This is a live blog. Please check back for updates.
- Global cases: More than 529,500
- Global deaths: At least 23,900
- U.S. cases: At least 83,800
- U.S. deaths: At least 1,200
The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
All times below are in Beijing time.
8:58 am: Los Angeles launches program to produce 5 million non-medical masks for essential workers
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Thursday announced a new program that will aim to produce 5 million non-medical masks for workers in essential sectors and medical patients.
The program, L.A. Protects, is seeking the help of local manufacturers who can produce non-medical masks to protect people like grocery-store employees, non-medical staff in hospitals and medical patients. Kaiser Permanente has developed the design specifications of the masks, according to the program’s website.
Organizations that can help or are in need of masks can sign up for the program online. — Salvador Rodriguez
8:26 am: China reports 55 new cases, most of them imported
China’s National Health Commission said that there were 55 new cases, of which 54 were imported and one local case was reported in Zhejiang. Five new deaths were also reported, all of them in Hubei province. Altogether, China says there have been 81,340 cases of infection since the start of the outbreak. More than 74,500 cases have been cured while 3,292 people have died. — Saheli Roy Choudhury
Staff members check the information of passengers entering China at the Pudong International Airport in Shanghai on March 18, 2020.
Ding Ting | Xinhua News Agency | Getty Images
8:22 am: Italy’s death toll rises above 8,000
More people have died in Italy from exposure to the fast-spreading coronavirus than anywhere else in the world. As of March 26, 6 p.m. local time, at least 8,165 people have died, according to Italy’s health ministry. Total number of cases in the country is around 80,539, of which 10,361 people have recovered. Italy is in total lockdown where public movement is severely restricted; people are allowed outside for emergency purposes such as going to the hospital or buying groceries. — Saheli Roy Choudhury
8:09 am: China’s Xi calls for ‘international macro-economic policy coordination’
Chinese President Xi Jinping told world leaders that they need to coordinate their policy responses to counter the negative economic impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on the global economy.
“We need to enhance international macro-economic policy coordination,” Xi said at an emergency virtual G-20 Leaders’ Summit, according to an English translation of his speech posted by state news agency Xinhua.
“Countries need to leverage and coordinate their macro policies to counteract the negative impact and prevent the world economy from falling into recession,” Xi said, adding, that China will “increase its supply of active pharmaceutical ingredients, daily necessities, and anti-epidemic and other supplies to the international market.”
The outbreak, which was first reported in China, has disrupted production around the world as companies shut down factories to reduce the risk of exposure for their workers and there are growing worries over falling consumer demand. — Saheli Roy Choudhury
8:03 am: India announced more than $22 billion in stimulus to help those affected by lockdown
India announced an economic stimulus package worth 1.7 trillion rupees ($22.5 billion) on Thursday, designed to help millions of low-income households cope with a 21-day lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak.
The package will be disbursed through food security measures for poor households and through direct cash transfers, said India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Most of the country’s 1.3 billion people have been told to stay indoors for three weeks starting Wednesday this week, as part of the government’s efforts to slow down the coronavirus outbreak before India’s health care system collapses from the strain. Essential services like grocery stores and gas stations would remain open. — Saheli Roy Choudhury
All times below are in Eastern time.
7:30 pm: De Blasio says New York has now hit 365 deaths from coronavirus
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the city now has 23,112 cases of COVID-19 and 365 deaths.
“The next few months will be painful and stress our health care system like never before,” de Blasio said in a tweet. “To our health care workers: you are going above and beyond the call to save New Yorkers and we will remember your actions for the rest of New York history.”
Additionally, de Blasio said the Brooklyn Navy Yard has now begun manufacturing plastic face shields and will have 50,000 made by the end of this week alone. De Blasio said the city has received 1,500 ventilators from the federal government thus far, but he said that is a fraction of what will be needed. “Ventilators will mean the difference between life and death for thousands of New Yorkers,” he tweeted. “The federal government MUST help us close that gap.” — Salvador Rodriguez
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) lift a patient that was identified to have coronavirus disease (COVID-19) into an ambulance while wearing protective gear, as the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, in New York City, New York, U.S., March 26, 2020.
Stefan Jeremiah | Reuters
6:13 pm: The US is now the epicenter of the outbreak
America now has more confirmed coronavirus cases than Italy and China, becoming the largest outbreak in the world.
The total number of cases in the U.S. reached 82,404, eclipsing China’s 81,782 confirmed infections and Italy at 80,589, according to data compiled by John Hopkins University.
The virus emerged in Wuhan, China, in December. It has since spread to more than half a million people in almost every country around the world and continues to pick up speed, the World Health Organization warned earlier this week. —Will Feuer
5:15 pm: GM temporarily cuts pay by 20% for 69,000 salaried workers
General Motors told about 69,000 salaried employees globally on Thursday that it will temporarily cut 20% of their salaries as the automaker attempts to save cash amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The deferment, which will begin April 1, will be repaid in a lump sum with interest no later than March 15, 2021, according to the company
About 6,500 U.S. employees also will be essentially temporary laid-off, which the company is calling a “salaried downtime paid absence.” The workers will receive 75% of their pay, keep seniority and retain health care benefits. — Mike Wayland
Read CNBC’s coverage from the U.S. overnight: De Blasio says New York has now hit 365 deaths from coronavirus