Summary:

NYC Mayor says NYC schools will close for at least a month starting Monday

NYC orders all venues, theaters, nightclubs and other entertainment to close

NY Gov Cuomo says NYC schools will close “early this week”

NYC Mayor reports 4 new deaths

LA Mayor orders all entertainment venues, gyms, bars, restaurants to close

Italy reports largest one-day jump in cases; France also reports highest daily jump

CDC recommends postponing all gatherings for 8 weeks

US death toll hits 64

Pentagon says sailor aboard Navy ship has tested positive

Germany reports 1,000+ new cases bringing total to 5,813

Acting Homeland Security Secretary says lines at O’Haire are “unacceptable”, says wait times have been fixed

Illinois Gov closes all bars & restaurants for dining in

US death toll hits 58, 1st death confirmed in Oregon

Google CEO says country-wide virus info site to launch Monday

LA Mayor orders bars to close, may also close dine-in restaurants

NFL season start likely won’t be postponed, ESPN says

California confirmed cases climb 14% to 335

US confirmed case total hits 2,952

Wal-Mart, Stop & Shop cut hours

Connecticut, Mass. close schools

Case in Conn. double over night

Netherlands closes schools, restaurants

Germany closes borders to neighboring states

Poland bars foreigners

West Virginia last US state that’s virus-free

Iran reports largest daily jump in deaths

Ohio closes bars, restaurants at 9pm Sunday

Trump speaks with grocery chain CEOs

Pence says he won’t be tested

NYC Mayor says ‘every option on the table’ when asked if considering complete shutdown of city + schools

Washington DC mayor orders nightclubs to close and imposes new restrictions on bars and restaurants

Federal limits on trucker hours suspended to help hospitals and supermarkets alleviate shortages of critical items

Update (1130ET): Shortly after New York’s mayor de Blasio pulled the plug, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti has ordered the closing of all bars, nightclubs, gyms and entertainment venues from midnight March 16 until March 31.\

Restaurants will be limited to take-out and delivery

Grocery stores will remain open

“There is no food shortage and grocery stores will remain open. We’re taking these steps to help protect Angelenos, limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, and avoid putting a dangerous strain on our health care system. This will be a tough time, but it is not forever. Angelenos have always risen to meet difficult moments, and we will get through this together.”

* * *

Update (1030ET): After announcing earlier that restaurants and venues would be enforced to ensure no more than 50% occupancy, Mayor Bill de Blasio just tweeted that he is ordering all “nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues to close”. That leaves restaurants still open, but with max 50% occupancy, as the city encourages residents to order our and stay in instead of venturing anywhere outdoors.

Nightclubs, movie theaters, small theater houses, and concert venues must all close. The order will go into effect Tuesday, March 17 at 9:00 AM. — Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 16, 2020

The virus can spread rapidly through the close interactions New Yorkers have in restaurants, bars and places where we sit close together. We have to break that cycle. Tomorrow, I will sign an Executive Order limiting restaurants, bars and cafes to food take-out and delivery. — Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 16, 2020

He added that this isn’t a decision he takes lightly, and added that these places “are the heart and soul of our city.”

This is not a decision I make lightly. These places are part of the heart and soul of our city. They are part of what it means to be a New Yorker. But our city is facing an unprecedented threat, and we must respond with a wartime mentality.

This crisis will last months and it will get worse before it gets better. But it will get better. From September 11th to the financial crisis, the world has always looked to New York City to respond and to lead.

And we always do. It's time to show that to the world again. — Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) March 15, 2020

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