IN BRIEF

As the number of coronavirus infections across the globe crossed the 400,000 mark, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games have been postponed, coronavirus infections are doubling every three days in New York State, and India imposed a lockdown.

TODAY’S FACTS AND FIGURES

The number of coronavirus cases across the globe is now 401,976, of which 103,754 have recovered. The death toll now stands at 17,580.

The number of deaths from the virus in Italy dropped for the second day in a row, after reaching an all-time high of 753 on Saturday. The death toll there stands at 6,077.

In the United States, the number of confirmed cases surged to 49,257, while the death toll there stands at 616.

Meanwhile, Russia, whose reporting is suspect, said there had been 57 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, bringing the reported total there to 495. The death toll there remains at one.

CORONAVIRUS NEWS

03-24 New coronavirus infections in New York State are doubling about every three days, said the state’s governor, Andrew Cuomo, speaking at the Javits Center in Manhattan, which the Army Corp of Engineers is converting into a 1,000-bed hospital.

03-24 Officials in China’s Hubei province are ending nearly two months of lockdown this week. Wuhan, the provincial capital and the city hit hardest by Covid-19, will remain locked down until April 8 although public transportation there will start to operate immediately.

03-24 The United States could become a new hub of the coronavirus outbreak, the World Health Organization said. The news comes as President Trump said he wants to reopen parts of the U.S. economy that aren’t in coronavirus hot spots.

03-24 India imposed a lockdown due to the virus outbreak.Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced “a total ban of coming out of your homes” for the nation of 1.3 billion people.

03-24 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the International Olympic Committee agreed to delay the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to 2021, due to the coronavirus outbreak. The move came after numerous countries said they would not send athletes to participate in the current year.

03-24 Lincoln Center said that it will reopen its productions of the new musical “Flying Over Sunset” at the Vivian Beaumont Theater and the new opera “Intimate Apparel” at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater this fall.

03-24 Pharmacy boards across the country are reporting that doctors are writing prescriptions for themselves and family members for medications that are being touted as possible coronavirus treatments.

03-23 The United Kingdom announced a nation-wide lockdown. “You must stay at home,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

03-23 The traveling Broadway production of ‘Once on this Island’ ended its tour four months early. The Tony Award-winning musical was due in Los Angeles for a month-long run at the Ahmanson Theatre starting April 7.

03-23 Boeing announced it will hold its 2020 shareholders meeting virtually. The meeting will take place on April 27, 2020.

03-23 New York Governor Cuomo said in a televised briefing that economic recovery planning needs to start now. “We also haveto startto planthe pivot back to economicfunctionality, right:?Tou can’t stop the economyforever,” he added.

03-23 The Transportation Security Administration said that eight employees in the New York metro area tested positive for the coronavirus. Five were at John F. Kennedy International Airport, two were at Newark Liberty International Airport, and one was at LaGuardia Airport.

03-23 Low-cost Vietnamese carrier VietJet said it will offer passengers insurance against the coronavirus. The insurance will cover a maximum of 200,000,000 Vietnamese Đồng ($8,430) in benefits for all passengers who fly on the airline’s domestic flights through June 30, 2020. The coverage is automatic and is in force for 30 days starting on the flight date.

03-23 The New York Philharmonic cancelled the remainder of its season as well as a ten-concert European tour. The orchestra estimated it will face a $10 million operating loss as a result. It is cutting the salaries of its 106 unionized musicians for April and will pay 75% of minimum scale in May. It will continue to offer health benefits through September 20, which is the expiration of the current contract with the musicians.

(Photo: Accura Media Group)