March 13 coronavirus news

There are now at least 1,666 novel coronavirus cases in the United States, according to the state and local health agencies, governments and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are 70 cases of repatriated citizens who have the coronavirus, according to the CDC.

CNN Health’s tally of US cases that have been detected and tested in the United States through US public health systems shows there are 1,596 cases in 47 states and the District of Columbia, bringing the total number of cases to 1,666. 

In total, 41 people have died. 

This includes presumptive positive cases that tested positive in a public health lab and are pending confirmation from the CDC, and cases confirmed by the CDC.

Singapore will cease port calls for all cruise vessels, effective immediately, according to the country's Maritime and Port Authority.

In a news release today, the Maritime and Port Authority said that the new measure barring cruise ships was implemented to minimize the risk of community spread of the coronavirus. 

Singapore has 187 confirmed cases of the virus, according to the World Health Organization.

The measure comes after several cruise ships, most famously the Diamond Princess, were docked under quarantine with infected cases found on board.

Just this week, the Grand Princess cruise ship docked off the California coast had cases confirmed aboard and all passengers were sent to government quarantine centers.

1. Will the outbreak end during the summer?

Dr. Leana Wen, the former Baltimore Health Commissioner, echoed what many experts have said at the town hall: we just don't know yet.

2. If you had the coronavirus and recovered, can you still can still transmit the disease?

Just because someone who had the coronavirus is feeling better does not mean they can't spread the disease, said Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US's top infectious disease doctor and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

3. If you get the coronavirus once, can you contract it again?

The answer to that is not yet clear, according to Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious diseases epidemiologist with the World Health Organization.

4. Should you travel?

Fauci said he "certainly wouldn't get on a plane for a pleasure trip. It would have to be something that was really urgent."

And here's the CDC's latest coronavirus advice for travelers

5. What does the Trump administration's latest travel ban mean for me?

The restrictions will ban travel to the US from 26 European countries -- a group in Europe called the Schengen Area -- Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. 

The ban will be in effect for anyone who is transiting through the listed countries, not just arriving from them, according to CNN correspondent Richard Quest -- meaning, for instance, someone in Paris could not travel to London and then go to the US.

The ban does not apply to US citizens in Europe. They are allowed to return, but the procedure is not exactly clear. They will need to go to designated airports to fly back. It's unclear whether they will have to immediately self-isolate once they arrive, or whether that may only apply to symptomatic people.

WATCH:

The next three tournaments on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LGPA) Tour -- including the first women’s golf major of the year -- have been postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak.

The LPGA is the American organization for female professional golfers.

The Founders Cup in Arizona, the Kia Classic and the ANA Inspiration in California – which were due to take place in March and early April – have been suspended. The LPGA says it hopes they can be rescheduled for later in the season.

Men's tournaments have also been postponed: The men’s PGA Players Championship in Florida was canceled after one round, with organizers saying it was “the right thing to do” during the coronavirus outbreak.

The event is not a major championship but is often referenced as “The Fifth Major” given its status in the golfing calendar.

The PGA Tour has also stopped all play until the Valero Texas Open, which is scheduled to begin on April 2.

The Masters – the first men’s major of 2020 – is due to start a week later at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia.

Organizers of the all-electric Formula E racing series confirmed on Friday that they will be temporarily suspending the 2020 championship because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Races in Sanya, China and Rome had already been postponed, while Indonesian capital Jakarta delayed a race scheduled for June 6 over concerns about the virus.

Formula E said it would remain under “red flag” conditions in March and April, meaning that the Paris race on April 18 would also be postponed. Then, it would move to a "yellow flag" in May, meaning the Seoul race on May 3 would also have to be postponed while keeping the option open to rearrange races later that month.

It said it hoped to host races in June and July and potentially add additional rounds depending on the situation.

Formula One cancelation: The Formula E announcement comes after Formula One's season was thrown into turmoil earlier today, with the cancelation of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The race was canceled after a McLaren team member tested positive in Melbourne.

As America effectively shuts down, failures over coronavirus testing kits and President Donald Trump's disastrous bid to calm the markets are coming to symbolize a federal government that increasingly seems outmatched by the global pandemic.

Shuttered sports leagues, darkened Broadway theaters, mass school closures, packed grocery stores, shrinking 401(k)s amid a stock market meltdown, and emptying cities hint at social disruption perhaps not seen since World War II.

How bad is the outbreak?

