Lawmakers in DC advised to use "Star Trek" greeting instead of shaking hands
From CNN's Clare Foran, Lauren Fox and Jeremy Herb
Zachary Quinto as Commander Spock makes the Vulcan salute in the 2013 movie "Star Trek: Into Darkness." CBS/Getty Images
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill must now deal not only with the threat of coronavirus to the American public, but also the risks they themselves face from the virus as it continues to spread.
The disease was a topic of discussion during a closed-door meeting of the House Democratic caucus this morning with members receiving advice on how to interact with others as the virus spreads, a person familiar with the meeting told CNN.
The attending physician asked members to stop touching others during personal greetings, suggesting that members instead use the "live long and prosper sign," a light-hearted reference to a salute and greeting accompanied by a hand gesture in the television series "Star Trek."
Uncertainty and concern over potential exposure to the virus has heightened in the past 24 hours as several lawmakers have now opted to self-quarantine or take other steps to isolate themselves after coming into contact with infected individuals.
Coronavirus inspires people to get creative with greetings:
2:39 p.m. ET, March 10, 2020
How can I stay safe on a plane?
Your coronavirus questions, answered
Workers wearing protective gears spray disinfectant inside an airplane bound for New York at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, on Wednesday, March 4. Suh Myoung-geon/Yonhap/AP
Always be mindful of where your hands have been, travel medicine specialist Dr. Richard Dawood said.
Airport handrails, door handles and airplane lavatory levers are notoriously dirty.
"It is OK to touch these things as long as you then wash or sanitize your hands before contaminating your face, touching or handling food," Dawood said.
"Hand sanitizers are great. So are antiseptic hand wipes, which you can also use to wipe down armrests, remote controls at your seat and your tray table."
2:13 p.m. ET, March 10, 2020
Coachella will be postponed because of coronavirus concerns, sources say
From CNN's Chloe Melas and Sandra Gonzalez
Festival goers attend Coachella on April 21, 2019 in Indio, California. Presley Ann/Getty Images for Coachella
One of music's largest events will be delayed over coronavirus concerns.
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival organizers will postpone the event, potentially until October, two sources with knowledge of the matter tell CNN.
The festival, which typically attracts about 100,000 attendees per day, had been set to take place on two weekends: April 10-12 and April 17-19 in Indio, California.
CNN has reached out to representatives for Coachella for comment.
A date change would follow last week's cancellation of South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.
Both events, which attract hundreds of thousands of visitors, join a host of others — from concert tour legs to conferences — that have canceled or rescheduled as the number of global cases of coronavirus continues to climb.
Rage Against the Machine, Travis Scott and Frank Ocean were scheduled to headline Coachella. It is not yet known if they would perform in October.
Other artists set to perform had included Calvin Harris, Big Sean, Lewis Capaldi, Charlie XCX, Flume, 21 Savage, Lana Del Rey and Lil Nas X.
2:23 p.m. ET, March 10, 2020
Trump says White House doctor did not advise him to be tested for coronavirus
Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images
President Trump said he did not get tested for coronavirus even after he met with some lawmakers who had been exposed to the virus because the White House doctor said he didn't need to.
"I don't think it's a big deal. I would do it," Trump said when asked why he hadn't been tested. He added that he feels "very good."
"It's something I would do, but again, spoke to the White House doctor -- a terrific guy a talented guy. He said he sees no reason to do it," Trump said.
At least five members of Congress have announced that they would self-quarantine after coming into contact with an individual who has been diagnosed with the novel coronavirus at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference.
That includes Rep. Doug Collins, who shook Trump's hand when the President went to Georgia on Friday to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Rep. Matt Gaetz, who rode with Trump in the presidential limousine and took Air Force One back to Washington with him on Monday.
Watch:
7:05 p.m. ET, March 10, 2020
At least 168 coronavirus patients died in Italy in the past day
From CNN’s Ben Wedeman in Bologna, Italy
Medical personnel work inside one of the emergency structures that were set up to ease procedures at the hospital of Brescia, in Northern Italy, on Tuesday, March 10. Claudio Furlan/LaPresse/AP
Deaths in Italy from coronavirus have risen sharply in the past 24 hours, with 168 new deaths reported, Angelo Borrelli, head of Italy's Civil protection Agency said on Tuesday.
On Monday, there was an increase of 97 deaths.
The deaths announced today bring the total number of coronavirus deaths in Italy to 631. There are now 10,149 recorded cases of coronavirus in Italy.
See life under lockdown in Italy
2:01 p.m. ET, March 10, 2020
World Trade Organization meetings canceled after staffer tests positive for coronavirus
From CNN's Lindsay Isaac
The World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters is seen in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday, March 2. Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg/Getty Images
The World Trade Organization has suspended all meetings after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus.
Director-General Roberto Azevêdo informed WTO members of the cancellations at WTO headquarters in Geneva. They'll go into effect tomorrow and last until March 20, according to a statement from the organization.
“We take the health of Secretariat staff and our members very seriously which is why we have taken this unprecedented step," Azevêdo said. "We are monitoring the situation very closely and will take whatever measures are necessary to protect health and safety.”
