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UPDATE (11:36 a.m., 3/21/20): For our live coverage of Saturday, March 21, follow this link.

9:38 p.m.

Chambers County on Friday implemented a 24-hour curfew for all children unaccompanied by guardians or school personnel. The curfew does not apply to people under 18 who are travelling to or from work.

Chambers County Judge Jimmy Sylvia’s executive order also prohibits price-gouging.

Anyone entering the county’s courthouse, including employees, will now be subject to a health screening before they are allowed inside.

The following Chambers County Offices are closed:

Chambers County Library Branches

Chambers County Constable (Courthouse Location)

Chambers County Commissioners

Mosquito Control

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Chambers County

Chambers County Golf Course

Chambers County Tax Office (All Locations)

Adult and Juvenile Probation

County Attorney and Pre-Trial Services

9:30 p.m. The City of Laredo Health Department on Friday confirmed a fourth positive test for COVID·19 1n Laredo.

9 p.m. Two Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Chronicle's St. John Barned-Smith reports.

8:34 p.m. Houston's first free COVID-19 drive-thru test site will expand its services Saturday, according to the city's health department.

Testing will open up to people over 65 with symptoms and an identification number through a screening process. On Friday, testing was only available to the city's first-responders and health care workers.

Those who meet the criteria can call the Houston Health Department's COVID-19 call center at 832-393-4220 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to be screened.

8:19 p.m. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo Friday night spoke out against a judge's decision to release a murder suspect on bond after the man said he feared contracting the new coronavirus in jail.

"Outrageous! Some of our activist judges & officials must not be allowed to use COVID19 as a pretext to release dangerous people," the chief Tweeted. "Speak up Houston! These suspects are quarantined in jail. We need to hold people accountable for these wanton decisions."

7:50 p.m. The spread of coronavirus will hurt some areas of Harris County more than others, according to a study by UTHealth.

The Chronicle's Stephanie Lamm reports that the study identified several neighborhoods where a large portion of residents are at risk of hospitalization from the virus, potentially straining local hospitals. Areas with the highest percentage of residents at risk include East Little York, Settegast, Deer Park, Channelview, Downtown, East End, South Acres Homes and Northline.

7:44 p.m. Three more people in Harris County have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the region to 105 known cases, the Chronicle's Samantha Ketterer reports.

One of the cases was community-spread, and another was travel-related, according to Harris County Public Health. The third case is under investigation.

The three people are:

-A 50-60 year-old woman who lives in northeast Harris County.

-A 20-30 year-old woman who lives in southwest Harris County

-A 40-50 year-old man who lives in southeast Harris County.

7:36 p.m.

One of Vice President Mike Pence's staffers has tested positive for COVID-19, according to a statement released by Pence's office Friday evening.

"‪This evening we were notified that a member of the Office of the Vice President tested positive for the Coronavirus. Neither President Trump nor Vice President Pence had close contact with the individual," Katie Miller told CNN . "Further contact tracing is being conducted in accordance with CDC guidelines."

Pence is the point person on coordinating the federal government's response to the pandemic.

7:08 p.m. Texas is postponing its May 26 primary runoff elections to mid-July to help prevent community spread of COVID-19, Gov. Greg Abbott announced on Friday, the Chronicle's Jeremy Wallace reports.

State officials had been trying to decide whether to convert that election to an all-mail-ballot, but Abbott on Friday said the state will instead move the entire election.

“Holding the runoff in May would cause the congregation of large gatherings of people in confined spaces and cause numerous election workers to come into close proximity with others,” a statement from Abbotts office said. “This would threaten the health and safety of many Texans.”

The election will be moved to July 14 with early voting starting on July 6.

7:04 p.m.

The Texas Democratic Party on Friday filed a lawsuit against the state and the Travis County Clerk asking a judge to rule that voters who believe their health is in danger because of COVID-19 can vote by mail, the Chronicle's Taylor Goldenstein reports.

