Total coronavirus cases:
• 319 in California, including 168 in the Bay Area
• 2,175 in the U.S., including 48 deaths: 5 in California, 37 in Washington state, 2 in Florida, 1 in New Jersey, 1 in Georgia, 1 in Kansas, and 1 in South Dakota
• More than 149,000 in the world and more than 5,600 deaths. More than 72,000 have recovered
For a detailed map, check out The Chronicle’s Coronavirus Tracker.
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Breaking news developments on March 14:
8:58 a.m. Checking reporters: Reporters at the White House for a news briefing by the coronavirus task force headed by Vice President Mike Pence had their temperatures checked by a man with a no-contact thermometer. White House spokesman Judd Deere said the man was with the White House physician’s office and that those coming in close contact with Pence or President Trump are now having their temperature taken “out of an abundance of caution.”
Trump was in contact with two people at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida over the weekend who have since tested positive, but he has not been tested for coronavirus himself.
8:35 a.m. S.F suspends cutoffs in water, power: Delinquent utility bill payments will no longer cause water and power shutoffs in San Francisco, Mayor London Breed said Saturday. The policy will be in effect for 60 days to “protect our residents who are struggling with loss of income” during the coronavirus crisis, the mayor said in a statement.
The city also announced it would suspend late penalties for unpaid water and power bills. It said it would also suspend late penalties for unpaid parking tickets.
8:27 a.m. Pence plans briefing: The coronavirus task force being led by Vice President Mike Pence will hold a news briefing in Washington, D.C., at 9 a.m. PDT, the White House said. President Trump led a meeting of the task force that began at 7 a.m. PDT, the White House said.
6:34 a.m. Palo Alto closures: Palo Alto will close several civic facilities starting Saturday, the city said. Its libraries, the Art Center, Junior Museum, Rinconada Pool, Children’s Theater, Mitchell Park Community Center and Teen Center, and Lucie Stern Community Center are all shutting down to avoid coronavirus spread.
The Palo Alto Animal Shelter is handling adoptions by appointment only, and access to City Hall will be by appointment only starting Monday.
6:27 a.m. Vallejo theme park closes: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom amusement park in Vallejo announced it would shut down until the end of March.
Nine other Six Flags parks in the U.S. will also close, including Magic Mountain in Valencia, near Los Angeles.
The Vallejo park, on 135 acres near the junction of Interstate 80 and Highway 37, has roller coasters, thrill rides and animal attractions. Tickets to the park will be valid on any date after it reopens, the park said in a statement.
6:22 a.m. Trump exposed to second person: President Trump was exposed to a second person last weekend who has since tested positive for coronavirus, but there are no plans now for the president himself to be tested, the White House says.
In a late-night statement, the White House said both exposures happened last week at a function with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Trump was photographed standing next to Brazil’s presidential press secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, who tested positive three days later.
The White House described that encounter as “limited (handshake, photograph),” but said the second contact was with someone who shared a dinner table with him. Trump spent “more time in closer proximity” to him, Trump’s physician said in a statement.
Brazil identified the person as Brazilian Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Nestor Forster.
The person showed no symptoms at the time, the White House said. “These actions would be characterized as LOW risk for transmission per CDC guidelines, and as such, there is no indication for home quarantine at this time,” Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, Trump’s physician, said in a statement. “Additionally, given the President himself remains without symptoms, testing for COVID-19 is not currently indicated.”
At a Rose Garden news conference earlier Friday, before the second contact was announced, Trump initially said he had no plans to be tested. When, pressed, he replied, “Well, I didn’t say I wasn’t going to be tested. … Most likely, yeah. Most likely. Not for that reason, but because I think I will do it anyway.”
5:53 a.m. Apple closing stores: Apple says it will close all stores outside China until March 27 to reduce the chances of coronavirus being spread to customers and employees. The company said its online stores would remain open and invited people to download its Apple Store app.
The company closed stores in China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan after the coronavirus outbreak began in Hubei province late last year. Infection rates in China have since declined, and Apple said in a statement that one lesson from the experience “is that the most effective way to minimize risk of the virus’s transmission is to reduce density and maximize social distance.”
Apple said it has now reopened its stores in China. Hourly workers at stores outside China that are shutting down “will continue to receive pay in alignment with business as usual operations,” the company said.
Developments from March 13:
10:30 p.m. U.S. lawmakers approve relief package: The House passed a coronavirus relief package late Friday to provide free testing, sick pay for workers, enhanced unemployment benefits and bolstered food programs.
“We did what we said we were going to do: Put families first,” said Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The bill, supported by President Trump, passed on a bipartisan vote, 363-40. It now goes to the Senate.
8:10 p.m. Caltrain reduces Baby Bullet weekday service: Caltrain officials said that in “response to a significant decline in ridership stemming from efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus,” they are no longer featuring Baby Bullet service during morning and afternoon peak hour service.
Local and limited service, and midday and weekend service will continue as scheduled, Caltrain officials said.
“One-way and Day Pass ticket sales have declined by approximately 75% from their levels two weeks ago,”Caltrain officials said. “With no other dedicated source of funding, Caltrain relies primarily on fares to cover the system’s operating costs.”
8 p.m. California Senate cancels legislative hearings: California Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) announced that, “In order to focus on an immediate response to COVID-19, the Senate has cancelled all scheduled legislative hearings next week.”
