npr--2020-03-20--Louisiana's Chemical Corridor Is Expanding. So Are Efforts To Stop It

Louisiana 's Chemical Corridor Is Expanding .
So Are Efforts To Stop It Cheap natural gas and access to international ports are fueling a new industrial boom in Louisiana , along the stretch of land locals have long dubbed `` cancer alley . ''
The expansion is prompting new efforts to stop the factories , by residents concerned about the impact on their health .
Sharon Lavigne grew up in rural Welcome , Louisiana , in St. James Parish , about 60 miles northwest of New Orleans , but does n't find it a welcoming place to live anymore .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 140 chemical factories and oil refineries .
Now , companies from Taiwan and China are building new plastic , chemical and fertilizer plants .
That includes one less than a mile from Lavigne 's house , which she has made it her mission to stop .
`` I feel like if the pollution does n't stop , we will slowly die , '' she says .
The project near her is a $ 9.4 billion megacomplex by Formosa Petrochemical , one of the biggest plastic manufacturers in the world .
The state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grant to offset some of the costs .
On a recent morning Lavigne drives to the property , down a gravel road to a big empty field where there 's construction underway .
In the distance , she points to a metal fence .
That 's where state archaeologists recently investigated and discovered graves , likely of enslaved people .
The site where the giant factory was approved used to be a plantation .
`` I 'm pretty sure a lot of us here have ancestors that are buried in one of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lavigne founded RISE Saint James , which is using the graves and other arguments to try and stop the Formosa complex .
The group is suing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , alleging it failed to consider the harm to cultural resources , and failed to disclose environmental damage and public health risks under the National Environmental Policy Act .
The group has also appealed to the state to revoke the company 's permit .
`` They made a living off the land '' Growing up , Lavigne says St. James Parish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ child .
Her family grew most of their own food , and the land was lush and beautiful .
They had chickens , pigs , and `` Daddy grew all of our vegetables and fruits , '' she says .
They made a living off the land , waking up early to pick butter beans and take vegetables to New Orleans to sell at the French Market .
`` We 'd pick a lot of beans , '' Lavigne remembers .
`` I used to hate that ! ''
Now she longs for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounded by giant factories .
There are more than ten in St. James Parish , their smokestacks forming huge clouds that cast shadows over miles .
Lavigne does n't leave her house much anymore , and worries about the quality of the water she drinks and the air she breathes .
She says the air often smells bad .
Her husband died of heart problems .
Many of her neighbors have died of cancer .
It 's hard to link specific illnesses to certain pollutants , even though St. James Parish has an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has one of the highest rates of cancer in the country .
According to reporting by ProPublica and The Advocate , the complex going up near Lavigne 's house could more than double toxic air emissions here .
Last fall , members of RISE St. James marched with other environmental advocates along the Mississippi River to the capital , Baton Rouge .
They delivered their demands to lawmakers : No new development in the region .
The activists did not get an audience with Governor John Bel Edwards .
`` Obviously the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be some moratorium on manufacturing facilities , '' Edwards ' chief counsel Matthew Block tells NPR .
But the governor 's office does plan to do a small public health study .
Working with Louisiana State University , it will survey people within a 1.5 mile radius around the controversial Denka Performance Elastomer plant , which has been required by the EPA to reduce its emissions .
Denka is appealing , citing new research .
That study site is five miles away from where Lavigne lives .
She will not be included , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Formosa plant or a handful of others being built .
Block admits that more could be done .
But `` we can start to look at these communities , and whether or not there there is or is n't a higher incidence of cancer in them , '' he says .
`` We can make decisions from there . ''
Advocates say it 's not the cancer incidence rate they 're concerned about , but the risk of exposure to chemicals like chloroprene and ethylene oxide , designated as carcinogens or likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new study is not enough , and accuse lawmakers of putting profit over people 's lives .
Many lawmakers and economists , however , see the petrochemical industry as an economic boon for a struggling state .
A spokesperson for Formosa Petrochemical says the new complex will create 1,200 new high-paying jobs .
Economist Loren Scott says the boom is like nothing he 's ever seen .
Louisiana competes with other places for these plants , and Scott says that when communities like St. James push back , it 's bad for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the more expensive it is to locate here at the margin , '' he says .
`` That 's just one of the factors that has to be considered in the rate of return on investment here versus Texas . ''
This tension between economic growth and health concerns has played out for years .
Beverly Wright is the director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice and has advocated for people in the chemical corridor for more than three decades .
`` It 's hard for me to stay calm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wright says over the decades they 've won a few fights , stopping some plants from being built and getting relocation money for an entire community in one case .
Yet since the '90s , more and more plants have gone up , making her feel like much of her work has been `` washed away . ''
`` A lot of the people that we worked with are now dead and gone , '' she says .
Wright says that ultimately , as much as it pains her , the best way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their health may be to just move somewhere else .
Sitting in the house she built with her husband in the '80s , activist Sharon Lavigne says she would never consider it .
`` We were here first , '' she says .
`` The chemical plants tried to invade our privacy and our property , so why do n't they go somewhere else ?
This is our home .
This is not their home . ''

Louisiana's Chemical Corridor Is Expanding. So Are Efforts To Stop It
Enlarge this image toggle caption Gerald Herbert/AP Gerald Herbert/AP
Cheap natural gas and access to international ports are fueling a new industrial boom in Louisiana, along the stretch of land locals have long dubbed "cancer alley." The expansion is prompting new efforts to stop the factories, by residents concerned about the impact on their health.
Sharon Lavigne grew up in rural Welcome, Louisiana, in St. James Parish, about 60 miles northwest of New Orleans, but doesn't find it a welcoming place to live anymore. The region is already home to more than 140 chemical factories and oil refineries. Now, companies from Taiwan and China are building new plastic, chemical and fertilizer plants.
That includes one less than a mile from Lavigne's house, which she has made it her mission to stop.
"I feel like if the pollution doesn't stop, we will slowly die," she says.
The project near her is a $9.4 billion megacomplex by Formosa Petrochemical, one of the biggest plastic manufacturers in the world. The state gave the company a $12 million grant to offset some of the costs.
On a recent morning Lavigne drives to the property, down a gravel road to a big empty field where there's construction underway. In the distance, she points to a metal fence.
That's where state archaeologists recently investigated and discovered graves, likely of enslaved people. The site where the giant factory was approved used to be a plantation. "I'm pretty sure a lot of us here have ancestors that are buried in one of those grave sites," Lavigne says.
Lavigne founded RISE Saint James, which is using the graves and other arguments to try and stop the Formosa complex. The group is suing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, alleging it failed to consider the harm to cultural resources, and failed to disclose environmental damage and public health risks under the National Environmental Policy Act. The group has also appealed to the state to revoke the company's permit.
"They made a living off the land"
Growing up, Lavigne says St. James Parish was a wonderful place to be a child. Her family grew most of their own food, and the land was lush and beautiful. They had chickens, pigs, and "Daddy grew all of our vegetables and fruits," she says. They made a living off the land, waking up early to pick butter beans and take vegetables to New Orleans to sell at the French Market. "We'd pick a lot of beans," Lavigne remembers. "I used to hate that!"
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tegan Wendland/WWNO Tegan Wendland/WWNO
Now she longs for those times. Her country home is surrounded by giant factories. There are more than ten in St. James Parish, their smokestacks forming huge clouds that cast shadows over miles.
Lavigne doesn't leave her house much anymore, and worries about the quality of the water she drinks and the air she breathes. She says the air often smells bad. Her husband died of heart problems. Many of her neighbors have died of cancer.
It's hard to link specific illnesses to certain pollutants, even though St. James Parish has an above-average rate of cancer for Louisiana, which has one of the highest rates of cancer in the country. According to reporting by ProPublica and The Advocate, the complex going up near Lavigne's house could more than double toxic air emissions here.
Last fall, members of RISE St. James marched with other environmental advocates along the Mississippi River to the capital, Baton Rouge. They delivered their demands to lawmakers: No new development in the region.
State commits to public health study
The activists did not get an audience with Governor John Bel Edwards.
"Obviously the governor does not agree that there should be some moratorium on manufacturing facilities," Edwards' chief counsel Matthew Block tells NPR.
But the governor's office does plan to do a small public health study. Working with Louisiana State University, it will survey people within a 1.5 mile radius around the controversial Denka Performance Elastomer plant, which has been required by the EPA to reduce its emissions. Denka is appealing, citing new research.
That study site is five miles away from where Lavigne lives. She will not be included, nor will it investigate future emissions from the Formosa plant or a handful of others being built.
Block admits that more could be done. But "we can start to look at these communities, and whether or not there there is or isn't a higher incidence of cancer in them," he says. "We can make decisions from there."
Advocates say it's not the cancer incidence rate they're concerned about, but the risk of exposure to chemicals like chloroprene and ethylene oxide, designated as carcinogens or likely carcinogens by the EPA. They say the new study is not enough, and accuse lawmakers of putting profit over people's lives.
Many lawmakers and economists, however, see the petrochemical industry as an economic boon for a struggling state. A spokesperson for Formosa Petrochemical says the new complex will create 1,200 new high-paying jobs.
Economist Loren Scott says the boom is like nothing he's ever seen. Louisiana competes with other places for these plants, and Scott says that when communities like St. James push back, it's bad for business.
"The larger the pushback, the more expensive it is to locate here at the margin," he says. "That's just one of the factors that has to be considered in the rate of return on investment here versus Texas."
This tension between economic growth and health concerns has played out for years.
Beverly Wright is the director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice and has advocated for people in the chemical corridor for more than three decades. "It's hard for me to stay calm about this," she says.
Wright says over the decades they've won a few fights, stopping some plants from being built and getting relocation money for an entire community in one case. Yet since the '90s, more and more plants have gone up, making her feel like much of her work has been "washed away."
"A lot of the people that we worked with are now dead and gone," she says. Wright says that ultimately, as much as it pains her, the best way for people in the region to protect their health may be to just move somewhere else.
Sitting in the house she built with her husband in the '80s, activist Sharon Lavigne says she would never consider it.
"We were here first," she says. "The chemical plants tried to invade our privacy and our property, so why don't they go somewhere else? This is our home. This is not their home."