The party argues in the suit, filed in Travis County District Court, that the coronavirus pandemic makes voting in person more risky for voters' and the general public, as they try to adhere to the social distancing recommended by federal and state health officials.

"Historically, most voters in Texas elections vote in person where they have contact with electronic equipment, election personnel, other voters and observers," the suit reads. "These very activities are now heavily discouraged by various government orders and are being discouraged in an enormous public education campaign. Even were this pandemic to cease, certain populations will feel the need and/or be required to continue social distancing."

The suit cites a 2015 Texas Attorney General opinion that stated that someone who claimed a disability, even if they'd never sought benefits from the federal government, could request a mail-in ballot. It also compares quarantined voters to people committed to a treatment facility for sexual offenders, whom the AG said in a 2017 would likely be considered eligible for vote-by-mail in court.

"No Texan should have to worry about risking their health in order to exercise their right to vote," Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said in a statement. "We must act before it's too late."

6:55 p.m. Mayor Sylvester Turner and Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo held a press conference Friday evening to quell online rumors that the city will "shut down" during the pandemic.

“There’s no lock-down...none," Turner said. "There’s been no conversation about a shut-down."

Turner urged citizens to get their information about the virus from trusted news sources. The mayor said the rumors began after a video was posted to Twitted making false claims about a "shelter-in-place" order in the city.

Houston's officials have taken the proper precautions, Turner said, adding that it's important he take a measured response as the situation develops.

6:38 p.m. The Houston region experienced the largest single-day increase of confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the Chronicle's Jordan Rubio reports.

With 31 new cases, the total is now 102. Of those, 17 were reported in Harris County.

There are now 397 cases as of COVID-19 in Texas. Five people in the state have died due to the virus.

For up-to-date tracking of the spread of the novel coronavirus in the Lone Star State, visit houstonchronicle.com/coronavirus.

6:05 p.m. The Alley Theatre has laid off 75 percent of its staff in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, the Chronicle's Wei-Huan Chen reports.

In a statement released Friday, the Houston theater company also said it would cancel the rest of its 2019-2020 season

6 p.m. The number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in Brazoria County doubled on Friday, according to health department officials.

There are now 10 confirmed cases in the county.

The new patients include three Pearland men in their 40's, a Pearland woman between ages 65 and 75 and an Alvin man in his 50's. All of them are recovering at home and self-isolating, officials say.

The cases are still under investigation by the Brazoria County Health Department.

5:50 p.m. The Chronicle's data team has created a searchable directory of Houston restaurants that are still open for pick-up or delivery during the pandemic.

Check out where you can still safely order food here: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/flavor/restaurant-closures/

5:30 p.m.

As Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez continues to urge officials to begin compassionate releases of vulnerable and nonviolent inmates at the jail to avert an outbreak, a group of doctors is asking judges and county leaders to take immediate "common sense" action to prevent a catastrophic loss of life from the novel coronavirus, the Chronicle's Gabrille Banks reports.

The doctors, who come from various fields – internal medicine, pediatrics and psychiatry, noted that social distancing, hand washing and self-quarantining aren’t feasible at the packed facility, making the jail “a ticking time bomb that has the potential to devastate the lives of inmates, jail personnel, and others” in the community.

The letter, signed by two presidents of the group Doctors for Change, asks officials to release enough inmates to make social distancing possible. Specifically, the group identifies as candidates all medically vulnerable people, including inmates over 60 and those with an advanced chronic illness or immunodeficiency, such as HIV. They also ask for the release of people being held simply because they cannot afford bond.

5:20 p.m.

Hundreds of Americans, including Texans, are stuck in Peru because of the country's coronavirus border shutdown.

Reporter Marcy De Luna spoke with some of them about what it’s been like being stuck in a foreign country during a pandemic.

5:10 p.m. Walmart announced Friday it will hire more than 15,000 temporary workers in Texas to meet the surge in consumer demand during the novel coronavirus pandemic, Paul Takahashi reports.

