jarun011/iStock(NEW YORK) — Major cities are shutting down restaurants to try to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus, which has killed at least 68 people in the United States.
There are at least 3,774 confirmed cases in the country. COVID-19 has reached 49 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Globally, there are more than 174,000 coronavirus cases and more than 6,700 deaths, according to data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.
Here’s how the news is unfolding Monday. All times Eastern:
10:45 a.m.: New York City to limit all restaurants, states work together
New York City will close all nightclubs, movie theaters and concert venues as of Tuesday morning.
All restaurants, bars and cafes will be limited to food take-out and delivery.
“Our city is facing an unprecedented threat, and we must respond with a wartime mentality,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told “Good Morning America” Monday that the U.S. has “been behind this disease from day one. We saw the disease developing in China back in November. We weren’t ready for it, and we’ve been playing catchup ever since.”
“The wave is going to break on the hospital system,” he warned. “We don’t have the capacity to build more hospitals quickly. The only way would be if the army corps of engineers came in, worked with the states to retrofit existing buildings.”
Cuomo said the “federal government has to get more engaged.”
“There’s been no country that has handled this that has not nationalized it. This patchwork quilt of policies doesn’t work,” he said. “It makes no sense for me to do something in New York and New Jersey to do something else.”
Cuomo then banded together with the governors of New Jersey and Connecticut Monday as they said their states would abide by the same rules for closures.
Following the CDC guidelines the three states will prohibit gatherings of 50 people or more. Supermarkets, medical offices and other essential services are able to remain open beyond 8 p.m. but must adhere to social distancing policies
“This is a virus that knows no borders,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said.
The governors said they believed this is the first region in the country to announce joint closure policies. The governors, all Democrats, said they were forced to act because of a lack of coordination from the federal government.
10:01 a.m.: Egypt halting all flights
Egypt is halting all domestic and international flights beginning Thursday, a government spokesman told ABC News.
The announcement was made now to give tourists time to leave the country, cabinet spokesman Hany Younes said.
“They are free to stay for as long as they want, but there will be no flights until March 31,” Younes said.
9:45 a.m. Trading temporarily halted as markets plummet despite Fed intervention
Trading on Wall Street was temporarily halted after markets plunged early Monday as the novel coronavirus outbreak continues to upend business and travel across the world.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted more than 2,250 points or 9.7% just after trading began. The S&P 500 fell more than 8%, triggering a “circuit-breaker” halt of 15 minutes.
The major sell-off comes even after the Federal Reserve made a surprise announcement on Sunday that it’s slashing interest rates to near zero and spending $700 billion to buy Treasury and mortgage bonds to help buoy the economy during the coronavirus pandemic.
The intervention did not appear to be enough to quell investors’ worries about the economic impacts of the outbreak on businesses. Local governments including in New York and Los Angeles announced over the weekend they were shuttering businesses such as bars and entertainment venues.
9:37 a.m. New York City to limit all restaurants to take-out and delivery
New York City will close all nightclubs, movie theaters and concert venues as of Tuesday morning.
Also, all restaurants, bars and cafes will be limited to food take-out and delivery.
“Our city is facing an unprecedented threat, and we must respond with a wartime mentality,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo told ABC News’ Good Morning America Monday that the U.S. has “been behind this disease from day one. We saw the disease developing in China back in November. We weren’t ready for it, and we’ve been playing catchup ever since.”
“The wave is going to break on the hospital system,” he warned. “We don’t have the capacity to build more hospitals quickly. The only way would be if the army corps of engineers came in, worked with the states to retrofit existing buildings.”
Cuomo said the “federal government has to get more engaged.”
“There’s been no country that has handled this that has not nationalized it. This patchwork quilt of policies doesn’t work,” he said. “It makes no sense for me to do something in New York and New Jersey to do something else.”
9:31 a.m. Peace Corps evacuating all volunteers
The Peace Corps is suspending all activities around the world, evacuating its volunteers from dozens of countries, the organization announced Sunday night.
