Days 328-354: 2020 Timeline Part I

The 2020 COVID-19 Timeline: Courtesy of MSNBC

Dec. 31, 2019

Chinese officials in Wuhan in China's central Hubei province confirmed dozens of cases of pneumonia from an unknown cause.

Jan. 7, 2020

The outbreak was identified as a new coronavirus. Jan. 11, 2020

China reported its first known death from an illness caused by the coronavirus. The patient was a 61-year-old man in Wuhan.

Jan. 20, 2020

A World Health Organization situation report detailed the first confirmed cases outside China in Thailand, Japan and South Korea.

Jan. 21, 2020

The United States announced its first confirmed coronavirus case — a man in his 30s in Washington state.

Jan. 23, 2020

China placed Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, under quarantine orders. All flights and trains departing from the city were canceled, and buses, subways and ferries within the city were suspended.

Jan. 30, 2020

WHO declared the outbreak a global public health emergency as more than 9,000 cases were reported worldwide, including in 18 countries beyond China.

Jan. 31, 2020

The White House announced that it would ban entry for most foreign nationals who had traveled to China within the last 14 days.

Feb. 1, 2020

Princess Cruises confirmed that a passenger who sailed aboard the Diamond Princess from Yokohama, Japan, on Jan. 20 and disembarked in Hong Kong on Jan. 25 had tested positive for the virus.

Feb. 2, 2020

The first coronavirus death reported outside China — a 44-year-old Wuhan resident who died in the Philippines.

Feb. 4, 2020

The Diamond Princess cruise ship was quarantined in Yokohama with about 3,700 people, including passengers and crew, onboard.

Feb. 7, 2020

Dr Li Wenliang, a Chinese doctor who issued a warning about the coronavirus outbreak before it was officially recognized, died in Wuhan. Li became a hero in China and his death sparked a wave of public mourning.

Feb. 8, 2020

The first U.S. citizen died from COVID-19 in Wuhan.

Feb. 9, 2020

The death toll in mainland China rose to 811, surpassing the number of fatalities from the SARS outbreak in 2003.

Feb. 11, 2020

WHO announced that the disease caused by the new coronavirus will be known by the official name of COVID-19.

Feb. 14, 2020

Egypt confirmed its first coronavirus case, becoming the first country in Africa to be affected by the outbreak. The global death toll passes 1,500, including three outside mainland China.

Feb. 14, 2020

The first coronavirus death was recorded outside Asia. The patient was an 80-year-old Chinese tourist who died in France.

Feb. 19, 2020

Iran reported two coronavirus cases. Hours later, officials confirmed that both patients died.

Feb. 20, 2020

South Korea reported its first coronavirus death, as the country's number of confirmed cases rose to 104. It was the ninth confirmed death from the virus outside mainland China.

Feb. 24, 2020

Italy became the worst-hit country in Europe as cases spiked. Health officials announced the sixth death from the virus.

Feb. 24, 2020

The U.S. stock market plummeted over coronavirus fears, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced the worst day in two years.

Feb. 26, 2020

California announced the first case in the U.S. with no clear source of exposure.

Feb. 26, 2020

Brazil confirmed its first coronavirus case, the first in Latin America.

Feb. 28, 2020

Iran reported 34 deaths out of 388 confirmed coronavirus cases, making it the country with the highest number of deaths from the virus outside China.

Feb. 29, 2020

President Donald Trump announced additional travel restrictions involving Iran and increased warnings about travel to Italy and South Korea.

Feb. 29, 2020

The first recorded coronavirus death in the U.S., a man in his 50s in Washington state.

March 3, 2020

Patients infected by the coronavirus wait to be transferred from Wuhan No. 5 Hospital to Leishenshan Hospital, the newly-built hospital for COVID-19 patients, in Wuhan.

March 6, 2020

President Trump signed an $8.3 billion emergency spending package to combat the coronavirus outbreak, as the number of global cases hit 100,000.

March 6, 2020

Austin, Texas, cancels the SXSW conference and festivals amid the coronavirus concerns, following the cancellation of other high-profile events across the country.

March 6, 2020

Vice President Mike Pence announced that 21 people aboard the Grand Princess, a cruise ship being held off the coast of California, tested positive for the coronavirus.