The Bentonville, Ark.-based discounter said it would hire workers to staff its stores, wholesale clubs, distribution centers and online fulfillment centers through the end of May.

5 p.m. Higher percentages of women and young people showed up to the first day of free drive-thru testing for the novel coronavirus at an Acres Homes medical site, raising concerns from organizers, Samantha Ketterer reports.

Men and senior citizens have shown higher rates of complications of COVID-19 in other cases to date, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee said Friday.

Free testing at the center, at 510 W. Tidwell Road in north Houston will continue until 6 p.m. tonight and resumes next week.

4:45 p.m. Five more cases of COVID-19 in Fort Bend County have been confirmed by the county's Department of Heath and Human Services.

The new cases bring Fort Bend's total to 24.

The new patients include:

A woman in her 20's with mild to moderate symptoms who is recovering in isolation at home.

A man in his 50's with mild to moderate symptoms, who is self quarantined.

A man in his 60's who was hospitalized and discharged to recovering alone at home.

A woman in her 60's who is currently hospitalized.

A woman in her 50's with mild to moderate symptoms. She is recovering at home.

The epidemiological investigations for all new cases are ongoing, according to the agency.

“Community spread is occurring throughout the Houston region. Community members need to follow the social distancing ordinances issued by local, regional, and state leaders seriously. They are in place to help keep our most vulnerable residents safe and to minimize the impact on our healthcare system,” Dr. Minter, Fort Bend Local Health Authority, said in a statement. “If you are not sick, you do not need to be tested. If you are sick and your symptoms are mild, please stay home and manage your symptoms as if you would for the flu.”

4:40 p.m. People in the Harris County Jail and their family members can now call a new hotline to share concerns about the quality of the health care they are receiving during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The "Inmate Care Concern" phone line was launched by the Harris County Sheriff's Office Friday. The number is 713-274-7477 and will be available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

On Friday evening, the sheriff's office also announced it made an informational video about preventing COVID-19 transmission.

4:15 p.m. In light an unprecedented closure due to COVID-19, the Houston Zoo is asking donors to give to a new emergency fund so it can continue to care for its animals.

"Our Zoo relies on tickets, memberships, and donations to ensure the animals that make your trips to the Zoo so special continue to receive veterinary care and nutritious meals," a statement from the zoo's President and CEO Lee Ehmke said. "There has never been a time when your philanthropic support has been more critical."

Though the facilities have been closed to the public, staff have been on hand to care for the animals. The emergency fund will fund daily enrichment of the animals, veterinary costs and food, the zoo said.

Zoo officials announced it would close temporarily last week.

"We have been closely monitoring the constantly evolving situation regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and feel it is our responsibility to do what we can to help reduce the rapid spread of COVID-19," the zoo said in a statement at the time.

3:20 p.m. The Patton Village police officer who has been in critical condition with COVID-19 is showing signs of improvement, health officials said Friday.

The officer, who is in his 40s, remains in critical condition, "but he is stable and showing some improvement," according to a release from Montgomery County homeland security and emergency management officials.

The Chronicle's Emily Foxhall reported last week that the man was unconscious for several days.

The officer's case was the region's first purported case of community spread, as he hadn't reported traveling recently. Officials here in Houston cited the case when they declared states of emergency and ordered the Rodeo to close.

Montgomery County also announced a new case of COVID-19 on Friday involving another person who attended the Rodeo.

Officials say the woman, in her 50s, attended the Rodeo on March 8th. She is now in isolation at home, and her case remains under investigation.

Her case is the 84th in the region. Follow our live case tracker here.

3:05 p.m. As of the close of the day Thursday, Legacy Community Health had screened and tested roughly 500 people at four of its clinics, said CEO Katy Caldwell -- acting because it’s necessary, she said, even if it puts the organization’s finances at risk, the Chronicle's Lisa Gray reports.