7:45 p.m. Stanford student tests positive: An undergraduate student has tested positive for COVID-19, said university president Marc Tessier-Lavigne. The student is currently self-isolating. University officials are tracing every person the student has had close contact with, Tessier-Lavigne said.
Stanford also announced that the university provost is asking instructors to make winter quarter final exams optional for undergraduate students. Following Santa Clara County’s new restrictions of gatherings, Stanford officials will also be modifying meal service for undergraduate students on campus, which includes providing students pre-filled to-go containers to be eaten elsewhere. Stanford is also now prohibiting gatherings of 35 people or more, officials said.
As for spring break and the spring quarter, university officials said they will “only be able to provide on-campus undergraduate housing and dining for a very limited number of students — those who have no other option than to be here.”
“We will be prioritizing international students who cannot go home; students who have known severe health or safety risks; and students who are homeless,” Tessier-Lavigne said. “We are also planning to allow a small number of our residential staff who do not meet the previous criteria to remain on campus.”
Tessier-Lavigne said that students who do not fall into these categories “need to make plans to leave the campus as soon as possible but at the latest by Wednesday, March 18, at 5 p.m.”
For more information, read the university president’s full statement.
7:30 p.m. Fremont Unified School District closes schools: Students will not attend school starting on Monday, March 16 and will not return to school for at least two weeks, said Superintendent Kim Wallace. Officials said the tentative reopening date is scheduled for Monday, March 30, but officials may extend that depending on recommendations from the Alameda County Department of Public Health and state officials.
All district facilities will remain open on March 16 and March 17 to allow staff access, but all sites will be fully closed to students, staff and the public from March 18 through March 27. Every district facility will be “deep cleaned and sanitized,” school district officials.
The district’s spring break is still scheduled for April 10 through 17.
7:05 p.m. Lafayette School District closes schools: Superintendent Richard Whitmore announced that the district’s governing board approved a motion Friday to close the schools to students from March 16 through March 27, “and to consider reopening no earlier than April 6, 2020, in response to the threat from the novel coronavirus COVID-19.”
“We are providing more detail to parents (Friday) evening, with additional information coming on Monday about learning opportunities during the school closure,” Whitmore said.
6:47 p.m. Trump and Pelosi reach deal on relief bill: President Trump tweeted that he has reached a deal with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on legislation to provide emergency coronavirus relief. The House will vote on the bill later tonight, ending days of negotiations between the San Francisco Representative and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.
“I fully support H.R. 6201: Families First CoronaVirus Response Act, which will be voted on in the House this evening,” Trump tweeted. “Look forward to signing the final Bill, ASAP!”
Final language of the bill hasn’t been released, but it’s expected to include two weeks of paid sick leave for workers, free coronavirus testing and expanded unemployment benefits.
The deal came together hours after Trump, while speaking in the Rose Garden, criticized Democrats and said a deal remained elusive.
Earlier in the day, Pelosi vowed that Democrats would vote tonight, telling reporters, “the House is focused on providing support for America’s families, who must be our first priority.”
6:40 p.m. San Mateo County suspends visitations to juvenile hall, Camp Kemp: While there are zero cases of the new coronavirus at San Mateo County Probation Department facilities, officials announced that they are suspending visitations to the county’s juvenile Hall and Margaret J. Kemp Camp “until further notice.” Only attorneys and “select professional visits” will be allowed, officials said.
“The San Mateo County Probation Department places great importance in visitations as part of a youth’s rehabilitation. However, given the fluid situation of COVID-19, we have made the tough decision to temporarily suspend visitations as a public health precaution,” officials said.
6:25 p.m. American College of Surgeons recommends canceling, postponing elective surgeries: In a response to the climbing number of coronavirus cases, officials advised “Each hospital, health system, and surgeon” to minimize, postpone, or cancel electively scheduled operations, endoscopies, or other invasive procedures “until we have passed the predicted inflection point in the exposure graph and can be confident that our health care infrastructure can support a potentially rapid and overwhelming uptick in critical patient care needs.”
6:10 p.m. Walnut Creek School District to close schools through April 3: The Walnut Creek School District Governing Board decided to close all of its schools beginning Monday, March 16. Schools will remain closed through Friday, April 3rd, at which point school district officials will “reassess this health crisis.”
School district officials said they have coordinated with teachers to develop a “remote learning plan” that will be in place for the next two weeks. During the closure, all schools will undergo a “deep cleaning to ensure safety upon reopening,” district officials said.
The district serves roughly 3,600 students.
6 p.m. Santa Clara County reports second death: The patient was a woman in her 80s who was hospitalized on March 9 and was among the coronavirus cases that was reported by the county health department on March 13, county officials said.
“The Public Health Department is saddened to share this news and expresses its condolences to her family,” county public health officials said.
5:50 p.m. More San Jose firefighters test positive: The number of San Jose fire department officials who have tested positive for the new coronavirus has grown to eight, according to city officials.
Officials said they have been able to “successfully backfill all temporarily vacant positions and we expect to maintain normal resource levels indefinitely.”
5:40 p.m. Caltrain ticket sales decline by 75% as SamTrans reduces bus service: BART isn’t the only Bay Area transit operator that’s losing money in the wake of coronavirus. At Caltrain, one-way and day pass ticket sales declined by 75 % from their levels two weeks ago, according to an agency spokesman. The Peninsula rail serves commuters at many tech companies that have encouraged employees to work from home, in areas that now ban gatherings of more than 100 people. SamTrans, the San Mateo County bus system, will stop routes that primarily serve schools, given that many schools will close next week. The average number of weekday riders on the bus system dropped 19 % since COVID-19 containment efforts began.
