March 18 coronavirus news

With most of the sports world at a halt due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NFL and NBA announced that starting Wednesday they will be giving fans free access to their streaming services where they can watch some of their favorite moments as an incentive to stay home. 

NFL Game Pass will be offered free of charge until May 31 to fans within the US, and starting Thursday until July 31 to fans outside the US and Canada. Fans will be able to watch all games dating back to the start of the 2009 season and access to some of their hit shows like HBO's "Hard Knocks," "Mic'd Up," and "A Football Life."

Shortly after the NFL's announcement, the NBA followed suit announcing that they, along with Turner Sports, will be offering free access to their NBA League Pass until April 22. 

"Limiting social interactions is a critical way to minimize the spread of this virus, but staying home for long periods of time can be difficult," the statement said. "This complimentary offering will provide you with access to full length and condensed replays of all games from the 2019-20 season, as well as an expansive archive of classic games and content."

French Interior Minister Christophe Castaner explained the government strategy in implementing confinement measures in a televised interview on TF1 on Wednesday. 

Castaner said that “our goal is not to sanction, not to fine; our goal is to protect the French people, and the best way to do that is for them to accept confinement measures.”

To ensure this, he said:

Following the restrictive measures announced by French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, French people must now carry a paper document stating the reason and destination of their travels.

This document will not be available on mobile phones because "this is not about making life easier for French people who want to go outside,” the interior minister said. 

Between February 28 and March 9, the number of COVID-19 cases at a long-term care skilled nursing facility in King County, Washington, went from one to 129. Details on these cases are reported in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published Wednesday.

Of the 129 COVID-19 cases included in the report, 81 were residents, 34 were staff members and 14 were visitors. Twenty-three died, including 22 residents and one visitor. The median patient age was 81 years among facility residents, 42.5 years among staff and 62.5 years among visitors.

The CDC lists key factors that "contributed to the vulnerability of these facilities" based on data collected from surveys and on-site visits. They included staff members who worked while symptomatic, staff members who worked in more than one facility, and delayed recognition of cases because of low index of suspicion and limited testing ability.

The report did not identify the name of the long-term care facility, but officials had previously identified a COVID-19 outbreak at the Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington. Among 56 COVID-19 deaths reported in Seattle and King County as of Wednesday afternoon, 35 are associated with the Kirkland nursing home.

Two people at the New York Stock Exchange tested positive for coronavirus, the NYSE said in a statement.

According to the statement, an NYSE employee and trading floor member were last in the building on March 13.

Moments ago, the NYSE announced it will move to fully electronic trading on Monday and trading as well as regulatory oversight of all NYSE-listed securities “will continue without interruption."

“While we are taking the precautionary step of closing the trading floors, we continue to firmly believe the markets should remain open and accessible to investors. All NYSE markets will continue to operate under normal trading hours despite the closure of the trading floors," said Stacey Cunningham, president of the NYSE.

An airline agency group warned Congress that the ongoing situation with coronavirus "will severely impact the ability of airports to meet debt requirements."

The American Association of Airport Executives wrote in a letter to Congress that if an airport were to default, it would increase future borrowing costs. 

The letter acknowledges that this may not be the end of the requests.

"While additional help may ultimately be required, we believe our approach will help airports weather the immediate storm caused by dramatically reduced revenue," the letter states.

Some background: US airlines slammed by the coronavirus are requesting an aid package from the federal government that could amount to about $50 billion, according to industry group Airlines for America.

US airlines slammed by the coronavirus are requesting an aid package from the federal government that could amount to about $50 billion, according to industry group Airlines for America.

In addition the request to help the airlines, a trade group for the nation's airports is requesting a separate $10 billion bailout, an airport industry source told CNN.

The World Health Organization on Wednesday expressed concern about lack of information on coronavirus cases in the war-torn countries of Syria and Yemen. 

Abdinasir Abubakar, head of the Infectious Hazard Management Programme at WHO's Regional Office, told CNN that due to the current situation there that we might expect an "explosion of cases."

Abubakar said WHO is concerned "because the countries who might not be having cases are those with weak health and weak surveillance system."

So far, Syria, Libya, and Yemen are the only three Arab countries who have not reported coronavirus cases. All three are in the midst of ongoing conflict.

The New York Stock Exchange will move to fully electronic trading on Monday and trading as well as regulatory oversight of all NYSE-listed securities “will continue without interruption,” according to a statement.

Two people at the NYSE tested positive for coronavirus, the NYSE said in a statement.

“While we are taking the precautionary step of closing the trading floors, we continue to firmly believe the markets should remain open and accessible to investors. All NYSE markets will continue to operate under normal trading hours despite the closure of the trading floors.”

Watch:

A Missouri resident from Boone County has died of coronavirus, according to Gov. Mike Parson. 

This is the first coronavirus death in the state.

Columbia Mayor Brian Treece said the patient had been isolated at home, but the family called for help Wednesday when his or her condition worsened. Emergency responders who brought the patient to the hospital are now in quarantine.

Treece said the patient’s case is believed to be related to recent travel.

Portugal has declared a state of emergency, which will take effect at midnight (8 p.m. ET on Wednesday) and will last for 15 days.

The Portuguese president announced the decision in a national address on Wednesday.

The decision gives the government more powers to restrict rights, access funds and set minimum public services, among others. Any practical measures will only be decided, announced and put into place after an extraordinary cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday. However, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa said during a news conference that "democracy won't be suspended."

The country was a dictatorship for decades, with democracy being restored in 1974.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa called the COVID-19 pandemic "a true war," which will bring true challenges to the country's "way of life and economy. 

Rebelo de Sousa also praised the behavior of Portuguese citizens, "who have been exemplary in imposing a self-quarantine," which reflects "a country that has lived through everything."

By the numbers: Portugal currently has 642 cases of coronavirus, including two deaths.