Latest developments in coronavirus pandemic for March 13, 2020
NEW YORK - LIVE BLOG—These are the latest developments on the coronavirus outbreak for Friday, March 13, 2020:
11:49 PM: The U.S. Defense Department is planning to halt all domestic travel for military members after President Donald Trump declared the coronavirus pandemic a national emergency.
11:41 PM: Tests have confirmed three cases of the new coronavirus in Puerto Rico, the first for the U.S. territory, Gov. Wanda Vazquez said Friday night.
11:08 PM: New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu declared a state of emergency Friday due to the new coronavirus, saying that while the risk to the public remains low, the move was necessary to allow the state to remain nimble in its response.
10:50 PM: The Walt Disney Co. will release “Frozen 2” on Disney Plus several months early to give families cooped up by the coronavirus a welcome distraction — and give its streaming service a boost.
9:58 PM: NYPD leaders insist the department has stockpiled enough masks and gloves for its officers to be prepared and safe during the coronavirus outbreak; spokesman says the department has distributed 67,550 pairs of gloves, 26,440 masks, disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer to cops; about 500,000 additional masks are in storage and more are on the way.
9:48 PM: U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asks all 3,000 staff members at U.N. headquarters in New York to work from home for three weeks starting Monday unless they are needed to carry out essential services.
9:40 PM: The World Health Organization launches a global fund to raise money to help the world's nations respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
9:38 PM: Montana Gov. Steve Bullock says the state has its first four cases of patients with coronavirus.
9:24 PM: Here is what President Trump's national emergency declaration means.
8:50 PM: Brooklyn Nets announce that they will offer refunds on tickets for canceled games.
7:30 PM: The U.S. State Department summoned China's ambassador to the U.S. to complain about recent comments from a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman suggesting that the U.S. Army may have introduced the coronavirus to Wuhan.
6:47 PM: Nassau County Executive Laura Curran declares a state of emergency in the county. "Our top priority is to make sure Nassau County residents stay safe and healthy. This emergency declaration will ensure we can continue to prepare and appropriately respond to all residents' needs during this time," Curran says.
6:43 PM: A second person who was at Mar-a-Lago with President Trump over weekend tests positive for coronavirus, according to an AP source.
6:34 PM: President Trump tweets that four big cruise companies agree to suspend cruises from the U.S. for 30 days.
6:25 PM: The AMC and Regal movie theater chains are reducing their maximum capacity by at least 50%.
6:11 PM: Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Democrats have reached a deal with the Trump administration on an emergency aid package for coronavirus.
6:10 PM: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers orders all of Wisconsin's K-12 schools to be closed by next week.
5:56 PM: The American Dream mall in northern New Jersey will close Monday, March 16 through the end of the month.
5:46 PM: New York City has 154 cases of coronavirus, Mayor Bill de Blasio says; 29 people in mandatory quarantine.
5:44 PM: CUNY Brooklyn College campus closed on Friday after a college student "self-reported" having COVID-19 (unconfirmed), Mayor Bill de Blasio says.
5:38 PM: Until further notice, the Transportation Security Administration will allow airline travelers to bring liquid hand sanitizer containers (up to 12 ounces) in carry-on bags. TSA has launched a COVID-19 resource at tsa.gov/coronavirus as well as a map showing where TSA officers have tested positive.
5:30 PM: Mayor Bill de Blasio says his goal is to keep the health care system, mass transit, and schools up and running as best as possible.
5:19 PM: Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker orders all Illinois K-12 schools closed starting Tuesday through March 30 amid coronavirus concerns.
4:46 PM: President Trump says he may add the U.K. to the list of countries whose citizens are banned from entering the U.S. because of the new coronavirus.
4:31 PM: President Trump says he will be tested for the coronavirus at some point but can not be sure when it will take place.
4:27 PM: President Trump says the national emergency will be in place "as long as it takes" to fight the coronavirus.
4:16 PM: President Trump says 'I don't take responsibility at all' for the slow rollout of virus testing.
4:06 PM: NASCAR and IndyCar reversed course Friday and pulled the plug on racing this weekend, with IndyCar also suspending its season through the end of April due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
4:05 PM: Stocks surge, recouping much of a historic plunge, as Trump announces new measures to fight the coronavirus; Dow up nearly 1,900 points on Friday.
4:04 PM: President Trump is asking every hospital in the U.S. to activate their emergency preparedness plan.
3:47 PM: Canada's Finance Minister Bill Morneau says the government is making $10 billion available to businesses through a credit facility program.
He says it was an effective tool during the 2008 financial crisis and will be again now.
3:45 PM: Walmart to allow parking lots to be used for coronavirus support.
3:39 PM: President Trump said he was also giving Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar emergency authorities to waive federal regulations and laws to give doctors and hospitals “flexibility” in treating patients. That would allow doctors to use "telemedicine" across state lines among other things.
3:37 PM: President Trump says 5 million additional test kits could be available within a month.
3:36 PM: The emergency declaration will bolster funding for fighting the virus outbreak.
3:32 PM: President Trump declares a national emergency.
