March 17 coronavirus news

New Jersey will close all indoor shopping malls, amusement parks and amusement centers across the state at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday.

They will remain closed "until the current emergency ends," Gov. Phil Murphy said.

Restaurants located inside the mall with their own independent entrances fall under the same regulations announced yesterday, which permit takeout services only.

Outside of indoor malls, other businesses specifically ordered to shut down, or the restaurants and bars that have to adhere to takeout policies, “all other non-essential retail, recreational, and entertainment businesses may remain open until 8 p.m. if they abide by our social distancing guidelines,” he said.

New York City will have the ability to administer 5,000 tests per day by Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio said today.

The city’s public health-care system is forming a private partnership that will allow the public care system to run these tests. 

The results will take one to two days.

Calling it a "huge increase in testing capacity," the focus will be on those who are currently hospitalized and those who are medically in danger. 

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said today that passenger traffic at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is down 40%.

Airport officials are screening passengers on flights arriving from international destinations before they disembark.

A TSA agent who had tested positive fro COVID-19 is now in quarantine. 

Italy announced 3,526 new cases of the novel coronavirus today, bringing the country's total to 31,506, according to Angelo Borreli, chief of the Italian Civil Protection Department.

There were also 345 more deaths recorded today, bringing the total number of coronavirus deaths in Italy to 2,503, Borrelli said. 

Here's what else Borrelli said:

US airports are seeking $10 billion in immediate relief from Congress to help maintain ongoing operations, while continuing to pay for projects and service debt, according to the American Association of Airport Executives. 

“I want to make clear that I'm not suggesting that airports are going to shut down,” said Joel Bacon, AAE Executive Vice President, Government & Public Affairs. “What we are worried about is the ability to meet ongoing operational concerns and to pay for ongoing projects and existing debt.”

There's a “high level of concern" amongst airports about the ability of airlines to weather the storm, Bacon said. Therefore the association is working to be as supportive as possible to the relief request from the airlines. 

The airport association is calling on Congress for a relief package that includes funds for both airports and airlines. There is a “symbiotic and interdependent” relationship between the two industries, Bacon said. 

Airports collect fees from airline passengers and as the number of travelers continue to drop, the airports anticipate significant revenue loss.

The industry is estimating a 40% reduction in revenue at airports, which translates into roughly $10 billion — the request for the administration and Congress for relief. 

Bacon said the proposal was “well received” on the Hill, but things remain fluid. 

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis just issued an executive order to reduce crowds in restaurants, bars, nightclubs and beaches in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Here's how it breaks down, according to the governor's press release:

"Black Widow," the new Marvel film starring Scarlett Johansson, has been postponed. The film was set to hit theaters on May 1. 

The company did not give a new release date for the film. 

Disney also announced that it would be delaying "The Personal History of David Copperfield," which was set to open on May 8, and "The Woman in the Window," which was scheduled to hit theaters on May 15.

The company did not say when it would release those films.

Department store Macy’s will be temporarily closing all stores by the end of business day today, according to a press release.

The closings include all Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Bluemercury, Macy’s Backstage, Bloomingdales the Outlet and Market by Macy’s stores.

According to the release, the company will continue to use e-commerce platforms:

Marriott International, the world's largest hotel chain, has started furloughing employees.

Tens of thousands of workers could be affected by the furloughs as demand dries up for travel due to the coronavirus pandemic.

All levels of Marriott employees could be furloughed — from housekeepers to general managers. There won't be job cuts on the corporate level yet. The company has also begun shutting down some of its managed hotels. 

Marriott said in a statement to CNN Business that its business has been "experiencing significant drops in demand" at its hotels because of the pandemic and is "adjusting global operations accordingly."

The Wall Street Journal was first to report the news, which Marriott confirmed.

The company employs 130,000 people in the US and intends to rehire many of the furloughed employees once the virus is contained.