5:25 p.m. San Ramon Valley Unified School District to close: The district announced it will suspend classes from Monday until April 10, a period that includes spring break, according to a statement. Students who qualify for Federal Lunch Program can receive free lunch at two sites during lunch hours.
5:19 p.m. Grand Princess to remain in San Francisco Bay: The cruise ship will remain in the Bay and 1,400 crew members will be quarantined aboard under medical supervision, according to Oakland officials. There are roughly 1,400 crew members, including four U.S. citizens. Of those, 19 have tested positive for COVID-19, but are in “good condition,” officials said. After the minimum 14-day quarantine, the crew will disembark and return to their home countries.
5:15 p.m. San Mateo County Superior Court to ‘dramatically curtail’ its caseload in light of coronavirus: San Mateo County Superior Court Presiding Judge Jonathan Karesh told the San Francisco Chronicle that it has received an emergency order from the state Supreme Court chief justice to extend crucial deadlines on timeliness of certain court hearings in order to “dramatically curtail” its operations. Karesh said the partial shutdown will begin Wednesday and continue indefinitely as long as the pandemic continues to threaten county residents. “We want to eliminate all but the most essential calendars,” Karesh said. Staff will be reduced and only certain out-of-custody arraignment and pre-trial hearings will continue.
“I mean you think about having about 75 people in a courtroom sitting next to each other during jury selection, or 12 jurors in a jury,” Karesh said.
The specifics and logistics of the reduction are still being worked out, the judge said.
5:08 p.m. Gov. Gavin Newsom signs executive order ensuring state funding for closed schools: Newsom issued an executive order ensuring California public school districts will retain state funding regardless of the school facilities closing amid concerns of the spreading coronavirus. The order directs the districts to spend the money on distance learning, meals and supervision of students.
“Closing schools has a massive, cascading effect for our kids and their families — especially those least equipped financially to deal with them,” Newsom said in a statement. “The needs of California kids must be met regardless of whether their school is open or closed.”
4:31 p.m. Alameda County public defender calls for release of high-risk inmates in Santa Rita jail: Public Defender Brendon Woods is calling for the release of high-risk inmates in Santa Rita jail to help reduce the exposure of COVID-19. In a letter to court, sheriff and prosecution and probation officials, Woods recommended a full release or jail alternatives to inmates over 50, those with underlying health conditions and people who have six months or less to serve on their sentences.
4:28 p.m. San Leandro Unified School District to close: The district announced its schools will close from March 16 to April 3 “out of an abundance of concern for all members of our community,” according to a statement. Spring break will move to the week of March 30 to minimize disruption and classes are expected to resume April 6. The district will continue to provide meals to those who rely on them, but did not provide more details. Students were encouraged to stay home and minimize social contact.
4:19 p.m. California Teachers Association recommends closing all state public schools: The California Teachers Association has recommended the closing of all California’s public schools to “support the containment” of the coronavirus. A full state closure would affect 6.2 million children in 10,500 schools in more than 1,000 school districts.
4:09 p.m. Solano County schools to close for two weeks: Schools in Solano County, following similar decisions from districts across the Bay Area, will close to students for two weeks beginning Monday, according to Vallejo City Unified School District officials. “We did not take this decision lightly and recognize that this may cause a hardship for some families. Each school district and charter school will continue to communicate directly with families and staff with updates about re-opening, learning alternatives, and the availability of school meals,” a statment from the district said.
4:03 p.m. Days after docking, 14 passengers remain on Grand Princess cruise ship: Princess announced that 2,450 people had disembarked from the cruise ship docked at an Oakland port as of 7 a.m. Friday, leaving just 14 international passengers who are waiting for transportion to their home countries. Plans for crew quarantine are still being finalized, the cruise line said.
3:49 p.m. Santa Clara County Superior Court to significantly reduce caseload: In an attempt to lessen the number of people congregating in its courthouse, the Santa Clara County Superior Court has taken emergency measures to lessen the court schedule from Monday to April 5 by postponing a large number of cases. At the direction of Presiding Judge Deborah Ryan, all civil and probate jury and court trials will be delayed, except for ongoing trials. All small claims motions, trials and appeals will be postponed. Many criminal trials and family hearings will be moved back and most traffic matters, except trials, and guardianship and adoption proceedings will be postponed.
Similarly, Placer County Superior Courts are postponing all traffic infraction, non-traffic infraction, and certain traffic misdemeanor hearings and trials scheduled between March 16 and 31 to future dates. The Court will provide notice to the parties of their new dates.
3:52 p.m. President Trump says four major cruise lines agreed to suspend cruises: Trump wrote in a Tweet that Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC Cruises agreed to suspend outbound cruises for 30 days at the president’s request.
3:45 p.m. SF bans all events of 100 or more people: San Francisco Mayor London Breed toughened the prohibition on large gatherings Friday, mandating the cancellation of non-essential public events of 100 people or more in the latest action to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. Spaces like hospitals, grocery stores and transit terminals are expected to be exempt from the prohibition, as they were with the previous order. Other essential services, like food banks, will also be allowed to stay open.
