An operator of Amiat (Multiservice Environmental Hygiene Company Turin) wears a respiratory mask prior to sanitizing streets in Via po, Turin in Italy.
Nicolò Campo | LightRocket | Getty Images
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- Global cases: At least 153,648, according to the latest figures from the World Health Organization
- Global deaths: At least 5,746, according to the latest figures from the WHO
All times below are in Beijing time.
7:40 am: CDC recommends cancellation of events with 50 or more people
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it is urging organizers to cancel or postpone in-person events with 50 people or more in attendance throughout the United States. “Events of any size should only be continued if they can be carried out with adherence to guidelines for protecting vulnerable populations, hand hygiene, and social distancing,” the CDC said in a statement. “When feasible, organizers could modify events to be virtual.” There are at least 3,244 confirmed cases in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University. — Dawn Kopecki
7:20 am: Death toll in Italy jumps by more than 360
The number of deaths in Italy jumped by more than 360 from a day earlier, with the country’s health ministry saying a total of 1,809 people have died as of 6 p.m. local time on March 15. The total number of reported COVID-19 cases in the country stands at 24,747 and, among them, 2,335 people have recovered. Outside China, Italy remains the worst affected country after seeing a massive spike of infection cases in recent weeks and is in complete lockdown at the moment. — Saheli Roy Choudhury
7:12 am: LVMH to use perfume and cosmetics factories to produce free hand sanitizer for France
French luxury conglomerate LVMH said factories that produce perfume and makeup for brands like Christian Dior and Givenchy will be making hand sanitizer starting Monday. LVMH will deliver the free disinfectant to French authorities and the Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, the largest hospital system in Europe. “Through this initiative, LVMH intends to help address the risk of a lack of product in France and enable a greater number of people to continue to take the right action to protect themselves from the spread of the virus,” the company said in a statement, adding it will honor the commitment “for as long as necessary.” — Emma Newburger
All times below are in Eastern time.
6:50 pm: Trump administration says ‘all options on the table’ including suspension of domestic air travel
The Trump administration is leaving “all options” on the table for further travel restrictions, including an outright suspension of domestic air travel, a senior official said Sunday.
Such a drastic measure hasn’t been instated since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and it would raise questions about U.S. airlines’ chances for survival without government support.
“We continue to look at all options and all options remain on the table,” said Chad Wolf, acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in a press briefing when asked about the possibility. —Leslie Josephs
6:20 pm: California Gov. Newsom shuts down bars, nightclubs, brewpubs to slow the outbreak
California Governor Newsom on Sunday directed all “non-essential” businesses such as “bars, nightclubs, wineries and brewpubs and the like” be closed in the state.
“We believe this is a non-essential function … And we believe this is appropriate under the circumstances.”Newsom stopped short of asking all restaurants in the state to close down as Ohio and Illinois have done.”We have more concerns and considerations … We don’t believe ultimately we need to shut them down,” Newsom said.
Newsom called for restaurants to socially distance patrons within these establishments. “We’re directing we reduce current occupancy by half and require social distancing,” he said.
Newsom also called for the home isolation of all seniors in California as well as those with chronic health conditions. — Riya Bhattacharjee
6:14 pm: Trump says ‘relax,’ urges against hoarding as cases soar and Fed cuts rates to zero
President Donald Trump urged Americans not to hoard food on Sunday during a White House press conference that came just minutes after the Federal Reserve announced new steps to shield the American economy from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
“You don’t have to buy so much,” Trump said. “Take it easy. Relax.”
In brief remarks, Trump cautioned against panic buying and said that food supply chains remained intact. He noted that earlier in the day he had met with executives from consumer and grocery companies including Target, Campbell’s and Costco.
“They have asked me to say, ‘Could you buy a little bit less please.'” Trump said. “I thought I would never hear that from a retailer.” —Tucker Higgins
Read CNBC’s coverage from the U.S. overnight: Fed slashes rates, New York governor wants Trump to mobilize the military
— CNBC’s Leslie Josephs, Riya Bhattacharjee, and Tucker Higgins contributed to this report.