March 6, 2020

My last "event" out to see Iliza Shlesinger and Hunter Hill with friends for a comedy show.

March 8, 2020

Italy issued a lockdown to quarantine around 16 million people in the country’s northern Lombardy region, as confirmed cases surpassed 5,800 and more than 230 people died from the virus. The area sealed off includes Milan and Venice.

March 8, 2020

Confirmed cases in the U.S. topped 500.

March 9, 2020

Ireland cancels St. Patrick’s Day festivities over coronavirus concerns.

March 10, 2020

Italy’s prime minister announced that the lockdown placed on millions in the Lombardy region will be extended to the entire country to curb the virus’ spread.

March 10, 2020

Iran’s health officials reported a spike of almost 900 new cases, bringing the country’s total number of confirmed cases to 8,042 with 291 deaths.

March 10, 2020

My household stocked up, but did not "stock-pile" supplies to self-quarantine.

March 11, 2020

The World Health Organization declared that the coronavirus outbreak “can be characterized as a pandemic,” which is defined as worldwide spread of a new disease for which most people do not have immunity.

March 11

The NBA suspended all basketball games after a player for the Utah Jazz preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

March 11

The Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, announced that they tested positive for the coronavirus. They announced on Instagram that they are being isolated and observed in Australia, where Hanks was in production for a film.

March 11

Trump announced a new restriction on many foreign travelers from 26 countries in Europe, except for Ireland and the United Kingdom, for the next 30 days.

March 11, 2020

My husband and I were told by a board certified doctor that we should not be wearing the masks we had decided were a necessary step to leaving the house. We now may not enter that doctor's practice without one.

**This point is not to shame healthcare workers, but rather demonstrate the fast and furious nature that information around the virus began to change and mutate day-to-day and we are STILL figuring out "best practices" a year later.**

March 12

MLB announced that it will suspend spring training and delay the start of the regular baseball season by at least two weeks.

March 12

The NHL announced that it will pause its hockey season. The league’s commissioner did not set an end date for the suspension.

March 12

The NCAA canceled both the men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments, known as March Madness, after most conferences suspended their postseason tournaments.

March 12, 2020

My household began a mandated medical quarantine from the CDC via my primary care doctor. The mandate is still in effect, but parameters have greatly shifted as of March 3, 2021.

March 13

Italy’s death toll topped 1,000 as confirmed cases in the country swelled to more than 15,000.

March 13

The World Health Organization said Europe “has now become the epicenter” of the pandemic, with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, beyond China.

March 13

Trump declared a national state of emergency that could free up $50 billion to help fight the pandemic.

March 13

States across the U.S., including Michigan, Pennsylvania and Maryland, announced plans to close schools over the coronavirus concerns.

March 13, 2020

My husband's school cancelled in-person learning and began using a virtual platform that remained in effect for the remainder of the school year.

March 14

Spain recorded a spike of nearly 2,000 new cases. With more than 3,800 total confirmed cases and at least 84 deaths, the country enacted a partial lockdown restricting people from leaving their homes unless to go to work, the pharmacy or a hospital.

March 14

The English Premier League suspended the soccer season until at least April 3. The decision came amid other high-profile sports cancellations and postponements around the world, including the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix, the PGA Tour’s Players Championship and the Boston Marathon.

March 15

The White House announced that the European travel ban would be extended to include the U.K. and Ireland.

March 15

Iran reported a big jump of 1,365 new cases in the past 24 hours, bringing the country’s total number of confirmed cases to 12,729, while the death toll rose to 611.

March 15

The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. surpassed 3,000, with New York, California and Washington recording the most confirmed cases. The national death toll rose to 61. Today the national death toll is over 500,000 people.

March 15

Twenty-nine additional states, including New York, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Hawaii, announced school closures.

March 15

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines recommending "that for the next 8 weeks, organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States."

March 16

Wall Street plunged again, as the Dow Jones Industrial Average sank by 3,000 points and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq were down by around 12 percent by the closing bell.

March 16

Italy announced that confirmed cases rose to nearly 28,000, an increase of more than 3,000 from the day before, while the death toll hit 2,158. The government said it plans to spend 25 billion euros ($28 billion) to tackle the epidemic, while Italian officials said they expect more than 90,000 people will become infected by the end of April.

March 16

Canada announced plans to close the border to noncitizens, as the country’s number of confirmed cases rose to 339 with one death. The border restrictions include some exceptions, including for U.S. citizens.

March 16

San Francisco imposed strict prohibitions on residents leaving their homes “except for essential needs,” becoming the first city in the U.S. to introduce such extreme measures in response to the pandemic.

March 16

MLB announced that the start of the season will be pushed back eight weeks, per guidance from the CDC.

March 16

President Trump advised all Americans to avoid gatherings of 10 or more people, to avoid going to bars and restaurants and to halt discretionary travel. The guidelines, from the administration’s coronavirus task force, will remain in effect for 15 days.

In actuality, this is still in practice as of today, March 3, 2021.

March 16

U.S. researchers administered the first shot to the first person in a test of an experimental coronavirus vaccine. Even if the trials go well, health officials warned that a vaccine would not be widely available for at least 12 to 18 months.

In actuality, the first doses of the vaccine distributed under an EUA in my state began on December 15, 2020, just nine months later due to the relentless collaboration of scientists worldwide.

March 16

France imposed stringent restrictions on people's movement for two weeks, with president Emmanuel Macron saying people should only leave their homes for essential activities. The order came after the country already shut down restaurants, bars, ski resorts and closed schools.

March 16

NASCAR announced it would postpone all races until at least the beginning of May.

March 17

The Kentucky Derby was postponed until September, along with several other major sporting events, including soccer’s 2020 European Championships.

March 17, 2020

My husband and I celebrated St. Patrick's day dancing in our living room to a pre-recorded We Banjo 3 concert.

This was the first time I noticed I had minor shortness of breath.

March 17, 2020

Maryland’s governor postponed the state’s primary election, a day after Ohio’s primary was called also off. Florida and Illinois and Arizona proceeded with their primaries.

March 17, 2020

West Virginia, the last state in the U.S. without a confirmed coronavirus case, recorded its first. Confirmed cases across the country rose to more than 5,800 and the death toll surpassed 100.

March 18, 2020

Canada and the U.S. agreed to close its borders to all “non-essential traffic.”

March 18, 2020

Belgium announced plans to lock down the country, becoming the fourth nation in Europe to enact a nationwide quarantine, after Italy, France and Spain.

