thetorontostar--2020-03-21--Israeli leader offers to step down next year in unity deal

JERUSALEM - Israel ’ s prime minister Saturday said he is ready to step down next year as part of a proposed power-sharing agreement with his chief rival meant to steer the country through the coronavirus crisis and end a year-long political deadlock .
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his proposal during a nationally televised interview , calling for the formation of a three-year “ emergency ” unity government with the rival Blue and White Party .
Netanyahu told Channel 12 TV that he would remain as prime minister for the first year and a half , and allow Blue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the post for a second year-and-a-half term in September 2021 .
He said each party would have an equal number of seats in the Cabinet .
“ I will give up the prime minister ’ s post in another year and a half , ” Netanyahu said .
Yair Lapid , a senior Blue and White leader , dismissed Netanyahu ’ s unity offer as insincere .
“ Next week , we will go to choose a new parliament speaker and work to battle coronavirus for the good of the people , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growing threat from the coronavirus pandemic .
It has detected nearly 900 cases and on Friday reported its first death .
With the public largely confined to their homes , the economy appears to be in great danger , with tens of thousands of people losing their jobs .
Blue and White has accused Netanyahu of using the coronavirus crisis to undermine the country ’ s democratic institutions and try to derail his scheduled trial on corruption charges .
Senior members of Gantz ’ party have expressed skepticism at previous power-sharing overtures by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow through on his promises to cede power .
Israel this month held its third inconclusive election in under a year .
Netanyahu ’ s Likud emerged as the largest single party , but fell short of securing a required parliamentary majority .
A slim majority of lawmakers has endorsed Gantz as their choice for prime minister , though it is unclear whether he will be able to cobble together a governing coalition either .
Gantz now has just over three weeks to form a new government .
In the meantime , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parliament that would in effect prevent Netanyahu from serving as prime minister in the future .
The legislation would impose term limits on the prime minister and bar a politician indicted on criminal charges , like Netanyahu , from being prime minister .
Last week , parliament Speaker Yuli Edelstein , a member of Likud , suspended the parliament ’ s activities , preventing the newly elected legislature from choosing a new speaker and forming the committees needed to push through Blue and White ’ s legislative agenda .
Netanyahu ’ s hand-picked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of the court system , delaying the prime minister ’ s trial until at least May .
Netanyahu ’ s opponents have accused him and his surrogates of undermining the country ’ s democratic institutions .
Blue and White planned to file a Supreme Court challenge on Sunday requiring parliament to resume its activities .
With the public ordered to stay at home , tens of thousands of people tuned in on social media late Saturday to a “ virtual protest , ” accusing Netanyahu of endangering the country ’ s democratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Shin Bet security agencies were among the speakers .
“ Benjamin Netanyahu , get yourself together and release us from being your hostages , ” said Yuval Diskin , a former Shin Bet director .
“ Do it for the good of the country and the people.
” More than 275,000 people have been infected by the coronavirus worldwide .
The virus has killed more than 11,000 people , while more than 88,000 have recovered .
Most people only experience minor flu-like symptoms from the coronavirus and recover within a few weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and can be spread by those who appear well .
It can cause severe illness , including pneumonia , in some patients , particularly the elderly and those with underlying health problems .


thetorontostar--2020-03-21--Trump vs Fauci:  President’s gut sense collides with science

WASHINGTON - In a clash of gut instinct versus science , President Donald Trump and the government ’ s top infectious disease expert , Dr. Anthony Fauci , are politely but publicly sparing over whether a malaria drug would work to treat people with coronavirus disease .
Trump is clinging to his feeling that a malaria drug widely available could be the answer-in-waiting to an outbreak spreading around the nation , shutting down major parts of the economy , and posing the biggest challenge he has faced as president .
Calmly and quietly , Fauci insists that the science is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s hope .
Neither man directly challenged the other .
The extraordinary scene played out on national television both Friday and Saturday during White House briefings on the outbreak .
Anxious for answers , Americans heard conflicting views .
Reporters asked both men — first Fauci , then Trump — if a malaria drug called hydroxychloroquine could be used to prevent COVID-19 , the disease caused by the virus .
A day earlier , when Fauci wasn ’ t with him at that briefing , Trump had called attention to the drug .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s question and got right to the point .
“ No , ” he said .
“ The answer ... is no .
“ The information that you ’ re referring to specifically is anecdotal , ” Fauci added firmly .
“ It was not done in a controlled clinical trial , so you really can ’ t make any definitive statement about it.
” Hydroxychloroquine and a similar drug — chloroquine — are sold around the world under a variety of brand and generic names .
They can be prescribed off-label @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They may interfere with the coronavirus being able to enter cells , and some scientists have reported possible encouraging signs in test-tube and other small studies .
Fauci on Friday went on to explain that the Food and Drug Administration is looking for a way to make the drug available for emergency use , but in a manner that gives the government data about whether it ’ s safe and effective .
Fauci is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at NIH and in more than 30 years has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ebola and now the new coronavirus .
Currently , there is no medicine specifically approved for treating COVID-19 .
But Trump stuck to what his gut was telling him .
As the two men took turns at the podium , Trump said he disagreed with the notion that there is no magic drug for the coronavirus disease .
“ Maybe and maybe not , ” he said .
“ Maybe there is , maybe there isn ’ t .
We have to see.
” He struck an upbeat note , while trying not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think without seeing too much , I ’ m probably more of a fan of that , ” he said , referring to the malaria drug .
“ And we all understand what the doctor said is 100 % correct.
” Then the president added , “ It ’ s a strong drug .
So , we ’ ll see.
” That same mixed-message dynamic was on display during Saturday ’ s White House briefing — this time with both men publicly acknowledging their clashing stances .
Prior to the briefing Trump tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin , a common antibiotic , might be an effective treatment for COVID-19 .
During the briefing , Trump doubled down on his support for the malaria drug , saying it would be distributed for use while Fauci remained respectfully skeptical .
“ I feel , as the expression goes , what do we have to lose , “ Trump said .
“ Tony would like , he would like samples done in a certain way .
I understand that , too .
Many doctors agree with that .
We don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a lot of very sick people right now.
” Fauci called the hydroxychloroquine evidence “ anecdotal ” and made it clear that wasn ’ t how the science works .
“ If you really want to definitively know if something works , you ’ ve got to do the kind of trial where you get the good information , ” he said .
Fauci compared the current speculation to the early days of medical trial-and-error during the AIDS crisis when multiple anecdotal treatments were floated , “ until we finally developed drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that were effective.
” For most people , the virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
Fauci has a track record of being the fact-based counterpoint to the Trump administration ’ s upbeat assessments of the coronavirus outbreak .
For much longer than that , he ’ s specialized in the same calm and persistent repetition of the information he thinks his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — needs to know .
Weeks ago , after Fauci said that even with all deliberate speed a vaccine could take a year to 18 months , Trump told a political rally one could be ready “ relatively soon.
“ As administration officials repeatedly assured the public that coronavirus tests were rapidly becoming available , Fauci at a congressional hearing said the lack of widespread testing was “ a failing ” of the system .
Although Fauci has publicly supported Trump ’ s travel restrictions to try to keep the virus out , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Trump suggested the crisis was under good control .
On Saturday , with his public dissonance with the president now becoming a regular feature of the White House briefings , Fauci worked to find some sort of middle ground .
“ The president is talking about hope for people and it ’ s not an unreasonable thing , ” Fauci said .
“ I ’ ve got to do my job as a scientist and others have other things to do.
” Associated Press writers Nancy Benac , Lauran Neergaard , Ashraf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar - The Associated Press

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thetorontostar--2020-03-21--What do U.S. elections look like during a pandemic?