3:36 p.m. UC Berkeley extends online instruction through May: The university announced that remote instruction has been extended through the end of the semester. Students can decide where it is best for them to reside, and will receive relief from housing and dining fees should they move out of on-campus housing. Online instruction will be conducted through Zoom, teleconferencing and other virtual platforms. There are no confirmed cases in the campus community, officials said, but the decision was made following the guidance of public health officials who recommend social distancing and stress the importance of “flattening the curve” by reducing spread.
3:28 p.m. Santa Clara County records 13 new cases: County health officials said they have 13 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the county’s total to 79. Of those, 43 cases were presumably caused by community transmission. Public health officials said they expect the case count to continue rising. The county has banned public or private gatherings of more than 100 people with a mandatory order that takes effect on Saturday. It is also banning gatherings of more than 35 people unless the events comply with certain conditions that would reduce transmission.
3:26 p.m. Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces aid deal reached, per reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said the House has reached an agreement with the White House on a coronavirus relief package, the Associated Press reported.
3:19 p.m. Second person who had contact with President Trump tests positive: A second person who was at Mar-a-Lago with President Donald Trump last weekend has tested positive for coronavirus, a source told the Associated Press. The person attended a Trump fundraising at the president’s Florida resort on Sunday. The first person who tested positive who Trump had contact with was a Brazilian official.
2:54 p.m. Contra Costa Superior Court to close: Contra Costa County Superior Court will be closing its Martinez, Richmond and Pittsburg courthouses due to the coronavirus pandemic starting Monday with a target re-opening date of April 1. Arraignments will continue in the Martinez courthouse, but will be closed to the public to keep the crowd sizes to a minimum, the court announced Friday afternoon. Jurors ordered to appear in court for criminal trials on Monday must report to court and judges for those cases will provide further guidance.
“The Court appreciates the careful balance that must be maintained between the timely administration of justice and the protection of public health and safety,” according to a written statement from the court. The emergency order was made from the Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court who said it would be treated as a public holiday.
Anyone with a scheduled hearing during the closure will be reset to a later date and notice of the new hearing would be mailed to that individual or his or her attorney. Anyone scheduled for jury duty will have it rescheduled and notice of the rescheduling will be mailed to the individual. All adult and juvenile in custody arraignments will be handled in Martinez, but closed to the public, except counsel. Anyone seeking an emergency protective order or temporary guardianship can contact their local police agency.
3:05 p.m. San Francisco Mayor Breed enacts moratorium on evictions related to COVID-19: Mayor Breed announced a moratorium on residential evictions related to financial impacts of COVID-19. It will prevent any residents from being evicted due to loss of income related to lay-offs, loss of hours, or emergency medical costs caused by COVID-19. It will be in effect for at least 30 days.
2:59 p.m. San Francisco’s La Taqueria to close: In a lengthy Instagram post shared Friday afternoon, La Taqueria owner Miguel Jara said he’s temporarily closing his Mission District restaurant because wants to ensure the safety of his employees during the spread of the coronavirus. It will close after Sunday service and employees will continue to be paid during the closure. It is unclear when it will re-open.
“Here at La Taqueria, we are blessed to have an abundance of people visit us from all over the Bay Area, but that blessing puts us in an environment that isn’t 100% safe,” he said.
2:56 p.m. Sen. Harris urges utilities not to shut off services during pandemic: U.S. Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA) sent a letter to the trade associations for the water, electricity, and telecommunications industries, urging them to immediately suspend the practice of shutting off services to customers for reasons of nonpayment during the pandemic.“Given the unprecedented challenges people are facing as well as the need for people to access critical services from home in order to stem this crisis, shutting off power, water, or communications services right now just because someone missed a payment is potentially dangerous,” she said.
Harris requested a response to her letter no later than Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
2:50 p.m. Washington reports more than 100 new cases since yesterday: The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington state surged to 568, according to a daily update from public health officials, and 37 people who became infected have died. The numbers jumped from 457 cases and 31 deaths yesterday.
2:48 p.m. TSA allows hand sanitizer on planes: TSA is now allowing passengers to bring liquid hand sanitizer up to 12 oz in carry-on bags until further notice. These containers larger than the standard of 3.4 oz of liquids will need to be screened separately, which will add some time to checkpoint screening, a spokeswoman tweeted
2:31 p.m. Oakland to offer children free meals during school closure: Officials said there will be 12 sites throughout the city where any Oakland child under 18 can receive free grab-and-go breakfast and lunch. The sites will be open from 8 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Thursdays, and kids can pick up multiple days worth of food. The school district has also developed a learning continuity plan to help students stay current with their education and practice skills they have learned. The assignments will not be graded and no new information will be introduced.
2:24 p.m. Oakland to close senior centers, libraries, community centers: Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf announced at a press conference that Oakland will close its senior centers, libraries, recreation centers and Head Start centers beginning Monday. Schools are also closed. “We have an opportunity to prevent human suffering — that is what we’re doing today,” Schaaf said. “While we recognize this will have profound impacts on families, we know Oakland will show up — as we always do — with values of compassion, helpfulness, and grace.”
2:08 p.m. San Francisco to open emergency child care during school closure: Mayor London Breed announced that the city’s recreation centers and libraries will suspend regular programming to operate as emergency care facilities starting Monday. The facilities will provide recreation, learning and three meals a day. Social distancing protocols will be followed. Children of healthcare workers, disaster service workers and low-income families will be eligible.
Starting Monday, SF public libraries and Rec and Park facilities will be closed to the public and will provide child care to the children of health care workers and low-income families. 8am-6pm Monday through Friday.
