and has sent teams inside China to learn how the virulent bug sprouted and infected over 80,000 Chinese, by far the world’s most by country.

The surge of coronavirus cases throughout the United States and around the world has brought countries to a practical standstill. While countries like Italy, Spain and China have declared complete lockdowns in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, life in the United States also has dramatically changed in just a week. From work to entertainment to even worship, several aspects of American life have been reordered as health officials encourage the public to carry out "social distancing" to prevent the spread of the infection.

This follow-up to my March 12 coronavirus piece comes with the same important caveats, important enough that I’m stating them up front: I’m not here to alarm anyone, and I am not here to scoff. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I do know what our experts are saying, and this is me reporting what the experts are saying. Andrew Slavitt, Barack Obama’s former acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), is quoting experts who say more than one million Americans are already doomed because the “virus was not contained.”

Amazon, eBay, Walmart and other online-commerce platforms are trying to stop their sellers from making excessive profits from a public health crisis. Let me say this just as plainly as I can – if you are buying up large quantities of toilet paper and hand sanitizer to sell at ten times what you paid for it to people suffering from the coronavirus, you are a miserable human being. And if you are filling your carts with far more than what the actual needs of you and your family are, you are only slightly less disgusting. This is shameful behavior for any American to display, but for someone who calls themselves a Christian to hoard and stockpile beyond your needs? Repent, hoarder, repent.

Spain’s government said Saturday that the wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has tested positive for the new coronavirus. It said Begoña Gómez and the prime minister are in good health and following the instructions of medical authorities at their residence in La Moncloa Palace in Madrid, the government seat.

A clinical trial evaluating a vaccine designed to protect against the new coronavirus will begin Monday, according to a government official. The first participant in the trial will receive the experimental vaccine on Monday, the official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the trial has not been publicly announced yet. The National Institutes of Health is funding the trial, which is taking place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle, the official said. Public health officials say it will take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential vaccine.

The order for Ohio’s restaurants and bars to shut down at 9 p.m. Sunday has far-reaching tentacles affecting a multitude of businesses. Eateries big and small, locally owned and corporate-run, breweries, wineries and tertiary businesses will all feel the impact of the order issued Sunday by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.

Brisbane researchers say they are within reach of finding a cure for COVID-19 but need donations to accelerate the research. In lab testing, two drugs have stopped Coronavirus in its tracks and a clinical trial on humans is ready to begin.

A Colorado nurse says her bout of coronavirus started with the “sniffles” — but soon involved nightmarish symptoms that were “nothing” like what she expected, according to a report. Lisa Merck of Crested Butte said she tested positive for the virus after a vacation to Hawaii, where she attended a medical conference, news station KDVR reported. “We went to a medical conference over there and on the day we were going to leave, I had little sniffles. That’s it,” Merck said.

Mr. Johnson, the chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, voiced concerns about the Families First Coronavirus Response Act being considered on Capitol Hill. In a statement, Mr. Johnson criticized language in the legislation that would require government employers and companies with fewer than 500 people on their payroll to provide paid sick leave to workers who contract COVID-19, the infectious respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

The coronavirus is a very contagious disease. In January, information coming from the Wuhan region suggested that an infected person could infect two to three others — a frightening exponential growth rate. That may have led to Angela Merkel announcing up to 70% of Germany's population — around 58 million people — might catch the coronavirus. Merkel said this even though 70% of China's population — 1,006,363,300 — people did not get infected. Had Merkel paid attention to Nobel laureate Michael Levitt, she might not have said anything so foolish and frightening.

In this era fraught with coronavirus worries and new advice coming seemingly every day, I'd like to propose a new replacement for the germ-filled handshake. Let's revive Mr. Spock's Vulcan salute from Star Trek, a simple and sanitary gesture that's just as useful as a handshake greeting, and 10 times more charming.

In a dramatic sign that the coronavirus crisis is improving in China, the last two of 16 temporary hospitals in the epicenter city of Wuhan have been shut down, according to a report. The final group of 49 patients walked out of the Wuchang temporary hospital in the capital of Hubei province on Tuesday afternoon to cheers, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., blasted the coronavirus response during her first virtual town hall Saturday, and ticked off a list of new priorities including universal basic income, student reimbursements and expanded health care. The Bronx progressive voted early Saturday morning for the new bipartisan House legislation to offer paid sick days, expanded food assistance, emergency paid family leave and free coronavirus tests because it signified progress.

President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus, according to the White House physician. Trump opted to take the test after the press secretary for Brazil’s president tested positive for the virus. Trump dined with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his press secretary at Mar-a-Lago. Bolsonaro said Friday that he tested negative for the virus.