Across the United States , citizens were ordered to hunker in their homes to avoid catching a deadly virus even as some people thought it was nothing worse than a seasonal cold .
In the midst of fear and sickness , U.S. politicians had to decide how to hold scheduled elections , and the global pandemic was subject to political spin .
The year was 1918 when a deadly flu outbreak gripped the nation , infecting about a third of the world ’ s population and killing 675,000 people in the United States alone .
That crisis , which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place in a completely different time technologically and politically .
But the reaction then , where local governments took charge and made decisions on how to proceed with voting , offer some guidance for the situation today as the coronavirus pandemic arrives in a federal election year .
In the 1918 election — midterm contests , where president Woodrow Wilson ’ s Democratic Party was fighting to keep control of Congress — keeping polling places open was a patchwork of decisions by local officials .
“ Everything became this kind of wheeler-dealer hustle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert in pandemics and director of grants at Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs whose studies involved reviewing 1918 elections .
Throughout the nation ’ s history , wars , natural disasters and even terrorist attacks have disrupted campaigns .
This crisis seems different .
The enemy is invisible and comes as the country is politically divided , with splits that are starting to seep into government ’ s — and individuals ’ — responses .
The U.S. Congress has come together to support some bipartisan relief measures , and Senate Republicans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans , an idea championed most recently by former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang .
But President Donald Trump ’ s labelling of the virus as the “ Wuhan virus ” or the “ Chinese virus ” has prompted accusations from Democrats that he is trying to pin the blame for the outbreak on a rival power he has tangled with on trade and other issues , in addition to cries that the label is racist .
Scholars and pollsters are talking about whether Democrats are washing their hands more than Republicans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra hygiene is necessary or overkill .
And right now in the United States , actions as simple and potentially poignant as whether to stay home sometimes are being viewed as a partisan response .
“ We ’ re in a little bit of an unprecedented place , ” said Nancy Martorano Miller , associate professor of political science at the University of Dayton in Ohio , where the Democratic primary was postponed at the last minute this week .
“ The situation is also moving very fast.
” On Monday , Ohio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials ignored a court ruling issued just hours earlier and postponed the state ’ s primary by declaring a public health emergency .
Ohio ’ s health director , Dr. Amy Acton , had issued the order based on concerns that the coronavirus outbreak put both voters and poll workers in potential danger .
At least five states have delayed primaries , and Wisconsin , Pennsylvania and others are in heated discussions about whether to do so .
Many state ’ s primaries are scheduled for later this spring , around the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peak in the United States .
There ’ s also the matter of political conventions , the events that bring together thousands of party members for days of unity , rallying and carousing to be capped off with iconic images of balloons dropping on giddy delegates .
Party officials are scrambling to come up with backup plans in case the nominating conventions can ’ t go on as normal .
In recent days , dozens of political scientists from universities across the U.S. signed a letter imploring government officials to use the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November goes smoothly by doing things like expanding early voting and offering a universal vote-by-mail option .
“ We must make sure that the election takes place this coming November , and that it is a free , fair , and democratic election in which all citizens have the chance to participate , ” read the group ’ s statement .
Americans have faced major challenges during elections in the past .
Voting has taken place during wartime and in the aftermath of hurricanes .
This year a tornado struck parts of Tennessee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Polls were allowed to stay open longer than normal .
Sept. 11 , 2001 , the day of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks , was also Primary Day in New York .
Voting was postponed two weeks .
In 1918 , midterm elections were playing out during a flu pandemic — and during the First World War , adding extra heft to decisions that voters would make at the polls .
Some incumbents were criticized for leaving Washington to campaign when important decisions were being made , so they communicated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issuing news releases .
Watkins said she is struck by similarities between the 1918 outbreak and the current one .
The shutdowns of businesses and gatherings .
And the way some government officials have warned people not to underestimate the power of the virus .
In 1918 , they produced ads that featured Uncle Sam , saying , “ Coughs and sneezes spread diseases , as dangerous as poison gas shells.
” In her research , Watkins pored over old newspaper stories to study how various communities dealt with the pandemic during 1918 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the University of Nebraska Medical Center , which received some of the first coronavirus cases from a cruise ship and also treated Ebola patients after a West African outbreak .
In Wayne , Neb.
, a small community with an opera house and a teachers college back then , local newspapers were filled with obituaries .
A sick ward was set up at the school to handle 63 flu patients and students and kitchen staff pitched in to help .
Unfounded cures involving repeated deep breathing circulated .
Doctors and nurses reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doors and the state prohibited public gatherings .
Watkins has written and starred in one-woman plays about Typhoid Mary and the stigmatization of people placed in quarantine , performing them for public health workers to help them understand “ how we judge and how we point fingers , ” she said .
In early November 1918 , the statewide ban on public gatherings was lifted and politicians were allowed to campaign for five days before polls were opened .
Men — women did not yet have the right to vote in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Senate seat , which the incumbent Republican senator was able to hold on to .
“ The disease appeared to be reaching a significant amount of the population , greater than ever before ; and the timing coincides with the lifting of the quarantine , ” Watkins wrote in her dissertation , noting that “ the political machine disregarded the health and safety of its citizens.
” That year , turnout across the nation was very low for the mid-terms , said Julian E. Zelizer , a presidential historian at Princeton University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voters getting fatally ill — is the worst outcome for any election .
To avoid such an outcome this year , many political scientists and researchers are calling for more early and absentee voting as well as the loosening of restrictions on showing identification in person .
“ Our main concern needs to be doing everything possible to increase voting participation and eliminating barriers , especially given the heath situation , ” said Zelizer .
But when he thinks about 1918 , the fact that elections were held at all , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ There have been moments like this but overall it ’ s not as if the system is suspended , ” he said .
“ We have a pretty strong commitment to moving through .
”


thetorontostar--2020-03-21--Election limbo as coronavirus outbreak upends US primaries

ATLANTA - U.S. elections have been upended by the coronavirus pandemic .
At least 13 states have postponed voting and more delays are possible as health officials warn that social distancing and other measures to contain the virus might be in place for weeks , if not months .
The states that have yet to hold their primaries find themselves in a seemingly impossible situation as they look to balance public health concerns with the need to hold elections .
While election officials routinely prepare for natural disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires , the virus outbreak poses a unique @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dealing with a crisis in elections , it ’ s something that happens and then it ’ s done , ” said Chris Harvey , Georgia ’ s director of elections .
“ The difference now is that it ’ s a spreading threat , a fast-growing threat .
We don ’ t know where , when or how it is going to end.
” Primaries scheduled for Georgia , Ohio , Maryland , Indiana , Louisiana , Connecticut and Kentucky have all been postponed to May or June .
The Rhode Island @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be delayed to June , while officials in Wisconsin are debating what to do .
Wisconsin Gov .
Tony Evers has insisted the April 7 primary be held as scheduled , but a state elections commissioner said this past week that doing so would put people at risk .
The state ’ s chief elections official cited a host of problems Wisconsin could face if it moved forward with the election : a poll worker shortage , lack of polling places and potential disruption of absentee voting if mail service in the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes at the worst possible time for election officials , in the middle of a major election year .
The virus outbreak erupted halfway through the presidential primary season .
Voters in 23 states have yet to cast their ballots .
While Arizona , Florida and Illinois held their elections as scheduled last Tuesday , Ohio halted voting over public health concerns after federal officials encouraged people over age 65 to stay home .
“ We can not tell people to stay inside , but also tell them to go out and vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ R-Ohio , said on Twitter , in announcing plans to delay .
The states that have opted to press ahead have found themselves dealing with what one Chicago elections official called a “ tsunami ” of cancellations by poll workers , who tend to be older , and a last-minute scramble to relocate polling places away from nursing homes and senior living communities .
Severe illness and death associated with coronavirus has been most common in people 65 and older , especially those who have heart disease or other chronic conditions .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of congressional and local primaries are in limbo .
Primaries play an important role in deciding which party candidates will appear on the ballot for the November general election .
Runoff elections in Alabama , Texas and Mississippi were also delayed , as were local elections in Oklahoma , Missouri and New Jersey .
There ’ s no indication May or June will be any better to hold elections , but officials say postponing voting even for a few weeks gives them an opportunity to put in place plans to keep the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polling places , recruiting backup poll workers and acquiring enough cleaning supplies for voting sites .
“ At some point , we have to execute an election , ” Harvey said , adding Georgia planned a major push to expand absentee voting for the May primary .
There have been calls , including from Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez , for elections to be held mostly by mail .
But making this switch will be difficult for some and impossible for others .
In several states , it would take legislation or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Even then , election experts say there would be costs and logistical hurdles .
For instance , states would have to decide whether taxpayers or individual voters would be responsible for return postage .
It would require new machines and software in many places to track ballots in the mail and process and count them when they ’ re returned .
All of that could cost billions of dollars , at a time when state revenues are likely to drop amid increased unemployment and decreased tax collections .
Further , advocates say not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand and that sending ballots could miss some voters , such as Native Americans who live on reservations where mail isn ’ t delivered to every home .
Meanwhile , steps taken — or not taken — to change aspects of the voting process are being met with lawsuits from political parties and voting rights advocates .
In Ohio , voting rights groups are suing the state for refusing to reopen the voter registration window for the state primary , now scheduled for June 2 .
Under Ohio law , voters can register @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Advocates say the other states with postponed primaries are allowing voter registration ahead of rescheduled elections .
In Wisconsin , the Democratic Party has sued to force the state to make it easier to register to vote and request an absentee ballot .
They also have asked for mailed ballots to count if they are postmarked by Election Day and received within 10 days after voting .
Any increase in absentee voting will surely add to the workload for election offices already stretched thin and navigating recommendations that people work from home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Georgia , has sent home most of its temporary and seasonal employees brought on to help prep for elections .
That means more work for the full-time employees who remain , as they are already seeing an increase in applications for absentee ballots .
“ As we prepare for May , there is still so much to do , ” said Janine Eveler , elections director for the metro Atlanta county .
“ Many of us are here when we would like to be home with our families because it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scramble over the primaries are worries about the general election in November , a date that is set by federal law .
Federal legislation has been proposed that would have all voters receive a mail-in ballot for the November election and provide federal funds to help states cover the costs .
The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU ’ s School of Law is calling for task forces in every state to implement plans for executing an election amid a pandemic and urging Congress to provide money to help states .
They estimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , could cost up to $ 2 billion .
“ Things will need to change , ” said Wendy Weiser , head of the centre ’ s democracy program .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus .
According to the World Health Organization , people with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while those with more severe illness may take three weeks to six weeks to recover .
Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill , New Jersey , contributed to this report .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

