US death toll from coronavirus rises to 30, National Guard sent to NYC suburb
The epidemic appeared to be subsiding in China but has found foothold elsewhere.
As a virus epidemic appeared to be subsiding in China, where it first emerged nearly three months ago, the outbreak has found a strong foothold in Italy and other countries.
With more than 10,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, Italy now has the highest national total behind China, which has reported over 80,000 confirmed infections. The Italian government has put the entire country on lockdown in an effort to contain the newly identified virus, known officially as COVID-19.
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Today's biggest developments:
Here is how the news unfolded on Tuesday. All times eastern.
9:10 p.m. Sacramento County records 30th US death
A person in their 90s with an underlying health condition and living in a nursing facility in Sacramento County, California, has died, according to county health officials.
"We will all work to protect our most vulnerable residents from exposure to communicable diseases,” Sacramento County Department of Health Services Director Dr. Peter Beilenson said in a statement.
"When a nursing home facility has an outbreak, regardless if it is flu, norovirus or COVID-19, Sacramento County Public Health immediately begins the investigation process to follow the communicable disease exposure of others, and will monitor or isolate those individuals until they are no longer contagious,” he added.
The death is the 30th in the United States, according to ABC News' count. It is the third death in California.
9:05 p.m. UK health minister tests positive
The U.K.'s health minister has tested positive for novel coronavirus after first showing symptoms Thursday.
Nadine Dorries, a Conservative Party MP from Liverpool, has been self-isolating since Friday, though she attended an event with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on the day she started feeling ill.
7:15 p.m. Coachella, Stagecoach music festivals postponed
Music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach will be rescheduled over coronavirus concerns, according to a statement from events company Goldenvoice.
Coachella will now take place from Oct. 9 to 11 and Oct. 16 to 18, while Stagecoach will take place from Oct. 23 to 25.
Ticket holders will be notified by Friday on how to obtain a refund if they are unable to attend.
There have been six diagnosed cases of coronavirus in Riverside County, California, where the festivals take place, according to health officials.
7:10 p.m. Google recommends employees work from home
Google is asking employees in North America to work remotely amid the COVID-19 outbreak -- if their work allows.
The offices will remain open to those whose positions require them to come in, but the goal is to reduce the density of people in the office, according to a Google spokesperson.
Google's headquarters are in Mountain View, California, but they also have large offices in New York City and around the country.
7 p.m. Target sets limits on purchase of key items
Target is looking to prevent panic-buying during the coronavirus outbreak by limiting the number of items each customer can buy.
"As demand for cleaning products, medicine, pantry stock-up items and more remains high, we’re sending more products to our stores as quickly as possible," a statement from CEO Brian Cornell read. "And this weekend, we started to limit the number of key items per purchase, which will allow more guests to get what they need."
The statement did not detail what the limit for certain items would be.
6:05 p.m. NCAA to evaluate how to proceed with upcoming events
The NCAA is assessing how the coronavirus outbreak will affect upcoming events.
A decision will be made in the coming days after the NCAA consults with public health officials and its COVID-19 advisory panel, according to a statement.
The men's basketball March Madness tournament is currently scheduled to begin on March 17.
The opening round games are played in Dayton, Ohio, where Gov. Mike DeWine said earlier Tuesday, "For indoor events, we are asking for no events with spectators other than the athletes, parents, and others essential to the game."
5:45 p.m. Caribbean Princess cleared to dock in Florida
The Caribbean Princess, the cruise ship ordered to remain off the coast of Florida by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Department of Health & Human Services, has now been cleared to dock after two crew members tested negative for coronavirus.
The crew members previously served on the Grand Princess, the ship in which multiple U.S. citizens who have tested positive for the virus were staying on, according to a letter sent to passengers obtained by ABC News. However, the workers were past the 14-day incubation period and were not showing any symptoms, the letter stated.
Three guests were medically evacuated from the ship for reasons unrelated to COVID-19, according to Princess Cruises.
5:20 p.m. MGM Resorts to temporarily close buffets in Las Vegas
MGM Resorts will stop operating its buffet service at seven properties in Las Vegas to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The buffets at ARIA, Bellagio, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Luxor and Excalibur will be closed starting Sunday, MGM Resorts Director of Media Relations Brian Ahern said in a statement.
"These changes are temporary and will be evaluated on a weekly basis," Ahern said.
