March 18 coronavirus news

President Trump just confirmed a statement made earlier today by Gov. Andrew Cuomo that the federal government will be deploying a US Navy ship to New York City to help with hospital capacity.

Trump added that an additional ship will be deployed to a yet to be determined location on the West Coast as well.

"They are being prepared right now. They're massive ships. They are the big, white ships with the Red Cross on the sides," Trump said about the ships, speaking at a press conference with his White House coronavirus task force.

President Trump announced Wednesday afternoon that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been activate across the country as it continues to fight the coronavirus.

Trump added: "This is a very different kind of a work for FEMA, but they will come through as they always do. We have tremendous people, tremendous talent in FEMA."

Watch the moment:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the US Senate will vote on the House bill in the 2 p.m. ET, and 60 votes will be required for passage.

It is expected to pass. That vote will occur immediately after votes on two amendments — one from Sen. Patty Murray and one from Sen. Ron Johnson — both of which are expected to fail.

The Senate is voting momentarily on an amendment from Sen. Rand Paul to offset the costs of the House package. The Paul amendment is also expected to fail.

Cuba’s Health Ministry confirmed its first novel coronavirus-related death, a 61-year-old Italian man, today.

According to the ministry’s Twitter page, the man died this morning. Cuban officials had previously said he suffered from asthma.

The man was one of three Italian tourists who arrived in Havana on March 9, the same day that Italy put into place a quarantine on domestic and international travel for its citizens to stop the rapid spread of the virus. 

By the numbers: Cuba confirmed three new cases on Wednesday, which includes two Cubans and a 77-year-old man from California. The country’s total now sits at 10 cases. 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo reiterated the virus should peak in 45 days and is again asking for up to 110,000 beds with current capacity of 53,000 beds.

Cuomo met yesterday with all hospital administrators to identify up 50,000 new beds. The state will waive Department of Health regulations which include the space in a given room and how many beds are in it.

The state has a current capacity of 3,000 ventilators, but Cuomo wants 37,000 ICU units and he equated an ICU bed to a ventilator given the setup.

“That’s our main issue,” Cuomo said, adding, “That’s a projection and projections can change.”

The state needs more current and reserve staff and the state is reaching out to retired nurses and doctors as well as medical and nursing schools to build up reserve capacity.

How this may work: In order to get new hospital beds, the state is looking to convert facilities and move people who are currently in hospital beds to a converted facility for a lower level of care should the case apply.

Reiterating the needs for a federal partnership, the governor said the state cannot do it on its own.

”We are very ambitious, very aggressive,” but “Know what we cannot do. Know your limitations," Cuomo said.

Hear the announcement:

There are at least 7,111 cases of the novel coronavirus in the United States, according to the state and local health agencies and governments and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the CDC, there are 70 cases from repatriated citizens. And according to CNN Health’s tally of US cases that are detected and tested in the United States through public health systems, there are 7,041 cases in all 50 states, Washington, DC, and other U.S. territories, bringing the total number of coronavirus cases to 7,111.

In total, 117 people have died. 

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced a new mandatory order for non-essential businesses that says they can have no more than 50 percent of workforce report for work outside the home. He is doing this by executive order.

Chilean President Sebastián Piñera declared a 90-day state of emergency today amid growing coronavirus concerns.

During a televised speech from La Moneda presidential palace, Piñera said the measure was being put in place in order to curb the spread of the virus and that it would go into effect at midnight Thursday (11 p.m. ET Wednesday).

Piñera said the decision will allow the government to restrict public gatherings, transit and implement curfews if need be. 

The president added the government will also take measures to protect supply chains for medicines and food.

Chilean health officials said the country has registered 238 cases of the virus and no deaths.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that more than 14,000 people have been tested for coronavirus in the state of New York.

There are 2,382 total cases of coronavirus in New York state with 1,008 new positive cases.

There are 549 people currently hospitalized in the city.