President Donald Trump has been tested for the coronavirus, he said at a press briefing Saturday, a day after he declared the coronavirus pandemic to be a national emergency.
The president is awaiting the test result, which typically takes at least 24 hours. He was recently exposed to two Brazilian officials who later tested positive for the virus.
Meanwhile, millions of Americans are grappling with a new normal. More than a hundred universities have transitioned to online-only classes, and several states and large urban school districts are shutting down all K-12 schools as part of a sweeping attempt to contain the spread of the virus.
The NBA, MLS and NHL have suspended their seasons. The AMC and Regal theater chains are cutting their seating capacity in half. Some Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada may become drive-thru only. And hundreds of employees have transitioned to working from home.
At least 50 people have died in the U.S., where there have been more than 2,100 confirmed cases of the virus. Worldwide, cases were nearing 150,000 on Saturday with more than 5,500 deaths.
Refresh this page for the latest updates on coronavirus. Here are some significant things to know:
- Does Trump need to be tested for coronavirus? A White House doctor issued a statement late Friday saying the president does not need to get tested following his recent exposure to two Brazilian officials who later tested positive for the virus. Read about it here.
- What economists say: The coronavirus relief bill will provide aid to infected Americans, hourly workers and those who lose jobs, but it likely wouldn’t keep the broader economy from slipping into recession. Read more here.
- Trump is pledging to speed up coronavirus testing. And he’s drafted the private sector to help him do it. Here's how the government is working with Walmart, Target, CVS and others.
- Students are in a frenzy to leave because of the coronavirus but wonder if they will get the experience they paid for. Read about it here.
- Preparing for the coronavirus: Shoppers are finding empty shelves and long lines at stores nationwide.
Ahead of Pence briefing, White House checks temperatures for those around Trump, Pence
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham announced that Vice President Mike Pence and members of the Coronavirus Task Force will hold a news conference on coronavirus at noon EDT.
Grisham said President Donald Trump was leading the meeting, which had started at 10 a.m. "@Mike_Pence will host a news conference with members of the Task Force from the @WhiteHouse briefing room," she tweeted.
Meanwhile, a member of the White House Physicians Office took the temperature of reporters and television crews attending Pence's press conference Saturday.
"Out of an abundance of caution, temperature checks are now being performed on any individuals who are in close contact with the President and Vice President," said White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere.
One symptom of the coronavirus, which has been named COVID-19, is a fever.
– Nicholas Wu
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New York reports first virus-related death
An 82-year-old woman with emphysema died Saturday in Manhattan, marking New York state's first death linked to the coronavirus, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
The unidentified woman, who died in a New York City hospital, was first admitted to the hospital March 3, Cuomo said.
The effects of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, can be significantly exacerbated by an underlying respiratory illness, like emphysema, that can cause shortness of breath.
The number of confirmed cases jumped to 524 on Saturday, a one-day increase of 103 cases. Read more here.
– Jon Campbell
Royal Caribbean to suspend operations
Royal Caribbean will suspend operations globally as of midnight Saturday amid the coronavirus pandemic. "We will conclude all current sailings as scheduled and assist our guests with their safe return home," according to a statement on the cruise line's website. "As with our announcement yesterday regarding U.S. sailings, we expect to return to service on April 11, 2020." Read more here.
- David Oliver
Kroger subsidiaries Harris Teeter, Fred Meyer stop 24-hour service
Kroger is ending 24-hour service in some cities to allow crews to clean and restock stores. Here's where stores are affected:
- All QFC stores, based in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Oregon), have moved away from 24 hours
- Most Fred Meyer stores in the Pacific Northwest have followed suit
- Harris Teeter, based in North Carolina and serving the Southeast from Florida to Washington, D.C., are closing nightly
Kroger did not say whether or not hours have changed in Cincinnati, where it is based, or in other regions. The company said decisions on hours were being made by local management
Kroger rival Publix, based in Florida and serving the Southeast, has also curtailed 24-hour service.
"We are focused on having clean, open and stocked stores for our customers and some 24-hour store locations are making this decision based on local circumstances," Kroger said Saturday. "We will continue to make decisions that allow us to operate efficiently to serve our customers and support our associates." Read more here.
- Alexander Coolidge
Trump promises 'full report' after COVID-19 meetings
In a series of tweets Saturday morning, President Donald Trump promised a "full report" after holding meetings through the weekend on the coronavirus.
"Working with States and local governments, many of whom have done a great job," Trump wrote.
The Trump administration's emergency declaration Friday unlocked over $50 billion for states and local governments to fight the coronavirus, which has been named COVID-19.
Trump capped off his series of tweets Saturday with an advisory for Americans echoing the advice of medical experts: "SOCIAL DISTANCING!"
More on coronavirus:
- During coronavirus, what happens to the homeless? Lacking access to basic sanitation and with many already beset with health problems, officials fear coronavirus could take a toll among the homeless.