npr--2020-03-20--Mask Shortage Straps Pharmacists Who Need Them To Keep Medicines Pure

Mask Shortage Straps Pharmacists Who Need Them To Keep Medicines Pure Pharmacy staff who prepare IV drugs inside hospitals are the latest health care workers decrying a shortage of masks as they scramble to prepare medicines for patients with diagnoses ranging from cancer to COVID-19 .
The staff wear surgical masks while preparing liquid medications that are to be injected into patients ' veins ; the point is to avoid inadvertently exhaling any droplets of saliva into the formulas .
That 's a crucial step in ensuring the medication remains sterile .
In addition , pharmacists are in need of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they counsel patients in hospitals .
But pharmacists tend to be , perhaps understandably , behind front-line medical providers who are treating COVID-19 patients as supplies of both types of scarce protective masks are being doled out .
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists surveyed about 400 members about the shortages .
`` I can tell you we had some very concerned members who indicated that they 're in danger of running out , '' says Michael Ganio , a pharmacist and director of pharmacy practice and quality with the pharmacists group .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ implemented a conservation plan .
It 's something that 's very concerning . ''
Medications that require sterile preparation include those needed for treating COVID-19 patients , such as medications to calm , sedate or paralyze patients on a mechanical ventilator .
Other medicines in that category supply IV nutrition or boost the blood pressure of patients who develop sepsis or shock .
Geriatric and pediatric patients are also frequent recipients of sterile compounded medications because they need doses tailored to their weight , or have age-related health problems that require specially made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hospital pharmacists , released Thursday , found that 15 % of them have already seen a `` major or moderate '' disruption in surgical mask supplies .
That meant they went without masks or used alternatives with `` mixed or poor '' results .
Nearly 20 % of them reported that mask prices had been marked up , compared to prices in December 2019 .
And 70 % of pharmacists said their organizations had already implemented plans to conserve masks .
University of Utah Health Hospitals are still receiving masks .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ preparation , in order to conserve the supply for other staff members and patients who need them during the outbreak , says Erin Fox , senior director of drug information and support services at the University of Utah Health Hospitals .
`` That will allow more PPE [ personal protective equipment ] to be available for front-line emergency department folks that need it way more than we do , '' she says , adding that there 's guidance on how to safely reuse masks .
A tornado that cut through Tennessee this month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state , says Mark Sullivan , the executive director of pharmacy operations for Vanderbilt University Hospital and Clinics in Nashville .
That 's because it damaged a warehouse that held hospital supplies .
`` We are able to get masks , '' he says .
`` Given the tornado and coronavirus situation , they are obviously in short supply in our area . ''
Vanderbilt University Hospital and Clinics are also following guidelines for conserving masks and other personal protective equipment , like gowns and gloves , as demand has spiked , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tough situation we 're all in , trying to make sure front-line folks have what they all need , '' he says .
`` And behind the scenes , we 're just trying to make sure we have what we need to make safe products for patients . ''
Before coronavirus became a reality , pharmacists at NYU Langone Health used to change masks and gowns when they went out on break .
Now , if that gear is n't soiled , they hang it up in a clean room and reuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital 's senior director of pharmacy .
His team is also keeping all personal protective equipment in an electronically locked cabinet to control use .
For weeks , hospitals have been getting fewer masks than they ask for from their suppliers .
Health care facilities were getting only 44 % of the N95 masks and 82 % of the surgical masks they ordered , according to a survey released March 2 by Premier , a group-purchasing organization that procures supplies for 4,000 U.S. hospitals and health systems .
Most of the masks sitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who care for patients , said Soumi Saha , a pharmacist who is senior director of advocacy for Premier Inc. Saha says many state laws require pharmacists to wear masks when mixing sterile compounds .
Her fear , she says , is that if the mask shortage becomes dire enough , hospitals will move to an unregulated way to get those crucial medications to patients : bedside compounding .
That means that clinicians such as nurses would mix the medications right in the patient 's room and put them straight into an IV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sudden shift means `` we could start seeing a surge in unfortunate patient medication errors and patient harm . ''
Premier has asked the federal government to waive the state requirements on pharmacists wearing medical masks to mix compounds , or to allow them to use industrial masks or expired ones , Saha says .
For now , the choice is up to individual states , says Carmen Catizone , executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy .
He says the national standards-setting organization that advises state boards has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assessments when weighing whether to waive rules .
So far , California , Iowa and Connecticut have made moves to relax the rules for pharmacists ' personal protective equipment .
Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit , editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation .
Christina Jewett is an investigations reporter for KHN .
Sydney Lupkin is NPR 's pharmaceuticals correspondent .

Mask Shortage Straps Pharmacists Who Need Them To Keep Medicines Pure
Enlarge this image toggle caption Aleksandr Zubkov/Getty Images Aleksandr Zubkov/Getty Images
Pharmacy staff who prepare IV drugs inside hospitals are the latest health care workers decrying a shortage of masks as they scramble to prepare medicines for patients with diagnoses ranging from cancer to COVID-19.
The staff wear surgical masks while preparing liquid medications that are to be injected into patients' veins; the point is to avoid inadvertently exhaling any droplets of saliva into the formulas. That's a crucial step in ensuring that the medication remains sterile. In addition, pharmacists need N95 respirator masks to protect themselves as they counsel patients in hospitals.
But pharmacists tend to be, perhaps understandably, behind front-line medical providers who are treating COVID-19 patients as supplies of both types of scarce protective masks are being doled out.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists surveyed about 400 members about the shortages.
"I can tell you we had some very concerned members who indicated that they're in danger of running out," said Michael Ganio, a pharmacist and director of pharmacy practice and quality with the pharmacists group. "Over half said their institution has implemented a conservation plan. It's something that's very concerning."
Medications that require sterile preparation include those needed for treating COVID-19 patients, such as medications to calm, sedate or paralyze patients on a mechanical ventilator. Other medicines in that category supply IV nutrition or boost the blood pressure of patients who develop sepsis or shock.
Geriatric and pediatric patients are also frequent recipients of sterile compounded medications because they need doses tailored to their weight, or have age-related health problems that require specially made medicine they can tolerate.
The survey of hospital pharmacists, released Thursday, found that 15% of them have already seen a "major or moderate" disruption in surgical mask supplies. That meant they went without masks or used alternatives with "mixed or poor" results.
Nearly 20% of them reported that mask prices had been marked up compared to prices in December 2019. And 70% of pharmacists said their organizations had already implemented plans to conserve masks.
University of Utah Health Hospitals are still receiving masks. But pharmacists are reusing masks for sterile drug preparation to conserve the supply for other staff members and patients who need them during the outbreak, said Erin Fox, senior director of drug information and support services at the University of Utah Health Hospitals.
"That will allow more PPE [personal protective equipment] to be available for front-line emergency department folks that need it way more than we do," she said, adding that there's guidance on how to safely reuse masks.
A tornado that cut through Tennessee this month is making things even more complicated in that state, said Mark Sullivan, the executive director of pharmacy operations for Vanderbilt University Hospital and Clinics in Nashville. That's because it damaged a warehouse that held hospital supplies.
"We are able to get masks," he said Tuesday, though "given the tornado and coronavirus situation, they are obviously in short supply in our area."
Vanderbilt University Hospital and Clinics are also following guidelines for conserving masks and other personal protective equipment, like gowns and gloves, as demand has spiked, Sullivan said.
"It's just a tough situation we're all in, trying to make sure front-line folks have what they all need," he said. "And behind the scenes, we're just trying to make sure we have what we need to make safe products for patients."
Before coronavirus became a reality, pharmacists at NYU Langone Health used to change masks and gowns when they went out on break. Now, if that gear isn't soiled, they hang it up in a clean room and reuse it, said Arash Dabestani, the hospital's senior director of pharmacy. His team is also keeping all personal protective equipment in an electronically locked cabinet to control use.
For weeks, hospitals have been getting fewer masks than they ask for from their suppliers. Health care facilities were getting only 44% of the N95 masks and 82% of the surgical masks they ordered, according to a survey released March 2 by Premier, a group-purchasing organization that procures supplies for 4,000 U.S. hospitals and health systems.
Most of the masks sitting in hospitals are redirected to front-line staff who care for patients, said Soumi Saha, a pharmacist who is senior director of advocacy for Premier Inc.
Saha said many state laws require pharmacists to wear masks when mixing sterile compounds. Her fear, she said, is that if the mask shortage becomes dire enough, hospitals will move to an unregulated way to get those crucial medications to patients: bedside compounding.
That means that clinicians such as nurses would mix the medications right in the patient's room and put them straight into an IV, she said. She worries such a sudden shift means "we could start seeing a surge in unfortunate patient medication errors and patient harm."
Premier has asked the federal government to waive the state requirements on pharmacists wearing medical masks to mix compounds, or to allow them to use industrial masks or expired ones, Saha said.
For now, the choice is up to individual states, said Carmen Catizone, executive director of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. He said the national standards-setting organization that advises state boards has urged states to make their own risk assessments when weighing whether to waive rules.
So far, California, Iowa and Connecticut have made moves to relax the rules for pharmacists' personal protective equipment.
Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit, editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Christina Jewett is an investigations reporter for KHN. Sydney Lupkin is NPR's pharmaceuticals correspondent.


