Contagion Live News Network: Coronavirus Updates for March 12, 2020

Welcome to the Contagion Live News Network. I’m Grant Gallagher and this is the COVID-19 update for Thursday, March 12th, 2020.

The World Health Organization announced yesterday that COVID-19 is now a global pandemic. “We are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity” the WHO director general said.

The United States will be restricting travel to and from Europe, but not the United Kingdom, for 30 days.

In his speech announcing the travel restriction, President Trump also proposed economic stimulus action around coronavirus and asked congress to pass a relief payroll tax cut.

The total number of cases in the United States has now passed 1300, with 38 associated deaths.

In pop culture news, the NBA has become the first American sports league to cancel the playing season after a player tested positive for coronavirus. Additionally, actor Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have tested positive for the virus.

Globally, Ireland suspended college and school activity nationwide until at least March 29.

More than 125,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported around the world. There have been over 4500 deaths, but at least 68,000 recoveries.

Yesterday, ainland China reported only 15 new cases and city lockdowns have been somewhat eased across the country. The downward trend in new cases appears to be continuing there.

For more information on COVID-19, visit ContagionLive.com. To track the spread of coronavirus in the United States and abroad, be sure to use the Contagion Outbreak Monitor.

For the Contagion Live News Network, I’m Grant Gallagher. Take care.