- What does the coronavirus do to your body? Check out this visual guide of the infection, symptoms and the effects of the virus inside the body.
- US hospitals will run out of beds if coronavirus cases spike. A USA TODAY analysis shows there could be six seriously ill patients for every existing hospital bed. No state is prepared. Read more here.
- On the lighter side: Here are some coronavirus TikToks and memes to get you through the panic.
Virus halts justice system
Courts across the country are suspending cases to minimize community exposure to COVID-19. Here's a look at what's going on:
- Many criminal and civil cases in Cook County, Illinois, where Chicago is located, will be postponed for a 30-day period starting Tuesday. “We will continue to identify the appropriate balance between allowing access to justice and minimizing the threat to public health,” Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans said in a press release Friday.
- Florida has suspended jury trials throughout the State Courts System until March 27.
- The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court postponed all jury trial empanelments until April 21. The order does not affect juries already selected. No new grand juries will be empaneled before April 21. The court also prohibited people who have symptoms of, or any exposure to, COVID-19 from entering a courthouse or other state court facility.
- The Supreme Court of North Carolina suspended superior court and district court proceedings for at least 30 days, with some exceptions.
- Connecticut has suspended all jury trials for the next 30 day, with the exception of jury trials already in progress and criminal jury trials necessitated by the filing and granting of a speedy trial motion.
House approves Trump-backed deal on economic relief
The House overwhelmingly passed legislation to provide economic relief to Americans affected by coronavirus after President Donald Trump said Friday he would support the sweeping measure.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act was adopted 363-40 with every Democrat and most Republicans voting in favor of the measure. The vote was conducted shortly after midnight Friday following two days of around-the-clock negotiations between Democratic leaders and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
The legislation would ensure sick leave for affected workers and include money for testing for Americans, including the uninsured. Trump and lawmakers have been under pressure to ease fears over the spread of the deadly coronavirus, which has halted many parts of public life, forced the closure of schools and pummeled financial markets.
The bill now heads to the Senate for an expected vote Monday. Read more here.
– John Fritze and Ledyard King
Apple to close stores for 2 weeks
Apple announced it will close all its retail stores outside Greater China until March 27 due to the coronavirus outbreak.
“The most effective way to minimize risk of the virus’s transmission is to reduce density and maximize social distance,” Apple CEO, Tim Cook, said in a statement late Friday.
Cook said its online stores will remain open, as well as the Apple Store app. Workers will continue to receive pay, according to the post.
All Apple stores in Greater China have reopened as of Friday. The company began closing stores there as the virus spread.
Apple also said Friday that its annual developers conference held in June will shift online amid the spreading coronavirus pandemic.
– Coral Murphy
At least 15 states close all schools
At least 15 states and a number of large urban school districts — including Los Angeles, the nation's second-largest — are shutting down all K-12 schools as part of a sweeping attempt to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Mexico. Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Washington have all ordered all schools closed.
In addition to Los Angeles, major metropolitan districts in Atlanta, Austin, Denver, Miami-Dade, San Francisco, San Diego, and Washington, D.C., have also shuttered. A growing number of smaller districts around the country have also chosen to close.
According to a count updated mid-afternoon Friday by Education Week magazine, about a quarter of American schoolchildren had been or were scheduled to be affected by a school closure — and that was before some states announced their actions.
The magazine said at least 46,000 schools were closed are scheduled to close, or were closed and later reopened, affecting at least 21 million students.
Spain's state of emergency tracks Italy-style lockdown
Spain was set to declare a two-week state of emergency Saturday, ordering the kind of strict lockdown that Italy has invoked to severely reduce contact between citizens to slow the coronavirus pandemic.
According to a copy of the royal decree seen by the Associated Press, Spain’s government was to announce that it is placing tight restrictions on movement for the nation of 46 million people.
In Italy, mayors of many cities, including Rome and Milan, decided to close public playgrounds and parks as European countries fashion different polices to try to combat the spread of the virus.
Spain’s purported declaration comes as coronavirus cases soared to over 4,000 infections. The measure would allow the government to limit free movement, confiscate goods and take over control of industries and private facilities, including private hospitals.
Residents of Madrid, which has around half the infections, and northeastern Catalonia awoke to shuttered bars and restaurants and other non-essential commercial outlets as ordered by regional authorities.
Elsewhere, Denmark and Poland became the latest countries to shut their borders to most travelers.
– Associated Press
Will Trump be tested?
While Trump said he would "most likely" be tested for the novel coronavirus, a White House doctor issued a statement late Friday saying the president does not need to get tested following his recent exposure to two Brazilian officials who later tested positive for the virus.
Trump is at low risk for the coronavirus because his contacts with one of the officials "was extremely limited (photographs, handshake)," and his interaction with the second person "occurred before any symptom onset," wrote Dr. Sean Conley.
