State Dept. tells Americans not to travel abroad
The Department of State is advising Americans not to travel internationally, the strongest U.S. alert yet as the pandemic continued its steady march across the globe. The department on Thursday issued a Level 4 advisory for travel abroad — “do not travel” — only four days after it issued a Level 3 advisory — “reconsider travel.”
“In countries where commercial departure options remain available, U.S. citizens who live in the United States should arrange for immediate return to the United States, unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period,” the advisory said. “U.S. citizens who live abroad should avoid all international travel.”
Italy surpasses China for most deaths
Italy marked a grim milestone Thursday as its death toll from the global coronavirus outbreak surpassed China’s. Italy’s total of 3,405 includes an average of more than 350 deaths a day since March 15, according to World Health Organization data. The country has the world’s second-oldest population after Japan, and most of the dead are from its elderly population.
A number of other factors are also being blamed for the virus’s ferocious grip on Italy. They include an utterly overwhelmed health care system and a failure to quickly impose a national lockdown. Italy represents a stark illustration of how the virus has swept through communities at breakneck speed, upending daily routines and threatening to usher in the most serious economic recession in decades. China’s National Commission reported an uptick Thurdsay in foreign cases – but no domestically transmitted cases of the virus, the first time since it started recording them in January. COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, in China’s central Hubei province, in December.
Global death toll
The global death toll passed 9,700; there were more than 235,000 confirmed cases. In the U.S., deaths jumped to 157 across 22 states – including the first reported fatalities in Connecticut, Michigan, Missouri and Pennsylvania. There were more than 11,238 confirmed cases, up from about 1,600 a week earlier, when there were 40 reported deaths.
$1,000 checks in three weeks?
The Trump administration wants checks of $1,000 per person and $500 per child to go out within three weeks of Congress passing a stimulus package, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said a deal was close.
“The plan is $500 billion in two tranches,” Mnuchin said on Fox Business’ “Mornings with Maria.” “The first one would be $1,000 per person, $500 per child.” Six weeks later, if needed, “we’ll deliver another $3,000,” he said. Mnuchin said he also wanted $300 billion to go toward small businesses for “hiring people, keeping people on the payroll.” Another $200 billion would secure lending to airlines and other critical industries, he said.
Kohl’s shuts closes 1,100 stores
Kohl’s Corp. is closing all of its approximately 1,100 retail stores nationwide in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Kohl’s stores will close at 7 p.m. local time Thursday, the company announced in a news release. The stores will be closed at least until April 1.
The company said it would pay its store employees two weeks’ salary. Customers will still be able to shop through the Kohl’s website and app. Earlier this week, Kohl’s announced it would reduce the hours its stores were open because of a “softening” in sales.