For a pandemic that seems particularly fatal for the elderly, Joe Biden has tapped a so-called "expert" to advise him about the Wuhan coronavirus. The only problem with the "expert" is that he believes people should die before they get too old, saying he himself wishes to die at the age of 75. Biden is 77.

The House passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday after House Democrats came to an agreement with the Trump administration. The bill extends free testing for the Wuhan Virus to the uninsured. It also increases spending on unemployment benefits, Medicaid and allocates money to provide school lunches to students whose schools remain closed because of the outbreak.

On Saturday, Georgia became the second state to postpone its primary elections amid growing concern over the spread of the Wuhan virus. Louisiana announced earlier this week that it would be moving back its primary as a result of the coronavirus. Georgia's primary, originally scheduled for March 24, will now be held on May 19.

Amazon has cracked down on a Canadian couple who bragged about cashing in on the coronavirus endemic with inflated prices for coveted cleaning items. The Vancouver couple, real estate developers Manny Ranga and his wife Violeta Perez, were purchasing from Costco and then reselling Lysol wipes and liquid cleaners on Amazon at exorbitant prices, the Toronto Star reported.

Ohio’s governor said Friday that 100,000 state residents could be “walking around” with coronavirus, but the health official who came up with that alarming figure said she was “guesstimating.” Dr. Amy Acton, the director of the Ohio Department of Health, went viral Thursday after she said that 1% of the Ohio population — or more than 100,000 — could have coronavirus. She clarified her remarks Friday, saying there are not “absolutely” 100,000 in Ohio carrying the virus.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. We just completed a very good meeting of the Coronavirus Task Force. And we — we’re really — they’re really doing a great job, our professionals. The results are very — very, very good. And when you compare this to what’s happening around the world, we’re very proud of our people.

The evacuation came after the company was advised by the South Carolina DHEC. This resulted in a deep clean of the facility Friday night. Sitel Group released in a statement that, “The health and safety of our employees is our priority. We have reiterated to our employees that they should monitor their health and contact their health providers if they feel ill. We had certified vendors in viral decontamination who completed a hospital-grade deep clean at the site yesterday evening.

On January 31, 2020, I issued Proclamation 9984 (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Other Appropriate Measures To Address This Risk). I found that the potential for widespread transmission of a novel (new) coronavirus (which has since been renamed “SARS-CoV-2” and causes the disease COVID-19) (“SARS-CoV-2” or “the virus”) by infected individuals seeking to enter the United States threatens the security of our transportation system and infrastructure and the national security.

Things change fast in the time of coronavirus. But as public spaces closed down this week across the country over fears of the viral pandemic, moviegoers were still buying tickets to see the latest new releases, albeit at softer numbers than expected.

Hard-core socialists aren't letting a national emergency go to waste. They want to exploit it to realize their ultimate dream: government ownership of the means of production--the very definition of socialism. On Joy Reid's MSNBC show this morning, Bill de Blasio, the extreme-left mayor of New York City, actually proposed the: "nationalization, literally a nationalization, of crucial factories and industries that can produce the medical supplies that can prepare this country for what we need."

Stanford health expert analyzes country's response. Taiwan, a nation of 23 million, lies only 81 miles off the coast of China. About 2.71 million visitors fly from the mainland to the island each year. But while China’s coronavirus death toll stands at more than 3,100, Taiwan has had only 49 confirmed cases and just one death as of Friday. That’s despite early predictions that it would have the second-highest "importation risk" of any country.

The WHO have said many times that governments can stop this disease by containing the virus swiftly and aggressively. Their most recent statement was the most blunt yet. They declared a pandemic, but one that we can stop. They said the question is not whether we can, but whether we will. Many governments have demonstrated this by doing it, including China, South Korea and Singapore.

Dr. Anthony Fauci has become a rare source of frank honesty from within the White House coronavirus task force in recent weeks, holding firm with an at times overly optimistic President and gently recommending steps forward in the face of crisis. The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases -- and a doctor for the National Institutes of Health for more than 50 years -- has even won public praise from President Donald Trump.

During a press conference on Friday, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) criticized the federal government’s response to the coronavirus and the “inconsistent” messaging from the federal government. She called on President Trump “to step back and appoint one of our public health officials to be the spokesman” and suggested Dr. Anthony Fauci serve as the spokesperson and give daily briefings on the virus.

Gov. Andy Beshear announced there are 16 positive cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky in his Saturday press conference. In addition to Harrison County, Jefferson County and Fayette County, cases have been confirmed in Bourbon County, Montgomery County and Nelson County/Meade County (one case has connection to both counties).