INBOX: Patton Village officer is "showing some improvement," but remains in critical condition, according to Montgomery County officials.



Background on his story here: https://t.co/bBoQx0E7s6 pic.twitter.com/p4OyVaMEuD — Emily Foxhall (@emfoxhall) March 20, 2020

Legacy is performing the tests for both insured and uninsured people, asking that the uninsured pay a donation if possible.

“The law just passed that the federal government will reimburse us for the tests,” said Caldwell. “But until the check clears, who knows?”

Other appointments are down by 40 percent, she said, as people choose to delay appointments such as annual physicals. That, too, causes financial uncertainty for the organization. Eyeing the state of the economy, Caldwell doesn’t feel confident that philanthropists would bail Legacy out.

“We’re all used to hurricanes,” she said. “We know how to deal with floods. I don’t know if we know how to recover from this.”

3 p.m. Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday that the federal Small Business Administration has included all of Texas in its Economic Injury Disaster Declaration, allowing qualifying businesses here too apply for long-term, low-interest loans.

Abbott called the program "a vital lifeline for Texas small business owners who are doing their best to adapt to these trying times."

Many businesses, including dine-in restaurants and bars, have been forced to close as officials seek to stop the spread of the virus.

More information is available on the SBA's website.

2:50 p.m. Lakewood Church will host an emergency blood drive next week for the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center.

The drive will take place March 23-27, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, according to a news release. Mobile blood donation buses will be on site at 3700 SW Freeway to collect the samples.

The blood center has said that its blood supplies have been affected tremendously by the COVID-19 outbreak.

2:30 p.m. Galveston County has announced two new cases of COVID-19, bringing the county's total to six.

One of the cases involves a man in his 40s who recently traveled abroad and went to a local urgent care center, officials said. He is quarantined at home.

The other involves a woman in her 50s who presented to a hospital and is now self-quarantined. She did not travel internationally, but she did come in contact with a person "who traveled to a COVID-19 affected area," according to a news release.

2:15 p.m. USA Swimming has called for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo to be postponed, becoming the first major federation to seek a delay, according to the Washington Post.

“The right and responsible thing to do is to prioritize everyone’s health and safety and appropriately recognize the toll this global pandemic is taking on athletic preparations," USA Swimming CEO Tim Hinchey wrote in a letter to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee.

Hours earlier, the USOPC said it is preparing for the Olympics to begin as scheduled in July.

2 p.m. The McNair family, owners of the Houston Texans, has donated $500,000 to the Houston Food Bank and Meals on Wheels to help serve families who need food during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to make an impactful donation of $250,000 to the Houston Food Bank as well as Interfaith Ministries’ Meals on Wheels during this incredibly difficult time in our community,” said Janice McNair, co-founder and senior chair of the Texans. “We are committed to helping our city and are thankful for organizations like these to lift us in moments of need.”

1:45 p.m. As Americans isolate themselves in their homes, fuel demand could decline at record levels, surpassing massive drops after other catastrophic events, the Chronicle's James Osborne reports.

“We have been doing scenarios, and we came to the realization this is so much worse than [the terrorists attacks on] Sept. 11 or the recession in 2008 and 2009,” said Debnil Chowdhury, head of North American refining at IHS Markit. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

IHS predicts gasoline demand will plummet 55 percent, as people stop driving to sports arenas, restaurants, malls and other public spaces that have closed across the country.

1:30 p.m. The elderly man who contracted coronavirus and died this week lived at the Heights of Tomball nursing home, the Chronicle's Zach Despart reports.

The 131-bed facility confirmed his residence and said it will send out a news release with more details shortly.

The man, who was in his 80s, was the region's first COVID-19-related death and the state's fifth.

Dr. Umair Shah, Harris Couty's public health director, said he is worried about a spread similar to the one at a Seattle-area nursing home, where 29 deaths were linked to an outbreak. Authorities are investigating who else may have had contact with the Houston man.