The administration's public health experts have no idea how bad the US coronavirus outbreak will get, since bottlenecks in lab testing and faults with diagnosis kits mean they can't know how many infections there really are.

"We are flying blind," warned Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, one of many lawmakers of both parties who emerged furious from a Capitol Hill briefing Thursday with government officials about the situation.

A source inside the meeting told CNN that lawmakers were told that only 11,000 tests had been conducted, prompting many to ask why South Korea can manage to test 10,000 in a single day.

Contradictions on testing

The administration has been boasting for several weeks that it is sending millions of testing kits to states and local authorities. But those officials say long waits for kits and issues with the reagent used in diagnosis mean they are able to test only the most high-risk patients. They are left in the dark about the true extent of the coronavirus' spread through the community.

But after his European travel ban announced in an Oval Office address on Wednesday night and mix-ups in his speech over how much virus treatment will cost, Trump stuck to happy talk and falsehoods.

The President's comments contradicted his own government's head of infectious disease, Dr. Anthony Fauci, who admitted on Thursday that protocols under which doctors request tests for patients were not working.

"The system does not, is not really geared to what we need right now," Fauci said. "It is a failing. Let's admit it."

Read the full analysis here.

Several sporting events in Australia will proceed behind closed doors, with other public events being canceled as the country deals with the coronavirus pandemic. 

In a statement released on Friday, the National Rugby League said that the first round of the Premiership "will proceed but the second round will be played behind closed doors," in accordance with the advice from Prime Minister Scott Morrison earlier today to cancel public gatherings of more than 500 people.

The Australian Football League released a similar statement today, announcing that from March 14 onwards, "matches will only host players, coaches essential club officials, umpires, AFL officials, broadcast teams, media and required venue staff with no supports permitted to attend."

The Sydney Royal Easter Show, a large annual agricultural show that boasts an amusement park, was also canceled on Friday due to "increased public concern" and "to protect the health of stakeholders and visitors."

The last time the Royal Easter Show was canceled was in 1919 during the Spanish flu pandemic, according to the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales. 

Cases and deaths: As of today, there were 156 cases of the novel coronavirus in Australia, according to the Department of Health -- more than double the number from last week. The death toll remains at three.

Latest numbers: There are now more than 132,500 cases of the coronavirus and nearly 5,000 deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Over 68,000 patients have recovered globally, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

European markets opened higher: European shares have opened higher today after yesterday's huge losses. The main markets in Europe were all up, with the FTSE 100 up more than 6%, the French CAC 40 up 4% and the German Dax gained more than 3%.

Infection rate in hard-hit Asian continues to slow: Mainland China reported only eight new infections Thursday, with five in Wuhan, ground zero for the pandemic. China has reported 80,813 cases and 3,176 deaths since the outbreak began last December. More than 64,000 patients have recovered and been discharged from hospital.

South Korea, which is home to the second-biggest outbreak in East Asia, only reported 110 new cases on Wednesday -- the lowest daily increase since February 22.

Meanwhile, India reported a first coronavirus-related death today, and Hong Kong recorded its fourth.

Australia takes big steps: Australian Minister Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced today the government now advises against mass gatherings of more than 500 people. Several sporting events in the country will go ahead behind closed doors.

Australia has identified more than 150 coronavirus cases, including Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and celebrity couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson.

Coronavirus fallout continues in US: Daily life in the United States has been turned upside down as the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.

The effects now go beyond Wall Street and travel. Schools are shutting and businesses are asking employees to work from home. Mass gatherings are being called off. Sports leagues have suspended operations. Stores in some parts of the country are running low on certain goods. The novel coronavirus is, essentially, putting America on hold.

As of the end of the day Thursday, there were 1,665 cases in the US. Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia have all reported infections. Forty-one people have died.

Canada's first lady tests positive: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, tested positive for coronavirus, according to a statement from Trudeau’s office. She is feeling well, only has mild symptoms, and will remain in isolation, the statement said.

There are now 132,567 cases of the coronavirus worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

The global death toll is nearing 5,000, standing at 4,947 fatalities.

The majority of cases are still in China, which has reported 80,981 infections, according to the WHO. Italy is next with more than 15,000 cases, and Iran third with more than 10,000 cases.

At least 64,000 patients have recovered from the virus and been discharged from hospital, according to China's National Health Commission. Johns Hopkins University estimates the global number of recovered cases is more than 68,000.