— Matt Haney (@MattHaneySF) March 13, 2020
2:02 p.m. Sen. Dianne Feinstein asks Trump to reopen healthcare enrollment period: Feinstein and other Senators penned a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar asking that the administration allow people at risk for COVID-19 to access affordable health care options by opening a special healthcare enrollment period. “Because of the coronavirus outbreak, the Trump administration should reopen the health care enrollment period so those who are uninsured can get coverage,” Feinstein tweeted. “Allowing people to get health care now will help keep communities safe from the coronavirus.”
Because of the coronavirus outbreak, the Trump administration should reopen the health care enrollment period so those who are uninsured can get coverage. Allowing people to get health care now will help keep communities safe from the coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/WYOdZ0AhYO
— Senator Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) March 13, 2020
1:57 p.m. Marin County public schools to close for two weeks: The county has instructed all public schools to suspend classes for at least two weeks, according to a statement. The county is working on providing meals and resources to students during the closure. “Recognizing the challenges that a school closure poses for many families in our community, we are making this decision with a heavy heart but for the greater good,” said Mary Jane Burke, Marin County Superintendent of Schools. “Our priority is always the safety and well-being of our students.”
1:53 p.m. San Francisco Sheriff’s Office suspends jail visits: Sheriff Paul Miyamoto announced he will suspend county jail visits and programs to protect incarcerated individuals and staff from the spread of COVID-19. There are no known cases in the county’s jails, but the decision to suspend visits is based on guidance from health officials. Non-contact visits with legal counsel are permitted. The suspension begins at 5 p.m. Friday. “We are sensitive to the difficulties that suspended visits may cause families of the incarcerated,” Miyamoto said. “We value visitation as an essential part of rehabilitation and encourage families to stay in touch with their loved ones and friends through phone calls and letters.”
The Grand Princess cruise ship has made its entrance and is getting ready to dock at the Port of Oakland. @sfchronicle #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/veV21e0kMT
— Tatiana Sanchez (@TatianaYSanchez) March 9, 2020
And the #GrandPrincess is now in #SanFrancisco Bay en route to the Port of #Oakland#CoronavirusOutbreak #CoronaVirusUpdate #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/UXwqSnPnra
— Matthias Gafni (@mgafni) March 9, 2020
You can only get a view of Berth 22, where the #GrandPrincessCruise will disembark, from across the Outer Harbor in Oakland. pic.twitter.com/ODQBKTxxue
— Michael Cabanatuan (@ctuan) March 9, 2020
Saudi Arabia and Russia are arguing over the price and flow of oil. That, and the Fake News, is the reason for the market drop!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2020
Good for the consumer, gasoline prices coming down!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2020
The Fake News Media and their partner, the Democrat Party, is doing everything within its semi-considerable power (it used to be greater!) to inflame the CoronaVirus situation, far beyond what the facts would warrant. Surgeon General, “The risk is low to the average American.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 9, 2020
1:38 p.m. Trump says he will likely be tested, offers no timeline: In a news conference, President Trump downplayed his contact last week with a Brazilian official who has been diagnosed with COVID-19. He said he has no symptoms, but he also said he would likely be tested in the future. When asked when that would happen, Trump moved on to another reporter’s questions.
1:29 p.m. Members of 5 families of SF’s Lakeshore Elementary test negative: Members of Lakeshore Elementary School families in San Francisco tested negative for COVID-19, officials said, ending their self-quarantine.
1:23 p.m. Catholic Diocese of San Jose to suspend mass: Bishop Oscar Cantu announced in a community letter that all parishes, missions and chapels in the San Jose diocese will suspend public masses beginning Saturday. Baptisms, weddings and funerals can be held, but only with immediate family. The bishop also dismissed Catholics from the obligation to attend Mass during this time. The diocese will continue to live stream Sunday masses.
1:13 p.m. Markets rebound at close of trading: Some investors viewed the White House’s declaration of a national emergency as a reassuringly strong response, helping markets jump in the afternoon and close up 1,985 points, a 9.4% rise from Thursday. The gains erased much of the previous day’s historic loss.
1:12 p.m. SF school district to provide free breakfast, lunch during closure: San Francisco Unified School District will provide free breakfast and lunch starting Tuesday for children at pick-up sites across the city. Officials will set up, clean and train staff at pick-up sites on Monday. Meals will include vegetables, fruit and milk. The district has the capacity to serve 11,600 breakfasts and 11,600 lunches each day.
1:06 p.m. BART needs money — and fast: BART, devastated by losses of up to $5 million a week in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, is desperately seeking money from state, federal and local governments, The Chronicle has learned.
1:00 p.m. Fifth death in California, officials won’t say where: The California Department of Public Health reported the fifth coronavirus death in the state. The department will not say what part of the state the person was from. The previous four deaths were in Placer County, Santa Clara County, Sacramento County and Los Angeles County.
12:59 p.m. Vice President says coronavirus found in 46 states: Vice President Mike Pence said there are confirmed coronavirus cases in 46 states. “Wash your hands, use common sense,” he said.
12:54 p.m. Trump says rules will be changed to curb future pandemics: “We hope it never happens, but we are going to be changing a lot of the old rules,” he said. The president also said he has waived interest for all student loans held by federal agencies and instructed officials to purchase large quantities of crude oil. “We are going to fill it up,” Trump said.