npr--2020-03-20--Some Stock Up On Guns And Ammunition During Coronavirus Crisis

Some Stock Up On Guns And Ammunition During Coronavirus Crisis Gun and ammunition sales often spike during a crisis .
That 's exactly what 's been happening now with the cornonavirus threat .
Many gun buyers say they want to be ready with protection if there 's panic .
Just a few miles from the Los Angles Airport , a group of people , including families with children playing video games , lined up outside LAX Ammo in Inglewood .
A store employee checks IDs and tells potential customers what caliber ammunition is in stock .
Answering questions , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and .38 Special .
`` For 12-gauge , I only have birdshot , no more buckshot , no more slugs , '' he continues .
California is one of the states with the largest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and over the past few days , there have been long lines curving around gun and ammo stores .
Outside the LA shop , no one will agree to give their last name but Colin , in line with his fiance Liz , says they have about a month 's supply of food and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make sure they have enough ammunition on hand too .
`` It 's really just a matter of , if things go bad in the next couple weeks to couple of months and people are panicking and rioting and looting , the government and the police will not have the ability to protect us , '' he says .
`` And that 's really the main issue , it 's not really out of fear it 's just out of being prepared . ''
In Tulsa , Okla. , David Stone and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gun shops in the state , Dong 's Guns , Ammo and Reloading .
Stone says the pandemic is leading to a lot of panic buying .
`` Some people come in and they just want an AR-15 .
They do n't care what the brand is , '' he says .
`` They just want the cheapest one . ''
Stone says gun sales are up about 20 % , but ammunition sales have really skyrocketed between 400 % to 500 % .
`` People are driving from Arkansas 200 and 300 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ box store shelves are empty , '' Stone says .
Online retailer , Ammo.com , is recording huge increases , too .
The company says sales jumped 68 % shortly after Italy reported a major outbreak of COVID-19 last month .
Sales spiked most in North Carolina , Georgia , Pennsylvania and Texas .
In the recent past , gun sales have soared during natural disasters and policy fights over gun control .
The online retailer says this may be the first time that a virus has had such a far reaching impact @ @ @ @ @ @

Some Stock Up On Guns And Ammunition During Coronavirus Crisis
Enlarge this image toggle caption Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
Gun and ammunition sales often spike during a crisis. That's exactly what's been happening now with the cornonavirus threat. Many gun buyers say they want to be ready with protection if there's panic.
Just a few miles from the Los Angles Airport, a group of people, including families with children playing video games, lined up outside LAX Ammo in Inglewood. A store employee checks IDs and tells potential customers what caliber ammunition is in stock. Answering questions, he tells the crowd he has .45 caliber and .38 Special.
"For 12-gauge, I only have birdshot, no more buckshot, no more slugs," he continues.
California is one of the states with the largest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and over the past few days, there have been long lines curving around gun and ammo stores.
Outside the LA shop, no one will agree to give their last name but Colin, in line with his fiance Liz, says they have about a month's supply of food and water at home. Now he wants to make sure they have enough ammunition on hand too.
"It's really just a matter of, if things go bad in the next couple weeks to couple of months and people are panicking and rioting and looting, the government and the police will not have the ability to protect us," he says. "And that's really the main issue, it's not really out of fear it's just out of being prepared."
In Tulsa, Okla., David Stone and his wife run one of the oldest gun shops in the state, Dong's Guns, Ammo and Reloading. Stone says the pandemic is leading to a lot of panic buying.
"Some people come in and they just want an AR-15. They don't care what the brand is," he says. "They just want the cheapest one."
Stone says gun sales are up about 20%, but ammunition sales have really skyrocketed between 400% to 500%.
"People are driving from Arkansas 200 and 300 miles away because they say all their box store shelves are empty," Stone says.
Online retailer, Ammo.com, is recording huge increases, too. The company says sales jumped 68% shortly after Italy reported a major outbreak of COVID-19 last month. Sales spiked most in North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Texas. In the recent past, gun sales have soared during natural disasters and policy fights over gun control. The online retailer says this may be the first time that a virus has had such a far reaching impact on ammunition and gun sales.


npr--2020-03-20--4 People Aboard Cruise Ship In Australia Test Positive For Coronavirus

A cruise ship arriving from New Zealand that docked in Sydney , Australia , Thursday , where passengers were allowed to disembark , was later found to have had four people aboard who were infected with the novel coronavirus , according to local media reports .
The three passengers and one crew member who tested positive for the virus were aboard the Ruby Princess , operated by Carnival Corporation & plc , which arrived at its home port of Sydney Thursday morning .
The ship was carrying 2,700 passengers and 1,100 crew , the Sydney Morning Herald reports .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vessel before it departed for Wollongong .
The website Vesselfinder , which tracks ships at sea , indicated that at about 7 p.m. Sydney time ( 4 a.m .
ET ) , the cruise ship was located off the coast between Sydney and Wollongong .
New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard urged the passengers and crew aboard the ship to self-isolate and contact health authorities if they feel ill. '' The very big concern , is that those people came off the cruise with no knowledge of COVID actually being on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the disease caused by the virus .
Of the three passengers , one is in a Sydney hospital listed in serious condition , according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Another of the coronavirus positive passengers traveled onward to the island state of Tasmania and was being cared for by health authorities there , ABC reports .
The network said the third passenger , a woman from Tasmania , was being treated in Sydney .
Australia has nearly 700 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection , with more than half of them concentrated in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ country 's largest city , is located .
ABC reports that seven people in Australia have died from COVID-19 .

4 People Aboard Cruise Ship In Australia Test Positive For Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption James D. Morgan/Getty Images James D. Morgan/Getty Images
A cruise ship arriving from New Zealand that docked in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, where passengers were allowed to disembark, was later found to have had four people aboard who were infected with the novel coronavirus, according to local media reports.
The three passengers and one crew member who tested positive for the virus were aboard the Ruby Princess, operated by Carnival Corporation & plc, which arrived at its home port of Sydney on Thursday morning. The ship was carrying 2,700 passengers and 1,100 crew members, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
The newspaper says the crew member reboarded the vessel before it departed for Wollongong. The website Vesselfinder, which tracks ships at sea, indicated that at about 7 p.m. Sydney time (4 a.m. ET), the cruise ship was located off the coast between Sydney and Wollongong.
New South Wales Health Minister Brad Hazzard urged the passengers and crew aboard the ship to self-isolate and contact health authorities if they feel ill.
"The very big concern is that those people came off the cruise with no knowledge of COVID actually being on their ship," Hazzard said, referring to the disease caused by the virus.
Of the three passengers, one is in a Sydney hospital listed in serious condition, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Another of the coronavirus-positive passengers traveled onward to the island state of Tasmania and was being cared for by health authorities there, Australian Broadcasting reports.
The network said the third passenger, a woman from Tasmania, was being treated in Sydney.
Australia has nearly 700 confirmed cases of coronavirus infection, with more than half of them concentrated in New South Wales where Sydney, the country's largest city, is located. Australian Broadcasting Corp. reports that seven people in Australia have died from COVID-19.


npr--2020-03-20--U.S., Mexico Planning To Restrict Border Crossings To Stem Pandemic

U.S. , Mexico Planning To Restrict Border Crossings To Stem Pandemic U.S. and Mexican officials say that the two countries are working on an agreement to halt non-essential travel across their shared border while keeping vital trade links open , as part of an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , in a tweet on Thursday referring to the disease caused by the virus , said he was working closely with his Mexican counterpart , Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard , `` on travel restrictions that balance protecting our citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' Ebrard said he and Pompeo are outlining a deal that `` wo n't paralyze economic activity and keep the border open to commerce and work . ''
The agreement under consideration appears to be similar to one that was reached on Wednesday between the U.S. and Canada , sealing off their border to non-essential crossings to limit the entry and exit of potentially infected individuals .
Paola Avila , the chair of the Border Trade Alliance , a business group , was quoted by The Associated Press as saying that business leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Border Protection officials on the move , saying it would halt all tourist-related and other non-essential travel over the border .
Avila told the news agency that `` essential '' workers from Mexico , including farm workers , employees of restaurants and grocery stores and bus drivers , would be exempt under the agreement .

