untitled design

Cuomo calls on Trump to mobilize military

National Guard troops listen to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo as people wait to be tested at the State’s First Drive Through COVID-19 Mobile Testing Center at Glen Island Park in New Rochelle, New York March 13, 2020.

Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images

This is CNBC’s 24-hour blog covering all the latest news on the coronavirus outbreak. All times below are in Eastern time. This live blog will be updated throughout the day as the news breaks.

  • Global cases: More than 156,000, according to Johns Hopkins University
  • Global deaths: At least 5,833, according to Johns Hopkins University
  • U.S. cases: At least 2,952, according to Johns Hopkins University
  • U.S. deaths: At least 57, according to Johns Hopkins University

11:30 am: US at risk of ‘Wuhan style outbreak,’ says former FDA commissioner

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the U.S. is at risk of a “Wuhan style outbreak” in multiple cities across the country. An outbreak of such intensity in a city like New York would “overwhelm its system,” he said during an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
 
The coronavirus originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan and killed more than 3,000 people in mainland China. Health officials say China’s coronavirus epidemic had passed its peak as cases continue to spread to other areas of the world.
 
“There’s ways to avert it, but that’s the risk that we face right now,” Gottlieb said, adding that the U.S. will “certainly” have tens of thousands of virus cases. He said research shows there is likely 10 – 40,000 cases currently distributed across the country. —Emma Newburger

11:19 am: US states turn to cash reserves as budgets strained

States across the U.S. are allocating hundreds of millions of dollars to respond to the coronavirus, even as the U.S. government prepares to send billions more their way.

Many states have built up sizable stockpiles in their “rainy day” funds during several robust years of tax collections. Some governors and state lawmakers now are tapping into those savings for emergency expenses. Others are looking to set aside even more in reserve, fearing the economic uncertainties stemming from the coronavirus could send tax revenues into a tailspin.

State and local public health agencies have been on the front lines of the response, monitoring and testing those suspected of having the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease. Costs are mounting for staff time and medical supplies.

But states also are bracing for a potential ripple effect on their revenues. The cancellation of major sporting and entertainment events could mean less tax revenue from tourists and local residents. Directives to work and study at home instead of at offices, schools and colleges could mean less revenue from fuel taxes and public transit fares.

And if some employees can’t go to work, that could put a damper on state income and withholding taxes while driving up spending for public welfare programs such as unemployment insurance and state Medicaid health care programs. —Associated Press

10:46 am: Cuomo calls on Trump to mobilize military

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is calling on President Donald Trump to mobilize federal troops and localize testing to help fight the coronavirus pandemic.
 
“Every country affected by this crisis has handled it on a national basis. The United States has not,” Cuomo wrote in the New York Times. “State and local governments alone simply do not have the capacity or resources to do what is necessary, and we don’t want a patchwork quilt of policies.”
 
Cuomo urged the administration to allow states to certify a wide range of testing labs, as well as federalize shutdowns across the country. He also pointed to the “imminent failure of hospital systems” as cases mount and argued that the Army Corps of Engineers should serve as temporary medical centers.

“We believe the use of active duty Army Corps personnel would not violate federal law because this is a national disaster,” Cuomo wrote. “Doing so still won’t provide enough intensive care beds, but it is our best hope.” —Emma Newburger

10:24 am: Mnuchin doesn’t expect recession

Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury secretary, speaks during a news conference in the briefing room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Saturday, March 14, 2020.

Shaw Thew | Bloomberg | Getty Images

Treasury Secretary is confident the U.S. economy will weather the downturn from the coronavirus outbreak, noting he does not expect a recession.

“Later in the year, obviously the economic activity will pick up as we confront this virus,” Mnuchin said Sunday on ABC. He also told Fox News Sunday he expects a “big rebound later this year.”

However, not everyone is as confident as Mnuchin that the economy will ride out the coronavirus outbreak.
Alan Blinder, an economist and former Federal Reserve vice chairman, told CNBC last week that the economy is probably already in a recession.

Gary Cohn, former National Economic Council director, also thinks the U.S. is already in a recession. —Fred Imbert

10:14 am: ‘This is the equivalent of a war,’ de Blasio says

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called on the U.S. federal government to “wake up” and speed up coronavirus testing capacity and work with places in the country that urgently need more supplies like ventilators, surgical masks and hand sanitizer.

“If the federal government doesn’t realize this is the equivalent of a war already, there’s no way that the states and localities can make all the adjustments we need to,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “We are all on our own in so many ways.”
 
The mayor is under pressure to order the closure of restaurants, bars and public schools in New York City to combat the spread of the virus. Gatherings of more than 500 people have been banned, but restaurants and bars can stay open at half the maximum capacity. — Emma Newburger

10:00 am: Americans returning from abroad face hours-long lines at US airports

Travelers return early from a trip to Paris, France, due to the U.S. air travel ban at International Arrivals at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, California, U.S. March 13, 2020

Kate Munsch | Reuters

Thousands of Americans returning home faced cramped arrivals halls and hours-long waits for the Trump administration’s new coronavirus screenings at some of the busiest airports in the country, sparking some worry that it could further the spread of the virus.