12:49 p.m. Walmart, Walgreens, Target, CVS to offer resources for coronavirus response: Walmarts across the country will offer parking space to be used for coronavirus response, said the company’s chief executive Doug McMillon. “We were eager to do our part,” McMillon said of receiving a call from the White House.
12:47 p.m. Health official announces new testing approach, website: In a news conference where President Trump declared a national emergency, federal officials announced a new coronavirus testing approach that will start with a website created by Google. If an individual is symptomatic, they will be referred to “drive thru” clinics. The tests will then be shipped to labs before results are posted on the screening website.
12:41 p.m. Trump bars entry of foreigners who recently went to Europe: Trump suspended the entry of foreigners who have traveled to Europe in the last 14 days. Returning Americans will be subjected to extra screening, he said.
12:33 p.m. Trump declares national state of emergency: President Trump declared a national state of emergency Friday afternoon while speaking in the Rose Garden. “We will overcome the threat of the virus,” he said. The declaration makes up to $50 billion dollars available, Trump said while ordering all states to set up emergency centers immediately and asking every hospital to activate their emergency preparedness plans. The president announced a partnership with the private sector to help deal with the shortage of tests. “No resource will be spared,” he said while announcing the FDA has approved a new test. Expects up to half a million tests to be available early next week.
12:18 p.m. San Francisco Jewish Community Center trims operations: The JCCSF is suspending public services and programs beginning Saturday through March 27. The building at California and Presidio in San Francisco will be closed to the public during that time period. The fitness center, including the pool, will close for two days for enhanced cleaning this Saturday and Sunday. The gym will reopen Monday.
12:10 p.m. Two Santa Clara County jail inmates under quarantine after being exposed: Two inmates at Santa Clara County jail were placed under quarantine after being exposed to COVID-19 from a person who came to interview them, officials said. They did not identify the person who visited the inmates. Officials said the inmate population may be reduced by placing individuals on electronic monitoring, but no plans have been finalized, as conversations with prosecutors continue.
11:59 a.m. The Goodguys 38th All American Get-Together canceled: The event, scheduled for March 28-29 at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, has been canceled. Organizers hope to reschedule the car show for May 30-31.
11:55 a.m. Public schools in Santa Clara County to close until early April: Santa Clara County officials said public schools will close starting Monday through April 3, at the earliest. “We acknowledge there is much that is not yet known,” county schools Superintendent Mary Ann Dewan said.
11:50 a.m. Officials offer voluntary testing to quarantined individuals at Travis Air Force Base: Hundreds of former Grand Princess passengers who are quarantined at Travis received a handout saying they will each have the “opportunity” to get tested for COVID-19. “You are not required to be tested. It will be your choice,” the handout read. It said officials will “soon” begin collecting swabs from people who want to be tested, which could take several days. Results will also take several days. “If you choose to be tested, it is important that you understand that if the results of your test are pending, then it is possible it may delay your departure,” the handout said. Neil Kran, a 69-year-old under quarantine, said he was leaning toward not getting tested because he has “zero confidence in their time schedule.” The handout, shared with The Chronicle, also clarified what restrictions apply to quarantined individuals, including wearing a mask at all times, standing six feet apart from people, and eating food in their rooms.
11:48 a.m. Santa Clara County officials ban gatherings of 100 or more: Santa Clara County Director of Public Health Sara Cody announced a ban on private and public gatherings of more than 100 persons following the confirmation of more COVID-19 cases. The order will take effect Saturday and remain in place for three weeks. It does not include hospitals, retail environments, airports or transit. As of Thursday night, Cody said the county had recorded 79 cases of COVID-19 — 43 of those are from community spread. There are 37 people hospitalized. Cody said at a news conference officials expect “many, many” more cases. Officials also limited gatherings of more than 35 people. The ban on gatherings of 35 to 100 applies “unless certain conditions are met” — they include ensuring there can be six feet between people, hand washing available at the venue, discouraging sick and high-risk people from attending and following cleaning guidance before, during and after an event.
11:38 a.m. No prison visits: Inmates at all 122 federal correctional facilities across the country will no longer be allowed visits from family, friends or attorneys for the next 30 days, in response to the threat of the coronavirus, officials told The Associated Press on Friday.
11:11 a.m. Pelosi says House will vote on coronavirus bill: Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said the House will vote today on an economic relief bill for people affected by the coronavirus. The bill includes free testing, paid sick leave and expanded unemployment insurance. However, Pelosi wouldn’t say if the White House supports the deal. The San Francisco representative has been engaged in marathon negotiations with the Trump administration. Her announcement, without the White House’s backing, signals the talks may have hit a gridlock.
11:04 a.m. New positive test for TSA worker in San Jose: Another TSA employee at Mineta San Jose International Airport has tested positive for COVID-19, according to city officials. The employee, who was stationed at the security identification display doors, last worked March 7 and tested positive on Thursday.
11:02 a.m. More San Jose firefighters test positive for COVID-19: The number of San Jose fire department officials who have tested positive for COVID-19 has grown to six, according to city officials. The department has filled temporary vacant positions. Officials are still tracking the status of the 70 fire officials who may have been exposed.
10:43 a.m. Schools in Oakland to close through early April: Officials at the Oakland Unified School District said schools will close starting Friday evening through at least April 5, which marks the end of the district’s spring break. “Closing schools deeply affects so many of our families who depend on schools to provide a safe place for their children, food, and many other services. School sites have been and will continue to be crafting continuity of education plans, with each school preparing to provide assignments to students,” Superintendent Kyla Johnson-Trammell said. Visit this link for more information about sites where students can pick up food.
