Coronavirus live updates: US cases top 500 as Oregon joins list of states declaring emergencies

FAN Editor

Men wear face mask as they ride on the subway on March 8, 2020 in New York City.

KENA BETANCUR

This is CNBC’s 24-hour live blog covering all the latest news on the coronavirus outbreak. All times below are in U.S. eastern time. This will be updated throughout the day as the news breaks. 

Here are today’s key headlines:

  • Oregon becomes the latest state to declare an emergency after cases double.
  • Washington state could impose mandatory measures to contain the outbreak as deaths increase. 
  • The State Department warns against travel on cruise ships after 21 people test positive on Grand Princess.
  • The U.S. Army is restricting travel to South Korea and Italy.

Here are the latest figures on the outbreak:

  • Global cases: More than 109,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University
  • Global deaths: At least 3,801, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University
  • U.S. cases: At least 511, according to data compiled NBC News
  • U.S. deaths: At least 21, according to data compiled by NBC News

5:26 pm: US cases now top 500, at least 21 deaths

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. now stands at 511, according to data compiled by NBC News, and there are at least 21 deaths attributable to the virus. 

Washington state is the worst hit, with at least 116 confirmed cases and 18 fatalities. New York has identified 106 cases and California has confirmed 102 people who have tested positive.

Oregon joined a growing number states to declare emergencies to contain the virus after the state’s confirmed cases doubled to 14. New York declared a state of emergency on Saturday.  

California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Utah and Washington have also declared emergencies. Pennsylvania has issued a disaster declaration and the city of Austin, Texas has issued a local disaster declaration. — Kimball

4:36 pm: White House overruled CDC, official says, did not warn older Americans against flying

The White House overruled health officials who wanted to recommend that elderly and physically fragile Americans be advised not to fly on commercial airlines because of the new coronavirus, a federal official told The Associated Press.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention submitted the plan as a way of trying to control the virus, but White House officials ordered the air travel recommendation be removed, said the official who had direct knowledge of the plan. Trump administration officials have since suggested certain people should consider not traveling, but have stopped short of the stronger guidance sought by the CDC.

The person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity did not have authorization to talk about the matter. The person did not have direct knowledge about why the decision to kill the language was made or who made the call. —Associated Press

4:13 pm: New York City could soon have over 100 cases, mayor says

New York City could have 100 or more coronavirus cases in coming weeks, up from 13 now, Mayor Bill de Blasio said. “That pace is going to pick up due to community spread,” de Blasio told a news conference. “At some point, we could easily be hundreds of cases.” —Feuer

3:40 pm: Israel may impose entry restrictions on all countries

Israel is considering broadening its entry restrictions to include travelers from all countries, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. The move would effectively cut off foreign tourism.

At a news conference, he said that the measure, if taken, would require anyone arriving in Israel to go into home quarantine for 14 days and that a decision would be made, in consultation with health experts, on Monday. Israel already requires self-quarantine for travelers arriving from 15 countries.

Netanyahu has discussed coronavirus concerns with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence. Both men agreed to follow up their telephone call with discussions later on Sunday between U.S. and Israeli health officials on technological and scientific cooperation and ways to “confront the challenges” posed by the virus, Netanyahu’s office said in a statement. —Reuters

3:24 pm: Seattle-area officials announce 12 new cases, two deaths

Seattle and King County officials announced 12 new cases and two deaths, bringing the total in the county to more than 83 infections and at least 17 deaths. That brings the total infections in Washington state to at least 114 with 18 confirmed deaths across the state. Of the 17 deaths in King County, 16 are related to the Life Care residential home in Kirkland, Washington, that has become the source of an epidemic. —Feuer

3:21 pm: Oil now a ‘bigger problem for markets than the coronavirus,’ analyst says

Oil prices plunged last week as OPEC and its allies failed to reach an agreement on production cuts, and as prices look set to continue cratering, some are warning about the impact on the broader economy.

“Crude has become a bigger problem for markets than the coronavirus,” Vital Knowledge founder Adam Crisafulli said Sunday. “It will be virtually impossible for the [S&P 500] to sustainably bounce if Brent continues to crater,” he added. —Stevens

3:10 pm: Smoking and vaping are risk factors, NYC mayor says

John Keeble | Getty Images

Smoking or vaping makes people more vulnerable to COVID-19, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. He said there’s evidence that the virus becomes more severe in people who smoke or vape. De Blasio also said people over the age of 50 and with heart disease, lung disease, cancer, immune system vulnerability or diabetes are at a higher risk of becoming infected with the virus and could face a more severe infection. —Feuer

2:55 pm: NYC to provide relief for small businesses

New York City will provide no-interest loans and grants for some small businesses impacted by COVID-19, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said. The city will provide no-interest loans of up to $75,000 to small businesses that qualify, he said, adding that the city will offer $6,000 grants for “mom and pop” businesses with five or fewer employees to retain staff. “We’re going into phase 2 now where the dominant reality is community spread,” he said. —Feuer

2:35 pm: State Department warns against travel by cruise ship

Members of media gather at the Diamond Princess cruise ship, operated by Carnival Corp., docked in Yokohama, Japan, on Friday, Feb. 7, 2020.

