WEDNESDAY MORNING C-19 UPDATE

As of RIGHT NOW, In the US...there have been 116 DEATHS, AND THAT'S UP 23 IN THE LAST 24 HOURS.........with 6,524 TOTAL CASES, about 1,800 more than this time yesterday....TUESDAY BY FAR HAD THE BIGGEST  INCREASE IN CASES OF ANY DAY SO FAR....THERE WERE ABOUT A THOUSAND NEW CASES CONFIRMED ON MONDAY....

In NORTH DAKOTA, A BIG INCREASE YESTERDAY IN CONFIRMED CASES, GOING FROM ONE CASE TO FIVE....THE NEW CASES REPORTED???  ONE IN CASS COUNTY, TWO IN BURLEIGH COUNTY - THE BISMARCK AREA, AND ONE MORE IN WARD COUNTY - MINOT AREA...MAKING TWO CASES NOW REPORTED IN WARD.....STILL NO DEATHS IN NORTH DAKOTA....there are no people hospitalized in North Dakota right now.....33 people are being monitored...and 253 PEOPLE have been tested....

In Minnesota, 6 new positive tests ON TUESDAY....but still no deaths.....the closest confirmed cases CONTINUE TO BE are in Stearns county - st. cloud area,  and almost 2300 people have been tested STATE WIDE.

In South Dakota, one new positive test yesterday....that makes 11...they've had one death....AND THAT NUMBER HAS NOT CHANGED IN THE LAST WEEK.

worldwide there are JUST OVER 200,000 cases, up about 16-thousand in the last 24 hours....8,010 deaths, that's up about 650 over the last 24 hours (GOOD NEWS THERE, ON MONDAY, THERE WERE ABOUT 900 NEW DEATHS).... about 82,000 people have had the virus worldwide and have recovered......in china where this originated, there are now 3,237 deaths, and that's up about 15 in the last 24 hours........THE NEW INTERNATIONAL HOT SPOT IS IRAN, THEY NOW HAVE THE 3RD MOST DEATHS OF ANY COUNTRY - WITH 988....TRAILING ONLY CHINA AND ITALY....

for comparison....the flu has killed about 12,000 people in the US since November 1, according to Centers for Disease Control.

HEADLINES -

AS WE MENTIONED, THERE ARE NOW 5 NORTH DAKOTANS WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE....ONE IS IN CASS COUNTY, A 20 YEAR OLD FEMALE WHO IS NOT HOSPITALIZED....

ACROSS THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, IT WILL BE THE FIRST FULL DAY WHERE ALL RESTAURANTS, BARS, THEATERS, GYMS AND FITNESS CENTERS ARE NOW CLOSED FOR ANY ON-SITE TRAFFIC - STATE OFFICIALS SAY that more than 31,000 people HAVE NOW applied for unemployment insurance over the past two days..

IN FARGO, MCDONALDS RESTAURANTS, DREKKER BREWING AND GRANITE CITY ARE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE NOW CLOSED FOR ON-SITE CUSTOMERS...WEST FARGO MAYOR BERNIE DARDIS TOLD ME LAST NIGHT ON THE NIGHTLY REVIEW THAT MAXWELLS IS NOW OFFERING CURBSIDE SERVICE.

ALL NORTH DAKOTA SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED FOR CLASSES THIS WEEK, BUT IN WEST FARGO, MEALS FOR NEEDY STUDENTS WERE GIVEN OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME TUESDAY.......FARGO SCHOOLS WILL DO THE SAME STARTING TODAY AT FIVE PICK UP SITES....AND MOORHEAD SCHOOLS BEGINS MAKING BREAKFAST AND LUNCH MEALS AVAILABLE TODAY, THROUGH A meal DELIVERY on school buses TO specific locations.

THE NORTH DAKOTA DEPT OF HEALTH SAYS MORE THAN 10-THOUSAND RESIDENTS HAVE SELF REPORTED TO THE STATE THAT THEY HAVE TRAVELED TO A LOCATION WHERE THERE HAVE BEEN CORONAVIRUS INSTANCES....AND GOVERNOR BURGUM SAYS PRESIDENT TRUMPS 15-DAY RECOMMENDATIONS ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY, CONTINUE TO BE THE STANDARD FOR NORTH DAKOTANS. THAT MEANS AS OF RIGHT NOW, NO ORDERS TO CLOSE RESTAURANTS, BARS, THEATERS AND GYMS, AND NO LOCKDOWNS.