Christina A. Cassidy - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-21--Texans agree to contracts with 11 players in free agency

HOUSTON - The Houston Texans have agreed to contracts with four free agents and re-signed seven other players .
Houston agreed to a deal with receiver Randall Cobb , who spent last season with the Cowboys , in the wake of this week ’ s trade of DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona for running back David Johnson .
Cobb has had a strong career , first with eight seasons in Green Bay before playing for Dallas last season .
He had a career-high 1,287 yards receiving in 2014 for his only 1,000-yard receiving season .
The Texans also completed deals with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tackle Brent Qvale .
Murray spent his first three NFL seasons with Kansas City before playing for the Browns last season .
He appeared in nine games with four , starts and had 24 tackles and a sack in 2019 .
Watkins played four seasons with the Eagles before joining the Los Angeles Chargers last season .
He played in 14 games with three starts and had 29 tackles last year .
Qvale spent his entire six-year career with the Jets , appearing in 63 games with 15 starts .
The team re-signed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Vernon Hargreaves and Bradley Roby , and tackle Roderick Johnson .
The Texans also re-signed long snapper Jon Weeks and backup quarterback AJ McCarron .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-21--Alaska villages to ban, restrict air travel amid coronavirus

ANCHORAGE , Alaska - Multiple Alaska villages have proposed banning or restricting passenger air travel in response to the coronavirus pandemic .
Local air carrier Wright Air Service confirmed the company received letters from at least eight rural communities announcing travel restrictions , Anchorage Daily News reported Friday .
The villages of Venetie , Arctic Village , Chalkyitsik and Nulato intend to suspend all passenger flights except for medical emergencies , while Fort Yukon and Huslia aim to restrict non-resident travel , airline employee Brett Carlson said .
Grayling , with a population of 190 residents , has also proposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30 days , including from other Alaska villages , he said .
Villages across the state are also considering similar restrictions , including having travellers arriving by plane to self-isolate , as tribal and city officials work to enforce measures protecting isolated Alaska Native communities from exposure .
For most people , the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms .
But for the elderly and people with existing conditions , it can cause more severe illness .
The vast majority of those who are infected recover .
“ It ’ s scary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city administrator in the Yukon River village of Koyukuk , with a population of 95 .
Koyukuk tribal members decided earlier this week to stop passenger travel to and from the village by planes and snow machines , she said , adding that mail and cargo flights are expected to continue .
Currently , state officials plan to fly a patient with a new case of COVID-19 to a hub city for treatment , rather than send medics and equipment to the village .
Some residents have argued that remote villages have difficulty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to receive care in a timely manner .
Regional airline Ravn was not immediately available for questions Friday on the number of communities that have indicated plans to restrict travel .


thetorontostar--2020-03-21--Nursing home outbreaks lay bare chronic industry problems

NEW YORK - Burgeoning coronavirus outbreaks at nursing homes in Washington , Illinois , New Jersey and elsewhere are laying bare the industry ’ s long-running problems , including a struggle to control infections and a staffing crisis that relies on poorly paid aides who can ’ t afford to stay home sick .
That came into clear focus at the deadliest single spot in the nation ’ s coronavirus crisis , the Life Care Center in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland , where federal investigators believe a contributing factor in 35 deaths so far was low-pay workers who came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even spread it to other nearby facilities where they took shifts .
Beyond that outbreak , at least 15 more have died and dozens have been infected at long-term care facilities across the nation , with major outbreaks of 46 infected in the Chicago suburb of Willowbrook , four deaths in at least two facilities in New Jersey , 13 infected in Little Rock , Arkansas , and 11 infected in Troy , Ohio , with 30 more showing symptoms .
“ Nursing homes would always have been ground zero , but given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this will be magnified , ” said David Grabowski , a Harvard Medical School professor who has studied staffing problems at homes .
“ It could be worse for today ’ s nursing homes than ever.
” Most troubling , he said , is that 75 per cent of the nation ’ s nursing homes don ’ t meet federal suggested minimum levels for staffing and many workers are inexperienced .
Four out of five nursing home employees are hourly workers , and given the low wages often leave for retail and restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proper care procedures .
And staffing problems at the nation ’ s 15,000 long-term care facilities could only be exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis , experts said , because lockdowns and school closures have left many such workers with no choice but to stay home and take care of their children .
“ We have the most vulnerable people in a situation where ... nursing homes don ’ t do what they have to do because they are understaffed , not sufficiently trained and there is high turnover , ” said Steven Levin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nursing homes over their practices .
“ I am extremely frightened.
” Sherry Perry , a certified nursing assistant at a nursing home in Lebanon , Tennessee , has been working through the coronavirus crisis and believes her employer has been taking extra precautions to prevent infections , such as cleaning hand rails multiple times a day .
But she knows the effect worker shortages have on her life — she ’ s often responsible for the care , washing and feeding of 13 patients on a given shift .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get to spend as much as time as we ’ d like with the patients , “ said Perry , who after 34 years on the job makes $ 17 an hour .
Those just starting out make $ 10 or $ 11 .
“ The work is hard , they ’ re underpaid and they ’ re underappreciated.
” At the same time , nursing homes have been struggling to control infections .
Nearly 10,000 homes in the U.S. — almost two thirds of the total — fell short on at least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four years , according to an analysis of inspection reports by Kaiser Health News .
Some “ deficiencies ” cited seem relatively minor , such as incomplete record keeping .
Others are more serious , such as staff not washing hands before helping residents put on a diaper or leaving open sores on a foot exposed to a dirty floor .
Lapses are common even at homes with high government ratings for overall quality .
Four of 10 of the highest ranked homes have been cited for infection problems .
Among the lowest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ star — 8 in 10 have been cited .
The Chateau Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Willowbrook , Illinois , which had a two-star overall federal rating at the time of this week ’ s outbreak , was found in a 2018 inspection to have big gaps in basic care .
In the space of a few hours , three staffers cleaning the buttocks of residents not only failed to wash their hands afterwards , they didn ’ t even remove their dirty gloves before walking into the hall , changing bed linens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clothes .
Nearby a resident was lying in bed sheets that were stained from a spill from a rectal tube — a recurring problem , two relatives told investigators , because staffers don ’ t check in enough .
One reason for all the sloppiness , according to Toby Edelman , a senior policy attorney at the Center for Medicare Advocacy : The vast majority of care deficiencies don ’ t come with a fine .
“ One thing this coronavirus has shown is that the enforcement system is way too tolerant of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
Just months before the outbreak , the Trump administration proposed easing up more in a key area : stopping infections .
The administration said it planned to change the rule requiring homes to have an infection control specialist on staff “ at least part-time ” to having one working a “ sufficient ” amount of time , drawing protests from industry critics and watchdogs that the change left too much wiggle room .
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services , which oversees long-term care facilities , said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the specialist does not have to be limited to a part-time position , but that it is reviewing public feedback to determine its next steps .
Despite its five-star rating , state inspectors at Life Care in Kirkland last April found infection-control deficiencies following two flu outbreaks that affected 17 residents and staff .
A follow-up inspection found that it had corrected the problems .
Several family members and friends who visited residents at Life Care in the days before the outbreak told The Associated Press that they didn ’ t notice any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were asked about their health or if they had visited China or any other countries struck by the virus .
They said visitors came in as they always did , sometimes without signing in .
Staffers had only recently begun wearing face masks .
And organized events went on as planned , including a Mardi Gras party Feb. 26 attended by dozens of residents , visitors and staffers .
Although federal and state health authorities haven ’ t tied the Kirkland outbreak and infections at 23 other area nursing homes to any one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area were vulnerable because staff members worked with symptoms , worked in more than one facility , and sometimes didn ’ t know about or follow recommendations about protecting their eyes or being careful while in close contact with ill patients .
“ They need the money .
They don ’ t have sick leave .
They don ’ t recognize their symptoms .
They deny their symptoms , ” Dr. Jeff Duchin , public health officer for Seattle and King County , told reporters this week .
Dr. David Gifford , chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Association , an industry group , said that such problems can ’ t suddenly be fixed , and that the outbreaks at nursing homes reflect the nature of the virus , which can be spread by asymptomatic patients , rather than underlying staffing issues .
” Any sort of crisis unmasks systematic problems that have been around for awhile.
” AP reporters Carla K. Johnson and Gene Johnson in Seattle , Meghan Hoyer in Washington , Mike Catalini in Trenton , New Jersey , Matt Sedensky in New York and Kathleen Foody in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .

Bernard Condon And Candice Choi - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-22--Indian migrant workers crowd trains, defying virus curfew

NEW DELHI - Indian migrant workers attempting to reach their home villages crowded a railway station in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday , defying a 14-hour “ people ’ s curfew ” that Prime Minister Narendra Modi called to stem a surge in coronavirus cases in the world ’ s second-most populous country .
Modi asked India ’ s 1.3 billion people to stay at home on Sunday , but also to collectively cheer front-line health care workers at 5 p.m .
Shortly before 5 , the cacophony in New Delhi , the capital , began as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rang bells , banged pots and pans , played music recordings and exploded fireworks , sending crows and parakeets streaming from treetops , and stray dogs and cows into the deserted streets .
At least 341 people have been infected in India by the new coronavirus , including the first case in the largely impoverished eastern state of Bihar , according to health officials .
Five people have died in the country from COVID-19 , the illness caused by the virus .
Earlier Sunday , thousands of people from Mumbai and elsewhere in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has confirmed the highest number of cases in India , jostled at a railway station in the city of Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh , India ’ s most populous state .
Police struggled from a distance to control the crowds , who were waiting to be taken to their villages by buses and taxis that appeared unlikely to come .
“ We are playing with our health by crowding railway stations and bus stands , ” Modi said in a tweet .
Indian Railways later suspended all passenger train services until March 31 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was unclear what this would mean for people stranded at railway stations .
In recent days , migrant workers hauling backpacks have swarmed overcrowded trains across many Indian cities , an exodus among panic-stricken day labourers that has sparked fears the virus could spread to the countryside .
The typical bustle of New Delhi , meanwhile , was otherwise silent on Sunday , with nearly empty buses and taxis plying the city ’ s lightly trafficked roads , gates to public gardens , temples and churches locked , and building guards with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on plastic chairs watching empty streets .
A road in New Delhi near a Sufi shrine where hundreds of pilgrims often camp was empty except for an occasional passing car .
Most businesses were to be closed Sunday except for essential services like hospitals .
While some Indian states — including Maharashtra — had already issued stay-in-place orders and closed borders , Sunday marked the first nationwide effort at social isolation practices that the World Health Organization believes are critical to flattening the infection curve worldwide .
No commercial airplanes from abroad are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week starting Sunday .
Officials said 23 people have recovered from COVID-19 , and have not documented any community spread in India .
While the coronavirus can be deadly , particularly for the elderly and people with other health problems , for most people it causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
Some feel no symptoms at all and the vast majority of people recover .
India ’ s government has made fervent appeals to the public to practice social distancing and good hand hygiene .
India @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to essentially shut its borders and deny entry to all but a select few foreigners .
However , experts have said indigenous spread of the disease in India , where tens of millions live in dense urban areas with irregular access to clean water , is inevitable .
Associated Press journalist Rajesh Kumar in Prayagraj , India , contributed to this report .

Emily Schmall And Sheikh Saaliq - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-22--Strong quake shakes Croatia, damaging buildings in capital

ZAGREB , Croatia - A strong earthquake shook Croatia and its capital on Sunday , causing panic , the evacuation of hospitals and widespread damage — including to the city ’ s iconic cathedral — all amid a partial coronavirus lockdown .
A 15-year-old was reported in critical condition and several others were injured , news outlets reported .
The European seismological agency , EMSC , said the earthquake measured 5.3 and struck a wide area north of the capital , Zagreb , at 6:23 a.m. ( 0523 GMT ) Sunday .
The epicenter was 7 kilometres ( 4 miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 10 kilometres ( 6 miles ) .
Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said earthquake was the biggest in Zagreb in the last 140 years .
Many buildings in the capital cracked and walls and rooftops were damaged .
Downtown streets were littered with debris .
Concrete slabs fell on cars and chimneys landed in front of entrances .
Footage from the scene showed mothers dressed in nightgowns hugging their newborn babies in a parking lot as they evacuated a damaged maternity hospital amid freezing temperatures .
The women , newborn babies and incubators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the help of the army .
Zagreb ’ s iconic cathedral was also damaged , with the top of one of its two spires collapsing .
The cathedral was rebuilt after it toppled in the 1880 earthquake .
Power was cut as people ran out of their homes .
Several fires were also reported .
At least two other tremors were recorded later .
Residents shared photos of belongings falling off shelves , broken bottles and glass inside homes .
Officials first said a 15-year-old was killed , but doctors later said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they are fighting for her life .
They gave no immediate details on the extent of other injuries .
The earthquake struck amid a partial lockdown of the capital because of the spread of the coronavirus .
People were told to avoid public areas , such as parks and public squares , but had little choice as they fled their residences .
Up to five people are allowed to be together while keeping distance .
The prime minister urged the citizens to remain calm and stay outside their homes in the central @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most damage .
“ We have two parallel crisis that contradict each other , ” Plenkovic said after an emergency meeting of Croatia ’ s top officials .
Croatian soldiers wearing masks and carrying shovels could be seen helping efforts to clear the damage on the streets of Zagreb .
Top officials toured the damaged areas as some citizens criticized city authorities over the poor states of buildings in the old part of the city , some of which date back to the 19th century .
“ We will try to clear the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the prime minister said .
“ Stay outside your homes and keep distance.
” Interior Minister Davor Bozinovic said the situation was complicated by the restrictive virus-related measures in place .
“ There are rules for when there is an earthquake , but when there is an earthquake at the same time when there is a global pandemic , then it ’ s a much more complex situation.
” Bozinovic told the state HINA news agency .
Associated Press writers Dusan Stojanovic and Jovana Gec contributed to this report .


thetorontostar--2020-03-22--The Latest: Spain records 3,600 coronavirus cases overnight

