Latest developments in the coronavirus pandemic for March 19, 2020
NEW YORK - LIVE BLOG- FOX 5 NY is updating this blog with the latest developments on the coronavirus outbreak so you can get the information in one spot.
9:40 PM: California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a statewide order for people to stay at home, which goes into force Thursday evening.
9:14 PM: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced that he has signed legislation to expand access to telehealth services and fast-tracking temporary licenses for out-of-state professionals.
8:19 PM: Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla has confirmed six more COVID-19 cases in the city, bringing its total to 13.
7:43 PM: The MTA has said that three employees at the Fresh Pond Bus Depot in Queens “may have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Each employee is receiving appropriate care and doing well, and we wish them a swift recovery.”
6:55 PM: President Trump calls off June meeting of G-7 nations at Camp David; leaders to meet by videoconference.
5:56 PM: BookExpo and BookCon at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan are being pushed back from May to July. New dates: BookExpo, July 22–24, BookCon, July 25–26.
5:28 PM: Dr. Oxiris Barbot, NYC Health commissioner: "Things will get worse before they get bad. And how fast things get better will depend on all of us."
5:28 PM: Mayor de Blasio: "This will get worse before it gets better. … But it will get better and we will see it through."
5:25 PM: Mayor de Blasio: But we have heard that some individuals are creating home-based religious services and large numbers of people are cramming into small spaces—that immediately violates the concept of social distancing and makes everyone vulnerable; "It is not helpful, it is not safe."
5:22 PM: Mayor de Blasio: We understand how painful it is to not be able to go to your house of worship. Clergy across all faiths are unified in recognizing that people will have to forgo traditional services and stay home.
5:20 PM: Mayor de Blasio: All in-person interviews for public assistance/food stamps have been converted to online and phone interviews.
5:11 PM: Mayor de Blasio: An inmate on Rikers Inmate has tested positive; he is in his 30s and is in isolation in communicable disease unit. Inmates he was in contact with have been checked; 8 inmates who are showing symptoms and have also been moved to communicable disease unit.
5:09 PM: Mayor de Blasio: NYC has 3,615 confirmed cases and 22 deaths; 980 cases in Queens, 976 in Manhattan, 1,030 in Brooklyn, 436 in the Bronx, and 165 in Staten Island.
5:07 PM: Mayor de Blasio: We are seeing an explosion of COVID-19 cases in NYC in part because we are finally able to test more; we still aren't able to test as much as we need to.
5:05 PM: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plan: Direct payments of $1,200 per person, $2,400 per couple amid virus outbreak.
5:02 PM: Mayor de Blasio says he sent a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar asking for the following ASAP: 3 million N95 masks, 50 million surgical masks, 15,000 ventilators, 25 million surgical gowns, 25 million coveralls, 25 million gloves, and more.
4:58 PM: Mayor de Blasio says he sent letters to VA Secretary Robert Wilkie and HHS Secretary Alex Azar asking that VA hospitals and personnel in NYC be activated to help fight COVID-19.
4:54 PM: Mayor de Blasio: We are 2 or 3 weeks away from running out of our supplies for our hospitals; how on earth is our military being left on the sidelines? It is "immoral" that our president has not mobilized our military for a domestic threat we have not seen in decades.
4:49 PM: Mayor de Blasio: I know the U.S. military is ready to serve but they have not gotten the order; President Trump: "You are the Herbert Hoover of your generation. You are watching and waiting and missing every chance to be bold and to act to protect our nation."
4:42 PM: Mayor de Blasio: On Tuesday, I called retired and private-sector health-care workers to volunteer to return to service; as of today, 1,746 professionals have stepped forward to augment the ranks of those already on the front lines.
4:42 PM: Mayor de Blasio: We are the greatest city in the world but we alone cannot do this alone. The farther we get into April, the more we will need the federal government. It's as simple as this: if the federal government doesn't step up, the more New Yorkers will get sick that didn't have to.
4:39 PM: Mayor de Blasio: It will go on for months but at some point it will abate.
4:37 PM: Mayor de Blasio: We need you and your families to adjust.
4:35 PM: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio gives an update on the crisis: WATCH https://www.fox5ny.com/live
4:30 PM: MTA Chairman Pat Foye says 23 workers have tested positive for COVID-19.
4:00 PM: Stocks close with some solid gains after a rocky start. The Dow Jones industrials gained almost 200 points, or 1%.
3:35 PM: Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont says the state will postpone its presidential primary until June 2.
3:34 PM: New York City has 3,615 positive cases of COVID-19 and 22 fatalities; 980 cases in Queens, 976 in Manhattan, 1,030 in Brooklyn, 436 in the Bronx, and 165 in Staten Island.
3:17 PM: New York City health officials announce expanded, appointment-only COVID-19 testing sites at 10 acute-care hospitals, seven Gotham Health community-based health centers, and 4 drive-thru locations.
2:38 PM: Major League Baseball calls off Arizona Diamondbacks–San Diego Padres series in Mexico City and New York Mets–Miami Marlins series in Puerto Rico.
2:31 PM: U.S. Labor Department says the number of people seeking unemployment aid soared by 70,000 to 281,000 in the week ending March 14.
2:19 PM: NBA tells teams to close training and practice facilities to all players and staff starting Friday.
2:00 PM: NYC Council Member Inez Barron tests positive for COVID-19. She was already self-isolating because her husband, Assembly Member Charles Barron, had previously tested positive for the virus.
1:57 PM: E-ZPass New York Queens, Yonkers and Staten Island walk-in customer service centers will be closed from March 18 until March 30.