9:22 a.m. Health and Human Services experiences cyber attack
The Department of Health and Human Services experienced a cyber attack Sunday night related to it’s coronavirus response, administration sources told ABC News.
The attempt was to slow down operations, according to sources. The nature and origin of the attack is still under investigation.
8:18 a.m. NBA star on the ‘scariest part about this virus’
Utah Jazz player Donovan Mitchell, one of several NBA players who tested positive for COVID-19, has no symptoms, he told Good Morning America Monday.
“If you were to tell me I could play in a seven-game series tomorrow, I would be ready to lace up,” he said. “I’m blessed that’s the case.”
Mitchell spoke to GMA anchor Robin Roberts via video Monday as he self isolates.
“I don’t have any symptoms — I could walk down the street. If it wasn’t public knowledge that I was sick, you wouldn’t know it,” Mitchell said. “I think that’s the scariest part about this virus — you may seem fine, be fine, and you never know who you may be talking to, who they’re going home to.”
7:28 a.m. Stock futures pointing down at least 5%
As it stands, stock futures are pointing down 5%. They’re “limit down” which means that they have hit their limit and can’t go any lower until markets open.
“Limit down” is similar to circuit breakers when the market is open to keep stocks from heading into free fall. Stocks are expected to fall even further as there are exchange-traded funds (ETFs) which mimic the S&P 500 which are down around 9% right now.
The first circuit breaker kicks in if S&P 500 falls 7%.
7:16 a.m. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo tells ABC News that federal assistance and a unified approach is needed to take on coronavirus
“Look, we have been behind this disease from day one. We saw the disease developing in China back in November. We weren’t ready for it, and we’ve been playing catchup ever since,” Cuomo told George Stephanopoulos on Good Morning America.
Cuomo continued: “You have to get ahead of this, right? It’s not fighting the last war, it’s fighting the next war. The next war is going to be overwhelming our hospital systems. You look at any of these projections and you see that coming. When you see that chart of the curve, I see it as a wave and the wave is going to break on the hospital system. We don’t have the capacity to build more hospitals quickly. The only way would be if the army corps of engineers came in, worked with the states to retrofit existing buildings.”
Cuomo also railed against what he called the “patchwork quilt” approach has so far allowed to go on.
“This federal government has to get more engaged,” Cuomo said. “There’s been no country that has handled this that has not nationalized it. This patchwork quilt of policies doesn’t work. It makes no sense for me to do something in New York and New Jersey to do something else.”
Said Cuomo: “If I say you can’t go to a bar in New York, you know you’ll go to New Jersey, you’ll go to Connecticut, you’ll go to wherever you can be served. That’s the last thing we want. Set the national standards and let’s live with them. Otherwise, again, you come up with this ad hoc system that’s not going to work.”
7:10 a.m. China relaxes travel restrictions in Hubei
China is relaxing travel restrictions in the hardest-hit virus province of Hubei and sending thousands of workers back to jobs at factories desperate to get production going again.
The move comes as Chinese officials say the outbreak that spread from Wuhan starting in December has mostly run its course domestically, while they remain vigilant against imported cases.
5:30 a.m. Jack Ma says first shipment of masks and coronavirus test kits to the US is taking off from Shanghai
Jack Ma tweeted that a huge shipment of masks and coronavirus testing kits is now en route to the United States from Shanghai.
The first shipment of masks and coronavirus test kits to the US is taking off from Shanghai. All the best to our friends in America. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/LTn26gvlOl
— Jack Ma (@JackMa) March 16, 2020
The shipment is said to contain 500,000 coronavirus testing kits and one million masks. Ma has urged international cooperation to fight the health crisis.
5:13 a.m. Russia closes borders with Belarus
Russia has announced it is closing its border with Belarus, one of its major entry points to Europe, in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Goods will still be allowed to cross the border, but the passage of people will no longer be permitted.
Substantial restrictions of flights to Europe from Russia also begin today. All flights to European Union countries, Norway and Switzerland are to be halted, except for those leaving from a single terminal at one of Moscow’s airports and flying to the countries’ capitals. Currently only two of Russia’s borders have no restrictions linked to the virus — Finland and Azerbaijan.
It comes as Russia steps up its measures in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus.
4:36 a.m. Roche Diagnostics has received emergency approval for a new coronavirus test it developed
The company received emergency approval late Thursday night from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to send half a million tests to labs across the country from its North America headquarters in Indianapolis.
“For us, it’s been all about how do we make sure the patients who need to test, get the test at the time they need it,” Randy Pritchard, senior vice president of marketing for Roche, said.
In six weeks, the company was able to develop the test when it normally takes about 18 months to identify a virus and submit something to the FDA, Pritchard said.
With the new test, you can have results as fast as three days as opposed to days with some current tests.
3:53 a.m. Australian TV journalist who met with Rita Wilson has virus
An Australian television journalist said Monday he has the new coronavirus and assumes he contracted it while meeting with actress-singer Rita Wilson in Sydney.
Nine Network entertainment editor Richard Wilkins, 65, said he was tested because he met Wilson at the Sydney Opera House on March 7 and again at Nine’s Sydney studio on March 9. The result came back positive on Sunday.
“I’m surprisingly very well,” Wilkins told Nine by Facetime from his Sydney home, where he has self-isolated since Wilson’s diagnosis.
“You could’ve knocked me over with a feather last night when I got that call. It took me a couple of minutes to reel from the news that they gave me. But I feel fine. I feel 100%,” Wilkins added. “We’re assuming this is from Rita. It may not be. They’ve all said it could be anyone, anywhere, any time, such is the prevalence of this thing.”
Wilson and her husband Tom Hanks have been isolated in an Australian hospital since they were both diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 12.
3:20 a.m. Santa Monica closes pier due to public safety concerns
Santa Monica has issued an executive order to temporarily close the Santa Monica Pier to the public as part of its local emergency proclamation beginning at 6 a.m. on Monday, according to a statement from Santa Monica officials.
“We welcome thousands of guests to our Pier each and every day, so we take this step out of the deepest desire to keep people at home and healthy,” said City Manager Rick Cole. “We love our Pier and the joy it brings to everyone that visits, but in this moment, we must take aggressive actions to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
The City team is closely monitoring CDC, State, and County Health Department guidance to determine when and/or how the Pier can be reopened to the public.
“We are in full support of this temporary closure to the public amid this health crisis. Though this will heavily impact the Pier businesses, in this historic moment it is the right thing to do,” said Negin Singh, executive director of the Santa Monica Pier Corporation. “We know that once we overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, our Pier will play an important role in serving the public with our great food, attractions, performers and free, world-class events. We all look forward to welcoming you back.”
12:21 a.m. Washington to shut down bars, eliminate in-person dining
Washington state is following the national trend shuttering entertainment venues and recreational facilities, and limiting restaurants to delivery and take-out.
Gov. Jay Inslee released a statement Sunday night local time announcing that he will sign the statewide proclamation on Monday.
The ban will not apply to grocery stores and pharmacies, although other retail outlets will have reduced occupancy, the statement said.
“These are very difficult decisions, but hours count here and very strong measures are necessary to slow the spread of the disease,” Inslee said.
Washington’s King Country, which includes the county seat of Seattle, has been one of the centers of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S.
12:11 a.m. Los Angeles closing bars, clubs and gyms
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that the city will be closing bars, nightclubs, entertainment venues and gyms until at least March 31.
Restaurants will remain open only for takeout and delivery.
The order extends to libraries, recreation centers and zoos.
Grocery stores, pharmacies and food banks will remain open, the mayor said. In addition, the announcement included a moratorium on evictions for renters.
The executive order, which came an hour after New York City made a similar announcement, puts the United States’ two largest cities under unprecedented restrictions during a national health crisis.
The Los Angeles closures go into effect Sunday at midnight local time.
“This will be a tough time, but it is not forever. Angelenos have always risen to meet difficult moments, and we will get through this together,” Garcetti said in a statement.
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