March 16, 2020 4:15 am
CHICAGO (AP) – The CDC is recommending that gatherings of 50 people or more in US be canceled or postponed over the next eight weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic. That guidance came as the virus was already curtailing many elements of American life. Officials and businesses on Sunday took forceful measures to halt the virus’s spread. Theme parks closed, Florida beaches shooed away spring breakers and governors in Ohio and Illinois ordered bars and restaurants shuttered. New York City limited eateries to handling takeout and delivery orders.áThe nation’s top infectious disease official said he would like to see a 14-day national shutdown imposed, but it does not appear President Donald Trump would order that.
March 16, 2020 4:13 am
BEIJING (AP) – Asian stock markets and U.S. futures have fallen after the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates to shore up economic growth as more governments imposed anti-virus controls that are shutting down business and travel. Sydney’s benchmark plunged 7% on Monday and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng lost 2%. Shanghai was down 0.5% and Tokyo was flat. Brent crude, the international oil standard, fell 3% while gold gained., futures for the S&P 500 and the Dow industrials fell 5%, triggering a halt in trading. The price of oil fell while gold gained. That followed a dizzying week that saw the Dow twice fall by more than 2,000 points and also record it’s biggest point gain ever – 1,985 points on Friday.
March 16, 2020 4:13 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House is putting in place new measures to protect President Donald Trump and his staff during the coronavirus outbreak. Starting Monday, the White House will take the temperature of anyone entering the complex, from visitors to members of the press corps. The new measures expand on screenings the White House began on Saturday for anyone who will get close to Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Members of the press corps are also taking steps, independent of the White House, to limit their own exposure to the coronavirus.
March 16, 2020 4:11 am
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Former Vice President Joe Biden has committed to naming a woman as his running mate if he’s the Democratic presidential nominee. Biden’s declaration in Sunday night’s debate with Sen. Bernie Sanders comes as some Democratic voters have watched with disappointment a historically diverse field of candidates dwindle to two white men. Biden was responding to a video question from a voter about how he would handle women’s health issues. Asked the same question, Sanders didn’t definitively commit but said, “In all likelihood, I will.”
March 16, 2020 4:09 am
Freedom Transit in Washington County is reducing shared-ride service to only “essential and critical services” for at least the next two weeks. Fixed-route service will operate as normal for now, according to the Washington County Department of Public Safety. Starting March 17, only medical, adult day care, work, and senior center “pick-up” meal trips will be provided. The release said that Freedom Transit clients who “currently have trips booked in the next two weeks for the purpose of getting to and from school, social/recreational, shopping, or other needs will be contacted to postpone their trips.” The company’s full statement: “As a precautionary measure, Freedom Transit will be reducing shared-ride service in Washington County for at least the next two weeks. The focus of the service will be on continuing to provide access to essential and critical services that our passengers need. For now, fixed-route service will operate as normal. Any senior citizen needing to access their local senior center to obtain a “pick-up” only meal, should call Freedom Transit at (724) 223-8747 to schedule a ride. Freedom Transit is committed to the safety and wellbeing of its riders and has been sanitizing buses on a daily basis to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
March 16, 2020 4:05 am
All masses in the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh are cancelled until further notice, according to a release from Bishop David Zubik. Zubik said all weekday and Sunday masses will be cancelled started Monday. However, arrangements are being made to livestream more masses in the days ahead. “Although in many ways it saddens me to make this decision, given the best advice from health experts on federal, state, and local levels, I feel it is a necessary one at this time. I’m counting on the understanding and cooperation of all in the Diocese of Pittsburgh as we pray for each other. At this difficult time, we especially are relying on the intercession of Mary, Mother of Jesus and Mother of the Church, and Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus and Patron of the Universal Church,” Bishop Zubik said. Zubik is calling for a “special day of prayer” in Pittsburgh on March 25 – which is the Feast of the Annunciation in Catholic calendars.
March 15, 2020 8:21 am
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iran has reported 113 more deaths from the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the country’s death toll to 724 amid 13,938 confirmed cases. Iran has the worst outbreak in the Middle East and one of the worst outside China, where the virus first emerged late last year. The latest figures were announced by the Health Ministry on Sunday.
March 15, 2020 8:20 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Federal authorities are warning consumers about fake home-testing kits for the coronavirus after customs agents intercepted a package at Los Angeles International Airport filled with vials labeled as COVID-19 test kits. Testing for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, is only conducted in verified state and local public laboratories across the country. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says American consumers should be aware of bogus testing kits for sale either online or on the black market.
March 15, 2020 8:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has tested negative for the novel coronavirus. The White House says the president’s physician has found that Trump also remains symptom-free. Reporters had continued to ask Trump why he was hesitating to undergo screening when he had been exposed to at least three people who have tested positive for the virus. Meanwhile, the White House has instituted screening for anyone coming into close contact with Trump or other officials, checking them for elevated temperatures. A reporter heading to Saturday’s briefing was turned away after a temperature check indicated an elevated temperature.
March 15, 2020 8:18 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Sunday’s Democratic presidential debate is likely to be dominated by the mounting coronavirus crisis. Just two candidates are left in the Democratic race: former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. They’ll debate in a television studio in Washington without an in-person audience. The debate was moved from Arizona because of concerns about cross-country travel. It’s the first Democratic debate in two-and-a-half weeks, and the first since Biden took command of the primary race.