As of 6:00 p.m. today, all schools and child development centers within OUSD will be closed to students through at least Sunday, April 5, the end of Spring Break.
Full msg from @SupKylaOUSD : https://t.co/aY9zBnUCao
More information: https://t.co/sBCacpwVvr pic.twitter.com/DQo7YyRZc7
— Oakland Schools (@OUSDNews) March 13, 2020
10:42 a.m. Antioch schools to close next week: Antioch Unified School District announced all schools in the district will be closed from Monday to March 30, when classes are expected to resume. Three schools will be open for students who receive free and reduced lunch. Officials asked parents to have a plan in case school can’t resume the week of March 30.
10:10 a.m. More cases in Contra Costa County: Health officials in Contra Costa County said the total number of COVID-19 cases in the county as of Friday morning increased to 25. There were 16 cases as of Thursday afternoon.
10:08 a.m. SF museums shutter amid mass closures: In the latest stroke of a dizzying drumbeat of cultural closings across the Bay Area in response to the threat of the coronavirus, the Asian Art Museum, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco — comprising the de Young Museum and the Legion of Honor — and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art have jointly announced temporary closures effective at 5 p.m.
10:06 a.m. Mt. Diablo Unified School District to close schools: Officials at Mt. Diablo Unified School District in Contra Costa County said they plan to close schools Tuesday after a student-less development day scheduled for Monday. It is unclear how long schools will be closed. Officials said they will release more specific information Friday afternoon.
10:04 a.m. San Francisco announces 5 new cases: San Francisco recorded five new cases of COVID-19, according to the city’s Department of Public Health
10:00 a.m. CDC hosts Q&A on Twitter: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hosted a question-and-answer session with Jay Butler, the agency’s deputy director for infectious diseases. Read the questions here.
Q: #askCDC What are the ideal community responses that should be occurring to protect individuals from the spread of COVID-19, while ensuring food, supplies, etc. are able …
– @SamanthaBahnaA: Thank you for all the questions! A final answer from Dr. Butler to wrap up our Q&A: pic.twitter.com/3SPYZfERxy
— CDC (@CDCgov) March 13, 2020
9:56 a.m. President Trump to declare a national emergency: The president is expected to declare a national emergency Friday to clear the way to distribute funds to combat spread of the coronavirus, Bloomberg reported.
9:47 a.m. Bay Area schools hold emergency meeting on closures: “School districts across the Bay Area holding emergency meetings to consider school closure,” Chronicle reporter Jill Tucker tweeted. “Oakland Unified expected to announce three-week closure later today. Stay tuned.”
School districts across the Bay Area holding emergency meetings to consider school closure. Oakland Unified expected to announce three-week closure later today. Stay tuned.
— Jill Tucker (@jilltucker) March 13, 2020
9:43 a.m. Vallejo Six Flags to close through March: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo and Magic Mountain in Los Angeles County will close until the end of March, officials said. “While there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at either property, the safety of our guests and team members is always our highest priority,” theme park officials said in a statement. “We will continue to closely monitor these evolving conditions, and will follow the most current guidance from federal, state, and local officials.”
9:31 a.m. Santa Cruz County schools to close for a week: Officials in Santa Cruz County said all public schools in the county will be closed next week (March 16-20) following news of a confirmed COVID-19 case at Rio Del Mar Elementary School.
9:17 a.m. LA, San Diego schools to close: Los Angeles Unified School District officials said all public schools will close starting on Monday. “The closing of any school has real consequences beyond the loss of instructional time. This is not an easy decision and not one we take lightly,” said Superintendent Austin Beutner in a statement. San Diego schools also announced they would close.
9:11 a.m. Coronavirus scammers reported in East Bay: Alameda County sheriff’s deputies say a person reported the first coronavirus-related scam after receiving a phone call that claimed a loved one had COVID-19 and got into an accident en route to the hospital. The caller told the person their loved one was arrested after the accident and needed $13,000 for bail. “Be aware!” officials said.
Coronavirus Scam: We had our first scam where victim received a phone call saying loved one had Covid-19 and was in accident on way to hospital. The loved one was arrested for accident and needed $13k bail. Suspect said they would send friend to pick up money. Be aware!
— Alameda County Sheriff (@ACSOSheriffs) March 13, 2020
9:09 a.m. Celine Dion postpones tour: The Canadian singer postponed the remainder of the North American leg of her Courage World Tour. Dion was scheduled to perform at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center on April 7, Oakland Arena on April 9 and Chase Center in San Francisco on April 10. Her new tour dates will be announced at a later time.
9:01 a.m. “Handful” of foreigners remain on Grand Princess, all Americans disembarked: All Americans have departed the coronavirus-stricken Grand Princess, which remains at the Port of Oakland as a “handful” of foreign nationals and crew await flights to depart, said CalOES spokesman Brian Ferguson.
8:58 a.m. Flight attendant union head says virus’ toll on travel worse than 9/11: Lori Bassani, national president for the Association of Professional Flight Attendants, said in a statement that the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the travel industry and the public “is much more pervasive and far-reaching and our lives will once again be changed in unimaginable ways” than even the “shocking and traumatizing” events of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. She said the union has retained a doctor and advocated for health supplies for members. The union is advocating for paid leave sick, pay protection during flight cancellations, and preparing for longer-term voluntary leaves as travel demand dives.