1:54 PM: New Jersey reschedules three special elections in March and school board elections in April all to May 12 and will require mail-in voting only.
1:47 PM: New Jersey health official says that three of the four new coronavirus deaths are linked to cases found at six nursing homes, long-term care facilities.
1:08 PM: LIVE FROM FOX: Daily Coronavirus Updates at this link: CoronavirusNOW.com.
12:58 PM: Murphy: Bergen County Community College will open tomorrow at 8 a.m.- 4 p.m., 400 Paramus Road.
12:47 PM: Salem and Cumberland are the only counties yet to have confirmed cases.
12:44 PM: Three deaths associated with a long-term care facility.
12:42 PM: Testing site at Bergen County Community College will open tomorrow at 8 am. Anyone who wants to be tested must have coronavirus symptoms: fever, shortness of breath or cough. Bring proof of NJ residence. No pre-registration required.
12:38 PM: The median age of coronavirus cases in New Jersey is 52 years old.
12:34 PM: Murphy: resist the urge to hoard food. We are confident in the ability of grocery items to get to store shelves.
12:33 PM: Murphy: If you need more information call 211 or visit NJ.gov/health. You can also text NJCOVID to 898-211 or for live help text your zip code to 898-211.
12:33 PM: Murphy: The best most effective way to stay in the game for our workers and small businesses is block grants from the federal government.
12:25 PM: Murphy: All personal care businesses including barbershops, nail salons, tattoo parlors and others are to close beginning at 8 p.m. and until further notice.
12:23 PM: Murphy: There are 318 new cases in NJ and there are four additional deaths. The total number of cases in the state is 742 and there have been a total of nine deaths.
12:15 PM: NJ Gov Phil Murphy has an update on the coronavirus response in New Jersey. Watch LIVE: https://www.fox5ny.com/live
12:08 PM: Surgeon General Adams: donating blood is safe. Social distancing does not have to mean social disengagement.
12:06 PM: Dr. Deborah Birx: over 50 percent of the cases come from 3 states and 10 counties.
12:03 PM: Pence: We are increasingly confident that we will have the number of ventilators that we will need.
11:59 AM: Vice President Mike Pence: FEMA Taking the lead in the nationwide coronavirus response.
11:56 AM: Hahn: we have 10,000 doctors and scientists working around the clock. We expect a vaccine to take about 12 months.
11:51 AM: Dr. Stephen Hahn, FDA Commissioner: the FDA's responsibility to the American people is to make sure products are safe and effective.
11:41 AM: Trump: a common malaria drug being considered for coronavirus patient treatment. "We are going to make that drug available immediately."
11:37 AM: Trump: along with a vaccine we are also pursuing anti-viral therapies.
11:36 AM: The White House Coronavirus Task Force updates the public on the federal government's response to the virus. WATCH LIVE: https://www.fox5ny.com/live
11:23 AM: Mnuchin says White House will send $1,000 checks to most Americans within 3 weeks. DETAILS: https://www.fox5ny.com/news/mnuchin-says-white-house-will-send-1000-checks-to-most-americans-within-3-weeks
11:16 AM: Formula One postpones three more races, including Monaco Grand Prix.
10: 59 AM: Cuomo: the level of alarm in New York City is higher than I've ever seen. There is no quarantine plan for New York City. The containment plan in New Rochelle didn't contain anyone. It was meant to contain the virus.
10:57 AM: Cuomo: Ridership and revenue is down for the MTA.
10:47 AM: Prince Albert of Monaco tests positive for new coronavirus.
10:44 AM: Cuomo: there are 1,769 new cases in New York State bringing the total to 4,152 cases. In New York City, there are 2,469 cases. 22,000 people across the state have been tested for coronavirus with 7,500 tests Wednesday night. MORE DETAILS: https://www.fox5ny.com/news/ny-cases-jump-to-4000-overnight
10:43 AM: Cuomo: the State is establishing with banks a 90 -day relief on mortgage payments based on financial need.
10:39 AM: Cuomo: no more than 25 percent of people can be in the workforce except the essential services. That means 75 percent of the workforce must stay at home.
10:37 AM: Cuomo says he will not "lockdown" any city in New York.
10:34 AM: Cuomo: We need 30,000 ventilators. We actually have people in China shopping for ventilators.
10: 33 AM: Cuomo: This is going to come down to ventilators.
10:32 AM: NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo updates the public on the response to the coronavirus pandemic. Watch LIVE at this link: https://www.fox5ny.com/live
9:33 AM: Stocks down slightly, less than 2 percent, at start of trading day.
7:55 AM: Stock markets were largely subdued Thursday after days of massive volatility, as investors digested new financial support measures, including the European Central Bank's promise to funnel 750 billion euros ($817 billion) into financial markets.
6:58 AM: Last month, Wuhan was overwhelmed with thousands of new cases of coronavirus each day. But in a dramatic development that underscores just how much the outbreak has pivoted toward Europe and the United States, Chinese authorities said Thursday that the city and its surrounding province had no new cases to report. MORE DETAILS: https://www.fox5ny.com/news/wuhan-reports-no-new-coronavirus-cases-offering-hope-to-world
6:46 AM: Most national parts are open as a refuge for Americans tired of being stuck at home during a global pandemic, but despite now being free to visit, people may find it more difficult than normal to enjoy them as parks close visitor centers, shuttles, lodges and restaurants to fight the spread of the coronavirus.
6:21 AM: Seven Middle Eastern countries have suspended all commercial flights due to coronavirus as the aviation industry's largest trade association announced Thursday that airlines in the region have already lost more than $7 billion in revenue.