1:27 p.m. Remember last week when seemingly everyone was panicked and rapidly buying surgical masks? Well, it's caused critical shortages at hospitals, clinics and coronavirus testing centers all over the Lone Star State.

In the video below from Houston Chronicle multimedia producer Laura Duclos, an ER nurse explains how she protects herself from catching COVID-19 from patients.

1:20 p.m. Baylor University said Friday it has three confirmed COVID-19 cases, the Chronicle's Brittany Britto reports.

Now Playing:

The tally includes one student and two faculty members, and all of the cases are travel-related. University President Linda Livingstone said none of the three patients visited the Baylor campus after the travel and they have been self-isolating at home since their return.

1:15 p.m. The number of operating U.S. oil and gas rigs plummeted by 20 this week, according to the Baker Hughes rig count. The rig count is seen as a leading indicator of oil and gas production activity in the U.S. The number of operating rigs in the U.S. is now 772.

The Chronicle's Erin Douglas reports that U.S. operators have shed 33 rigs in 2020, after an already steep drop off in activity in 2019. Last year, the rig count dropped by more than 25 percent. A year ago this week, there were 1,016 operating oil and gas rigs in the U.S.

1:05 p.m. Laredo has reported two newly confirmed cases of COVID-19, the Morning Times' Julia Wallace reports.

One of those cases is a federal employee who had recently traveled, officials said. The other had intimate contact with the city's first positive case, working together at the Blas Cataneda Recreation Center. She is also a teaching aid at Dovalina Elementary School and a student at TAMIU.

All three of the city's patients are isolated at their homes.

Follow our live case tracker here.

1 p.m. In February, Chris Lierle packed a Budget rental truck and drove 2,000 miles from Houston to his new home of California. He stayed in hotels, ate in restaurants and had a drink here and there in bars along the way, including a Mardi Gras night in San Antonio.

Then he got sick. And now, as he waits for results of his COVID-19 test, he wonders how many people he's come into contact with since he left.

The Chronicle's Olivia P. Tallet has a Q&A with Lierle, 52, including this hair-raising quote about the test itself: "They may not know whether I have the coronavirus, but they can probably test my I.Q. from a little bit of the brain they probably got on that thing."

12:45 p.m. For food critic Alison Cook, the bar and restaurants closures are haunted by the faces of Houston chefs, restaurant owners and workers she admires.

"Griselda Maldonado, who always has a smile and a perfectly mixed Mezcal maragarita, up, when I ease into the bar at the Original Ninfa’s on Navigation for my beloved El Henry combo plate. Michael Fulmer, my erudite film and barbecue buff friend who is one of the best waiters in the city. Lynette Hawkins, whose familial Italian trattoria, Giacomo’s Cibo e Vino, is such a respite and a balm in my existence. Christine Ha, chef of the brilliant little Blind Goat, poised on the brink of the breakout stardom she so richly deserves."

Read her full essay here.

12:30 p.m. Harris County announced the confirmation of nine new COVID-19 cases, the Chronicle's Zach Despart reports.

The latest batch notably includes three people between 20 and 30 years old. Officials in recent days have stressed to millennials that they are also at risk during this pandemic, after the outbreak's initial days focused on the vulnerability of seniors.

The statewide tally of confirmed cases is now 354, including 81 in the Houston region. Follow the latest numbers here.

12:25 p.m. METRO will temporarily stop collecting fares Monday and allow passengers to board buses and streetcars through rear doors, Mayor Sylvester Turner announced at a news conference Friday.

NEW: Harris County reports 9 new #coronavirus cases outside city of #Houston, brings total to 33. On pace for largest single-day jump.

- 3 20-30 yr olds

- 1 30-40 yr old

- 1 40-50 yr old

- 4 50-60 yr olds — Zach Despart🖊️ (@zachdespart) March 20, 2020

The measure is intended to promote social distancing and limit the spread of the new coronavirus, the Chronicle's Jasper Scherer reports. METRO has previously weighed implementing a permanent free fare system, though officials have concluded that is likely not feasible.