Trump last week banned most Europeans from visiting the United States for 30 days in a bid to contain the virus. The unprecedented restrictions created chaos at European airports as Americans raced to get home before airlines canceled flights and European countries take their own drastic measures to fight the illness. 

Returning American citizens and permanent residents would face “enhanced entry screening where the passenger will be asked about their medical history, current condition, and asked for contact information for local health authorities,” the Department of Homeland Security said Friday.

Upon arrival in the U.S., however, some travelers waited more than four hours for screening. — Leslie Josephs

9:30 am: Hundreds of thousands could die, Fauci warns

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Sunday that hundreds of thousands of Americans could die from the coronavirus as the number of cases is expected to rise across the U.S.
 
“We are clearly going to have more infections,” he said on CNN’s “Face the Nation”. “The challenge we have right now is how do we blunt that.”
 
“We have to be realistic and honest. Our job, our challenge is to try and make that not happen. But to think if we go about our daily lives and not worry about anything, that’s it’s not going to happen —  it could happen. And it could be worse,” he said.
 
While the virus is overwhelmingly affecting elderly people and those with underlying health conditions, Fauci warned that younger people could get ill and spread the virus to people who are more vulnerable. He also hinted that hot spots in the U.S. should consider closing still crowded bars and restaurants.
 
“I would like to see a dramatic diminution of the personal interaction we see in restaurants and in bars,” he said. “There are going to be people who are young who are going to wind up getting seriously ill.”
 
Public health officials are urging “social distancing” to contain the spread of the virus in the U.S., as the government restricts large gatherings and travel from outside of the country.  —Emma Newburger

8:30 am: Olympics 2020 torch handover behind closed doors in Athens

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games flame handover in Athens next week will be done behind closed doors amid the coronavirus outbreak, the Greek Olympic Committee said.

Greece on Friday cancelled the remainder of the domestic Olympic torch relay through the country to avoid attracting crowds a day after the Tokyo Games flame was lit in ancient  Olympia. —Reuters

8:18 am: American Airlines to suspend nearly all long-haul international flights

American Airlines will start a phased suspension of almost all its long-haul international flights from the U.S. starting Monday, the airline said in a statement. The flights affected include those in Asia Pacific, Europe and South America. 

The latest move will be implemented from March 16 to May 6, and will reduce international capacity by 75% year-on-year, the carrier said. It comes as the U.S. government imposes travel restrictions over the coronavirus outbreak that had already dampened demand. —Reuters

7:23 am: Nike is closing all of its stores in the US

A tourist wears a protective mask as she carries her suitcases past a closed Nike store at Las Ramblas on March 15, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain.

David Ramos | Getty Images

Nike is closing all of its stores in the U.S., along with other parts of the world, to try to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, the company said Sunday morning.

Its locations across the U.S., Canada, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand will close from Monday through March 27, the company said. —Lauren Thomas

7:12 am: Health official says Iran’s death toll at 724

Alireza Vahabzadeh, an advisor to Iran’s health minister, has reportedly said the new coronavirus has killed a further 113 people in the last 24 hours.

The death toll now stands at 724 with total infections at 13,938, according to Reuters. — Matt Clinch

3:23 am: Pope’s Easter services to be held without faithful attending: Vatican

Pope Francis’ Easter services in April will be held without any faithful in attendance in an effort to limit coronavirus spread, the Vatican said Sunday.

The pope’s weekly Sunday blessings will continue to be held over the internet and television until April 12, the Vatican said on its official website. The Easter services typically attract tens of thousands of attendants to Rome and the Vatican.   

2:50 am: South Korea declares disaster zones in areas hard hit by virus

South Korean President Moon Jae-in declared the country’s hardest-hit areas from the coronavirus as “disaster zones” on Sunday, announcing 76 new cases and three deaths in what was a decrease in new cases to double-digits for the first time in three weeks, Reuters reported. 

The declaration was the first to happen in South Korea under the context of a disease, and allows the government to subsidize up to half of restoration expenses and clears residents of their requirement to pay taxes and utility bills. The country has 8,162 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus and 75 deaths, the highest in Asia after China.

1:48 am: Wife of Spanish prime minister tests positive

The wife of Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez has tested positive for the new coronavirus, Reuters reported citing the PM’s office. Both Sanchez and his wife, Begona Gomez, are doing fine, the news agency said.

The news comes as Spain imposed a 15-day nationwide lockdown that began on Saturday as part of emergency measures to contain the spread of the virus, which has infected at least 6,391 people in the country so far, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University. Spain now has the second highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Europe, after Italy. —Joanna Tan

1:14 am: Australia to impose 2-week self-quarantine on anyone arriving from overseas 

Australia will impose a two-week quarantine requirement for anyone arriving from overseas, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Sunday. The new measures, taken as the country battles to contain the highly contagious coronavirus, will take effect from midnight. “All people coming to Australia will be required — will be required, I stress — to self-isolate for 14 days,” he said.

In addition, the country will be barring all cruise ships from foreign ports for an initial 30 days before further decisions are made, he said.

There were 249 confirmed cases, including 3 deaths, in Australia as of 10:30 a.m. local time on Sunday, the health ministry said in its latest update. —Joanna Tan

You may also like

Get the latest

Stay Informed: Get the Latest Updates and Insights

 

Most popular