Thursday Morning C-19 Update

 NOTE - Below is a radio-friendly notepad used on the Need To Know Morning Show on AM1100 The Flag WZFG.  Spelling, punctuation, etc are not edited.  

NOTE - Below is a radio-friendly notepad used on the Need To Know Morning Show on AM1100 The Flag WZFG.  Spelling, punctuation, etc are not edited.  

LETS TAKE A LOOK AT THE UP TO THE MINUTE NUMBERS......

NORTH DAKOTA HAD 9 NEW POSITIVE TESTS WEDNESDAY ...3 IN CASS COUNTY, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 45......8 ARE HOSPITALIZED STATEWIDE..............MORE THAN 19-HUNDRED have been tested ......

In Minnesota, 25 new positive tests, ..that brings the total to 287....NO NEW CONFIRMED IN CLAY COUNTY - STILL 3 TOTAL......STILL ONE DEAD IN MINNESOTA.

In South Dakota, 11 NEW POSITIVE TESTS YESTERDAY....41 TOTAL....ONE PERSON THERE HAS DIED....AND ABOUT 11-HUNDRED HAVE BEEN TESTED....

iN THE US, ALMOST 11 THOUSAND NEW CASES CONFIRMED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS , BRINGING THAT TOTAL TO MORE THAN 65-THOUSAND.....AND 252 HAVE DIED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS....BRINGING THE NATIONWIDE TOTAL 1,036.....OVER 1-THOUSAND FOR THE FIRST TIME  .......

worldwide MORE THAN 3-THOUSAND HAVE DIED IN THE LAST 24 HOURS BRINGING THE TOTAL COUNT TO JUST OVER 21-THOUSAND......MORE THAN 470-THOUSAND CONFIRMED CASES, WHILE more than 115,000 PEOPLE  have had the virus worldwide and have recovered.....

ITALY AND SPAIN ARE THE HARDEST HIT COUNTRIES RIGHT NOW, BOTH WITH ALMOST 700 NEW FATALITIES WEDNESDAY....

IF YOU'D LIKE TO COMPARE THIS TO WHAT THE TRADITIONAL FLU VIRUS HAS DONE....the flu has killed 23-THOUSAND, ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL COMPARED TO THE 1,034 FROM COVID 19....AND THE FLU HAS KILLED AN AVERAGE OF 128 PER DAY WHILE THE VIRUS KILLED 252 YESTERDAY.....

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YOUR THURSDAY MORNING HEADLINES -

MINNESOTA GOVERNOR TIM WALZ HAS ORDERED A STATEWIDE SHELTER IN PLACE, MAKING 18 STATES NOW ORDERING THEIR RESIDENTS TO STAY AT HOME EXCEPT FOR FOOD, MEDICINE, AND ESSENTIAL WORK.  IT WILL START FRIDAY NIGHT AT 11:59 AND LAST 2 WEEKS...IT WILL EXTEND THE BAR AND RESTAURANT ORDER OF NO ONSITE DINING UNTIL MAY 1 AT 5 PM....AND WILL ALSO EXTEND THE NO ON-SITE SCHOOL MEASURES UNTIL MAY 4TH....WALZ, after getting state guidance that 2.4 million minnesotans could become infected with the coronavirus said the state is on pace to  run out of intensive care beds in 6 weeks, and this step could push it out to 11 weeks..... SAYS THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS TO PROTECT THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FROM BEING OVERRUN BY SICK PEOPLE, AND AS MANY AS 74-THOUSAND COULD DIE.  HE SAYS IT'S WISE TO PREPARE ARENAS AND STADIUMS TO CARE FOR THE INFECTED, BUT UNDERSTANDS THIS WILL BE A DIFFICULT COUPLE WEEKS....SOT....Anybody who violates the order could face a MISDEMEANOR fine of $1,000 and up to 90 days in jail.