The WTO has a coronavirus task force in place to monitor developments and is taking all precautions necessary in response to the evolving situation, the statement adds.
1:51 p.m. ET, March 10, 2020
March Madness will go on as planned
Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
The National Collegiate Athletic Association's Mach Madness tournaments are still scheduled to kick off next week as planned.
NCAA President Mark Emmert says that neither the organization’s appointed coronavirus advisory panel nor the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “have advised against holding sporting events.”
Here's Emmert’s full statement:
“NCAA member schools and conferences make their own decisions regarding regular season and conference tournament play. As we have stated, we will make decisions on our events based on the best, most current public health guidance available. Neither the NCAA COVID-19 advisory panel, made up of leading public health and infectious disease experts in America, nor the CDC or local health officials have advised against holding sporting events. In the event circumstances change, we will make decisions accordingly.”
The first games for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament are next Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio.
Earlier today, the Ivy League announced its weekend tournaments are canceled. As a result, the league’s regular-season champions – Princeton’s women’s team and Yale’s men’s team – are automatic qualifiers to the NCAA tournaments.
1:52 p.m. ET, March 10, 2020
Trump administration downplays concerns about coronavirus' effect on the 2020 Census
From CNN's Vivian Salama
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross testifies before a House Appropriations subcommittee on budget on Capitol Hill, on Tuesday, March 10, in Washington. Andrew Harnik/AP
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross downplayed concerns that the 2020 Census would be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic since census monitors are usually sent door-to-door to collect the most accurate data possible. Ross said his department is ready to be flexible on how it goes about collecting the new demographics.
"We'll just have to play it by ear," Ross told the Senate appropriations subcommittee. While he didn’t provide any details on contingency planning, he noted that the Commerce Department has "done as much as we can to be ready for whatever contingency comes up."
Ross said a group of people at the Census Bureau's headquarters in Suitland, Maryland, are monitoring 24/7 for coronavirus outbreaks and changes in health warnings to alert the bureau's senior managers for any potential changes to 2020 Census plans.
The US Census Bureau made a soft launch of the 2020 census website on Monday, making its form available online. On Thursday, the Census Bureau will begin mailing out notices far and wide. Concerns are mounting that the coronavirus outbreak will prevent some census monitors from going door to door to collect the most accurate data possible.
Ross emphasized that households can respond to the 2020 Census online, which "doesn't involve any physical contact with people." Households can also respond on paper and over the phone.
Security experts are also warning that the census is more vulnerable than usual, subjecting the process to possible foreign interferences similar to those that have impacted the elections.
“Because of coronavirus you may see even more of a reliance on the online census,” said Marcus Fowler, a former CIA cyber expert and director of Strategic Threat at Darkface, a cyber security company.
According to Fowler, 2018 beta tests revealed that some 60% of participants opted to use the online version of the census and that number could be even higher with participants not wanting to leave their homes due to coronavirus fears.
“Any number of people might have a reason to disrupt the census,” which takes place once every 10 years and carries significant political and demographic weight, Fowler said. He added that the census website could also fail on its own merit, due to large-scale use.
He warned that scam groups may also take advantage of coronavirus fears and send out phishing scams linked to the census.
1:42 p.m. ET, March 10, 2020
3 coronavirus cases connected to South Florida seaport
From CNN’s Rosa Flores and Sara Weisfeldt
US Vice President Mike Pence holds a discussion with Cruise Line Company Leaders about possible coronavirus issues at Port Everglades Administration Building in Fort Lauderdale, on Saturday, March 7. JLN Photography/Shutterstock
The state of Florida has issued new guidance for people traveling through Port Everglades in Broward County due to the number of coronavirus cases identified at the port.
At least three coronavirus patients have been linked to Port Everglades, a seaport for cruises and commercial ships. All three of those cases are connected to Metro Cruise Services, according to a statement from Florida's Joint Information Center on COVID-19.
Metro Cruise Services provides cruise terminal management, terminal security services, ground guest services and shore excursions, according to the company website
Due to the coronavirus cases at Port Everglades, officials are now recommending the following:
All individuals experiencing symptoms who have recently traveled through Port Everglades should immediately contact their county health department or health care provider and self-isolate for 14 days, health department officials said.
The department also recommends employees of Metro Cruise Services at Port Everglades with any association to these cases self-isolate at home.
The department is working to connect with all employees at Metro Cruise Services who may have come into contact with the three individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19 to provide the employees with the appropriate guidance and monitoring.
Metro Cruise Services responded to CNN by saying “no comment.”
1:12 p.m. ET, March 10, 2020
Why are governors declaring a "state of emergency"?
By CNN's Zachary B. Wolf
You hear it any time there is a natural disaster like a hurricane, an earthquake or now a viral pandemic: The governor has "declared a state of emergency."
Multiple states have already made such declarations with regard to coronavirus.
A declaration also focuses the entire state government on dealing with the emergency, and, hopefully, makes citizens sit up and pay a little more attention.