MADRID - The Latest on the coronavirus pandemic , which has infected more than 307,200 people and killed more than 13,000 .
The COVID-19 illness causes mild or moderate symptoms in most people , but severe symptoms are more likely in the elderly or those with existing health problems .
More than 92,000 people have recovered so far , mostly in China .
MADRID — Health authorities in Spain say confirmed coronavirus infections have risen by over 3,600 in one day .
The jump in cases from Saturday to Sunday is down from nearly 5,000 the day before .
Spain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind Italy and has 28,572 infections and 1,720 deaths .
Spain is completing its first week of lockdown measures to keep people at home .
Non-essential stores have been closed .
Pakistan : Pakistan ’ s Prime Minister Imran Khan won ’ t implement a total lock down because it will affect 25 per cent of population living below the poverty line .
He asked citizens to self-quarantine if they suffer from any coronavirus symptoms .
He said Pakistan will overcome the virus if people co-operate and avoid socializing .
Khan said Pakistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to subsidize meals for the poor on lock down .
Minutes after Kahn ’ s address to the nation , the Chief Minister of Pakistan southern Sindh province announced a complete lock down of his province for next two weeks .
Sindh is the most affected province where nearly 300 people have tested positive for COVID-19 .
DUBAI — The long-haul carrier Emirates has halted flights to over 100 destinations , cutting some 70 % of its routes over the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
The Dubai-based , government-owned airline is a crucial link @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flying into Beijing despite the virus outbreak .
Some routes will be halted through the end of June .
Before the crisis , Emirates flew to 145 destinations .
TUNIS — Tunisia said all citizens must stay at home in isolation for two weeks to stem the spread of coronavirus .
COVID-19 is still relatively localized in the North African country and has killed one person .
Prime Minister Elyes Fakhfakh said Sunday all non-essential members of the workforce should stay at home through April 4 and it will require “ a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fakhfakh said the state will provide funding for vulnerable businesses , subsidies for laid off workers , and moratoriums on to bank loans .
He also announced a two-month suspension of payment for electricity , water and telephone bills .
PRISTINA , Kosovo - Kosovo authorities have reported the first COVID-19 death in the country .
The Infectious Clinic said the fatality was an 82-year old man from the village of Dumnica , Podujeva , 30 kilometres ( 20 miles ) north of the capital , Pristina .
The patient went to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pulmonary and pneumonia indications , ” and also suffering from other cardiac and lung chronic diseases .
He had contacted the virus from his son and daughter .
Kosovo has 28 cases as of Sunday .
It is in a total lockdown with all its air and land border crossing points shut .
Authorities have closed schools , cafes and restaurants and all shops except those offering food and medical supplies .
BERLIN — German Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to hold a video conference with the governors of Germany ’ s 16 states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needed to prevent people spreading the coronavirus .
Germany ’ s states have imposed varying levels of lockdown , causing a heated debate about which measures are appropriate to contain the virus .
Some officials have called for the rules to be the same nationwide .
While Bavaria has ordered people to stay indoors with few exceptions , Berlin still allows gatherings of up to 10 people .
THE HAGUE , Netherlands — The Dutch government sent an alert to mobile phones throughout the country Sunday urging people to keep 1.5 metres ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people flocked to beaches and parks a day earlier .
The Netherlands is a densely populated nation of 17 million but not in a total lockdown to battle the coronavirus .
The government has banned gatherings of more than 100 people and told citizens not to get too close to one another .
“ Follow government instructions : Stay 1.5 metres apart !
Are you sick or have a cold ?
Stay at home .
Protect yourself and people around you .
Together against Corona , ” the NL Alert said in Dutch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your distance to others.
” Local authorities and police also warned people to keep their distance or urged them not to visit popular beaches along the Netherlands ’ North Sea coast , while a natural park organization tweeted that parks were “ swamped with thousands of visitors ” and urged people to go home or stay at home .
The country ’ s public health institute said Saturday that 136 people have died in the Netherlands in the coronavirus outbreak .
More than 3,600 people have tested positive for the virus .
LONDON @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Britain , and the government has a stark message for millions of citizens : A visit to your mother could be life-threatening .
In a message to the nation , Prime Minister Boris Johnson implored Britons to forego family visits and Sunday lunches .
He said “ we can not disguise or sugar coat the threat ” that “ if your mother is elderly or vulnerable , then I am afraid all the statistics show that she is much more likely to die from coronavirus.
” On Friday , Johnson said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Mother ’ s Day .
His office later said that he would speak to her on Skype .
The U.K. government is scrambling to toughen its response to the coronavirus outbreak amid criticism it did not act quickly enough to close schools , pubs and restaurants .
Britain has 5,018 confirmed cases of the virus , including 233 deaths .
The government says Britain will be facing a crisis on the scale of Italy ’ s in two weeks if people do not heed instructions to stay home and avoid contact with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s western region of Tyrol have called on anyone who visited a bar in the Ziller valley earlier this month to watch for symptoms of the new coronavirus .
So-called apres-ski bars have emerged as a hub of infection , with tourists often carrying the virus back to their home countries and causing an outbreak there .
Officials said Sunday that Tyrol has recorded 839 confirmed cases of the coronavirus , at least 32 of which were in the Ziller valley .
Authorities said tracing possible contacts people had in bars is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visited bars there from March 8-15 to call a medical hotline if they feel symptoms .
MOSCOW — Nine hulking Il-76 cargo planes are being loaded at the Chkalovsky military airport in Moscow as Russia prepares to send medical personnel and supplies to Italy to help the country ’ s efforts against the coronavirus .
The mission is to begin Sunday , one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin offered the aid in a telephone conversation with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte , whose country has confirmed more than 53,000 coronavirus cases and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ include eight mobile medical teams along with medical equipment and aerosol disinfection trucks .
Uzbekistan is closing its borders for its citizens and will require residents to wear masks if they leave their residences .
An announcement from the country ’ s commission to prevent the spread of the coronavirus said the borders will closed Monday to everyone except foreign citizens leaving the country and international cargo-haulers .
Beginning Wednesday , anyone not wearing a mask in a public place will be fined , the commission said .
Uzbekistan has recorded 42 cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land borders with Kazakhstan , Turkmenistan , Kyrgyzstan , Afghanistan and Tajikistan .
COLOMBO , Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government imposed an indefinite ban on all passenger flights and ships .
A government statement said all passenger flights and ships will not be allowed to enter the Indian Ocean island until the situation returns to normalcy .
The government has stepped up measures as the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus have risen to 77 .
ISLAMABAD — A doctor who was engaged in screening for the coronavirus in returnees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deadly virus in northern Pakistan .
Faiz Ullah Firaq , spokesman of Gilgit Baltistan government , said Sunday “ a young doctor Usama Riaz who was on duty of screening pilgrims arriving from Iran and other pilgrims coming into Gilgit Baltistan ( GB ) is in critical condition after being infected by the coronavirus.
” “ Dr Usama Riaz , who hails from Chilas area of Diamer district in GB , was admitted in Gilgit District Headquarter Hospital on Friday night after falling unconscious and is presently on a ventilator.
” Also , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrived at Islamabad airport the previous day with suspected symptoms of the coronavirus .
Authorities have isolated him at the airport but embassy officials promised that he will be quarantined at the facility in the U.S. embassy .
There was no confirmation from the embassy in Islamabad .
TOKYO — Japan has issued a travel warning for its nationals , urging not to make unessential trips to the United States because of the rapidly expanding coronavirus outbreak in that country , the foreign ministry said in a statement .
Japan has taken similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trips to China , South Korea as well as Iceland , San Marino and parts of Italy , Switzerland and Spain .
As of Saturday , the U.S. had 15,219 confirmed cases and 201 deaths , the ministry said , citing the U.S. Center for Disease Control .
The foreign ministry also said the decision came after the U.S. raised travel caution to Japan and four countries to level three , urging Americans not to make nonessential trips to Japan and requiring a 14-day self-imposed quarantine for Japanese nationals entering the U.S. HONOLULU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mandatory 14-day quarantine starting Thursday of all people travelling to the state as part of efforts to fight the spread of the coronavirus , Hawaii News Now reported .
The order applies to returning residents as well as visitors .
“ We need to come together as a community to fight this virus , ” Gov .
David Ige said at a news conference in the state capitol .
“ This mandate is the first of its kind in the nation .
We want this action to send the message to visitors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love for Hawaii but we are asking them to postpone their visit.
” The state announced 11 new cases of people with the coronavirus , bringing Hawaii ’ s total to 48 , according to Hawaii News Now .
Three of them are hospitalized .
The U.S. Army announced a soldier with the 25th Infantry Battalion based in Hawaii tested positive for the coronavirus , the first case linked to the Army community in the state , Hawaii News Now reported .
The soldier is in isolation .
The Associated Press receives support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .


thetorontostar--2020-03-22--Iran leader refuses US help, citing virus conspiracy theory