3:18 PM: Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the FDA has finally given New York the clearance to allow 28 public and private labs to begin manual, semi-automated, and automated testing for the novel coronavirus.
3:14 PM: Gov. Phil Murphy says 354 public school districts in New Jersey are closing.
3:00 PM: All shut-off orders from utilities in New Jersey have been suspended, Gov. Phil Murphy announces.
2:55 PM: The New York State Police Basic School graduation ceremony on March 18 will be closed to the public and will be moved to the State Police Academy on the Harriman State Office Campus in Albany. "While we understand that closing the ceremony is disappointing for family and friends, this is an extraordinary circumstance," State Police says in a statement.
2:40 PM: NJ is asking the federal government to delay the rollout of REAL ID requirements.
2:38 PM: NJ license expirations will be extended for 2 months to avoid people going to MCV offices.
2:34 PM: NJ gov.: State is preparing for statewide school shutdown. "It is a when and not an if." LIVE: https://www.fox5ny.com/live
2:17 PM: "We're terrified." Manhattan restaurant industry is facing an uncertain future as business already is slumping.
1:43 PM: There are 421 coronavirus cases in NYS; 154 cases in NYC and 158 in Westchester.
1:42 PM: Trump administration authorizes New York State to conduct its own coronavirus testing.
1:40 PM: Gov. Cuomo updates the public on coronavirus in New York State.
1:34 PM: Officials: Visits to inmates at all 122 federal prisons will be halted for 30 days in response to coronavirus.
1:30 PM: Italian civil protection authorities say the number of coronavirus infections has soared by more than 2,500 in the last 24 hours while virus-related deaths make largest single-day jump of 250.
1 PM: Louisiana's chief elections officer asked the governor on Friday to postpone the state's April presidential primary election for two months because of the new coronavirus, as the number of residents who tested positive continued to grow.
12:57 PM: As a precaution to help limit the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and ensure the health and safety of our patrons and staff, all New York Public Library locations will be closed starting March 14 through at least March 31.
12:51 PM: California's two largest school districts, Los Angeles and San Diego, will close starting March 16 because of the coronavirus threat, officials announced Friday.
12:23 PM: President Donald Trump is preparing to invoke emergency powers as the country struggles to contain the coronavirus outbreak, according to two people familiar with the planning who spoke on condition of anonymity to the AP said.
12:13 PM: New drive-thru coronavirus testing center opens in New Rochelle. It can conduct 200 tests a day.
12 PM: Watch latest coronavirus updates live on FOX 5 News: https://www.fox5ny.com/live
11:59 AM: Warren Buffett's annual shareholder meeting for Berkshire Hathaway draws professional-sporting-event sized crowds every year to Omaha, Nebraska. But like the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball, there will be no one in the stands for the big event this year because of the risks from the coronavirus pandemic.
11:57 AM: Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro tests negative for new coronavirus, according to his official Facebook profile.
11 AM: President Trump announces news conference for 3 p.m. at The White House to discuss coronavirus. Watch live here: https://www.fox5ny.com/live
10:46 AM: Jersey City woman, 41, tests positive for coronavirus
10:38 AM: Spain to declare state of emergency over virus outbreak.
10:37 AM: Boston Marathon postponed until Sept. 14 amid virus concerns.
10:20 AM: Stocks surge on Wall Street; Dow jumps 550 points, or 2.6%.
10 AM: Augusta National says next month's Masters golf tournament is postponed.
9:46 AM: The Manhattan restaurant industry says it is suffering immensely in coronavirus outbreak.
9 AM: Dr. Mehmet Oz tells 'Good Day NY' that straphangers should wear gloves while on the subway and then dispose of them once getting off.
8:43 AM: Formula One races in Bahrain and Vietnam postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.
8:08 AM: NYC Schools Chancellor tells 'Good Day NY' that there are no plans to shut down public schools at this time. It is "the last resort."
7:37 AM: MTA Chairman Pat Foye tells 'Good Day NY' that a mass transit shutdown would ultimately be made by Governor Cuomo, but there are no plans in the works to shut down the system.
7:20 AM: Mayor Bill de Blasio tells 'Good Day NY' that he predicts it will be "six months until we are able to say the crisis is receding."
7:19 AM: Mayor Bill de Blasio tells 'Good Day NY' that NYC public schools need to remain open.
7:15 AM: Mayor Bill de Blasio tells 'Good Day NY' that the number of coronavirus cases in NYC remains at 95.
7:12 AM: English soccer suspends games until April 3 because of coronavirus outbreak.
7:07 AM: Iran state TV says coronavirus has killed another 85 people, pushing death toll to 514 amid 11,364 confirmed cases.
6:56 AM: The major futures indexes are indicating a gain of 3.5 percent, or 500 Dow points, when trading begins on Friday.
6:35 AM: The Wendy Williams Show placed on hiatus for time being.
1:45 AM: New Dorp High School and The Hungerford School on Staten Island closed after a student who attends both locations tested positive for the virus.
12 AM: NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is the latest celebrity to self-quarantine as he awaits coronavirus test results.