12:20 p.m. Dr. David Persse, the city's top medical officer, said the city hopes to test about 160 people for COVID-19 Friday at its newly-opened testing site.

News: @METROHouston will stop collecting fares Monday and will allow people to board at the back of the bus to reduce person-to-person interaction. #coronavirus — Jasper Scherer (@jaspscherer) March 20, 2020

The first government-backed testing site here is catering exclusively to first responders and medical workers on Friday, who officials said are most in need of tests. Persse said they will expand the site Saturday to seniors over 65 with symptoms, namely a fever of at least 99.6 degrees. After that, it will expand to anyone meeting high-risk criteria.

Officials renewed their call for the general public not to show up unprompted at the site Friday. They said it could put you at increased risk of contracting the virus and you won't get a test.

12:15 p.m. Disaster expert Angela Blanchard has 13 things every Houstonian should know to get through the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of those items?

"You may not be at fault, but you are responsible. This disaster chose us. We must own it."

For the rest, click here.

12:05 p.m. "Let me just say it as clearly as I can: The City of Houston is not shutting down," Mayor Sylvester Turner said at the top of a news conference Friday. He reiterated the fact three more times, citing rumors swirling on social media. He urged residents to rely on credible news sources and not lend credence to unfounded claims.

On Thursday, the Chronicle's Jeremy Wallace reported that Houston-area Congress members of both parties supported that position on a call with the mayor. Turner did say that the city has a contingency plan if such a need arises, according to Rep. Michael McCaul.

"Everybody can take a collective breath," Turner said. "And then we will collectively get through this crisis."

12 p.m. The need for free food is "significantly worse" now than it was after Hurricane Harvey, the Houston Food Bank tells the Chronicle's Jacob Carpenter, as tens of thousands of Houstonians grapple with financial uncertainty.

The Houston Food Bank provided meals distributed this week at schools across Houston ISD, which gave out one week’s worth of food to about 16,350 households, Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said.

“As the orders are cut at restaurants and hospitality businesses, that’s a lot of people in the service sector looking at losses,” Greene said. “I’m hearing that’s more who we’re serving as distribution sites. They’re looking at an undetermined amount of time that they won’t have income.”

With all that demand, providers have warned that there might be more "ugly produce" -- think bent carrots or misshapen onions -- in the giveaways. Such misfits could soon make up 80 percent of all available supplies.

11:45 a.m. The Harris County Department of Education is planning to provide food for families of Head Start, the county's early education program.

The food service is planned for 10 drive-thru sites, starting Monday at 6005 Westview Drive.

For more information, click here.

11:30 a.m. Frost Bank will temporarily close the lobbies of its financial centers around Texas by the end of business hours Friday, the Chronicle's Katherine Feser writes.

The San Antonio-based institution's 104 motor banks will be fully staffed for the duration of the lobby shutdowns. Hours will be the same as usual. The bank also offers services through its mobile app, website and phone banking.

11:20 a.m. The United States and Mexico have agreed to a partial closure of their border, according to Ben Wermund, the Chronicle's Washington, D.C., correspondent.

President Donald Trump and Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said the agreement will prohibit recreational and tourist travel, but bilateral and "lawful" trade will not be affected.

Travel across the border for medical purposes, school, emergency response and public health needs are among what the administration considers essential, it said. That will still be permitted.

The agreement is similar to the one put in place earlier this week along the U.S.-Canada border.

11:15 a.m. Domino's and 7-Eleven say they will hire a combined 30,000 workers nationwide to meet increased consumer demand, according to the Chronicle's Paul Takahashi.

7-Eleven, based in Irving, Texas, said it will hire 20,000 people, and Domino's pledged to bring on 10,000 more. The latter includes 1,000 positions in the pizza chain's 150-plus Houston-area stores.

11:10 a.m. A frontline prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney's office has been exposed to a relative who tested positive for COVID-19, leading to drastic measures to move hearings Thursday.