DUBAI , United Arab Emirates - Iran ’ s supreme leader refused U.S. assistance Sunday to fight the new coronavirus , citing an unfounded conspiracy theory that the virus could be man-made by America .
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ’ s comments come as Iran faces crushing U.S. sanctions blocking the country from selling its crude oil and accessing international financial markets .
But while Iranian civilian officials in recent days have increasingly criticized those sanctions , 80-year-old Khamenei instead chose to traffic in the same conspiracy theory increasingly used by Chinese officials about the new virus to deflect blame for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know how real this accusation is but when it exists , who in their right mind would trust you to bring them medication ?
“ Khamenei said .
” Possibly your medicine is a way to spread the virus more.
” He also alleged without offering any evidence that the virus “ is specifically built for Iran using the genetic data of Iranians which they have obtained through different means.
” “ You might send people as doctors and therapists , maybe they would want to come here and see the effect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ he said .
There is no scientific proof offered anywhere in the world to support Khamenei ’ s comments .
However , his comments come after Chinese government spokesman Lijian Zhao tweeted earlier this month that it “ might be US army who brought the epidemic to Wuhan .
Be transparent !
Make public your data !
US owe ( s ) us an explanation !
” Lijian likewise offered no evidence to support his claim , which saw the U.S. State Department summon China ’ s ambassador to complain .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ first cases of the disease were detected in December .
In recent days , the Trump administration has increasingly referred to the virus as the “ Chinese ” or “ Wuhan ” virus , while the World Health Organization used the term COVID-19 to describe the illness the virus causes .
Even a U.S. senator from Arkansas has trafficked in the unfounded conspiracy theory it was a man-made Chinese bioweapon .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia .
The vast majority of people recover from the new virus .
Scientists have not yet determined exactly how the new coronavirus first infected people .
Evidence suggests it originated in bats , which infected another animal that spread it to people at a market in Wuhan .
The now-shuttered Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market advertised dozens of species such as giant salamanders , baby crocodiles and raccoon dogs that were often referred to as wildlife , even when they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Nature Medicine similarly said it was “ improbable ” that the virus “ emerged through laboratory manipulation of a related SARS-CoV-like coronavirus.
” Khamenei made the comments in a speech in Tehran broadcast live Sunday across Iran marking Nowruz , the Persian New Year .
He had called off his usual speech at Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad over the virus outbreak .
His comments come as Iran has over 21,600 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus amid 1,685 reported deaths , according to government figures released Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ countries in the world by the new virus .
Across the Mideast , Iran represents eight of 10 cases of the virus and those leaving the Islamic Republic have carried the virus to other countries .
Iranian officials have criticized U.S. offers of aid during the virus crisis as being disingenuous .
They have accused the Trump administration of wanting to capitalize on its “ maximum pressure ” campaign against Tehran since withdrawing from the nuclear deal in May 2018 .
However , the U.S. has directly offered the Islamic Republic aid in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like during the devastating Bam earthquake of 2003 .
Reassigning blame could be helpful to Iran ’ s government , which faced widespread public anger after denying for days it shot down a Ukrainian jetliner , killing 176 people .
Widespread economic problems as well has seen mass demonstrations in recent years that saw hundreds reportedly killed .
Iranian hard-liners have supported conspiracy theories in the past when it suited their interests .
Following the Sept. 11 attacks , some publicly doubted al-Qaida ’ s role and state TV promoting the unfounded conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building themselves .
Former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad similarly raised doubt about the Sept. 11 attack , calling it a “ big lie , “ while also describing the Holocaust as a “ myth.
” Meanwhile on Sunday , Iran imposed a two-week closure on major shopping malls and centres across the country to prevent spreading the virus .
Pharmacies , supermarkets , groceries and bakeries will remain open .
In Saudi Arabia , the kingdom said its armed forces are now taking part in combating the virus , setting up mobile hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , authorities have instituted a nightly curfew from 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. , warning violators face up to three years in prison and fines of $ 32,000 if arrested and convicted .
Associated Press writer Aya Batrawy in Dubai , United Arab Emirates , contributed to this report .
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education .
The AP is solely responsible for all content .


thetorontostar--2020-03-22--Africa’s mountain gorillas also at risk from coronavirus

KAMPALA , Uganda - As the coronavirus infects more people around the world , conservationists are warning of the risk to another vulnerable species : Africa ’ s endangered mountain gorilla .
Congo ’ s Virunga National Park , home to about a third of the world ’ s mountain gorillas , is barring visitors until June 1 , citing “ advice from scientific experts indicating that primates , including mountain gorillas , are likely susceptible to complications arising from the COVID-19 virus.
” Neighbouring Rwanda also is temporarily shutting down tourism and research activities in three national parks that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and chimpanzees .
Mountain gorillas are prone to some respiratory illnesses that afflict humans .
A common cold can kill a gorilla , according to the World Wide Fund for Nature , one reason why tourists tracking gorillas are not normally permitted to get too close .
Around 1,000 mountain gorillas live in protected areas in Congo , Uganda and Rwanda , for whom tourism is an important source of revenue .
But COVID-19 has led to restrictive measures .
Virunga National Park ’ s decision has been welcomed by conservationists in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Kenya-based conservation group WildlifeDirect , told The Associated Press that “ every possible effort must be made ” to protect mountain gorillas because so few are left in the wild .
“ We know that gorillas are very sensitive to human diseases , “ she said .
“ If anyone has a cold or a flu they are not allowed to go and see the gorillas .
With coronavirus having such a long time of no symptoms in some cases , it means that we could actually put those gorillas at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be enough to protect them .
According to Ugandan conservationist Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka with Conservation Through Public Health , a study published this year by her group and Ohio University showed that measures in place to protect gorillas from humans are not effective in practice .
The rule on keeping a safe distance from the gorillas was broken almost every time a group of tourists visited , she said .
“ What the research found is that the 7-meter rule was broken almost all the time … like 98 % of the time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was interesting is that 60 % of the time it was tourists that broke it and 40 % of the time it was the gorillas who broke it.
” If close interaction can not be prevented , she said , one measure that could potentially improve safety is requiring tourists to wear masks at all times .
Uganda has not announced a shutdown of gorilla tourism , although tourist traffic from Europe and elsewhere has dwindled .
A spokesman for the Uganda Wildlife Authority , Bashir Hangi , said the decision on whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ academic as there is almost no business amid the outbreak .
Still , he said , the few tourists who come are screened for fever and other symptoms and must obey rules such as not standing within 7 metres ( 21 feet ) of a gorilla family .
Visitors from virus-affected countries who have gone through quarantine in Uganda need to produce what he called a certificate of isolation before they are permitted to track the gorillas .
Amos Wekesa , whose Great Lakes Safaris organizes gorilla tours in Rwanda and Uganda , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ as tourists postpone visits or seek refunds .
The region ’ s mountain gorilla population dropped sharply in the past century because of poaching , illness and human encroachment .
Mountain gorillas have been listed as critically endangered or endangered since 1996 , although their numbers are now said to be growing as a result of conservation efforts .
But there have been painful losses .
Some gorillas die of natural causes , falling from trees or being killed in fights between males for territory or dominance .
A lightning strike killed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rwanda , where tourism is the top foreign exchange earner , the government has prioritized the protection of gorillas , even launching a naming ceremony for baby primates .
Tourism revenue is key in protecting mountain gorillas as authorities can use some of the money to help local communities or invest in anti-poaching activities .
A gorilla tracking permit costs up to $ 600 in Uganda , and thousands of tourists pay each year .
A similar permit costs upward of $ 1,000 in Rwanda .
Some worry the loss of tourist revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the primates to poachers .
Virunga , established in 1925 as Africa ’ s first national park and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site , has long been vulnerable in a volatile part of eastern Congo .
“ I think this is going to have a huge impact on their sustainability , “ Kahumbu , the Kenyan conservationist , said of Virunga .
“ I call on all donors and governments that support these national parks in Africa to make it easy for the parks that need to shut down to do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more damage to gorillas if they think the anti-poaching efforts have been reduced , she said .


thetorontostar--2020-03-22--Paratrooper exercise is all about preparation - and the jump