Trump has now had multiple direct and indirect contacts with people who have tested positive for the pandemic virus.
He spent time last weekend at his private club in Florida with at least three people who have now tested positive. The Brazilian Embassy in Washington announced late Friday that the country's chargé d'affaires, Nestor Forster, tested positive after sitting at Trump's dinner table. So, too, have a top aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and an individual who attended a fundraiser Sunday with Trump, according to two Republican officials who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity in order to discuss private health matters.
In addition to his direct exposure, Trump has also had repeated contact with lawmakers who chose to isolate themselves after being exposed to people who later tested positive.
People who are exposed to the virus don’t show symptoms immediately; there is an incubation period of anywhere from two to 14 days. Read more here.
NAACP worried communities of color may face another 'Katrina-like' response
Concerned that communities of color may face another “Katrina-like” response from the federal government, the NAACP is hosting an emergency national tele-town hall Sunday to make sure they have information to recognize and get treatment for the coronavirus.
Civil rights groups and lawmakers – already concerned about health disparities in communities of color – worry there may also be a slow response to the coronavirus crisis, including access to tests and treatment. Democrats and advocates have criticized the Trump administration for not doing enough to address the crisis.
“I’m extremely concerned that our lack of preparedness ... would result in a Katrina-like response where there was vast inequities between who receive services and who did not receive services and that line was drawn based on race, primarily, and class,’’ Derrick Johnson, president of the national NAACP, told USA TODAY.
Former President George W. Bush and his administration came under fire in 2005 for the slow response to Hurricane Katrina. The hurricane left more than 1,800 dead in the region and devastated communities, many of them African American.
The tele-town hall scheduled for 8 p.m. EST will focus on how to identify symptoms and how to prepare. It aims to provide listeners with information on “how to navigate in this current reality,’’ said Johnson.
You asked, we're answering: Specific answers to readers' coronavirus questions
Sen. Kamala Harris, a Democrat from California, who will be part of the town hall,said she’s concerned about the impact of the coronavirus on communities of colors and about whether there are enough tests. “As it connects to every other public health issue our folks are the last to have access to what is needed to allow them to be diagnosed and treated,” she said.
Johnson said while all communities will be impacted, he’s worried about different response in communities of color.
“I think our president has undermined the ability of our medical health professions both in government and outside of government from implementing an aggressive plan to address this pandemic,’’ said Johnson, adding that Trump hasn’t listened to medical professionals. “He is the problem on top of the problem.”
Separately, members of the congressional Tri-Caucus, called on health officials to provide information in languages other than English. The Tri-Caucus include the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
- Deborah Berry
'Now it's real': Long lines, bare shelves at stores around the country
With shelves in many stores picked bare, the coronavirus is spurring panicked shoppers to stock up on products ranging from cleansing wipes to peanut butter as they prepare to hunker down in the midst of the growing pandemic.
Shoppers at a Walmart in Gardena, California, were greeted by a notice saying they couldn't buy more than two packages of toilet paper, hand sanitizer or cleaning wipes, only to discover that by 9:30 a.m., they were already too late. At a Coscto in Lawndale, California, shoppers had to wait an hour for two cases of bottled water, the most water they were able to buy.
"Before it was a scare,'' Chiquita Thursby said. "Now it's real.” Read more here.
– Charisse Jones and Kelly Tyko
Cleaning wipes are selling out. Here’s where you can still get them.
Trump pledges to speed up testing by bringing together leaders from Walmart, CVS, LabCorp
Executives from Walmart, Target, CVS, Walgreens, LabCorp, Quest Diagnostics, Roche Diagnostics and other companies began working with the White House on Friday to help expedite testing for the quick spreading virus.
Trump said the collaboration will help more tests into affected communities including with drive-thru facilities in parking lots. By early next week, a half million additional tests will be available and 5 million tests within a month, Trump said.
Demand has outpaced testing as sick people across the country complain they’ve been denied screenings, even as the death toll from the pandemic mounts. Concern is deepening over a shortage of tests and supplies of the products and chemicals needed to run them. Read more here.
– Jessica Guynn
Map: Which states have coronavirus cases?
There have been more than 2,170 cases of coronavirus in the U.S., with at least 47 deaths, according to a dashboard run by Johns Hopkins University. The majority of the deaths have been in Washington state, while California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, New Jersey and South Dakota have all reported deaths. At least 12 people have recovered in the country.
Here's a look at which U.S. states have reported cases of COVID-19:
More on the outbreak of COVID-19:
- En español: Se propaga el coronavirus en EEUU. Todo lo que debe saber, desde síntomas hasta cuidados
- Coronavirus can live on a surface for 3 days. Here's what you can do to keep things clean.
- Rome is no longer Rome: What is it like to live through a quarantine.
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