March 18 Trading halted on Wall Street for the fourth time in two weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed with a loss of just over 1,300 points and the S&P fell by 5 percent. March 18 The WHO announced an international trial to gather data about which treatments are most effective for the coronavirus. Participants in the so-called solidarity trial include Argentina, Canada, France, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland and Thailand. March 18 The Trump administration suspended refugee admissions until April 6 due to the coronavirus pandemic. March 18 Italy reported its deadliest day of the coronavirus outbreak after deaths rose by 475, the biggest one-day jump. Nationwide, Italy recorded more than 35,713 confirmed cases and 2,978 deaths, as the country tightened restrictions on residents leaving their home. March 18 President Trump signed a coronavirus aid bill into law. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act would provide free coronavirus testing and ensure paid emergency leave for those infected or caring for a family member with the illness, while also providing additional Medicaid funding, food assistance and unemployment benefits. March 19 China reported no new domestic cases for the first time since the start of the epidemic. There were 34 new confirmed cases, but they were registered as “newly diagnosed imported cases.” March 19 The European Central Bank announced a 750 billion euro, or $810 billion, plan to help the economy in the "euro area" — the monetary union of 19 of the 27 European Union member states. March 19 Australia and New Zealand announced plans to close their borders to all foreigners. March 19 The death toll in Spain, the second worst affected country in Europe, saw its death toll soar by 209 over a 24-hour period, bringing the country’s total number of deaths to 767 and total confirmed cases to 17,147. March 19 Italy overtook China as the country with the most coronavirus-related deaths, registering 3,405 fatalities. China’s total number of deaths stood at 3,242. March 19 Connecticut delayed its presidential primary election to June. March 19 The Cannes Film Festival, set to be held in May, was postponed until an as-yet-decided time in late June or early July. March 19 The U.S. State Department raised the global travel advisory to Level 4: Do Not Travel, warning Americans against traveling internationally and for those abroad to consider returning immediately. March 19 California issued a statewide stay-at-home order asking residents to only leave the house if necessary. March 19 China exonerated Dr. Li Wenliang, the doctor who was reprimanded for warning about the coronavirus outbreak and later died of the disease. March 20 The Olympic flame arrived in Japan from Greece in a scaled-down ceremony at an air base in northern Japan. Organizers and the International Olympic Committee said the Tokyo Games will continue as scheduled, but postponement or cancellation is a possible option. March 20 China reported no new domestic cases for the second day in a row. There were 39 new confirmed cases, but they were registered as “newly diagnosed imported cases.” March 20 Death toll in Spain surpassed 1,000, as the total number of confirmed cases in the country inched near 20,000. March 20 Indiana postponed its presidential primary to June 2. March 20 The U.S. announced plans to close the border with Mexico to all “nonessential travel.” Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said all immigrants who lack proper entry documentation will be turned away. March 20 Death toll in Italy surpassed 4,000, after 627 more deaths were announced from the previous day. It was the biggest day-to-day increase in the country, as Italy neared the end of its second week of a nationwide quarantine. March 20 Cases in California exceeded 1,000, more than doubling from only three days ago. The new figures came one day after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide “stay-at-home” order for the state’s 40 million residents. March 20 The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank by 916 points and the S&P 500 closed the day down 4.3 percent, marking its worst weekly performance since the 2008 financial crisis. March 20 New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the nation's largest city is “now the epicenter of this crisis” in the U.S., with 5,151 coronavirus cases and 29 deaths. March 21 China reported no new domestic cases in Wuhan for a third consecutive day. There were 41 new cases detected over the previous 24 hours, all among people traveling from overseas. Some businesses were reopened in Wuhan, but Hubei’s provincial borders remained closed to the rest of the country. March 21 Sri Lanka imposed a countrywide curfew over the weekend, as other South Asian countries accelerated efforts to stop the virus’ spread. March 21 China administered its first clinical trials of coronavirus vaccines to volunteers, according to local media reports. March 21 Jordan ordered a nationwide curfew, limiting the mobility of its 10 million citizens and closing all shops indefinitely. March 21 Coronavirus cases in New York State, the hardest-hit in the U.S., surpassed 10,000. March 21 Coronavirus cases in Switzerland jumped 25 percent in just 24 hours. The country’s confirmed cases rose to 6,113 with at least 56 deaths. March 21 Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey issued a stay-at-home order for nearly all of the state's 9 million residents. March 21 Italy’s death toll soared overnight, with 793 new fatalities in the past 24 hours. The country’s total number of confirmed cases shot up to 53,578 with 4,825 deaths. The governor of Italy’s Lombardy region, the country’s hardest-hit region, imposed even more stringent restrictions on residents, including temperature checks at supermarkets and pharmacies. March 22 Singapore announced plans to ban all short-term visitors to the city-state, after reporting its first coronavirus-related death the previous day and 432 total confirmed