The Chronicle's Gabrielle Banks writes that the DA's office is now closed to the public, and court officials moved to vacate and sanitize the 8th floor of the county criminal court, where the exposed prosecutor was assigned. By 10 a.m., prosecutors were told not to go the court, and to return to their office on Jefferson Street.

"If you are in court, leave. Return to the office. We are working on an exit plan. Stand by," the email said.

11:05 a.m. A lighter load on Houston-area freeways could mean more construction, Dug Begley writes.

Some crews are ramping up work as traffic takes a coronavirus-induced holiday.

“Lighter traffic on our roadways potentially presents some opportunities to advance some of our work and that is being assessed on a case-by-case basis,” said Raquelle Lewis, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Transportation in Houston.

All TxDOT projects remain active, and Houston Public Works and city contractors remain out tying steel, pouring concrete and smoothing out asphalt.

10:35 a.m. The Metropolitan Transit Authority has added shuttles with stops in five key areas to give people a way around the Texas Medical center with a little more space, the Chronicle's Dug Begley reports.

In a statement, agency officials said the TMC Red Shuttle will “encourage social distancing and accommodate passenger loads.” It will run during the morning peak commuting period. The five stops will be:

-Smithlands Station

-Dryden/TMC Station

-Fannin and John Freeman

-John Freeman and Bertner

-Bertner and Bates

10:30 a.m. A Rosharon-area man between 40 and 50 years old is Brazoria County's fifth confirmed case of COVID-19, officials announced Friday morning.

The man is recovering at a private residence, and county health investigators are probing how he contracted the virus.

10:20 a.m. Midland has its first confirmed case of COVID-19, the Reporter-Telegram's Stewart Doreen writes.

The man in his 60s is in isolation at Midland Memorial Hospital. He marks the second case in the Permian Basin, after officials announced Thursday that a Crane County resident had tested positive.

Texas is up to more than 330 cases and 5 deaths. Those numbers are expected to continue rising sharply as testing expands.

Follow our live tracker here.

10 a.m. Four years of stock market gains have been erased. The price of crude oil has plummeted to a nearly 20-year low. Bars and restaurants have been ordered closed. People are working from home and avoiding large gatherings and most kinds of travel.

Seven Chronicle business reporters bring this in-depth look at how the COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc on Houston's economy.

In short? Each sector is showing signs of a growing economic disaster.

9:40 a.m. H-E-B is giving a $2-per-hour raise to all hourly store, manufacturing, warehouse and transportation employees from March 16 to April 16.

The Texas grocery chain is also launching a new delivery program for people over 60.

Starting Friday, those people can order "from a curated list of essentials" via a phone line (1-833-397-0080), the Favor app, or online.

"As we continue to work together to serve Texans, please continue to be patient with our teams as we serve our communities," the company said. "We continue to work hard to take care of customers."

9:30 a.m. One silver lining: COVID-19 means you'll have more time to file your taxes.

As we continue to find ways to support Texans and our most vulnerable populations, H-E-B and @Favor are piloting today our Senior Support Line, a new delivery program designed to offer a safer solutions for seniors (60+) across Texas. (1/3) — H-E-B (@HEB) March 20, 2020

The Treasury Department announced Friday that the deadline for filing taxes will be extended from April 15 to July 15, Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Twitter.

"All taxpayers and businesses will have this additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties," Mnuchin said.

9:25 a.m. It doesn't appear that pets can get COVID-19, but that doesn't stop their owners from contracting it.

At @realDonaldTrump’s direction, we are moving Tax Day from April 15 to July 15. All taxpayers and businesses will have this additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties. — Steven Mnuchin (@stevenmnuchin1) March 20, 2020

As a result, veterinary clinics across the country are taking extreme measures to curb the virus' spread, including switching to curbside service, postponing elective surgeries and preserving medical supplies, according to the Chronicle's Rebecca Hennes.