ND GOVERNOR DOUG BURGUM ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY THAT 9 NEW POSITIVE TESTS CAME BACK BRINGING THE STATE'S TOTAL TO 45....3 OF THE NEW POSITIVES FROM CASS COUNTY -- 2 MEN AND A WOMAN ALL IN THEIR 50'S...ONE MAY HAVE CONTRACTED IT WHILE TRAVELING BUT NOT MUCH IS KNOWN FROM ANY OF THE 3....THERE ARE NOW SIX POSITIVE TESTS IN CASS COUNTY....BURGUM ALSO signed an executive order extending worker’s compensation coverage to first responders and health care providers who contract COVID-19 on the job.....North Dakota’s worker’s compensation law currently does not cover viruses such as COVID-19

The big news IN WASHINGTON ...SENATORS FINALLY PASSED THE MUCH AWAITED STIMULUS BILL LATE LAST NIGHT........The sprawling 2.2 TRILLION DOLLAR bill would send ONE-TIME checks to more than 150 million households, set up enormous loan programs for businesses large and small, pump money into unemployment insurance programs and greatly boost spending on hospitals.  THE BILL WHICH WAS REVISED OVER THE LAST 3 DAYS, PASSED 96 TO NOTHING....  The bill would extend $1,200 to most American adults and $500 for most children, create a $500 billion lending program for businesses, cities and states, and establish a $367 billion employee retention fund for small businesses. It would direct $130 billion to hospitals and provide four months of expanded unemployment insurance, among other things.  THE BILL ALSO PROVIDES FOR A SUSPENSION OF FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, AND MOVES THE DEADLINE FOR AMERICANS TO OBTAIN A REAL ID TO SEPTEMBER OF NEXT YEAR....THE HOUSE HAS SCHEDULED A VOTE FOR TOMORROW......

Concordia College has asked all students living on campus to leave by noon Saturday, Due to the coronavirus pandemic..... The college is developing a plan for determining credits for campus housing and meal plans.

METRO AREA MAYORS AND HEALTH EXPERTS GAVE A BRIEFING WEDNESDAY IN FARGO.....THEIR CONSENSUS WAS THAT WHILE THE SITUATION WILL GET WORSE IN THE COMING DAYS, THE AREA'S HEALTH CARE FACILITIES ARE WELL PREPARED AND THEY ARE MAKING CONTINGENCY PLANS IF CURRENT CARE FACILITIES SHOULD RUN OUT OF ROOM. THEY SAY THAT MOST OF THE TESTING NOW CAN BE DONE IN-HOUSE OR WILL BE IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHICH SHOULD REDUCE WAIT TIMES TO 48 HOURS OR LESS.

AT HECTOR AIRPORT THIS MORNING, AIRLINES HAVE CANCELLED ABOUT HALF OF THE SCHEDULED FLIGHTS DUE TO FEWER PEOPLE TRAVELING....6 OF THE 11 FLIGHTS SCHEDULED HAVE BEEN CANCELLED.

VALLEY NEWS LIVE REPORTS THAT West Acres Mall IS EXTENDING THE CLOSURE OF THE MALL.....The new tentative re-opening datE is April 8th

Minnesota lawmakers will reconvene TODAY to vote on a request from Gov. Tim Walz for another $356 million for the state’s coronavirus response. When lawmakers do return, there will be fewer members in the House and Senate at once — and even in the Capitol.  Lawmakers in the House and Senate will be asked to come in one door and leave from another, and keep 6 feet of distance from their colleagues and staff....leaders are asking some lawmakers to voluntarily stay home.

According to the TSA website, one year ago, over 2 million people went through airport security ON MARCH 25TH.....just under 300 thousand people DID SO YESTERDAY on Tuesday.....

Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns says his mother is hospitalized and in a medically-induced coma after contracting the coronavirus.

Elton John is hosting a “living room” concert aimed at boosting American spirits during the coronavirus crisis...He'll be joined by Alicia Keys, Billie Eilish, Mariah Carey, the Backstreet Boys, and Tim McGraw....It airs 8 pm Sunday on ABC...The artists will be filmed with cell phones, cameras and audio equipment in their homes

A SECOND STRAIGHT DAY OF GAINS ON WALL STREET WHERE THE DOW CLOSED UP ALMOST 500 POINTS TO FINISH AT 21,200....IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE FEBRUARY  THAT THE INDECES POSTED BACK TO BACK WINNING DAYS