U.S., Mexico Planning To Restrict Border Crossings To Stem Pandemic
Enlarge this image toggle caption Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images
U.S. and Mexican officials say that the two countries are working on an agreement to halt nonessential travel across their shared border while keeping vital trade links open as part of an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, in a tweet on Thursday referring to the disease caused by the virus, said he was working closely with his Mexican counterpart, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard, "on travel restrictions that balance protecting our citizens from further transmission of #COVID19."
#Mexico Foreign Secretary @m_ebrard and I have been working closely on travel restrictions that balance protecting our citizens from further transmission of #COVID19. Together, we can reduce public health risks and prioritize essential cross-border commerce and trade. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) March 20, 2020
Ebrard said he and Pompeo are outlining a deal that "won't paralyze economic activity and keep the border open to commerce and work."
The agreement under consideration appears to be similar to one that was reached on Wednesday between the U.S. and Canada, sealing off their border to nonessential crossings to limit the entry and exit of potentially infected individuals.
Paola Avila, the chair of the Border Trade Alliance, a business group, was quoted by The Associated Press as saying that business leaders on Thursday were briefed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials on the move, saying it would halt all tourist-related and other nonessential travel over the border.
Avila told the news agency that "essential" workers from Mexico, including farm workers, employees of restaurants and grocery stores and bus drivers, would be exempt under the agreement.


npr--2020-03-20--California Issues 'Stay At Home' Order As Coronavirus Infections Rise

Gov .
Gavin Newsom has ordered California 's 40 million residents to stay at home indefinitely in the widest-ranging directive so far of any state as it grapples with a growing novel coronavirus epidemic that has killed 150 people nationwide .
The order was issued late Thursday calling on people to remain in their homes , with exceptions only for essential travel .
The move follows similar restrictions issued earlier this week for the San Francisco Bay Area .
Speaking at a late evening news conference in Sacramento , Newsom said his directive `` goes into force and effect this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people of the state of California will abide by it , will do the right thing . ''
The governor , a Democrat who took office just over a year ago , said Californians would `` step up as they have over the last number of weeks to protect themselves , to protect their families and to protect the broader community in this great state and the world we reside in . ''
He said compliance would rely heavily on `` social pressure . ''
No time-frame was given for how long the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the announcement , California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy , the House minority leader , tweeted : `` I hope Governor Newsom consulted with a lot of experts before he decided to shut down 12 % of the nation 's population . ''
Despite the seemingly sweeping nature of the governor 's order , there are a number of exemptions , Newsom said .
`` We 're going to keep the grocery stores open , '' he said .
`` We 're going to make sure that you 're getting critical medical supplies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , practicing common sense and social distancing .
You can still walk your dog . ''
Essential travel includes trips to the grocery , gas stations , farmers markets , food banks , convenience stores , take-out and delivery restaurants , banks and laundromats , according to the Los Angeles Times .
The directive also exempts critical infrastructure such as food and agriculture , healthcare , transportation , energy and financial services , the newspaper said .
California — which along with Washington and New York is among the states hardest-hit by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed cases of the potentially fatal upper respiratory infection .
Nineteen people in the state have died from COVID-19 .
Earlier , Newsom said that an official projection estimates that up to 56 % of the state 's residents could become infected by the virus — a figure that would equate to more than 22 million people .
However , he said at the news conference : `` The point of the stay-at-home order is to make those numbers moot . ''
According to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases in the U.S. has surpassed 10,000 .
However , officials believe that due to the small number of tests for the virus so far due to a lack of test kits , the number of infections is thought to be significantly higher .
A tally of worldwide coronavirus statistics maintained by Johns Hopkins University , shows the global total of reported cases is nearly 250,000 , with more than 10,000 deaths .

California Issues 'Stay At Home' Order As Coronavirus Infections Rise
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rich Pedroncelli/AP Rich Pedroncelli/AP
Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered California's 40 million residents to stay at home indefinitely in the widest-ranging directive so far of any state as it grapples with a growing novel coronavirus epidemic that has killed 150 people nationwide.
Making a major announcement. Tune in now. https://t.co/Yjet7ojZqf — Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) March 20, 2020
The order late Thursday called on people to remain in their homes with exceptions only for essential travel. The move follows similar restrictions issued earlier this week for the San Francisco Bay Area.
Speaking at a late evening news conference in Sacramento, Newsom said his directive "goes into force and effect this evening and we are confident that the people of the state of California will abide by it, will do the right thing."
The governor, a Democrat who took office just over a year ago, said Californians would "step up as they have over the last number of weeks to protect themselves, to protect their families and to protect the broader community in this great state and the world we reside in."
He said compliance would rely heavily on "social pressure."
No time frame was given for how long the order would remain in place.
After the announcement, California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the House minority leader, tweeted: "I hope Governor Newsom consulted with a lot of experts before he decided to shut down 12% of the nation's population."
I hope Governor Newsom consulted with a lot of experts before he decided to shut down 12% of the nation's population. pic.twitter.com/sC7whLz5SN — Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) March 20, 2020
Despite the seemingly sweeping nature of the governor's order, there are a number of exemptions, Newsom said.
"We're going to keep the grocery stores open," he said. "We're going to make sure that you're getting critical medical supplies. You can still take your kids outside, practicing common sense and social distancing. You can still walk your dog."
Essential travel includes trips to the grocery, gas stations, farmers markets, food banks, convenience stores, takeout and delivery restaurants, banks and laundromats, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The directive also exempts critical infrastructure such as food and agriculture, health care, transportation, energy and financial services, the newspaper said.
California — which along with Washington and New York is among the states hardest-hit by the burgeoning U.S. outbreak — has some 1,000 confirmed cases of the potentially fatal respiratory infection. Nineteen people in the state have died from COVID-19.
Earlier, Newsom said that an official projection estimates that up to 56% of the state's residents could become infected by the virus — a figure that would equate to more than 22 million people.
However, he said at the news conference: "The point of the stay-at-home order is to make those numbers moot."
According to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the total number of cases in the U.S. has surpassed 10,000. However, officials believe that due to the small number of tests for the virus so far due to a lack of test kits, the number of infections is thought to be significantly higher.
A tally of worldwide coronavirus statistics maintained by Johns Hopkins University, shows the global total of reported cases is nearly 250,000, with more than 10,000 deaths.


npr--2020-03-19--'Stay Home,' Californians Are Told By Governor As Coronavirus Spreads

'Stay Home , ' Californians Are Told By Governor As Coronavirus Spreads The nation 's most-populated state is telling its residents to stay home except for essential travel .
California Gov .
Gavin Newsom made the announcement Thursday night , saying that more than half of the state 's 40 million residents could become infected by the coronavirus if efforts are n't taken to slow its spread .
The order is the strongest statewide restriction in the country , but it exempts essential travel to grocery stores , pharmacies and gas stations and will rely heavily on `` social pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` We are confident that the people of the state of California will abide by it and do the right thing and meet this moment , '' he says .
The move follows similar restrictions in the Bay Area .
There were roughly 1,000 cases of the coronavirus in the state as of Thursday evening .
In a letter to the federal government requesting assistance , the state estimated that without mitigation more than 22 million people could be infected over the next eight weeks .
State officials hope the stay-at-home restrictions will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that scenario .
They will be in effect indefinitely .

'Stay Home,' Californians Are Told By Governor As Coronavirus Spreads
Enlarge this image toggle caption Rich Pedroncelli/AP Rich Pedroncelli/AP
The nation's most-populated state is telling its residents to stay home except for essential travel. California Gov. Gavin Newsom made the announcement Thursday night, saying that more than half of the state's 40 million residents could become infected by the coronavirus if efforts aren't taken to slow its spread.
The order is the strongest statewide restriction in the country, but it exempts essential travel to grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations and will rely heavily on "social pressure" for enforcement, Newsom says.
"We are confident that the people of the state of California will abide by it and do the right thing and meet this moment," he says.
The move follows similar restrictions in the Bay Area.
There were roughly 1,000 cases of the coronavirus in the state as of Thursday evening. In a letter to the federal government requesting assistance, the state estimated that without mitigation more than 22 million people could be infected over the next eight weeks.
State officials hope the stay-at-home restrictions will slow the virus' spread and prevent that scenario. They will be in effect indefinitely.


npr--2020-03-19--In The Shadow Of Coronavirus, Members Of Congress Revisit Remote Voting

In The Shadow Of Coronavirus , Members Of Congress Revisit Remote Voting In the early 1990s , two dozen House lawmakers pitched an idea of voting electronically .
The proposal did n't get very far .
Now , as the coronavirus threat grows , one of original sponsors of that measure is trying again .
`` At the time we did n't have ... the electronic communications we have today to safely vote remotely , '' said Ohio Republican Rob Portman , who is now a senator .
`` Now we do . ''
Portman is co-sponsoring a resolution with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow remote voting .
And Portman has a lot more company this time .
More than 50 House lawmakers signed onto a plan spearheaded by California Democratic Reps. Katie Porter and Eric Swalwell and Texas Republican Van Taylor to make the change .
And more could sign on after the first two members of Congress made public they tested positive for the coronavirus illness .
Florida Republican Mario Diaz-Balart and Utah Democrat Ben McAdams said they began to experience symptoms of the illness Saturday night .
That was hours after they joined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus response package .
The news forced a new wave of quarantines on Capitol Hill .
`` There is a health risk of having all of us in the Capitol at the same time , '' Swalwell said .
`` Remote voting would allow us to be powerful voices for our constituents without further contributing and deepening this crisis . ''
Congressional leadership has fended off the idea for years .
But during a call with her caucus Thursday , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she directed Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to explore the proposal .
`` I 'm really heartened that leadership is thinking this through , and praying and hoping that it is not necessary , '' Porter said .
`` But we are asking everyone to prepare ... Congress should be no exception . ''

In The Shadow Of Coronavirus, Members Of Congress Revisit Remote Voting
In the early 1990s, two dozen House lawmakers pitched an idea of voting electronically. The proposal didn't get very far.
Now, as the coronavirus threat grows, one of original sponsors of that measure is trying again.
"At the time we didn't have ... the electronic communications we have today to safely vote remotely," said Ohio Republican Rob Portman, who is now a senator. "Now we do."
Portman is co-sponsoring a resolution with Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois to allow remote voting.
And Portman has a lot more company this time.
More than 50 House lawmakers signed onto a plan spearheaded by California Democratic Reps. Katie Porter and Eric Swalwell and Texas Republican Van Taylor to make the change.
And more could sign on after the first two members of Congress made public they tested positive for the coronavirus illness.
Florida Republican Mario Diaz-Balart and Utah Democrat Ben McAdams said they began to experience symptoms of the illness Saturday night. That was hours after they joined hundreds of House members to approve a coronavirus response package.
The news forced a new wave of quarantines on Capitol Hill.
"There is a health risk of having all of us in the Capitol at the same time," Swalwell said. "Remote voting would allow us to be powerful voices for our constituents without further contributing and deepening this crisis."
Congressional leadership has fended off the idea for years. But during a call with her caucus Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she directed Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern, chairman of the House Rules Committee, to explore the proposal.
"I'm really heartened that leadership is thinking this through, and praying and hoping that it is not necessary," Porter said. "But we are asking everyone to prepare ... Congress should be no exception."


npr--2020-03-19--Walmart Plans Bonuses For Workers, 150,000 New Temporary Hires

Walmart is preparing to hire some 150,000 new staffers in its warehouses and stores and to pay its current workers bonuses as the company wrangles with the stepped-up demand from shoppers during the coronavirus pandemic .
The retailer is also planning to begin piloting drive-up coronavirus testing in Chicago as early as Friday , focusing on health care workers and first responders .
Testing sites are expected to spread to parking lots of Walmart , Walgreens and other retailers to help U.S. state and federal officials step up testing .
Walmart is working with restaurant and hospitality groups to perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ furloughs .
The jobs are expected to be temporary through May , but `` many will convert to permanent roles over time , '' the company said .
The retailer is expediting its hiring process to be as fast as one day .
Walmart 's hiring announcement comes just days after Amazon said it would hire 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers to keep up with online-shopping demand .
Many malls and retail brands meanwhile have had to shutter stores .
Walmart and other supermarkets have been restricting hours to give workers time to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onslaught of shoppers .
The retailer , which is the largest private employer in the country , plans to spend $ 550 million on bonuses for its current workers .
That includes an earlier payout of a quarterly bonus as well as a special cash bonus of $ 300 for full-time workers and $ 150 for part-time workers employed by Walmart as of March 1 .
Asked whether Walmart is at all considering closing stores , Dan Bartlett , executive vice president of corporate affairs , said the company `` will do everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
He cited the company 's experience in China , where its stores had to adjust to more online deliveries and other changes , but remained open .
Editor 's note : Walmart is among NPR 's latest financial supporters .

Walmart Plans Bonuses For Workers, 150,000 New Temporary Hires
Enlarge this image toggle caption Matt Rourke/AP Matt Rourke/AP
Walmart is preparing to hire some 150,000 new staffers in its warehouses and stores and to pay its current workers bonuses as the company wrangles with the stepped-up demand from shoppers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The retailer is also planning to begin piloting drive-up coronavirus testing in Chicago as early as Friday, focusing on health care workers and first responders. Testing sites are expected to spread to parking lots of Walmart, Walgreens and other retailers to help U.S. state and federal officials step up testing.
Walmart is working with restaurant and hospitality groups to perhaps hire people who are facing layoffs and furloughs. The jobs are expected to be temporary through May, but "many will convert to permanent roles over time," the company said. The retailer is expediting its hiring process to be as fast as one day.
Walmart's hiring announcement comes just days after Amazon said it would hire 100,000 warehouse and delivery workers to keep up with online-shopping demand. Many malls and retail brands meanwhile have had to shutter stores. Walmart and other supermarkets have been restricting hours to give workers time to clean, restock and rest during the onslaught of shoppers.
The retailer, which is the largest private employer in the country, plans to spend $550 million on bonuses for its current workers. That includes an earlier payout of a quarterly bonus as well as a special cash bonus of $300 for full-time workers and $150 for part-time workers employed by Walmart as of March 1.
Asked whether Walmart is at all considering closing stores, Dan Bartlett, executive vice president of corporate affairs, said the company "will do everything in our power to maintain open doors." He cited the company's experience in China, where its stores had to adjust to more online deliveries and other changes, but remained open.
Editor's note: Walmart is among NPR's latest financial supporters.


npr--2020-03-19--READ: Senate Republicans' Latest Coronavirus Relief Bill

The third legislative package to deal with the outbreak , the bill would provide direct cash payments help for small @ @ @ @ @ testing .
The bill still has to be negotiated with Senate Democrats , which is @ @ @ @ @ Republicans are also pushing for changes .
You can read more about what 's in @ @ @ @ @ here , or read the bill yourself here .

READ: Senate Republicans' Latest Coronavirus Relief Bill
Senate Republicans unveiled a 247-page proposed coronavirus relief bill Thursday evening.
The third legislative package to deal with the outbreak, the bill would provide direct cash payments help for small businesses and more resources for testing.
The bill still has to be negotiated with Senate Democrats, which is expected Friday. Some Senate Republicans are also pushing for changes.
You can read more about what's in the bill and the process here, or read the bill yourself here.


npr--2020-03-20--Pence Aide Tests Positive For Coronavirus, Contact Tracing Ongoing

The White House disclosed its first case of the coronavirus on Friday night : a person who works in the @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Neither President Trump nor Vice President Pence had close contact with the individual @ @ @ @ @ Miller said in a statement .
She declined to give further details .
`` Further @ @ @ @ @ in accordance with CDC guidelines , '' Miller said .

Pence Aide Tests Positive For Coronavirus; Contact Tracing Ongoing
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Updated at 8:03 p.m. ET
The White House disclosed its first case of the coronavirus on Friday night: a person who works in the office of Vice President Pence.
"Neither President Trump nor Vice President Pence had close contact with the individual," Pence spokeswoman Katie Miller said in a statement. She declined to give further details.
"Further contact tracing is being conducted in accordance with CDC guidelines," Miller said.
The White House has stepped up measures this week to practice the kind of social distancing that Trump and Pence have urged the nation to use. Anyone coming close to them has their temperature taken. There have been efforts to reduce the number of people coming into the crowded confines of the building.
Pence told reporters earlier this week that he has not been tested for the virus because the White House doctor had told him he didn't need to be.
Trump was tested a week ago and the White House physician said he tested negative. Trump said he opted to do the test after facing a barrage of questions about a dinner he had with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in Florida two weeks ago. After that dinner, 23 members of Bolsonaro's delegation tested positive for the virus. Bolsonaro has said he twice tested negative.


npr--2020-03-20--Surge Of Coronavirus Cases In Brazil Brings Warning Of Health Care Collapse

Surge Of Coronavirus Cases In Brazil Brings Warning Of Health Care Collapse The coronavirus is spreading with increasing speed across South America 's largest nation , Brazil , prompting a senior government minister to warn that the health care system faces collapse .
The number of confirmed cases has surged by 283 in one day to 904 , according to a bulletin released by the Health Ministry on Friday .
The number of deaths has reached 11 , it says .
This surge comes amid more warnings about the country 's inadequate health system , including a huge shortage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a dilemma shared across the region .
`` Clearly , by the end of April , our health care system will collapse , '' said Brazil 's Health Minister , Luiz Henrique Mandetta .
`` You can have the money .
You can have a private plan .
You can have a court order .
But there is simply no room for you , '' he added .
The toll taken by the coronavirus , coupled with its potentially devastating economic impact , is damaging the standing of Brazil 's far right president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brazilians by playing down the virus , initially describing it as a `` fantasy , '' and joining a crowd of supporters for handshakes and selfies last weekend , at a time he was supposed to be in isolation .
Brazilians – many of whom have sought refuge from the virus threat by staying in their homes — have begun protesting against him at night , by drumming pots and pans from their windows .
There 's speculation in Brazil about Bolsonaro 's own health status — he says he has twice tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus has now infected 23 members of a delegation that he led to Florida two weeks ago .
During that trip , he dined with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago .
Bolsonaro 's government has sought to contain the spiraling crisis , by announcing a package of financial measures and closing almost all of Brazil 's land borders to visitors .
Air travelers from Europe , Asia , and Australia are barred from entry beginning Monday .
Yet Bolsonaro has held back from more rigorous measures , saying that he fears Brazil would face @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a halt .
He 's criticized Brazil 's state governors for taking `` extreme measures . ''
That includes the governor of the state that contains Brazil 's largest city , Sao Paulo .
He has declared a public emergency and ordered the closure of all parks and nonessential services until the end of next month .
Rio de Janeiro 's governor is pressing for still stronger measures , including canceling all international flights and domestic flights from other Brazilian states with the virus .
He 's already ordered many closures , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer statue , and beaches .

