March 15 coronavirus news

Starting Sunday, all bars and restaurants in Ohio will close daily at 9 p.m. Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton will be signing an order Sunday to put the rule into effect. How long the order will be in effect is unclear at this time.

Carryout food is still allowed and encouraged, and restaurants can stay open to prepare carryout food, Gov. Mike DeWine said. DeWine said at a Sunday press conference that "this social distancing is absolutely, vitally important" due to the contagiousness of the coronavirus.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott announced Sunday that all pre-K-12 schools in the state will close no later than Wednesday and remain closed until April 6, according to a news release from Scott's office.

Students are not required to go to school Monday or Tuesday, if their parents or guardians would prefer to keep them home, Scott said.

“We must ensure children are safe, nourished, and still learning even as the traditional structure of school is disrupted," Scott said. "The work of educators will be essential in this effort.”

Scott's announcement said local districts will be tasked with three key components to support the state response:

Under the Scott's order, schools will remain operational for administrators, teachers and staff to sustain essential services and create a continuity of education plan by remote learning, the release said.

The Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has relaxed restrictions on truck driver hours for those making coronavirus-related emergency deliveries.

The relief, which was issued Friday, applies to six categories of emergency deliveries of goods and people and is good through April 12 unless it is rescinded sooner.

Drivers must be allowed to have downtime after the delivery, the FMCSA says. 

The FMCSA says it is the first time it has issued nationwide relief like this and came in response to the national emergency. 

Italy on Sunday announced 368 new deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total death toll in the country to 1,809, according to Civil Protection Department Chief Angelo Borrelli.

Speaking at a press conference in Rome, Borrelli went on to reveal that the total number of positive cases registered in Italy reached 24,747 on Sunday, with an increase of 3,590 new cases recorded in the past 24 hours.

Colombia will block entry for all non-residents and require residents who enter the country to self-isolate for 14 days beginning on Monday in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, President Ivan Duque announced this afternoon.

On Saturday, Duque announced that Colombia will close its border with Venezuela.

By the numbers: Colombia currently has 34 confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to the Colombian Ministry of Health and Social Protection.

Over the past several days and weeks, health care and consumer industry groups and even federal agencies have sounded the alarm that the US may face major problems in keeping basic medical, food and retail supplies available during the coronavirus pandemic.

On Sunday, the group representing food and retail companies like Clorox, Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo told the State Department and the US Trade Representative they fear other countries cutting off exports to the US, which could exacerbate the public health emergency.

The group is particularly concerned about countries restricting chemicals, ingredients and products they manufacture from getting to the US. 

For instance, India, a major drug ingredient supplier, has already limited exports of medications like acetaminophen, a common painkiller used for flu-like symptoms, and Germany has banned the export of protective equipment like masks, gloves and suits used by health care professionals.

President Trump also planned to speak to grocery, food and beverage corporate leaders on Sunday about supply chain concerns, including the Consumer Brand Association's head and major grocery chain CEOs. 

A transatlantic cruise ship carrying more than 600 passengers with at least five confirmed coronavirus cases on board is frantically searching for somewhere to dock after it was refused entry at multiple Caribbean ports.

British officials have launched an intense diplomatic effort to find a country willing to take the the MS Braemar, which belongs to the British company Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. Twenty passengers and another 20 crew members, including a doctor, are in isolation after displaying influenza-like symptoms while traveling on the the ship.

The Braemar is anchored about 25 miles offshore in the Bahamas waiting for clearance from the local government to bring aboard vital food, fuel and medications and two doctors and two nurses who are preparing to assist the onboard medical team.

The vessel, which is carrying 682 passengers and 381 crew members, arrived in the Bahamas on Saturday. Authorities there were the latest to prevent it from docking but was given permission to drop anchor southwest of Freeport.

Two Royal Caribbean (RCL) ships have passengers test positive for novel coronavirus while docked at international ports.

A statement from Royal Caribbean confirms two of its ships, the Silver Shadow and Silver Explorer, had guests that tested positive for coronavirus. 

RCL "is in close coordination with the governments and local health authorities to determine next best steps. We have asked guests on the ships to temporarily remain in their cabins in accordance with our medical isolation protocols," according to the statement. 

South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the nation Sunday evening to announce "urgent and drastic measures" to combat the novel coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Ramaphosa also declared a "national state of disaster" for South Africa and said the country was now dealing with internal transmission of the virus.

“There can be no half measures,” he said.

Ramaphosa announced that travel will be prohibited from the following high-risk countries: Italy; Iran; South Korea; Spain; Germany; US; United Kingdom and China starting March 18.

Existing visas from citizens of those countries will also be cancelled. Any foreigner who visited high risk countries in the past twenty days will also be denied a visa.

Effective immediately, South African citizens are also advised to refrain from all forms of travel to or through the European Union, United States, United Kingdom and other identified high-risk countries such as China, Iran and South Korea.

South African government officials are barred from international travel as well.