from ZeroHedge:

Summary:

• Coronavirus death toll in Italy surpasses China


• Confirmed cases in the US double in two days


• Mnuchin says wants to get checks in Americans’ hands within 3 weeks


• CA Governor issues state-wide ‘stay at home’ order


• UK nears 3k cases

• BoE cuts rates, launches QE after ’emergency’ meeting


• Confirmed cases in the US climbs ~50% as testing ramps up


• Carnival confirms it will lend government ships for virus response


• Connecticut reports 2nd death as US death toll hits 137


• Cuomo reports nearly 2k new cases, bringing NY total north of 4k


• Covid-19 ‘cluster’ confirmed in South Brooklyn


• Republican Senators introduce $1 trillion aid package


• Minnesota designates grocery workers as ‘essential employees’, giving them access to child care


• Total number of Covid-19 cases passes 10k


• Cuomo signs NY unemployment-benefit expansion benefit package, warns of ‘astronomical jump’ in cases


• China reports zero new cases in Wuhan for first time in months.


• Treasury weighing 50- and 25-year bonds to finance stimulus package


• South Africa case total passes 150


• India halts incoming international flights for a week


• Hong Kong doctors find virus inside 2nd dog


• Spain total cases climb 28% overnight


• Italian death toll expected to pass China’s on Thursday


• Pentagon says 2,000 nat’l guardsman deployed around the country


• NY implements 90-day delay on mortgage payments due to hardship


• FedEx says drop in deliveries in China was smaller than expected


• Trump and Xi reportedly agree to deepen medical research ties


• State Department advises Americans not to travel abroad


• UK gov’t denies plans for London lockdown


• Amazon closes warehouse for ‘deep clean’ after worker tests positive


• 2 Lakers players test positive


• Germany death toll climbs to 43


• Treatment trial in Wuhan yields disappointing results


• Australia confirms 3 passengers, 1 crew test positive aboard Ruby Princess cruise ship


• Germany’s Bafin bans short selling


• Russia reports first death


• SPR to buy 30 million barrels immediately, will eventually buy 70 million


• Wuhan police erase record of ‘admonition’ delivered to Dr. Li Wenliang


• German gov plans to suspend debt brake on Monday


• Netherlands reports another jump in cases after unveiling stimulus package outline


• Switzerland warns situation rapidly deteriorating along the Italian border


• Tiffany closes all US stores

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Update (2300ET):  If you’re starting to lose track of which cruise ship has been transformed into a floating Covid-19 outbreak, well, we can’t blame you. But be aware: Another disaster is just beginning in Australia.

The country’s health ministry announced that three passengers from the Ruby Princess cruise ship, along with one member of the crew, have tested positive. At least one of the infected passengers is said to be in serious condition in a Sydney hospital, and all passengers have been quarantined in isolation for 14 days as officials await the highly probable cluster of cases to be confirmed.

The sick crew member is still on board the ship.

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Update (2145ET): After the number of confirmed cases in the US doubled in the span of two days, California Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a state-wide “stay at home” order amid the virus outbreak – the strongest and most restrictive measure passed by a governor yet.

On Tuesday, there were roughly 5,700 confirmed coronavirus cases in the US. But the total broke above 11,500 on Thursday, and Gov. Cuomo and dozens of others warned that the number will likely skyrocket in the coming days, as more test results come in, and access to testing is expanded.

The announcement comes after San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area issued ‘shelter in place’ orders after a surge of deaths and confirmations in the state.

” This means Californians should stay home, but can leave for essential work and necessary errands.”

“…let’s do what is necessary to bend the curve…”

Additionally, Newsom estimated 56% of the state’s population, about 25.5 million people, will become infected.

Read More @ ZeroHedge.com