Surge Of Coronavirus Cases In Brazil Brings Warning Of Health Care Collapse
The coronavirus is spreading with increasing speed across South America's largest nation, Brazil, prompting a senior government minister to warn that the health care system faces collapse.
The number of confirmed cases has surged by 283 in one day to 904, according to a bulletin released by the Health Ministry on Friday. The number of deaths has reached 11, it says.
This surge comes amid more warnings about the country's inadequate health system, including a huge shortage of intensive care beds and other equipment — a dilemma shared across the region.
"Clearly, by the end of April, our health care system will collapse," said Brazil's Health Minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta.
"You can have the money. You can have a private plan. You can have a court order. But there is simply no room for you," he added.
The toll taken by the coronavirus, coupled with its potentially devastating economic impact, is damaging the standing of Brazil's far right president Jair Bolsonaro.
He has outraged many Brazilians by playing down the virus, initially describing it as a "fantasy," and joining a crowd of supporters for handshakes and selfies last weekend, at a time he was supposed to be in isolation. Brazilians – many of whom have sought refuge from the virus threat by staying in their homes — have begun protesting against him at night, by drumming pots and pans from their windows.
There's speculation in Brazil about Bolsonaro's own health status — he says he has twice tested negative — after reports emerged that the virus has now infected 23 members of a delegation that he led to Florida two weeks ago. During that trip, he dined with President Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
Bolsonaro's government has sought to contain the spiraling crisis, by announcing a $30 billion package of financial measures and closing almost all of Brazil's land borders to visitors. Air travelers from Europe, Asia, and Australia are barred from entry beginning Monday.
Yet Bolsonaro has held back from more rigorous measures, saying that he fears Brazil would face a catastrophe if its economy grinds to a halt. He's criticized Brazil's state governors for taking "extreme measures."
That includes the governor of the state that contains Brazil's largest city, Sao Paulo. He has declared a public emergency and ordered the closure of all parks and nonessential services until the end of next month.
Rio de Janeiro's governor is pressing for still stronger measures, including canceling all international flights and domestic flights from other Brazilian states with the virus. He's already ordered many closures, including Rio's celebrated tourist spots, the Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer statue, and beaches.


npr--2020-03-20--Many Cities Halt Evictions, But Renters Still Need Help

Many Cities Halt Evictions , But Renters Still Need Help The federal government took a major step toward helping homeowners this week , ordering lenders to give people hurt financially by the coronavirus pandemic up to a 12-month break on their mortgage payments .
But what about renters ?
Many cities say they 're halting evictions if renters ca n't pay .
But that 's about it , says Laurie Goodman , co-director of the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute .
`` There have been very , very little actions taken for renters , '' Goodman says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ renter population is far more vulnerable than the homeowner population because , on average , they 're just much , much less affluent , and have much less in savings . ''
Until earlier this week , Angelica Rico had a good job as a digital marketing specialist for a business that helps dental practices promote and run their offices .
But then the company put her and most other employees on furlough with no pay `` until this whole thing goes away , which who knows when that will be , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time , '' Rico says .
`` Obviously , just because work stops and therefore income stops , bills do n't stop . ''
She has a car payment , utilities and student loans .
She 's investigating how to put the student loan payments on hold since the government announced a two-month break for people hurt financially by the pandemic .
But the $ 1,100 a month she pays as her share of the rent for an apartment in Southern California is by far her biggest expense .
`` I ca @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a magic hat , '' she says .
`` So I am extremely worried about not being able to pay rent . ''
A few states away in Denver , Alex Vasko 's job suffered the same fate on Wednesday .
Vasko , who uses the pronoun they , was a banquet captain for a big catering company that does a lot of weddings .
`` I got a call from my boss and she let us know that corporate came down and said they were ceasing all operations through the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hourly employees , Vasko says , `` me and my co-workers , we 're not getting paid . ''
Vasko tried to apply for unemployment benefits .
`` I went online to file a claim online and the system was down , '' they say .
In many states , the online systems and unemployment offices have been overwhelmed and crashing because so many people have lost work and are applying for help .
So Vasko is n't sure about the amount of money unemployment will provide , but knows it will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first of the month approaching , many Americans who 've suffered a loss of income are going to have to pay their rent or mortgage .
For April 1 , many could be OK since they still would have a paycheck coming .
But with no end in sight yet on shutdowns caused by the virus outbreak , Vasko fears not being able to keep paying $ 1,150 in monthly rent past April .
Without some kind of help , Vasko says , `` I have no idea what I would do .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Los Angeles , Miami , and San Francisco , that have halted evictions of renters .
So Vasko says that does `` ease the worry that ... if I ca n't pay this , I 'm going to get kicked out . ''
But Goodman at the Urban Institute would like to see more help than that for renters .
`` It would be the hope that some sort of either rental assistance or per person assistance would become available to allow people to get through this difficult period , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Thursday introduced legislation that would send cash payments of as much as $ 1,200 per person and $ 2,400 per married couple .
Vasko said that would be great .
But if shutdowns drag on for months , `` unless you 're gon na give us $ 1,000 every month to keep paying rent late , it 's not going to do anything in the long run , '' Vasko says .
But Harvard economist Ken Rogoff , who studies financial crises , predicts a lot more help will be coming .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he says .
He says the $ 1 trillion offered by the coronavirus stimulus bill taking shape in Washington `` is going to be the first of many trillions . ''
Rogoff says the government needs to do everything it can to keep people financially healthy and on solid footing .
That way when people can leave their homes and life starts getting back to normal they can return to spending money and slingshot the economy into recovery .
`` The rise in unemployment in 2008 could be dwarfed by this , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is just something extraordinary , '' Rogoff says .
And if half the people in the country get their credit scores destroyed and end up in dire financial straits , he says this crisis could be much worse than the last recession .
So Rogoff says lawmakers should err on the side of throwing too much financial help at people .
`` When things like this happen , you want to just spend with abandon , '' he says .
`` You want to know that you can do whatever it takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it could turn out to be once-in-a-century situation .
We are in an alien invasion .
I do n't know what else to call it . ''

Many Cities Halt Evictions, But Renters Still Need Help
Enlarge this image toggle caption Courtesy of Autumn Littiken Courtesy of Autumn Littiken
The federal government took a major step toward helping homeowners this week, ordering lenders to give people hurt financially by the coronavirus pandemic up to a 12-month break on their mortgage payments.
But what about renters?
Many cities say they're halting evictions if renters can't pay. But that's about it, says Laurie Goodman, co-director of the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute.
"There have been very, very little actions taken for renters," Goodman says. "And in fact, the renter population is far more vulnerable than the homeowner population because, on average, they're just much, much less affluent, and have much less in savings."
Until earlier this week, Angelica Rico had a good job as a digital marketing specialist for a business that helps dental practices promote and run their offices. But then the company put her and most other employees on furlough with no pay "until this whole thing goes away, which who knows when that will be," she says.
"Everyone panicked at the time," Rico says. "Obviously, just because work stops and therefore income stops, bills don't stop."
She has a car payment, utilities and student loans. She's investigating how to put the student loan payments on hold since the government announced a two-month break for people hurt financially by the pandemic.
But the $1,100 a month she pays as her share of the rent for an apartment in Southern California is by far her biggest expense. "I can't just pull $1,000 out of a magic hat," she says. "So I am extremely worried about not being able to pay rent."
A few states away in Denver, Alex Vasko's job suffered the same fate on Wednesday. Vasko, who uses the pronoun they, was a banquet captain for a big catering company that does a lot of weddings.
"I got a call from my boss and she let us know that corporate came down and said they were ceasing all operations through the end of April," they say. As hourly employees, Vasko says, "me and my co-workers, we're not getting paid."
Vasko tried to apply for unemployment benefits. "I went online to file a claim online and the system was down," they say. In many states, the online systems and unemployment offices have been overwhelmed and crashing because so many people have lost work and are applying for help.
So Vasko isn't sure about the amount of money unemployment will provide, but knows it will be much less than before.
With the first of the month approaching, many Americans who've suffered a loss of income are going to have to pay their rent or mortgage. For April 1, many could be OK since they still would have a paycheck coming.
But with no end in sight yet on shutdowns caused by the virus outbreak, Vasko fears not being able to keep paying $1,150 in monthly rent past April. Without some kind of help, Vasko says, "I have no idea what I would do."
Denver is one of many cities, including Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco, that have halted evictions of renters. So Vasko says that does "ease the worry that ... if I can't pay this, I'm going to get kicked out."
But Goodman at the Urban Institute would like to see more help than that for renters. "It would be the hope that some sort of either rental assistance or per person assistance would become available to allow people to get through this difficult period," she said.
Republicans in the Senate on Thursday introduced legislation that would send cash payments of as much as $1,200 per person and $2,400 per married couple.
Vasko said that would be great. But if shutdowns drag on for months, "unless you're gonna give us $1,000 every month to keep paying rent late, it's not going to do anything in the long run," Vasko says.
But Harvard economist Ken Rogoff, who studies financial crises, predicts a lot more help will be coming.
"There will need to be," he says. He says the $1 trillion offered by the coronavirus stimulus bill taking shape in Washington "is going to be the first of many trillions."
Rogoff says the government needs to do everything it can to keep people financially healthy and on solid footing. That way when people can leave their homes and life starts getting back to normal they can return to spending money and slingshot the economy into recovery.
"The rise in unemployment in 2008 could be dwarfed by this, at least in the short run. This is just something extraordinary," Rogoff says.
And if half the people in the country get their credit scores destroyed and end up in dire financial straits, he says this crisis could be much worse than the last recession.
So Rogoff says lawmakers should err on the side of throwing too much financial help at people.
"When things like this happen, you want to just spend with abandon," he says. "You want to know that you can do whatever it takes to get out of this extraordinary situation, it could turn out to be once-in-a-century situation. We are in an alien invasion. I don't know what else to call it."