Europe’s cherished Schengen network of open internal borders is on the brink of collapse as more and more countries shut their doors in a frantic effort to stave off the coronavirus pandemic, even as experts warn such tactics will delay its spread – but not halt it. At his daily briefing on the coronavirus emergency on Friday, Luca Zaia, the governor of Italy’s Veneto region, one of Europe’s worst-hit, told reporters that Europe’s borderless zone was “disappearing as we speak”.

Massive crises unfolds, doctors report their staff are sick and can’t meet the needs of the people, Iran’s regime prepares media to put positive spin on disaster. Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani has met with key advisers and officials to coordinate the suppression of media reports on the coronavirus pandemic in Iran. As numerous Iraqis returning from Iran have been saying, as a massive disaster is unfolding in Iran, the regime in Tehran wants to stop what it calls “gossip.”

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins said the person who first tested positive for COVID-19 in Dallas County, a 77-year-old man, is leaving the hospital in "great shape." Jenkins tweeted out the update Saturday, and added that the man's wife was never sick enought to need to be admitted to the hospital.

At a home in Nelson County sheriff's deputies are doing something unprecedented that the governor and others ordered. A 53-year-old man in Nelson County who has a confirmed case of the novel coronavirus refused to self-isolate, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday. Beshear said that the state has taken the steps to "force a self-isolation." "It's a step I hoped that I never had to take, but we can't allow one person — who we know has this virus — to refuse to protect their neighbors," he said during a Saturday news conference

From almost the very beginning of the COVID-19/coronavirus crisis in January and early February, it’s often been asked whether it might be the “Chinese Chernobyl.” Could the crisis expose the weakness of the mix of oppression, information control, and social disgust that underpin the Chinese Communist regime and trigger its collapse? Others have suggested that it might instead be “president Xi Jinping’s Tiananmen,” meaning he will use all the tools at his disposal to tighten down and prevent, well . . . a Chinese Chernobyl.

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has been tested for the coronavirus after experiencing a fever and flu-like symptoms, the organization said on Saturday. “Last night, Chairwoman McDaniel began experiencing a fever and flu-like symptoms, and she went to her local hospital in Michigan for treatment. Flu and strep tests were administered and came back negative,” Communications Director Michael Ahrens said.

At a press conference announcing a state of emergency on Friday, NBC News reporter Kristen Welker asked President Trump if he takes responsibility for a lag in coronavirus testing, something she said Dr. Anthony Fauci called a "failing." Fauci, who was at the press conference, corrected the reporter and said the failure he was talking about was the CDC's system, that it was not designed for what was needed. Fauci said looking forward, "the system will take care of it."

I am living in Italy, where my wife, Callista, is the ambassador to the Holy See. I have watched first-hand as the Italian government has worked hard to contain the coronavirus by imposing strong public health measures to try to get the epidemic under control. These measures will lead to significant economic challenges.

A Trump administration rule that would have tightened work requirements for food stamps was blocked by a federal judge on Friday, who cited the rapidly spreading coronavirus in her decision. D.C. District Court Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell granted a preliminary injunction blocking the new rule, which government estimates predicted would kick as many as 700,000 Americans off of food stamps.

Dear Secretary Wolf, Secretary Mnuchin, Secretary Azar, and Administrator Gaynor: I have determined that the ongoing Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant an emergency determination under section 501(b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121-5207 (the “Stafford Act”).

The US-Mexico border could be shut down to contain the coronavirus outbreak — by Mexico, health officials said. Mexico, where there are 26 confirmed cases, is preparing to ban non-essential services like classes and seminars this weekend to prevent spread, among other measures.

Members of the U.S. armed services and civilian employees of the Defense Department who reside or serve on military properties will not be allowed to travel out of their local areas as of Monday (March 16), according to a Pentagon announcement Friday. The purpose of the domestic travel ban is to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, now classified as a global pandemic.

As the White House Coronavirus Task Force gave a press conference on Saturday, Trump told reporters that he decided to take the test in response to Friday's press conference where the president declared a state of national emergency. "By the way, I had my temperature taken coming into the room," Trump prefaced his statement to reporters. "I also took the test last night. And I decided I should based on the press conference yesterday."

Author Stephen King tried dunking on President Trump during his address at the White House on Friday, but it quickly backfired when his claim about the coronavirus response team was proven wrong. "Note that Trump’s coronavirus team is all male, all old, and all white," King tweeted during Trump's press conference. The president was in the middle of discussing the pandemic and his declaration of a national emergency.