TOLEMAIDA AIR BASE , Colombia - Under a covered pavilion near a steaming runway at Colombia ’ s Tolemaida Air Base , dozens of American paratroopers lie sweating on a concrete slab .
Green and brown camouflage face paint drips from their brows .
The soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division can ’ t move much — they ’ re loaded down with rifles and nearly 100 pounds of gear .
In less than an hour , it will all drop out of a C-130 aircraft moving 150 mph .
The group ’ s banter quiets to make way for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the next , making sure buckles and straps are in place .
Spc .
Parker Firth is quieter than usual .
After 22 jumps , he admits he ’ s still scared “ When the doors open , it ’ s not in your hands anymore , “ the 22-year-old said .
” You just got to believe in the parachute to open .
Whatever happens happens.
” For these 75 American paratroopers from Fort Bragg , North Carolina , this weeklong training exercise with the Colombian Army is not a deployment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the New Year ’ s Eve mobilization that sent members of the division ’ s Immediate Response Force to the Middle East , amid rising tensions with Iran .
For now , 2,500 division paratroopers remain in the Middle East on standby .
It ’ s intense training like the exercise in Colombia that allows the soldiers to deploy with lightning speed .
Their readiness inspired the old saying around Fort Bragg : “ When the president dials 911 , the 82ndanswers the phone.
” The division , with nearly 18,000paratroopers , operates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rotating soldiers on and off standby .
The Associated Press was given rare access to accompany the group on its January joint training mission with Colombia , amid a humanitarian crisis in neighbouring Venezuela that has sent hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees fleeing over the border .
U.S. diplomatic and political efforts to replace Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with opposition leader Juan Guaido have been unsuccessful .
There have been no signs pointing to potential military intervention by the U.S. or Colombia .
But as the United States has spent billions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partnership in a region that ’ s heavily influenced by Russia and Iran , cementing relationships like the one with Colombia is key to U.S. strategy .
U.S. and Colombian forces spend several days mapping out the exercise , which simulates the securing of an air base .
They spend hours jumping off elevated wooden platforms and practicing their landings in what resemble oversized sandboxes .
“ It ’ s an honour to jump with the 82ndAirborne Division , ” ColombianMaj .
Gen. Pablo Alfonso Bonilla Vasqueztells the Americans , adding that their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region .
The night before the jump , Sgt .
Juan Dominguez sits on the floor and pulls at a maze of straps on his rucksack .
The 33-year-old joined the U.S. Army at 27 , later than many of his comrades .
It was always a dream , but his wife and five children needed to be taken care of before he enlisted .
He said he wants “ to show my kids that even though I ’ m afraid of heights , you can overcome pretty much anything.
” At 4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1st Class Nathan Fair and the soldiers of Bravo Company 325thInfantry Regiment rise and begin loading their gear onto buses bound for the airfield .
This is Fair ’ s second stint in the military .
The 37-year-old left in 2006 but realized civilian life wasn ’ t his speed.
“ You miss the little things , like how easy it is to fall asleep on a gravel road on the range , with rocks digging into your back and you ’ re so ridiculously exhausted that you can just fall asleep anywhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ himself a “ super-patriot ” and is fiercely proud of the soldiers he leads : “ They ’ re motivated , they ’ re in shape , they ’ re funny , they ’ re quick-witted , they ’ re aggressive .
They ’ re alpha males and that ’ s the kind of men you want on the front lines defending you.
” On this mission , only one paratrooper sent from Fort Bragg is a woman — the division , much like the Army , is mostly men .
Senior medic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the 82nd ’ s legacy from her father and grandfather , both paratroopers .
“ Everyone grew up wanting to be professional ballerinas , ” she said .
“ And I was like , ‘ No , I want to be in the Army.
’ ” On jump day , all the members ’ preparation is put to a test .
The soldiers are nervous but calm .
( And if any say they aren ’ t , “ they ’ re either lying to you or have something wrong upstairs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . )
Packed into the C-130 , waiting for the flashing green light that tells them it ’ s time to jump , they are no longer Americans or Colombians .
They are just soldiers , focused on their task .
Maj. Gen. Daniel Walrath is first out the door .
The jump — his first in 10 years — is a sign of leadership to his soldiers and a symbol of friendship to the Colombian general leading the way through the door on the other side of the airplane .
One by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , stepping off the ledge and spiraling downward .
As each jumps , a white canopy unfolds above , slowing their fall but not the pace of their breath .
The division declares the exercise a success , with only one minor injury : a broken bone on the Colombian side .
The next day , the troops from both nations gather on Tolemaida Air Base .
They have earned the right to wear one another ’ s jump wings .
For Fair , this is not just an alliance on paper ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And if it comes to it , and we have to fight together , “ he said , ” they know we ’ ve got each other ’ s backs .
”

Sarah Blake Morgan - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-22--Road crash in Bangladesh kills at least 13

DHAKA , Bangladesh - A speeding truck rammed a passenger vehicle in southeastern Bangladesh , leaving at least 13 people @ @ @ @ @ , a police official said Sunday .
The accident took place late Saturday night at @ @ @ @ @ when the salt-laden truck from the coastal district of Cox ’ s Bazar hit the @ @ @ @ @ Superintendent S.M .
Rashidul Haque .
He said 10 of the passengers died at the @ @ @ @ @ to their injuries on the way to a hospital .
The area is 216 kilometres @ @ @ @ @ of the capital , Dhaka .
He said the rescue operation was ongoing , Road @ @ @ @ @ nation kill thousands every year because of lax enforcement of traffic law , bad road @ @ @ @ @ .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-22--2 Sri Lanka inmates killed in riot over virus restrictions

COLOMBO , Sri Lanka - Inmates in a Sri Lanka prison scuffled with guards and some tried to escape during a protest against new strict measures to control the spread of the coronavirus , leaving two dead and six wounded , police said Sunday .
Tensions erupted Saturday at the Anuradhapura prison when guards tried to control the riot .
In the commotion , guards opened fire to prevent inmates from fleeing , police said .
Anuradhapura is about 200 kilometres ( 120 miles ) north of Colombo .
Prisoners were complaining about the decision by the authorities not to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
Sri Lanka has imposed a three-day countrywide curfew since Friday as the number of cases has risen to 77 .
On Sunday , a police statement said two inmates died and six others were being treated at a hospital .
Police said no inmates escaped and security at the prison has been strengthened with additional police teams , including commandos .
Senaka Perera , president of the Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners , said the inmates were protesting congested conditions and the poor quality of meals after the government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread of the virus .
Visitors often bring home-cooked food .
Sri Lanka ’ s prisons are overcrowded , sometimes housing 5,000 inmates in a facility capable of holding 800 , according to the pressure group .
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thetorontostar--2020-03-22--NY airports, hospitals feel pressure as virus alarms grow

New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo said the state is scouring the globe for medical supplies and scouting temporary hospital locations as the coronavirus crisis grows .
Flights to New York City-area airports were briefly suspended after an air-traffic control worker tested positive .
As the number of confirmed cases statewide soared above 12,000 , Columbia University ’ s chief of surgery raised alarms about a torrent of patients soon overwhelming emergency rooms .
More on the latest coronavirus developments Saturday in New York : Cuomo said the goal is to quickly boost the state ’ s hospital capacity from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ About 1,600 people have been hospitalized so far .
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has declared a major disaster in the state , freeing up access to billions of dollars in relief funding .
As of late Saturday night , the disease has killed at least 76 people in New York state , according to a tracking effort at Johns Hopkins University .
At least 60 of those deaths were in New York City .
Cuomo said the state is looking to see if the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beds that would be supplied by FEMA in a “ tent configuration ” with equipment and staff .
Also Saturday , the state was scouting four locations for temporary hospitals that would be built by the Army Corps of Engineers , Cuomo said .
The possible sites include the Javits Center , Stony Brook University and SUNY Old Westbury on Long Island , and the Westchester County Center north of the city .
“ Everything that can be done is being done , “ Cuomo said .
Officials have identified 2 million masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and apparel companies are pivoting to make masks , Cuomo said .
A million masks were being sent Saturday to New York City hospitals , and 500,000 to Long Island .
Because of dwindling supplies , hospitals have been rationing supplies and asking staff to reuse masks until they become soiled .
Columbia University ’ s chief surgeon , Dr. Craig Smith , said hospitals in the New York-Presbyterian system are burning through about 40,000 masks a day — about 10 times the normal amount .
The state is also rounding up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deploy to the most critical areas and investigating whether multiple patients can be served by a single ventilator , Cuomo said .
“ We are literally scouring the globe looking for medical supplies , ” he said .
The state also will immediately start conducting trials of an experimental COVID-19 treatment with hydroxychloroquine and Zithromax , Cuomo said .
Hydroxychloroquine , a malaria drug , has been touted by President Donald Trump as a possible answer-in-waiting to the outbreak , though many experts caution more testing needs to be done .
Cuomo said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10,000 doses to the state .
Smith has been raising alarms about the rapid surge of patients and dwindling supplies in daily letters to colleagues that are being posted to the Columbia surgery department ’ s Twitter account .
Smith warned that new projections estimate the number of coronavirus patients will continue to grow over the next 22 to 32 days , overwhelming the New York-Presbyterian system ’ s emergency rooms and intensive care units , even with measures taken to build new capacity .
The projections show the system ’ s hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak reaches its peak .
Just Friday , he wrote , the system saw a 50 % increase in coronavirus patients , making for a total of 300 being treated and another 200 awaiting test results .
“ Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to apologize profusely in a few weeks for having overestimated the threat , ” Smith wrote .
“ That would mean we never exceeded capacity , and that mortalities and morbidities rarely seen in non-pandemic circumstances were avoided .
The next month or two is a horror @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the threat.
” At NYU Langone Health , another hospital operator , the “ ERs are extremely busy ” and some patients are being treated in space retrofitted to expand capacity , spokesman Jim Mandler said Saturday .
The Federal Aviation Administration briefly suspended flights to New York City-area airports on Saturday after a trainee at a regional air-traffic control hub on Long Island tested positive for the disease .
In an alert posted online , the FAA advised air traffic controllers to “ stop all departures ” to John F. Kennedy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the region because of staffing issues at the Ronkonkoma facility , which the agency says primarily handles high-altitude , cross-country flights .
The halt , which also affected Philadelphia ’ s airport , was lifted after about 30 minutes .
Controllers were initially warned it could last several hours .
In a statement , the FAA said the Ronkonkoma facility remains open .
The agency said the trainee was last there on Tuesday and that is it working to figure out what other workers he may have interacted with .
Air traffic controllers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on airport property this week after a technician assigned to the airport ’ s control tower tested positive for COVID-19 .
The FAA said that the technician hadn ’ t been to work since March 11 and that controllers returned to the tower after precautionary cleaning .
New York State Thruway toll collectors will stop taking cash Sunday night as a safety measure .
Drivers without an E-ZPass tag should enter the highway through a cash lane without taking a ticket .
When they exit , drivers should tell a collector which exit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A bill will be sent to the owner of the vehicle in about a month .
There are no changes for drivers with E-ZPass .
Also Saturday , Cuomo ordered the suspension of in-office visits at the Department of Motor Vehicles .
Online transactions for license renewals will still be available .
The governor said expiration dates on licenses and permits will be extended .
Hill reported from Albany .
The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute ’ s Department of Science Education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all content .
Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https : //apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https : //apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak .

Michael Hill And Michael R. Sisak - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-21--38 positive for coronavirus in NYC jails, including Rikers

MINNEAPOLIS - New York City was hit by the nation ’ s largest coronavirus jail outbreak to date this week , with at least 38 people testing positive at the notorious Rikers Island complex and nearby facilities — more than half of them incarcerated men , the board that oversees the city ’ s jail system said Saturday .
Another inmate , meanwhile , became the first in the country to test positive in a federal jail .
In a letter to New York ’ s criminal justice leaders , Board of Correction interim chairwoman Jacqueline Sherman described a jail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last week , board members learned that 12 Department of Correction employees , five Correctional Health Services employees , and 21 people in custody at Rikers and city jails had tested positive for the coronavirus .
And at least another 58 were being monitored in the prison ’ s contagious disease and quarantine units , she said .
“ It is likely these people have been in hundreds of housing areas and common areas over recent weeks and have been in close contact with many other people in custody and staff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could skyrocket .
“ The best path forward to protecting the community of people housed and working in the jails is to rapidly decrease the number of people housed and working in them.
” New York officials have consistently downplayed the number of infections in it ’ s prisons and jails , The Associated Press has found in conversations with current and former inmates .
The city ’ s jail agency and its city-run healthcare provider did not respond to messages seeking comment on the letter .
On Friday , the city ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inmate had been diagnosed with coronavirus , along with seven jail staff members .
Late Saturday , the department acknowledged 19 inmates had tested positive — two fewer than in the board ’ s letter — and 12 staff members .
Earlier this week , Juan Giron was transferred to Rikers Island from an upstate facility after his sentence was vacated because the judge had failed to consider him for youthful offender treatment .
After going through intake , where he underwent health screening , he was taken to a dormitory that housed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beds lined up next to one another , spaced a few feet apart .
“ This is like a shelter .
So everybody is out and about .
You ’ re talking to people , mingling ” Giron said .
“ Last night , a guy is brought in at around 6 p.m. , and a few hours later , two police officers come in with masks and gloves on and try to give the guy a mask .
They looked scared , didn ’ t even want to touch him .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he packed up and they took him out .
“ It was crazy , ” “ We asked one of the officers and they said , ‘ that ’ s the process we are doing now for guys who have the virus ’ , ” Giron said , adding that others who had had contact with the man have not been questioned or notified about his status .
More than 2.2 million people are incarcerated in the United States — more than anywhere in the world — and there are growing fears that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vast network of federal and state prisons , county jails and detention centres .
It ’ s a tightly packed , fluid population that is already grappling with high rates of health problems and , when it comes to the elderly and the intern , elevated risks of serious complications .
With limited capacity nationally to test for COVID-19 , men and women inside worry that they are last in line when showing flu-like symptoms , meaning that some may be infected without knowing it .
The first positive tests from inside prisons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week ago , with less than two dozen officers and staff infected in other facilities from California and Michigan to Pennsylvania .
Sherman wrote to Commissioner of New York City ’ s Department of Correction , the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals , New York ’ s Acting Commissioner , and district attorney that those who are at higher risk from infection , including people over 50 or with underlying health conditions , should be considered for early release .
So should people detained for administrative reasons , like parole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de Blasio earlier this week said prosecutors were working to identify candidates and by Friday night prosecutors in New York City agreed to release 56 Rikers inmates on their own recognizance .
Bianca Tylek , executive director of the national criminal justice advocacy organization of Worth Rises , said that wouldn ’ t cut it .
“ There are nearly 1,500 people incarcerated on Rikers Island for low level offences or technical parole violations who can be released immediately , ” she said .
“ Releasing them would reduce their risk of infection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who remain incarcerated , and reduce the spread of the virus into the public.
” A man incarcerated in New York City , meanwhile , became the first confirmed case in the federal prison system .
The man , who is housed at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn , complained of chest pains on Thursday , a few days after he arrived at the facility , the federal Bureau of Prisons told the AP .
He was taken to a local hospital and was tested for COVID-19 , officials said .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and returned to the jail , where he was immediately placed in isolation , the agency said , adding medical and psychiatric staff were visiting him routinely .
Others housed with the man are also being quarantined , along with staff members who may have had contact with him .
There have been two positive cases among BOP staff members : an employee who works at an administrative office in Grand Prairie , Texas , and another employee who works in Leavenworth , Kansas , but who officials said did not have contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bureau of Prisons has temporarily halted visitation at all 122 federal correctional facilities across the U.S. , including both social and legal visitation , though officials have said some exceptions could be made for legal visits .
For most people , the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms , such as fever and cough .
For some , especially older adults and people with existing health problems , it can cause more severe illness , including pneumonia , and even death .
The vast majority of people recover from the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , people with mild illness recover in about two weeks , while those with more severe cases may take three to six weeks to recover .
Associated Press writer Michael R. Sisak in New York contributed to this report .

Robin McDowell And Michael Balsamo - The Associated Press


thetorontostar--2020-03-21--Hawaii to quarantine all arrivals to the state for 14 days

HONOLULU - Hawaii ’ s governor has instituted a mandatory 14-day self quarantine starting Thursday of all people travelling to the state as part of efforts to fight the spread of coronavirus .
The order applies to returning residents as well as visitors .
It applies to all arrivals at Hawaii airports from the continental U.S. and international destinations and extends to other private and commercial aircraft .
“ With the majority of Hawai ?
i ’ s COVID-19 cases linked to travel , it is critical that we further mitigate the spread of the virus by both residents and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Gov .
David Ige said in a statement .
“ This plan was developed in collaboration with our county mayors and Hawai ?
i ’ s business , community and visitor industry leaders.
” Returning residents must quarantine themselves at home , the governor ’ s office said .
Visitors must quarantine themselves in their hotel room or rented lodging .
People under quarantine may only leave their homes for medical emergencies or to seek medical care , the governor ’ s office said .
They can not visit public spaces such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Failure to follow the order is a misdemeanour and punishable by a maximum fine of $ 5,000 , or imprisonment of not more than one year , or both , the governor ’ s office said .
“ These actions are extreme , but they will help flatten the curve and lay the groundwork for a quicker recovery .
We need everyone to comply with these quarantine orders to help protect Hawai ?
i ’ s residents , ” Ige said .
The state announced 11 new cases of people with coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 48 , according to Hawaii News Now .
Three of them are hospitalized .
The U.S. Army announced a soldier with the 25th Infantry Battalion based in Hawaii tested positive for coronavirus , the first case linked to the Army community in the state .
Hawaii News Now reported .
The soldier is in isolation .
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