npr--2020-03-20--U.K. Shuts Pubs, Restaurants And Other Locales To Curb Coronavirus Spread

U.K. Shuts Pubs , Restaurants And Other Locales To Curb Coronavirus Spread The British government has told pubs and restaurants to shut by Friday night .
Gyms , movie theaters and clubs have also been ordered to close , in the United Kingdom 's most sweeping measures yet designed to flatten the curve of coronavirus cases .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people thinking of enjoying one last Friday night out , `` Please do n't .
You may think that you 're invincible , but there is no guarantee that you will get mild symptoms and you can still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass it on to others .
We want you to stay at home . ''
Treasury chief Rishi Sunak , meanwhile , announced that for the first time in history , the government will pay 80 % of a furloughed employee 's wages .
That move follows angry cries from the hospitality sector demanding government support .
The new measures came as the coronavirus has risen quickly across much of Europe .
On Friday morning , health officials said 3,983 people have tested positive in the U.K. and 177 have died .
Despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not yet gone on lockdown .
Although public transportation has been reduced , people are still allowed to leave their homes .
In fact , British people have been told to avoid pubs since Monday , but not everyone was listening , prompting calls for firmer action .
In a near-deserted pub on Thursday in East London , three friends met for a pint after seeing beer advertised for the equivalent of just over $ 2 — and after several days bored at home .
`` I do n't know if this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harris Allen , an actor .
`` But , like , this is the only interaction I 've had in a week .
Also , I work in a pub .
If no one comes in and drinks , I wo n't have a job .
I wo n't get paid . ''
Rory Thomas-Howes , who owns a theater company and juggles several freelance jobs that have all been canceled , agreed .
`` We were shut in for like three days .
Then I went out and there were so many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kind of like , well , if everybody 's out , am I helping ?
I do n't know what I 'm doing . ''
`` I do n't think anyone does , '' answered Josh Tucker , another actor and kindergarten teacher .
`` I think we just need to be told what to do . ''

U.K. Shuts Pubs, Restaurants And Other Locales To Curb Coronavirus Spread
Enlarge this image toggle caption Peter Summers/Getty Images Peter Summers/Getty Images
The British government has told pubs and restaurants to shut by Friday night. Gyms, movie theaters and clubs have also been ordered to close, in the United Kingdom's most sweeping measures yet designed to flatten the curve of coronavirus cases.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged people thinking of enjoying one last Friday night out, "Please don't. You may think that you're invincible, but there is no guarantee that you will get mild symptoms and you can still be a carrier of the disease and pass it on to others. We want you to stay at home."
Treasury chief Rishi Sunak, meanwhile, announced that for the first time in history, the government will pay 80% of a furloughed employee's wages. That move follows angry cries from the hospitality sector demanding government support.
The new measures came as the coronavirus has risen quickly across much of Europe. On Friday morning, health officials said 3,983 people have tested positive in the U.K. and 177 have died.
Despite the rising numbers, the U.K. has not yet gone on lockdown. Although public transportation has been reduced, people are still allowed to leave their homes.
In fact, British people have been told to avoid pubs since Monday, but not everyone was listening, prompting calls for firmer action.
In a near-deserted pub on Thursday in East London, three friends met for a pint after seeing beer advertised for the equivalent of just over $2 — and after several days bored at home.
"I don't know if this is safe. Is it?" said Harris Allen, an actor. "But, like, this is the only interaction I've had in a week. Also, I work in a pub. If no one comes in and drinks, I won't have a job. I won't get paid."
Rory Thomas-Howes, who owns a theater company and juggles several freelance jobs that have all been canceled, agreed. "We were shut in for like three days. Then I went out and there were so many people out here. And it's kind of like, well, if everybody's out, am I helping? I don't know what I'm doing."
"I don't think anyone does," answered Josh Tucker, another actor and kindergarten teacher. "I think we just need to be told what to do."


npr--2020-03-20--Indonesia's Capital Declares State Of Emergency To Halt Coronavirus Spread

The world 's fourth most populous country is bracing for a spike in cases of coronavirus infection , after health experts say a sluggish government response has masked the serious of the outbreak .
The governor of Indonesia 's capital Jakarta has declared a two-week state of emergency in the city .
In the past three weeks , confirmed cases in Indonesia have risen from a handful to 369 .
The country 's number of COVID-19-related deaths stands at 32 , the highest in Southeast Asia .
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan Friday urged businesses to allow employees to work from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bars , spas and movie theaters would be shut , and public transportation would be limited .
Many religious activities in places where worshipers might congregate in large numbers , such as mosques and churches , are also suspended for the next two weeks .
Indonesia 's top clerical Muslim body had earlier issued a fatwa allowing Muslims in areas where COVID-19 has spread `` uncontrollably '' to skip Friday prayers .
Medical staff and health workers have criticized President Joko Widodo 's government for underestimating the magnitude of infection in a country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Equator .
An official at the State Ombudsman office , which investigate complaints about the government , said the administration had been `` very late , stammering '' in its handling .
`` Because , truthfully , '' he told Reuters , `` they have wasted time since January . ''
The chairman of Indonesia 's Red Cross , former Vice President Jusuf Kalla , has said a paucity of testing is masking the gravity of the outbreak : `` If the tests are low , then the cases are low .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ running at more than 8 % , which indicates there is under-testing , according to global management consulting firm Teneo .
President Widodo said Friday that he would use `` all state power '' to combat the outbreak and that rapid testing was being made available in areas of the outbreak .
As he called for stepped-up testing , the presidential palace said both he and his wife were negative for COVID-19 .
The country of 267 million has tested some 1,500 people , well below many of its smaller Asian neighbors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of neighboring Philippines and institute tough measures , including lockdowns .
He also urged it to follow the strategy of South Korea , which has tested more than 316,000 people to help quell its outbreak .
Indonesia is importing 200,000 test kits from South Korea and 500,000 from other countries .
But there are concerns that Indonesia 's under-funded health care system lacks the medical staff , training , and equipment needed to combat the pandemic .
And despite official advice on the need for social distancing to curb transmission , members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and worshipers crowded some mosques for Friday prayers .

Indonesia's Capital Declares State Of Emergency To Halt Coronavirus Spread
Enlarge this image toggle caption Tatan Syuflana/AP Tatan Syuflana/AP
The world's fourth most populous country is bracing for a spike in cases of coronavirus infection, after health experts say a sluggish government response has masked the serious of the outbreak.
The governor of Indonesia's capital Jakarta has declared a two-week state of emergency in the city. In the past three weeks, confirmed cases in Indonesia have risen from a handful to 369. The country's number of COVID-19-related deaths stands at 32, the highest in Southeast Asia.
Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan Friday urged businesses to allow employees to work from home and said that starting Monday, bars, spas and movie theaters would be shut, and public transportation would be limited. Many religious activities in places where worshipers might congregate in large numbers, such as mosques and churches, are also suspended for the next two weeks. Indonesia's top clerical Muslim body had earlier issued a fatwa allowing Muslims in areas where COVID-19 has spread "uncontrollably" to skip Friday prayers.
Medical staff and health workers have criticized President Joko Widodo's government for underestimating the magnitude of infection in a country comprising thousands of islands that sprawl across the Equator.
An official at the State Ombudsman office, which investigate complaints about the government, said the administration had been "very late, stammering" in its handling. "Because, truthfully," he told Reuters, "they have wasted time since January."
The chairman of Indonesia's Red Cross, former Vice President Jusuf Kalla, has said a paucity of testing is masking the gravity of the outbreak: "If the tests are low, then the cases are low."
The fatality rate in Indonesia is running at more than 8%, which indicates there is under-testing, according to global management consulting firm Teneo.
President Widodo said Friday that he would use "all state power" to combat the outbreak and that rapid testing was being made available in areas of the outbreak. As he called for stepped-up testing, the presidential palace said both he and his wife were negative for COVID-19.
The country of 267 million has tested some 1,500 people, well below many of its smaller Asian neighbors.
Kalla urged that Indonesia follow the lead of neighboring Philippines and institute tough measures, including lockdowns. He also urged it to follow the strategy of South Korea, which has tested more than 316,000 people to help quell its outbreak. Indonesia is importing 200,000 test kits from South Korea and 500,000 from other countries.
But there are concerns that Indonesia's under-funded health care system lacks the medical staff, training, and equipment needed to combat the pandemic.
And despite official advice on the need for social distancing to curb transmission, members of the public continue to flout the warning and worshipers crowded some mosques for Friday prayers.