Toru Hanai | Bloomberg Getty Images

The U.S. State Department has advised all Americans, especially those with underlying health conditions, to avoid travel by cruise ship. The announcement comes after 21 passengers and crew members aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship, owned by Carnival’s Princess Cruises, tested positive for COVID-19. Passengers will disembark Monday at the port of Oakland, California, officials said in a statement, and all passengers will face a 14-day quarantine on a variety of military bases. California officials added that the nearly 1,000 crew members on the ship will be quarantined on the ship, and not allowed to disembark. —Feuer

2:16 pm: Oregon declares emergency as cases double to 14

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a 60-day state of emergency as COVID-19 cases in the state doubled to 14. “We will do everything in our power to keep Oregonians safe,” Brown said at a news conference. —Reuters

1:12 pm: Cases in France rise to 1,126

French health officials said cases have risen to 1,126 across the country, including 19 deaths. That’s up from 949 confirmed cases on Saturday, according to Johns Hopkins University, and 11 deaths. —Feuer

1:04 pm: Italy’s death toll surges as officials move to lock down Milan

An official from Italy’s Lombardy region, which is the worst-hit part of the country, said 257 people in the area have died, up from 154 a day ago. Nationwide, the country reported 366 deaths, up from 233 on Saturday.

Italian officials imposed a virtual lockdown on the country’s wealthiest and most populous region, which includes the financial capital Milan, as part of tough new measures to try to contain the coronavirus outbreak. The new rules include telling people not to enter or leave Lombardy, which is home to some 10 million people. The virus has infected at least 5,883 people in Italy, according to Johns Hopkins University. —Feuer

Faithful attend the live-broadcasting of Pope Francis’ Sunday Angelus prayer during the Coronavirus emergency at Saint Peter’s Square, on March 8, 2020 in Vatican City, Vatican.

Antonio Masiello

12:25 pm: ‘Life can’t stop,’ surgeon general says, as presidential campaigns move forward

In response to a question about whether presidential candidates should stop traveling amid the outbreak, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams told  CNN’s “State of the Union” that “life can’t stop.” He added that the containment measures China has taken to curb the spread of the virus are “draconian.”

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders also appeared on the show and said his campaign is moving forward despite the outbreak. The campaign is in touch with public health professionals ahead of every rally, he said. “We will not endanger the health of anybody in this country,” he said. “We are watching this thing very, very carefully.”

In response to a question about whether he should slow down his travel, Sanders said, “Well, in the best of all possible worlds, maybe.” —Feuer

11:34 am: New York cases rise to 105

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday announced 16 new cases in New York, bringing the state’s total to 105. Cuomo said most cases are in Westchester County and 12 are in New York City. Cuomo also called for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to authorize “automated testing” for COVID-19 and testing at private laboratories. 

“You have misinformed the public about your testing capacity,” Cuomo said at a news briefing in reference to the CDC. The CDC did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment on the governor’s remarks. —Feuer

11:05 am: Washington state is considering mandatory containment measures

Washington state is considering whether mandatory measures are necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Gov. Jay Inslee said on the CBS program “Face the Nation.” Washington is the hardest-hit state, with more than 100 cases and at least 16 deaths.

“We certainly are contemplating requirements for what we call social distancing,” Inslee said Sunday. “We are contemplating some next steps, particularly to protect our vulnerable populations, and our nursing homes and the like, and we are looking to determine whether mandatory measures are required.” —Feuer

10:49 am: Cases in the UK rise to 273 and 2 more die

The number of COVID-19 cases in the U.K. rose to 273, the Department of Health and Social Care announced, adding that two more people in the country have died of the virus. There were 209 confirmed cases in the country on Saturday. U.K. health officials have tested just over 23,500 people in the country. —Feuer

Woman wearing a face mask to protect against potential coronavirus at the Million Women Rise march on 7th March 2020 in London, United Kingdom.

Mike Kemp

10:30 am: German health minister urges public to cancel large gatherings

All public events with more than 1,000 participants should be called off, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said, adding that up until now organizers had been too reluctant to do this.”Given how fast things are developing, that should change quickly,” he told news agency DPA. —Reuters

9:45 am: New Hampshire reports two news cases of coronavirus 

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services reported two new presumptive positive test results for the coronavirus. 

One patient is a man from Grafton County who was in contact with an infected person at Hope Bible Fellowship, a church in West Lebanon, New Hampshire. The second patient is a man from Rockingham County who traveled to Italy. —Newburger 

9:40 am: Passengers on Grand Princess cruise ship in California will face quarantine

The Department of Health and Human Services said Sunday that passengers on the Grand Princess cruise ship will be transferred to military facilities for medical screenings and a 14-day quarantine. California officials said earlier this week that there are more than 3,500 people aboard the ship, which has been idled at sea, about 50 miles from San Francisco, since Wednesday.

The ship will move to the port in Oakland, California, on Sunday to begin disembarking guests. The nearly 1,000 passengers who are residents of California will be quarantined at Travis Air Force Base and Miramar Naval Air Station, HHS said, and residents of other states will complete the mandatory quarantine at Joint Base San Antonio Lackland in Texas or Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia.

Vice President Mike Pence said Friday that there were at least 21 people infected by COVID-19 on the ship, 19 of whom were crew members. HHS did not say whether crew members will face quarantine or disembark from the ship. —Feuer 

9:30 am: US Army restricts travel to Italy, South Korea over virus

The U.S. Army said it has decided to restrict travel to and from Italy and South Korea due to coronavirus outbreaks, and will also prohibit foreign troops from participating in U.S. exercises, exchanges and visits in the most affected nations.

The decision, described to Reuters by an Army spokeswoman, follows the confirmation on Saturday that two additional U.S. service members have tested positive for the virus: a sailor in Italy and a Marine at Fort Belvoir, Virginia – an important military base in a Washington, D.C., suburb.

One additional U.S. service member, a soldier in South Korea, has also tested positive for the virus. —Reuters 

— Reuters contributed to this report. 

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