The Italian government has confirmed 3,497 more infections with the new coronavirus on Saturday. That's the highest daily increase in the country. The number of infections has reached 21,157, mainly in the northern region of Lombardy. The figure topped 20,000 in about three weeks since a slew of infections were first confirmed late last month. Another 175 deaths were reported on Saturday, bringing the total to 1,441.

The Chinese soccer team that was originally stuck in Spain because of the coronavirus outbreak is going back home to try to avoid its rapid spread in Europe. Wuhan Zall was expected to return to China on Saturday, nearly 1 1/2 months after it arrived in Spain for preseason training. The team had not been able to leave because of the restrictions in China, but expedited its departure because of the worsening situation in Spain.

The Latest on the world’s coronavirus pandemic, which has infected more than 150,000 people and killed more than 5,700. The disease for most people causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some, it can cause more severe illness. A man in his 70s has become the first person in Oregon to die from the new coronavirus. The Oregon Health Authority said the Multonomah County man was hospitalized at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center and died Saturday.

In Spain, people are banned from leaving home except for buying essential supplies and medicines, or for work. With 191 deaths, Spain is Europe's worst-hit country after Italy. In France, where 91 people have died, cafes, restaurants, cinemas and most shops are now shut.

A Virginia poison control center is reminding residents that they should never drink bleach – and that doing so will certainly not prevent coronavirus. The Blue Ridge Poison Center said in a letter obtained by WCAV, “There is a lot of confusing, incomplete, and just plain inaccurate information circulating about how to prevent the COVID-19 virus (“coronavirus”) from spreading.

Just as people were trying to wrap their heads around the idea of a very quiet month of March, San Francisco has now issued a public health order banning gatherings of 100 or more people through April. That order, which is effect until April 30, will presumably shut down most theaters, concerts, sporting events and other entertainment/community gathering spots in the city. The announcement was made by Mayor London N. Breed on Friday, March 13, and dubbed a necessary move to slow down the spread of the coronavirus in the city and county of San Francisco.

ROME – “As in any war, we have to choose who to treat and who not.” That was a headline on March 9 in Il Corriere della Sera, a leading newspaper in Italy, that informed us that hospitals in Italy’s north, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in our country, were being stretched thin and the health care system was on the brink of collapse.

Americans desperately needed reassurances about the rapidly spreading novel coronavirus. After all, it was now official: The virus had touched every continent except for Antarctica. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic. It had killed dozens and infected thousands of Americans, shut down schools, universities and businesses across the country and begun to sow widespread fear, despite Trump's assertion in late February that "like a miracle, it will disappear."

Deputies are now stationed outside the 53-year-old man's house around-the-clock in Nelson County. "It's a step I hoped I never had to take, but we can't allow one person who we know has this virus to refuse to protect their neighbors," Gov. Beshear told reporters. The unidentified man is the only coronavirus patient in the county, and officials were worried that he could infect others.

Apple said it will close all of its stores outside of Greater China until March 27 to reduce the risk of the coronavirus spreading. The iPhone maker’s online store will remain open as well as its “Apple Store” app. Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company had learnt lessons from the outbreak in China and that is why it is taking these steps.

With the U.S. now in a state of emergency, international travel restricted and the economy in danger of slipping into recession, one of the central questions for resolving the crisis is how long it will take to develop a vaccine for the coronavirus. “There will be a vaccine. The question is as we sit here in March of 2020, when will it be available?” Jonathan D. Moreno, a professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania, told Yahoo News in an interview. “The best we can say is that hopefully, by some time in early 2021, there will be a vaccine available, maybe a little earlier given the advances in our technology.”

U.S. health regulators have approved a new coronavirus test that will speed up by tenfold the ability to test patients, helping solve a significant obstacle to American efforts to contain the virus. The Food and Drug Administration granted “emergency use authorization” to the test, which runs on Roche Holding AG’s cobas 6800/8800 systems. The 8800 system is capable of testing 4,128 patients a day, and the 6800 version can test as many as 1,440. The tool also is available in Europe and countries that accept its CE marking for medical devices.

The White House on Saturday began checking the temperatures of anyone in close contact with President Donald Trump or Vice President Mike Pence. White House staff met reporters at the door of the press briefing room with a thermometer, checking the temperatures of everyone coming in for a noon press conference on coronavirus developments.

A team of Canadian scientists has successfully isolated and grown copies of the coronavirus — bringing the world a step closer to finding a vaccine to fight the deadly illness. Researchers from the Sunnybrook Research Institute, the University of Toronto, and McMaster University were able to isolate and replicate the virus in a lab using samples taken from two Canadian patients.