npr--2020-03-20--Illinois Gov. Issues Stay-At-Home Order To Fight Coronavirus

Gov .
J.B. Pritzker on Friday afternoon ordered all Illinois residents to stay at home , as the deadly coronavirus has spread to a quarter of the state 's counties and infected more than 500 people .
The stricter limits will go into effect on Saturday .
They follow similar orders by officials in New York , Connecticut and Nevada , and another by California Gov .
Gavin Newsom on Thursday .
`` We know this will be hard , '' Pritzker said in a news conference , adding that the new rules are expected to last until April 7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see whether or not this social distancing ... is having the desired effect of '' slowing the spread of COVID-19 , he said .
Pritzker said essential services including grocery stores , pharmacies and gas stations will remain open , and restaurants will be allowed to continue take-out services .
But most other places will have to shut down .
However , he pleaded with people not `` to rush out to a grocery store or gas station '' to stock pile essential goods .
Health care professionals and other essential workers will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to Pritzker , who offered no details on how such programs will work .
Students will also continue receiving free meals , he said .
People on the verge of losing their homes will also be protected throughout the stay-at-home period .
The state is halting all evictions .
And homeless people will be provided shelter .
`` Now is not the time for half measures , '' she said after criticizing the federal government 's response to the crisis .
The city will close all parks and libraries starting on Saturday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or break moment '' for the city and the state but offered some words of comfort , saying , `` It wo n't drastically change day-to-day life for those already practicing social distancing . ''
`` This is not a lockdown or martial law , '' she added .

Illinois Gov. Issues Stay-At-Home Order To Fight Coronavirus
Enlarge this image toggle caption Charles Rex Arbogast/AP Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Friday afternoon ordered all Illinois residents to stay at home, as the deadly coronavirus has spread to a quarter of the state's counties and infected more than 500 people.
The stricter limits will go into effect on Saturday.
They follow similar orders by officials in New York, Connecticut and Nevada, and another by California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday.
"We know this will be hard," Pritzker said in a news conference, adding that the new rules are expected to last until April 7.
"That gives us time to see whether or not this social distancing ... is having the desired effect of" slowing the spread of COVID-19, he said.
Pritzker said essential services including grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations will remain open, and restaurants will be allowed to continue take-out services. But most other places will have to shut down.
However, he pleaded with people not "to rush out to a grocery store or gas station" to stock pile essential goods.
Health care professionals and other essential workers will be provided with safe day care, according to Pritzker, who offered no details on how such programs will work. Students will also continue receiving free meals, he said.
People on the verge of losing their homes will also be protected throughout the stay-at-home period. The state is halting all evictions. And homeless people will be provided shelter.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined Pritzker in the news conference.
"Now is not the time for half measures," she said after criticizing the federal government's response to the crisis.
The city will close all parks and libraries starting on Saturday.
Lightfoot called it a "make or break moment" for the city and the state but offered some words of comfort, saying, "It won't drastically change day-to-day life for those already practicing social distancing."
"This is not a lockdown or martial law," she added.


npr--2020-03-20--State Department Offers Repatriation Flights For Americans Stranded In Morocco

The State Department says it is organizing repatriation flights for U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are having trouble leaving Morocco because of travel restrictions prompted to fight the coronavirus crisis .
`` Today , as we speak , Mission Morocco is supporting the repatriation via chartered flight of more than 1,000 American citizens stranded in Morocco as that country halted its air , land and maritime links in order to slow the virus 's spread , '' David Schenker , the Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs , told reporters .
According to the U.S. Embassy in Morocco , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Marrakech 's international airport on Friday .
Schenker said the flights would continue for several days .
He said the embassy in Morocco has received thousands of emails from stranded U.S. citizens .
`` These flights will include a Marrakech to London Heathrow leg and an onward connecting flight to one of the 10 cities in the USA served by British Airways , '' the embassy stated .
The cost of each ticket is nearly $ 1,500 and passengers much reimburse the U.S. government , it added .
Some U.S. citizens stranded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they see as the slow response of the U.S. government to help them get back .
`` France is being very open with the citizens and is moving mountains to get them home ; meanwhile the U.S. embassy says 'call the airlines ' and 'prepare to be here for a while , but not indefinitely , ' `` Cristina Pratt , who was visiting Morocco from California when the country suddenly suspended flights , told The New York Times earlier this week .
Schenker said the State Department is assessing whether there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Friday , the State Department said that `` as resources allow , embassies and consulates will continue to provide emergency and mission critical visa services . ''
As NPR 's Jackie Northam noted , `` Those types of services may be in high demand for U.S. citizens stranded overseas and trying to get back home . ''
The start of the repatriation flights comes one day after the State Department urged U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel because of the virus .
It said that those who live in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – or prepare for an indefinite period abroad .

State Department Offers Repatriation Flights For Americans Stranded In Morocco
Enlarge this image toggle caption Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP
The State Department says it is organizing repatriation flights for U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are having trouble leaving Morocco because of travel restrictions prompted to fight the coronavirus crisis.
"Today, as we speak, Mission Morocco is supporting the repatriation via chartered flight of more than 1,000 American citizens stranded in Morocco as that country halted its air, land and maritime links in order to slow the virus's spread," David Schenker, the Assistant Secretary of Near Eastern Affairs, told reporters.
According to the U.S. Embassy in Morocco, the chartered flights were set to start at Marrakech's international airport on Friday.
Schenker said the flights would continue for several days. He said the embassy in Morocco has received thousands of emails from stranded U.S. citizens.
"These flights will include a Marrakech to London Heathrow leg and an onward connecting flight to one of the 10 cities in the USA served by British Airways," the embassy stated. The cost of each ticket is nearly $1,500 and passengers much reimburse the U.S. government, it added.
Some U.S. citizens stranded in Morocco have been critical of what they see as the slow response of the U.S. government to help them get back.
"France is being very open with the citizens and is moving mountains to get them home; meanwhile the U.S. embassy says 'call the airlines' and 'prepare to be here for a while, but not indefinitely,' " Cristina Pratt, who was visiting Morocco from California when the country suddenly suspended flights, told The New York Times earlier this week.
Schenker said the State Department is assessing whether there is demand for similar repatriation flights from Egypt.
On Friday, the State Department said that "as resources allow, embassies and consulates will continue to provide emergency and mission critical visa services." As NPR's Jackie Northam noted, "Those types of services may be in high demand for U.S. citizens stranded overseas and trying to get back home."
The start of the repatriation flights comes one day after the State Department urged U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel because of the virus. It said that those who live in the U.S. should arrange for an immediate return – or prepare for an indefinite period abroad.
NPR's Jane Arraf contributed to this report.


npr--2020-03-20--Hollywood Reports Its Lowest Daily Box Office On Record

On Wednesday , the day all three of the largest U.S. movie exhibitors — AMC , Regal and Cinemark — shut down operations , Hollywood reported the lowest box office figures since the industry began tabulating numbers independently decades ago .
With just 440 of the nation 's more than 5,500 theaters ( which account for some 40,000 screens ) open for business , North American cinemas took in less than $ 300,000 for all the movies currently in theaters , according to the Hollywood Reporter .
That 's down 97 % from the comparable date ( the third Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the lowest daily total in modern film history .
If there was a bright spot ( and it 's not very bright ) , it was provided by drive-in theaters .
Because audiences view movies from their cars , it 's still possible to watch a film with a crowd and practice social distancing .
A few drive-ins , notably in California and Texas , made as much as $ 1,000 for the night .
That 's maybe enough to make payroll .
But there are n't many drive-ins left — about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states are still closed at this time of year .
Moreover , with Hollywood studios delaying nearly all new films , including such potential blockbusters as Mulan , F9 , Marvel 's Black Widow , A Quiet Place Part II and the 007 thriller No Time To Die , even drive-ins that do manage to stay open wo n't be getting any new films anytime soon .

Hollywood Reports Its Lowest Daily Box Office In Decades
On Wednesday, the day all three of the largest U.S. movie exhibitors — AMC, Regal and Cinemark — shut down operations, Hollywood reported the lowest box office figures since the industry began tabulating numbers independently decades ago.
With just 440 of the nation's more than 5,500 theaters (which account for some 40,000 screens) open for business, North American cinemas took in less than $300,000 for all the movies currently in theaters, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
That's down 97% from the comparable date (the third Wednesday in March) last year, and is the lowest daily total in modern film history.
If there was a bright spot (and it's not very bright), it was provided by drive-in theaters. Because audiences view movies from their cars, it's still possible to watch a film with a crowd and practice social distancing. A few drive-ins, notably in California and Texas, made as much as $1,000 for the night. That's maybe enough to make payroll.
But there aren't many drive-ins left — about 300 nationally — and ones in northern states are still closed at this time of year.
Moreover, with Hollywood studios delaying nearly all new films, including such potential blockbusters as Mulan, F9, Marvel's Black Widow, A Quiet Place Part II and the 007 thriller No Time To Die, even drive-ins that do manage to stay open won't be getting any new films anytime soon.