cases. March 22 Authorities in Colombia announced that 23 prisoners died and another 83 were injured in a riot and attempted escape over coronavirus fears. March 22 Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., became the first known senator to test positive for coronavirus. March 22 Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a new stay-at-home order for all non-essential workers. March 22 Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards announced that the state would be under a stay-at-home order. March 22 The International Olympic Committee announced that they expect to make a decision about the upcoming Tokyo Games within four weeks. March 22 President Trump announced that he would activate the federal National Guard to assist Washington, California and New York, three of the states hit hardest by the pandemic. March 22 A vote to advance a massive coronavirus stimulus bill failed in the Senate. Democrats said they were dissatisfied with worker protections in the Republican-written bill. March 22 Canada announced that it will not send athletes to the Olympics later this year if the games are not delayed because of the pandemic. Australia similarly announced plans to pull out of the games the next day (local time). March 23 Saudi Arabia issued a nationwide curfew between 7 a.m. and 6 a.m. local time for the next 21 days. The country already halted international flights, closed public venues and suspended work at most institutions, as the number of confirmed cases rose to 511. March 23 Hong Kong announced plans to ban all tourist arrivals in an attempt to curb the number of new coronavirus cases. The city had 357 total confirmed cases and four deaths, but most of the new cases were people with a recent travel history. March 23 Iran recorded more than 1,400 new cases in the past 24 hours and 127 new deaths. The country’s total number of cases rose to 23,049 and the death toll surged to 1,812. March 23 Spain’s coronavirus death toll topped 2,000, more than doubling in just three days. The country, the second hardest-hit in Europe, had 33,090 confirmed cases and 2,182 deaths. March 23 The Iraqi government extended a ban on travel in and out of Baghdad to March 28. The government also extended its ban on all flights in and out of the country’s airports, as the number of confirmed cases rose to 233 cases and 20 deaths. March 23 Convicted rapist and disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, 68, tested positive for coronavirus. March 23 Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., said that her husband, law professor John Bessler, tested positive for coronavirus. March 23 Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker issued a stay-at-home advisory and ordered all non-essential businesses to close. March 23 Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a "stay home, stay safe" executive order to bar non-essential businesses from requiring employees to leave their homes. March 23 New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the state will begin three studies of potential coronavirus treatments in the coming week, as the state’s number of confirmed cases grew to more than 20,000. March 23 The World Health Organization said more than 300,000 cases were reported from almost every country in the world. Johns Hopkins University, which cited slightly different numbers, reported that global coronavirus infections were on track to reach 350,000. March 23 Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced that schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year. March 23 Rhode Island postponed its presidential primary until June 2. March 23 South Africa announced plans for a nationwide lockdown for 21 days, as the number of cases in the country rose to 402, a 47 percent jump from the day before. March 23 Stocks plunged again, after an emergency fiscal stimulus package was twice rejected by the Senate and a new round of cash injection from the Federal Reserve failed to stem market declines. March 23 The U.K. issued a three-week national lockdown, with strict new measures to limit people’s movement. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the lockdown will be enforced by police. March 23 Team USA's Olympic and Paralympic Committee surveyed more than 1,700 athletes and issued a statement urging the International Olympic Committee to postpone the 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo. March 23 Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued a statewide "stay home" order, telling residents they must stay home unless they are "pursuing an essential activity." March 23 West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice issued a statewide stay-at-home order, telling residents the disease caused by the coronavirus is “really serious stuff.” March 23 Hawaii and Alaska ordered businesses shuttered and told residents to stay home, becoming the latest states to implement sweeping measures to limit the movements of residents in order to halt the virus’ spread. March 24 Chinese authorities announced that travel restrictions in and out of the city of Wuhan will be lifted on April 8. March 24 Egypt announced plans for a two-week, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew for more than 100 million people across the country. March 24 India’s prime minister Narendra Modi ordered a three-week lockdown for the 1.3 billion people in the country, The government also imposed curfews, halted domestic travel and suspended train and bus services in many Indian states. March 24 Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe announced that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be postponed, adding that the games will be held by the summer of 2021. March 24 France entered a two-month state of emergency, part of an emergency law that was passed to give the government special powers to enforce the countrywide lockdown that began two weeks ago. March 24 The U.K.’s death toll jumped by 25 percent, after 87 new fatalities were reported in the past 24 