Global supplies of protective masks and other equipment were running low Wednesday, the World Health Organization warned, as countries around the world worked to contain and delay the spread of the novel coronavirus that has already claimed more than 3,000 lives worldwide, including 11 in the U.S.
The virus is now spreading more rapidly outside China, where the epidemic started, with mainland China recording just 119 new confirmed cases while hundreds of cases were reported globally.
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South Korea alone recorded an additional 516 cases of coronavirus Wednesday, bringing the total to 5,328 confirmed cases, the largest outbreak outside of mainland China.
The number of cases has also risen in two other coronavirus hot spots in Italy and Iran that were grappling with well over 2,000 confirmed cases each.
Meanwhile, officials in Placer County in northern California reported Tuesday a presumed second case of COVID-19, the disease the virus causes, and declared a local health emergency, which is intended to ensure it has enough resources.
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Annual MiPTV media conference in Cannes canceled
A global media conference in France that attracts thousands of senior American TV executives has been canceled, the organizers announced Wednesday.
MiPTV, or Marché International des Programmes de Télévision, is a crucial annual conference for TV executives who buy, sell and co-finance new TV shows from around the world.
Closure of the event, scheduled for March 30 in Cannes, France, comes after the French government issued new regulations preventing gatherings of more than 5,000 people.
May’s annual Cannes Film Festival, some of which takes place at the same venues as MiPTV, issued a statement last week saying that the event would proceed as scheduled.
In big move, United Airlines reducing number of domestic, international flights
United Airlines plans to reduce its North American flights by 10 percent in April and its international flights by 20 percent, an unprecedented move the airline is making due to a drop in passenger demand amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
United said the reductions are likely to continue in May. The airline said it will park planes and offer voluntary unpaid leave to employees as it manages the impact of the coronavirus.
The announcement came hours after President Trump held a meeting with CEOs of major airline carriers to discuss the industry’s response to the virus and the potential threat it poses to travelers. After the meeting, Trump stressed that the public should feel safe to travel, especially in the United States.
“If you look at a percentage, we have a very, very small percentage” of the more than 92,000 coronavirus cases diagnosed around the world, he told reporters. So far, there have been more than 140 cases identified in the U.S.
1st coronavirus death in California
An elderly person with underlying health conditions has died in Placer County, California, the first coronavirus death in the state.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the loved ones of this patient,” Dr. Aimee Sisson, health officer for Placer County, said in a news release on Wednesday.
Health officials said the patient was likely infected during international travel from Feb. 11 to Feb. 21 on a Princess cruise ship that departed from San Francisco to Mexico.
A total of 11 people in the U.S. have died from the virus. Ten deaths were in Washington state.
Another Washington patient dies, bringing U.S. total to 10
Another coronavirus patient in Washington has died, bringing the state’s total to 10 deaths. Washington is the only state that has reported coronavirus deaths.
The individual was a resident of King county, according to the state’s Department of Health. Eight other King county residents have died from the infection, including several residents of the Life Care Center, a long-term care facility.
The remaining two deaths in the state were in the neighboring county of Snohomish.
Earlier today, Vice President Mike Pence said that a 10th American had died from the virus but did not specify where the death occurred.
Sign of the times, cont’d
Pence: 10th American has died from coronavirus
A 10th person in the U.S. has died from the coronavirus, Vice President Mike Pence said Wednesday.
“Word this morning from the CDC is that one more American has expired and their family has our condolences,” Pence said during a White House meeting. “Ten Americans have succumbed to this disease.”
“We all grieve the loss of American lives,” he said.
Pence did not say where the death occurred. All previous nine deaths were in Washington state.
New York governor provides update on 2nd case in state
VP Pence is heading to Washington state
Italy closes schools and universities until March 15
All Italian schools and universities will close for 10 days from Thursday, as part of an effort to contain a growing outbreak of coronavirus, Education Minister Lucia Azzolina said Wednesday.
“I hope pupils can return to school as soon as possible,” he said. The schools will be shut until at least March 15.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that the health service risked being overwhelmed because of the high number of infected people. He added that the government was doing all it could to contain it.
The death toll in Italy jumped by 28 over the past 24 hours to 107, the Civil Protection Agency said on Wednesday, while the accumulative number of cases jumped to 3,090, up from 2,502 on Tuesday.
Congressional leaders strike roughly $8 billion bipartisan emergency funding deal
Congressional leaders in the House and Senate on Wednesday reached a bipartisan deal on a roughly $8 billion emergency funding bill to fight the coronavirus that has been spreading throughout the United States, according to Democratic and Republican appropriators.
The deal would provide $7.8 billion to fight the coronavirus and would include a mandatory funding authorization for $500 million over a 10-year period to be used toward a remote healthcare program.
Soon after the agreement’s overall framework was released, but before the legislation’s text was unveiled, two Democratic leadership sources told NBC that the House is expected to vote on the deal later in the day. It will need two-thirds of the House to pass it and leadership expects it to pass with bipartisan support.
Trump had submitted a $2.5 billion request to Congress to combat the virus, but Democrats quickly said that that amount would be insufficient. Senator Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., responded with an $8.5 billion proposal.
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