8:50 a.m. SF’s Children’s Day School to close facilities until mid-April: Children’s Day School in San Francisco plans to close its facilities until April 20 and move classes online next week, making it one of the longest grade school closures announced yet in the region. “A number of us were trying to stay open,” school head Shelly Luke Wille said. “I think the reality is when a few schools started to announce closures, it became more difficult to stay open.” The school plans to start teaching online through programs such as Google Classroom by the middle of next week, and it will continue to pay hourly employees and offer resources to families who need them while trying to maintain community engagement, Wille said.
8:37 a.m. Testing czar named by White House: The Trump administration on Friday deputized a new testing “czar” at the Department of Health and Human Services. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary for health, and head of the government’s Public Health Service, will coordinate between Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA, as well as private labs and state and local governments. There have been numerous complaints about the shortage of coronavirus tests in the U.S.
8:27 a.m. AirBnb updates cancellation policy in response to coronavirus. The company is allowing guests to cancel reservations in Mainland China, South Korea, Italy and the U.S. booked on or before March 13 with check-in dates of April 1 or earlier without being charged. The change also applies to travelers who had plans to go from the U.S. to the Schengen area in Europe, applying to reservations made on or before March 11, for travel between March 13 to April 13.
8:08 a.m. Total cases across the world nears 140,000, deaths surpass 5,000: The total number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 reached 136,929 on Friday morning and 5,065 people have died, according to numbers compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
7:55 a.m. Trump to brief media on coronavirus efforts: President Donald Trump said he plans to hold a news conference regarding the coronavirus at noon (Pacific time).
I will be having a news conference today at 3:00 P.M., The White House. Topic: CoronaVirus!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2020
7:24 a.m. Augusta National Golf Club postpones The Masters: Augusta National Golf Club Chairman Fred Ridley announced he was postponing The Masters golf tournament, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals. “Ultimately, the health and well-being of everyone associated with these events and the citizens of the Augusta community led us to this decision. We hope this postponement puts us in the best position to safely host the Masters Tournament and our amateur events at some later date,” Ridley said in a statement.
Statement from Chairman Ridley:
“Considering the latest information and expert analysis, we have decided at this time to postpone @TheMasters, @anwagolf and @DriveChipPutt National Finals.”
Full details at https://t.co/FX2AN1MLsY pic.twitter.com/Z2DjS5TYdG
— The Masters (@TheMasters) March 13, 2020
7:18 a.m. President of Brazil reportedly tests positive for COVID-19: Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro tested positive for COVID-19, according to a report by The Guardian that cites local news media. Bolsonaro’s test results were anticipated Friday after his press secretary tested positive for the virus. This official also had close contact last weekend with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has declined to be tested.
Update: There are now conflicting reports about the president of Brazil testing positive.
Deleting this tweet Bolsonaro’s son confirmed to Fox News his father had tested positive, but in a 2nd appearance, has changed his story and danced around why.
As happens with authoritarians, the truth is unclear.
Miami’s Mayor who did an even w/Bolsonaro has tested positive. pic.twitter.com/7SlI79G5gm— Amy Siskind ️ (@Amy_Siskind) March 13, 2020
6:47 a.m. Fifth & Mission podcast on school closures: Children in San Francisco will be out of school for three weeks due to coronavirus, and other school districts in the region are following suit. In this episode of Fifth & Mission, Chronicle editor-in-in-chief Audrey Cooper and reporter Trisha Thadani discuss children who need school meals and what happens to families with no other options.
6:45 a.m. Trump administration awarding $1.3 million to develop rapid tests: The Trump administration announced Friday it is awarding $1.3 million to two companies trying to develop rapid tests that could detect whether a person is positive for the new coronavirus within an hour, the Associated Press reported. The Department of Health and Human Services said it is awarding $679,000 to DiaSorin Molecular, of Cypress (Orange County), and $598,000 to QIAGEN, of Germantown, Md., to accelerate development of their tests. DiaSorin’s test could be ready within six weeks for consideration by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the QIAGEN test could be ready within 12 weeks for FDA consideration, the AP reported, citing HHS.
6:39 a.m. Stocks snap back: The Dow Jones industrial average rose 4.6% in the first minutes of trading as investors sought bargains in a battered market, a day after stocks saw their worst one-day drop in decades.
6:36 a.m. Trump stops states from using Medicaid to respond to coronavirus crisis: President Donald Trump’s administration is not allowing states to use Medicaid more freely to respond to the coronavirus crisis by expanding medical services, according to a Los Angeles Times report. Previous administrations have loosened Medicaid rules during past emergencies, like Hurricane Katrina and the H1N1 flu outbreak.
6:32 a.m. Hospitals hope they won’t have to make choices about who to save: Hard-hit Italy has reportedly experienced shortages of ventilators and ICU beds. Bay Area hospitals are scrambling to add more of both in the hopes that they will be able to handle a wave of patients. But some scenarios will still bring trouble. “A major surge in cases will overwhelm any health system in the world, including ours,” one expert told The Chronicle.
6:26 a.m. Layoffs mount across Bay Area: Party planners. Truckers. Hotel workers. Stagehands. Workers across the once-booming Bay Area are suddenly getting laid off as the coronavirus economic devastation rapidly mounts.