hours, the country’s highest daily increase. \ March 24 Coronavirus cases topped 50,000 in the U.S., with 637 deaths nationwide. March 24 Wall Street rebounded with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surging by more than 2,000 points for its biggest daily points gain ever. The increases came after news that a $2 trillion stimulus bill was close to approval. March 24 The White House warned people who have been in New York recently to quarantine themselves for 14 days if they leave the state. With more than 25,000 cases, New York was the center of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. March 24 Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who tested positive for coronavirus and remained in quarantine, announced a shelter-in-place order for the city’s residents. March 24 Vermont Gov. Phil Scott issued a stay-at-home order for the state that included the closure of all non-essential businesses. The state had 95 confirmed coronavirus cases and 7 deaths. March 24 President Trump approved disaster declarations for the states of Iowa and Louisiana. Iowa had 124 confirmed cases and reported its first death that day, while Louisiana had more than 1,300 cases and 46 deaths. AP Photo / Alex Brandon March 24 The Great Wall of China partially reopened after being closed for nearly two months due to the coronavirus outbreak. March 25 South Africa announced plans for a 21-day nationwide lockdown, after the number of confirmed cases jumped to 709 from 554, making it the hardest-hit country in sub-Saharan Africa. March 25 The WHO warned that the U.S. could become the global epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. The country recorded 54,810 coronavirus cases, including 781 deaths. March 25 Prince Charles, 71, who is first in line to the British throne, tested positive for coronavirus. Read more REUTERS / Russell Boyce March 25 Britain’s parliament closed, with plans to suspend sitting for four weeks as part of the government’s efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus. March 25 Spain surpassed China in nationwide deaths from coronavirus, becoming second only to Italy. Spain reported 738 new deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the country’s total number of fatalities to 3,434. March 25 Thailand's prime minister announced a state of emergency as the country reported 827 confirmed cases and four deaths. March 25 Italy’s death toll surpassed 7,500, after 683 new deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. The country reported nearly 75,000 confirmed cases. March 25 President Trump approved disaster declarations for Florida, Texas and North Carolina. March 25 The 74th Tony Awards and the 2020 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame event were postponed. A new date for the Tony’s was not announced, but the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame event will now take place on Nov. 7. March 25 Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued a stay-at-home order for the state’s 5.6 million residents, other than those performing essential services. March 25 Idaho Gov. Brad Little announced a stay-at-home order for at least 21 days. March 25 The Senate passed a massive $2 trillion stimulus package designed to ease the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic. The bill was subsequently sent to the House. Read more Andrew Harnik / AP March 26 Deaths in the U.S. passed 1,000, as confirmed cases nationwide rose to more than 68,100. March 26 Iran banned intercity travel, as confirmed cases in the country surpassed 29,400 and the death toll hit 2,234. March 26 New Zealand started a one-month mandatory lockdown to slow the spread of the virus. March 26 Russia announced plans to ground all international flights, with exceptions for repatriation flights bringing Russian citizens home and those with special government approval. March 26 President Trump approved a major disaster declaration for New Jersey, as confirmed cases in the state soared to 4,402. March 26 The Indianapolis 500, the world's oldest automobile race, has been postponed until Aug. 23. March 26 Wall Street rallied for the third straight day, despite record-breaking unemployment claims in the U.S. Read more March 26 The number of cases in California climbed past 3,000, while the number of deaths statewide stood at 65. March 26 U.S. coronavirus cases surpassed China. The U.S. reported at least 82,474, with more than 1,100 deaths, while China reported 81,961 cases and more than 3,000 deaths. March 26 Montana Gov. Steve Bullock announced a stay-at-home directive, ordering residents to remain in their homes as much as possible and for nonessential businesses to temporarily close. The state also announced its first coronavirus death, in addition to a total of 90 confirmed cases. March 27 Global coronavirus cases topped 500,000, as the worldwide death toll rose to 24,082, according to Johns Hopkins University. Read more March 27 Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson tested positive for coronavirus. Read more March 27 New York’s coronavirus death toll surpassed 500, and the number of confirmed cases rose to 44,635, a 20 percent increase over the past 24 hours. March 27 President Trump signed a $2 trillion coronavirus economic stimulus bill after the legislation was passed in a bipartisan vote in the House. Read more March 27 Coronavirus cases in the U.S. surpassed 100,000, the most in the world. More than 1,500 deaths were also reported nationwide. March 27 North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced plans for a stay-at-home order for the state’s 10 million-plus residents. March 27 Utah Gov. Gary Herbert issued a statewide stay-at-home order for at least two weeks. March 27 Alaska issued a mandate barring in-state travel between communities except in support of critical infrastructure or personal needs. March 27 Italy recorded its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic, after the country reported 919 new deaths in the past 24 hours. The country