Coronavirus Updates: The Latest COVID-19 Headlines From March 16, 2020
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued new guidelines for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. They are now telling everyone to cancel or postpone any gatherings with 50 or more people for the next eight weeks.
CLOSINGS: Click here to see the latest school closings and cancellations.
Here are the latest COVID-19 related headlines for Monday, March 16:
- 10:29 p.m.: All LA Fitness locations are closed until April 1.
- 10:02 p.m.: Running Aces is suspending all casino, simulcast, hotel and dining opertions.
- 8:57 p.m.: Both campuses of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church (Minneapolis and Victoria) will only hold online Sunday services until further notice.
- 8:37 p.m.: Effective March 17, Hennepin County is closing all public-facing services at their 41 libraries, human service centers, and licensing service centers through April 6.
- 8:29 p.m.: All Social Security offices will be closed to the public starting Tuesday, March 17. Phone and online services will remain available.
- 8:28 p.m.: The Crow Wing County Sheriff Department's main office and jail lobby areas will be closed to the public through March 31.
- 6:44 p.m.: Brooklyn Park has canceled its Monday night city council meeting, and all other city-sponsored events are canceled through April 30.
- 5:30 p.m.: Gov. Tim Walz orders closure of all dine-in restaurants starting tomorrow at 5 p.m. Take out and curbside pick up dining will still be allowed.
- 4:56 p.m.: All Lifetime Fitness locations in the United States are closed as of 8 p.m. on Monday, March 16.
- 4:56 p.m.: Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities will close through April 3.
- 4:55 p.m.: M Health Fairview postpones elective, non-urgent surgeries at all locations effective March 18. Time-sensitive surgeries and procedures will continue, and the emergency departments will remain open for patients requiring emergency medical attention.
- 4:49 p.m.: University of St. Thomas goes online for the remainder of the semester
- 4:45 p.m.: The mayors of Eden Prairie and Richfield have declared a local state of emergency.
- 4:39 p.m.: The Minnesota State Fair management team says it does not anticipate postponing or cancelling the state fair.
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4:24 p.m.: Amazon is hiring 100,000 full- and part-time workers in the United States and raising pay $2 per hour to meet rising demand amid COVID-19 outbreak.
- 4:10 p.m.: Roseville Center has reduced it hours, and will now be open Mondas-Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- 3:56 p.m.: Lunds & Byerlys says its grocery stores will reserve an early shopping hour for shoppers at high risk of coronavirus (COVID-19).
- 3:54 p.m.: Metro Transit will suspend service between 11 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. starting Tuesday, March 17.
- 3:54 p.m.: Loaves and Fishes, the largest free restaurants in Minnesota, will continue to serve customers.
- 3:47 p.m.: All public buildings in Brooklyn Center to close, except for the police station.
- 3:17 p.m.: Jamal James boxing title fight planned for April 11 at The Armory has been postponed.
- 2:33 p.m.: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey declared a local public health emergency in response to the threat of COVID-19.
- 2:24 p.m.: Trump's administration says the public should avoid gatherings larger than 10 people, cancel discretionary travel in bid to slow outbreak.
- 2:20 p.m. Bremer Bank to keep all drive-thrus open, temporarily close lobbies during COVID-19 outbreak.
- 2:02 p.m.: Gov. Tim Walz says the state's economy will be stressed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and that a U.S. recession is expected, and that recovery may not be until 2021.
- 1:56 p.m.: Ohio Gov. DeWine announces cancellation of Tuesday Democratic primary over COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.
- 1:08 p.m.: Major League Baseball pushes back opening day to mid-May at earliest, in accordance with CDC guidelines.
- 12:49 p.m.: Mall of America officials say Nickelodeon Universe will close beginning Wednesday.
- 12:47 p.m.: Grand Casino announces the temporary closures of the Mille Lacs and Hinckley casinos.
- 12:43 p.m.: Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he will close his country's border to non-citizens amid pandemic. Americans exempted from border ban.
- 11:10 a.m.: State health officials announce Minnesota has 54 positive cases of COVID-19 out of 1,893 tested.
- 10:45 a.m.: The Minnesota Legislature is scaling back its operations. Leaders in both parties said they would hold committee meetings and floor sessions on an on-call basis only.
- 9:48 a.m.:The White House has called off this year's Easter Egg Roll.
- 8:45 a.m.:Stock trading was halted on Monday after the Federal Reserve's emergency action to slash its benchmark interest rate to nearly zero failed to quell Wall Street's fears of a recession.
- 8:30 a.m.: Due to school closures across the Twin Cities, several area restaurants are offering free meals to kids.
- 7:12 a.m.: The YMCA Twin Cities says it's fitness, health and wellbeing centers will close until March 30. However, many children's programs will continue to operate.
- 6:40 a.m.: The Peace Corps announces it's suspending global operations and evacuating volunteers.
- 5:41 a.m.: Coronaviurs death toll in the U.S. nears 70; more than 3,700 people have tested positive for the virus nationwide.
- 4:34 a.m.: Stock markets are reeling after the Federal Reserve cut its benchmark interest rate to near zero Sunday evening to help blunt the impact of coronavirus.
- 3:09 a.m.: A number of restaurants in the Twin Cities are closing or becoming takeout only this week. If you are wondering how to help small businesses during this time, click here.