BUT MARCUS THEATERS SAYS IT WILL CLOSE ITS DOORS NATIONWIDE  INCLUDING HERE IN THE METRO -  INDEFINITELY AFTER THE LAST SHOW TONIGHT

BISHOP JOHN FOLDA SAYS THE FARGO DIOCESE HAS canceled all public celebrations of Mass, sacraments and parish events STARTING NOON TODAY AND LASTING INDEFINITELY ...THAT'S MORE THAN 130 parishes in 30 counties in eastern North Dakota.... funerals, weddings and baptisms will be held but only with 10 or fewer people.

A 10 AM PRESS CONFERENCE HAS BEEN SCHEDULED FOR TODAY AS THE MAYORS FROM THE METRO WILL APPEAR WITH LOCAL HEALTH AND HOSPITAL OFFICIALS TO OUTLINE THE METRO'S PREPAREDNESS FOR ANY STRESS ON THE LOCAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM....WE WILL CARRY THIS LIVE ON OUR WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE.

The West Fargo School District says the woman from Cass County who has the Coronavirus is not an employee....Rumors swirled on social media a teacher working in the district contracted the virus.

GAS PRICES IN THE METRO CONTINUE TO FALL AS OIL PRICES SLIDE....YOU CAN BUY FOR A DOLLAR-84 AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS AROUND TOWN....THE FIRST TIME IN 4 YEAR'S WE'VE BEEN UNDER 2 BUCKS.

Cass County Sheriff Jesse Jahner says they could release low-risk inmates to make room at the county jail BUT THEY HAVE NOT DONE SO YET

All City of West Fargo buildings are closed to the public , essential services will remain available such as emergency services, garbage collection, streets, sewer and water, etc.

Hornbacher's and Cash Wise stores that normally operate on a 24-hour schedule are closing at night to allow for cleaning and restocking of shelves....

West Acres mall will be open limited hours, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with no early open hours for walkers. It is also removing seating in the food court.

BUT MACY'S ANNOUNCED IT WILL CLOSE ALL STORES INCLUDING THE ONE AT WEST ACRES EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

FARGO THEATER AND THE PLAINS ART MUSEUM ARE CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

The North Dakota Department of Transportation has temporarily closed the driver's license office IN WAHPETON, BECAUSE IT'S NEAR A SENIOR CARE FACILITY....

THE NORTH DAKOTA REPUBLICAN PARTY SAYS IT WILL POSTPONE IT'S STATE CONVENTION SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEKEND IN BISMARCK

The Minnesota Legislature UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED A $200 million MEASURE FOR HEALTH CARE AND TESTING  TO HELP FIGHT THE VIRUS...

AND THE U OF M HEALTH SYSTEM SAYS Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul will be converted into a specialty care facility for COVID-19 patients

THE CITY OF NEW YORK - THE NATION'S LARGEST CITY -  MAY SOON GO UNDER LOCKDOWN, ACCORDING TO MAYOR BILL DEBLASIO, JOINING SIX COUNTIES AND SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE IN THE SF BAY AREA...

President Donald Trump, speaking at the White House, SAYS HE'S PUSHING A 1 TRILLION DOLLAR STIMULUS PACKAGE TO HELP AILING INDUSTRIES AND PUT MONEY QUICKLY INTO THE POCKETS OF AMERICANS...Among options being considered: $1,000 checks to almost all adult Americans.... THE STOCK MARKET LOVED IT - VAULTING MORE THAN 1,000 POINTS ON THE DOW....

THE PRESIDENT ALSO urged everyone to CONTINUE WORKING FROM HOME, STAY OUT OF RESTAURANTS AND BARS, AVOID RECREATIONAL TRAVEL, AND LIMIT GATHERINGS TO 10 PEOPLE OR LESS FOR AT LEAST 2 MORE WEEKS...

KANSAS IS THE FIRST STATE TO CANCEL ALL CLASSES FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

In an effort to get tests to the public more quickly, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is waiving the normal regulations and allowing test makers to market scientifically valid products in the U.S. immediately.

The United States and Canada are preparing to issue a joint statement in the next 24-48 hours to suspend non-essential travel between the two countries

INTERNATIONALLY, EUROPEAN countries ARE REIMPOSING hard borders across the continent, challenging the European Union’s basic model OF FREE TRAVEL THROUGHOUT.....

NBA SUPERSTAR KEVIN DURANT HAS BECOME THE 7TH NBA PLAYER TO TEST POSITIVE FOR THE VIRUS