4:50 p.m. Biden cancels Cleveland rally
Joe Biden's campaign joined Bernie Sanders in also canceling his rally scheduled in Cleveland Tuesday night.
"In accordance with guidance from public officials and out of an abundance of caution, our rally in Cleveland, Ohio tonight is cancelled," said Communications Director and Deputy Campaign Manager Kate Bedingfield. "We will continue to consult with public health officials and public health guidance and make announcements about future events."
Six states hold primaries or caucuses on Tuesday, and Biden may still address the media despite canceling the rally.
4:40 p.m. Another death recorded in Washington state
A man in his 80s is the latest patient in Washington state to die after contracting COVID-19, according to state officials.
The patient was a resident of Ida Culver House, was hospitalized at University of Washington Medical Center and died on Monday.
Of the 29 people to die of the coronavirus in the U.S., 24 deaths have occurred in Washington state.
4:35 p.m. 70 cases in Massachusetts connected to one conference, governor says
At least 70 cases of coronavirus in the state of Massachusetts are connected to the same employee conference, according to state officials.
The conference for biotechnology company Biogen took place last month.
State data lists one confirmed case and 92 presumptive positive cases in the state.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency Tuesday.
4:20 p.m. Bernie Sanders cancels Cleveland rally
The Bernie Sanders campaign has canceled a rally scheduled in Cleveland for Tuesday night after receiving recommendations from officials.
"Out of concern for public health and safety, we are canceling tonight’s rally in Cleveland," campaign communications director Mike Casca said in a statement. "We are heeding the public warnings from Ohio state officials, who have communicated concern about holding large, indoor events during the coronavirus outbreak. Sen. Sanders would like to express his regret to the thousands of Ohioans who had planned to attend the event tonight."
All future events will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, according to Sanders campaign.
Primaries or caucuses are being held in Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota and Washington on Tuesday.
3:55 p.m. Waffle House employee confirmed to have virus
An employee of a Waffle House in Georgia has tested positive for the coronavirus.
The restaurant, located at 1849 Marietta Highway in Canton, has been temporarily closed, Waffle House said in a statement.
The employee has not worked since March 1 and has been released from the hospital under quarantine.
Other employees were instructed to self-quarantine at their homes. None have shown any signs of illnesses, according to Waffle House.
3:20 p.m. Barclays employee on New York trading floor tests positive
A Barclays trader has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the banking company.
The employee works on the New York trading floor and has been self-quarantined since March 3, a spokesperson for Barclays said.
The premises has been "thoroughly cleaned," and colleagues and clients who had had close contact with the employee have been identified, the company said.
2:35 p.m. 'Hundreds of thousands' more people should be tested, says infectious disease doctor
The capacity to test a vast number of people for coronavirus does not yet exist, Dr. Todd Ellerin, chief of infectious diseases at South Shore Health in Weymouth, Massachusetts, told ABC News.
According to Ellerin, hundreds of thousands more people should be tested, but state labs don't have "the ability to process an unlimited number of tests."
"And the number of patients with flu-like illness who are testing negative for flu and negative for the respiratory virus panel far exceeds what that capacity is," Ellerin said.
This means those patients cannot be ruled out for coronavirus, but without a confirmation they’re left in limbo.
2:20 p.m. Trump 'feels extremely good,' doesn't plan on getting tested
President Donald Trump said that while he "would" get tested for coronavirus, he doesn't think it's a "big deal" because he "feels extremely good" and hasn't exhibited any symptoms.
"I feel very good, but I guess it's not a big deal to get tested," Trump told reporters outside Capitol Hill Tuesday afternoon. "It is something I would do, but again, I spoke to the White House doctor -- terrific guy, talented guy. He said there is no reason to do it."
Trump said that he believes the U.S. has "done a very good job on testing."
"When people need a test, they can get a test," he said. "When the professionals need to test more people they can get the tests."
Nearly 5,000 Americans have been tested for the virus, according to an ABC News count
1:45 p.m. Italy's death toll increases by 168 in one day
A total of 631 people in Italy have died from the coronavirus, 168 of whom succumbed to the illness in the last 24 hours, according to the country's civil protection department.
More than 10,000 people have tested positive for the virus in Italy.
The death tolls in Iran and South Korea stand at 291 and 54, respectively.
1:25 p.m. Another nursing home death occurs in Washington state
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