had more than 86,000 confirmed cases and 9,134 total deaths nationwide. March 27 France’s prime minister Edouard Philippe extended the existing coronavirus lockdown by two weeks until April 15. The country recorded 37,575 confirmed cases and 2,314 deaths, with the number of positive tests doubling every three to four days. March 28 South Korea recorded more recoveries than active coronavirus cases for the first time since the outbreak began. The country recorded 9,478 confirmed cases with 4,811 patients released on full recovery, according to the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention. March 28 Italy surpassed China in the number of confirmed coronavirus infections, with 86,498 cases. Italy trailed the United States, which had nearly 104,837 confirmed cases, while China recorded 81,394 cases. March 28 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the emergency use of a new, rapid coronavirus test that could give patients results in less than 15 minutes. Read more Abbott March 28 New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the state's primary election will be postponed from April 28 to June 23. Read more March 28 An infant, younger than a year old, who tested positive for coronavirus died in Illinois, state health officials announced. Illinois had 3,491 coronavirus cases, with 47 deaths. March 28 The U.S. death toll surpassed 2,000, as the number of cases nationwide rose to more than 102,000. March 28 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a travel advisory for New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, asking residents to refrain from non-essential travel for 14 days. Read more On the recommendation of the White House CoronaVirus Task Force, and upon consultation with the Governor’s of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, I have asked the @CDCgov to issue a strong Travel Advisory, to be administered by the Governors, in consultation with the.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 29, 2020 March 28 Italy's coronavirus death toll topped 10,000, three weeks into the country’s nationwide lockdown. March 29 Tokyo recorded 68 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, the largest single-day spike in the Japanese capital. March 29 The global death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 30,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University. March 29 The city of Wuhan, China, reopened subways and long-distance train service. March 29 Spain recorded 838 deaths overnight, the biggest surge in fatalities for the country in the past 24 hours. Spain had 78,797 confirmed cases and a total of 6,528 deaths, the second-highest in Europe after Italy. March 29 President Trump extended his administration's guidelines on social distancing until April 30. Read more Patrick Semansky / AP March 30 Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari announced partial lockdowns for the cities of Lagos, Abuja and Ogun State for at least 14 days. Residents of the three cities were ordered to stay at home and businesses and offices were closed. March 30 Moscow announced a lockdown for the city’s 13 million residents. Mayor Sergey Sobyanin signed an order restricting freedom of movement in the Russian capital and the surrounding suburbs. March 30 The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were rescheduled for July 2021. The games are now scheduled to open July 23, 2021, and close Aug. 8, 2021. Read more Behrouz Mehri / AFP - Getty Images March 30 Spain became the third country to surpass the total number of reported coronavirus infections in China. Spain recorded 85,195 cases, while China reported 81,470 confirmed cases. March 30 New York City reported its first death of a minor, as the city’s death toll rose to 790. The minor had an underlying health condition, according to city health officials. March 30 Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam issued a stay-at-home order for the state's 8.5 million residents as coronavirus cases in the state topped 1,000. March 30 Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey ordered a stay-at-home directive for the nearly 7.3 million residents of his state. The state had 1,157 confirmed coronavirus cases and 20 deaths. March 30 President Trump approved a disaster declaration for Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. The number of confirmed cases in Rhode Island rose to more than 400, while more than 4,000 cases and 49 deaths were confirmed in Pennsylvania. March 30 France reported 418 new coronavirus deaths in the past 24 hours, the country’s highest jump in a single day. The total number of confirmed cases in France rose to 44,550 with 3,024 deaths. March 30 Italy’s government extended its nationwide lockdown until at least the Easter season in April, as the country’s confirmed cases rose to 101,739 and the death toll hit 11,591. March 31 New coronavirus cases in Spain increased by more than 9,000 in the past 24 hours, bringing the country’s total to more than 94,000. The death toll in Spain rose to 8,189. March 31 Wall Street ended one of the worst quarters in stock market history, an indication of the devastating economic impact of the pandemic. March 31 South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster ordered all non-essential businesses in the state to close. March 31 Coronavirus deaths in New York City topped 1,000, as confirmed cases in America’s biggest city rose to 41,771. March 31 The Federal Bureau of Prisons ordered a lockdown of its facilities in an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus. March 31 Maine Gov. Janet Mills issued a "stay healthy at home mandate" requiring people to stay at their residence except for essential work. March 31 President Trump approved disaster declarations for Montana and Ohio. March 31 Italy’s National Institute of Health said the outbreak was reaching a plateau in the country, as Italy’s death toll rose to more than 12,000.

Continue to April, 2020 in the next post...

Prepare, don't panic,

-Allison