Those precautions were recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

“This is definitely uncharted territory,” Lakeside Animal Clinic owner Dr. Randy Wiltshire said. “We aren’t even letting people in the lobby.”

9:10 a.m. The pandemic has created unique problems for Meals on Wheels, tasked with providing food to home-bound seniors that are most vulnerable to COVID-19.

Interfaith Ministries, the nonprofit group behind the service, has had to activate practices typically reserved for hurricanes, the Chronicle's Brooke Lewis writes.

One challenge? Seniors not only make up most of the program's clients, they make up most volunteers, too.

“Many of our delivery folks are seniors themselves, so we’re trying to both reduce the risk for our drivers and volunteers, as well as reduce the risk for our senior clients who we’re visiting when we deliver the meal,” said Martin Cominsky, CEO of Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston.

8:51 a.m. A longtime NBC News employee has died after testing positive for the coronavirus, NBC News reports.

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Larry Edgeworth, an employee for 25 years, had been working in an equipment room at the network's 30 Rockefeller Plaza headquarters in New York before his death Thursday, the report states. His wife says he suffered from other health issues.

"Many of you were fortunate enough to work with Larry over the years, so you know that he was the guy you wanted by your side no matter where you were," NBC News Chairman Andy Lack reportedly wrote in an email to staff Friday morning.

8:35 a.m. Houston's first city-backed testing site will open at 11 a.m. at Butler Stadium — but don't plan on going.

The city says the site is dedicated exclusively to first responders and healthcare providers, who themselves have found tests hard to find.

"People who simply show up to a site will not get tested and may run the risk of becoming infected with COVID-19," the city's Health Department said.

As more protective gear and nasal swabs become available, Mayor Sylvester Turner said they will open another site at Delmar Stadium and begin scaling up who can get tested. A screening process for people with symptoms will include an online questionnaire, a phone conversation with a nurse, and finally an authorization code to proceed to the site.

City officials have called a news conference at noon to provide more details.

8:30 a.m. The coronavirus pandemic's impact on daily life has been dizzying since the first case of "community spread" here was announced March 11 — a lifetime ago, writes the Chronicle's Lisa Gray.

How is it affecting everyone's lives?

Rhonda McDonald, a mother of three, brings her kids to a deserted park near their Third Ward house every morning to get outside. Christina Propst, a pediatrician, spends her days off hunting for the protective gear that has been in critically short supply across the country. An Alcoholics Anonymous meeting downtown has seen its cohort dwindle from 30 people to three.

8:25 a.m. If you're working from home or just social distancing, you probably want to make sure you internet is up to par.

The Chronicle's Dwight Silverman has you covered with everything you need to know about your WiFi, Ethernet, and what the difference is between those 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz settings.

7:52 a.m. The number of confirmed cases in Houston, Texas and the rest of the world keeps rising — and we've got some eye-catching interactives to help you keep track.

We previously wrote about our Texas Coronavirus Map, but did you know we also have a map that shows the spread of COVID-19 through specific parts of Houston?

Go here for the Houston Chronicle's complete (and growing) list of coronavirus-related interactives.

7:13 a.m. Everything was going to plan after Houston-based Occidental Petroleum put $55 billion into its acquisition of rival Anadarko Petroleum — until the coronavirus pandemic struck, that is.

Combined with a price war led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, oil prices crashed to nearly $20 a barrel last week, the Chronicle's James Osborne writes, causing Occidental’s stock price to drop 75 percent and drying up the market for the oil and gas fields it’s trying to sell.

“It was absolutely atrocious timing,” Ryan Todd, a managing director at Simmons Energy, said of the Anadarko deal. “Given the unpopularity of the deal at the time, [Oxy CEO Vicki Hollub] really bet her career on the success of this deal. And it’s clearly gone bottoms up.”

6:51 a.m. Good morning, Houston. First, some important words from Steve Riley, executive editor of the Houston Chronicle: