UPDATED: City and county office telephone numbers have been added. Scroll down to the bottom.

In response to COVID-19 guidelines, the City of Salina and Saline County have implemented a modified approach to direct public interaction at all of their offices in the City-County Building

Effective Friday, Saline County is implementing “appointment only” access for the public at the City-County building, 300 West Ash Street,  for two weeks (subject to extension). Citizens and visitors to any city or county office must call ahead to make an appointment.

•All entrance to the building will be through the North (ramp) entrance only.

•A sheriff’s deputy will be posted at the entrance.

•Visitors must make an appointment with the respective office before being allowed into the building.

Restrictions for other city and county locations

•Visitors must make an appointment with an individual employee in advance.

•Visitors must call the employee upon arrival to be admitted into the building.

The controlled access portion of the lobby at the Salina Police Department, 255 N. 10th St., will remain open. However, individuals who visit the lobby will first speak to a staff member, who will then determine whether in-person contact with an officer is necessary.

The Saline County Jail lobby will remain open to facilitate video visitation and posting of bonds.

Senior Center – 245 North Ninth Street:

•Meals on Wheels will continue as normal. All volunteers are being screened for illness and social distancing measures have been implemented for the delivery of meals.

Noxious Weed/Expo Center – 900 Greeley Avenue:

•Chemical purchases/sales will be made by appointment only.

•All requests for events will be screened to limit any gatherings to 10 or less people.

Saline County Health Department – 125 West Elm Street:

•All entrance to the building will be through the North entrance.

•Citizens will need to make an appointment. Some services have been adjusted.

•Home Health Care is focusing on critical patients and have adjusted some of their services.

Saline County Community Corrections – 309 South Broadway Boulevard

•All offenders must make an appointment.

•All group classes have been cancelled.

Saline County Sheriff’s Office and Jail – 251 North 10th Street:

•The jail lobby will be open to facilitate video visitation and posting of bonds.

•Fingerprinting services are suspended.

•All visitors must make an appointment.

South Tag Office – 2310 Planet Avenue:

Saline County Road and Bridge – 3424 Airport Road:

•Register of Deeds has suspended processing all passports.

•Appraiser is conducting hearings by phone and will conduct them in person if it is deemed necessary.

•District Court has limited its services and is modifying court dockets.

•Many county services can be completed <a href="http://www.saline.org">online</a>.&nbsp;

Screening questions for COVID-19 and illness will be done at each building. Anyone who is displaying symptoms or illness will not be allowed access to the building.

"It is our highest priority to keep our citizens and staff free from exposure to this disease. In doing so, we are asking for your patience and understanding as we modify our normal business practices," the city and county noted in a news release.

UPDATED: City and county office telephone numbers have been added. Scroll down to the bottom.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584487791224.jpeg" alt="The City-County Building. Salina Post file photo" />
 <figcaption>The City-County Building. Salina Post file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>In response to COVID-19 guidelines, the City of Salina and Saline County have implemented a modified approach to direct public interaction at all of their offices in the City-County BuildingEffective Friday, Saline County is implementing “appointment only” access for the public at the City-County building, 300 West Ash Street, for two weeks (subject to extension). Citizens and visitors to any city or county office must call ahead to make an appointment.<h2>City-County Building restrictions</h2>•All entrance to the building will be through the North (ramp) entrance only.•All other doors will be locked.•A sheriff’s deputy will be posted at the entrance.•Visitors must make an appointment with the respective office before being allowed into the building.<h2>Restrictions for other city and county locations</h2>•All entrances will be locked.•Visitors must make an appointment with an individual employee in advance.•Visitors must call the employee upon arrival to be admitted into the building.<h2>Exceptions</h2>The controlled access portion of the lobby at the Salina Police Department, 255 N. 10th St., will remain open. However, individuals who visit the lobby will first speak to a staff member, who will then determine whether in-person contact with an officer is necessary.The Saline County Jail lobby will remain open to facilitate video visitation and posting of bonds.<h2>Other facilities and offices</h2>Senior Center – 245 North Ninth Street:•Visitors must make an appointment.•Meals on Wheels will continue as normal. All volunteers are being screened for illness and social distancing measures have been implemented for the delivery of meals.Noxious Weed/Expo Center – 900 Greeley Avenue:•Chemical purchases/sales will be made by appointment only.•All requests for events will be screened to limit any gatherings to 10 or less people.•Visitors must make an appointment.Saline County Health Department – 125 West Elm Street:•All entrance to the building will be through the North entrance.•Citizens will need to make an appointment. Some services have been adjusted.•Home Health Care is focusing on critical patients and have adjusted some of their services.Saline County Community Corrections – 309 South Broadway Boulevard•All offenders must make an appointment.•All group classes have been cancelled.Saline County Sheriff’s Office and Jail – 251 North 10th Street:•The jail lobby will be open to facilitate video visitation and posting of bonds.•VIN Inspections are suspended.•Fingerprinting services are suspended.•All visitors must make an appointment.South Tag Office – 2310 Planet Avenue:•All visitors must make an appointment.Saline County Road and Bridge – 3424 Airport Road:•Visitors must make an appointment.City-County Building departments:•Register of Deeds has suspended processing all passports.•Appraiser is conducting hearings by phone and will conduct them in person if it is deemed necessary.•District Court has limited its services and is modifying court dockets.•Many county services can be completed <a href="http://www.saline.org">online</a>.&nbsp;Screening questions for COVID-19 and illness will be done at each building. Anyone who is displaying symptoms or illness will not be allowed access to the building."It is our highest priority to keep our citizens and staff free from exposure to this disease. In doing so, we are asking for your patience and understanding as we modify our normal business practices," the city and county noted in a news release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584667049850.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>

UPDATED: Access to city, county facilities being restricted

The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way the Salina Police Department (SPD) conducts non-emergency business.

Following is a statement from the City of Salina concerning non-emergency reporting to the SPD.

The coronavirus pandemic is changing the way local, state and federal law enforcement respond to citizens’ calls for service.

Although the controlled access portion of the lobby at the Salina Police Department (SPD, 255 North 10th Street, will remain open, the SPD requests that if a crime is not an emergency or in progress, individuals handle the matter by:

•Calling the non-emergency line at (785) 826-7210, and requesting an officer make contact by phone

•Visiting the online reporting system <a href="http://www.salinaks.gov/reportsandnotifications">http://www.salinaks.gov/reportsandnotifications</a> and selecting File a Police Report

Individuals who visit the lobby will first speak to a staff member, who will then determine whether in-person contact with an officer is necessary.

The SPD will continue to respond to emergency calls.

In addition, dispatchers with the Communications Center will assess whether first responders may be at risk by asking the following questions:

•Have you or anyone in your household come in contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus in the last 30 days?

•Have you had a fever or cough within the last three days?

•Have you traveled out of the country within the last 30 days?

Dispatchers will obtain pertinent information from the caller and advise the caller to make a report online (if possible, or an officer will contact them by phone if it is a non-emergency call for service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581972960097.jpeg" alt="The lobby entrance to the Salina Police Department. Salina Post file photo" />
 <figcaption>The lobby entrance to the Salina Police Department. Salina Post file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The COVID-19 pandemic is changing the way the Salina Police Department (SPD) conducts non-emergency business.Following is a statement from the City of Salina concerning non-emergency reporting to the SPD.The coronavirus pandemic is changing the way local, state and federal law enforcement respond to citizens’ calls for service.Although the controlled access portion of the lobby at the Salina Police Department (SPD, 255 North 10th Street, will remain open, the SPD requests that if a crime is not an emergency or in progress, individuals handle the matter by:•Calling the non-emergency line at (785) 826-7210, and requesting an officer make contact by phoneor•Visiting the online reporting system <a href="http://www.salinaks.gov/reportsandnotifications">http://www.salinaks.gov/reportsandnotifications</a> and selecting File a Police ReportIndividuals who visit the lobby will first speak to a staff member, who will then determine whether in-person contact with an officer is necessary.The SPD will continue to respond to emergency calls.In addition, dispatchers with the Communications Center will assess whether first responders may be at risk by asking the following questions:•Have you or anyone in your household come in contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus in the last 30 days?•Have you had a fever or cough within the last three days?•Have you traveled out of the country within the last 30 days?Dispatchers will obtain pertinent information from the caller and advise the caller to make a report online (if possible, or an officer will contact them by phone if it is a non-emergency call for service.

SPD modifies non-emergency reporting

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson on Thursday said state standardized tests will be cancelled this year because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.

Watson told reporters that because the U.S. Department of Education doesn’t allow virtual testing, tests are off this year unless something changes “dramatically.” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced an&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/EO-20-07-Executed.pdf" target="_blank">executive order on Tuesday&nbsp;</a>that temporarily shuttered schools.

“It would just be impossible for it to be done in the manner that it should be done from a confidentiality perspective,” Watson said of the school tests.

A Kansas education task force rolled out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/Communications/Publications/Continuous%20Learning%20Task%20Force%20Guidance.pdf?ver=2020-03-19-102225-707" target="_blank">guidelines</a>&nbsp;to help school districts, teachers and parents navigate remote learning.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584484524519.png" alt="Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson during Tuesday's news conference in Topeka." />
 <figcaption>Kansas Education Commissioner Dr. Randy Watson during Tuesday's news conference in Topeka.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Education Commissioner Randy Watson on Thursday said state standardized tests will be cancelled this year because of concerns about the spread of the coronavirus.Watson told reporters that because the U.S. Department of Education doesn’t allow virtual testing, tests are off this year unless something changes “dramatically.” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced an&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/EO-20-07-Executed.pdf" target="_blank">executive order on Tuesday&nbsp;</a>that temporarily shuttered schools.“It would just be impossible for it to be done in the manner that it should be done from a confidentiality perspective,” Watson said of the school tests.A Kansas education task force rolled out&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/Communications/Publications/Continuous%20Learning%20Task%20Force%20Guidance.pdf?ver=2020-03-19-102225-707" target="_blank">guidelines</a>&nbsp;to help school districts, teachers and parents navigate remote learning.

Kan. Education Commissioner: K-12 tests cancelled this year

The Saline County Sheriff's&nbsp;Mounted Patrol &amp; Rescue Squad has canceled its fundraising rodeo.

Following is a statement from the organization.

Due to Executive order 20-04, released by Governor Laura Kelly, which prohibits mass gatherings to limit the spread of COVID-19, we have cancelled our annual benefit rodeo scheduled to be held April 3rd and 4th 2020. Our annual event will not be rescheduled this year.

For supporters who have purchased advanced tickets to our 59th annual benefit rodeo, refunds are available by mailing tickets to the Mounted Patrol &amp; Rescue Squad at 1020 W North Street, Salina, Ks. 67401. Make sure to include a legible return address and to whom checks are to be made out to in the correspondence. Only advance tickets are refundable. Any and all complimentary tickets have no cash value.

Refund requests and tickets must be received by May 1, 2020.

Our benefit Henry rifle raffle drawing will still take place as scheduled at 7:00 pm on April 4th.

This drawing will be live streamed on the mounted patrol’s Facebook page and the winner notified. (Winner must meet all legal requirements to own this firearm as always.)

We thank the community and our supporters. Our thoughts are with all of those people local and around the world affected in any way by COVID-19. We do anticipate being a part of any needs or calls for service during this event.

Guidance was released today by the Kansas Department of Agriculture for Food Service Establishments regarding COVID-19. Please see that guidance by visiting KDHE’s website: <a href="https://govstatus.egov.com/coronavirus">https://govstatus.egov.com/coronavirus</a> or <a href="http://www.saline.org/coronavirus">www.saline.org/coronavirus</a>.

We cannot stress enough the importance of preventing the spread of diseases by:

•Staying at home if you are sick.

•Covering your sneezes and coughs.

•If you have concerns of your health condition, please call your healthcare provider.

Saline County Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol &amp; Rescue Squad

The Saline County Sheriff's&nbsp;Mounted Patrol &amp; Rescue Squad has canceled its fundraising rodeo.Following is a statement from the organization.Due to Executive order 20-04, released by Governor Laura Kelly, which prohibits mass gatherings to limit the spread of COVID-19, we have cancelled our annual benefit rodeo scheduled to be held April 3rd and 4th 2020. Our annual event will not be rescheduled this year.For supporters who have purchased advanced tickets to our 59th annual benefit rodeo, refunds are available by mailing tickets to the Mounted Patrol &amp; Rescue Squad at 1020 W North Street, Salina, Ks. 67401. Make sure to include a legible return address and to whom checks are to be made out to in the correspondence. Only advance tickets are refundable. Any and all complimentary tickets have no cash value.Refund requests and tickets must be received by May 1, 2020.Our benefit Henry rifle raffle drawing will still take place as scheduled at 7:00 pm on April 4th.This drawing will be live streamed on the mounted patrol’s Facebook page and the winner notified. (Winner must meet all legal requirements to own this firearm as always.)We thank the community and our supporters. Our thoughts are with all of those people local and around the world affected in any way by COVID-19. We do anticipate being a part of any needs or calls for service during this event.Guidance was released today by the Kansas Department of Agriculture for Food Service Establishments regarding COVID-19. Please see that guidance by visiting KDHE’s website: <a href="https://govstatus.egov.com/coronavirus">https://govstatus.egov.com/coronavirus</a> or <a href="http://www.saline.org/coronavirus">www.saline.org/coronavirus</a>.We cannot stress enough the importance of preventing the spread of diseases by:•Staying at home if you are sick.•Washing your hands.•Covering your sneezes and coughs.•If you have concerns of your health condition, please call your healthcare provider.Thank you for your attention.Saline County Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol &amp; Rescue Squad

Mounted Patrol & Rescue Squad cancels rodeo

Latest coronavirus numbers from KDHE

Restrictions are being implemented by the Saline County Treasurer's office.

The following is a statement released early this afternoon by County Treasurer Jim DuBois.

I would like to announce that in lieu of the impact that the COVID-19 virus is causing, the Saline County Tag and Treasurer’s Offices will be by appointment only. Access will be limited to the 1st floor north door at the City-County Building effective Friday (March 20th) Through April 3rd. The south Satellite Office will be restricted by appointment only. I would like to encourage customers who have renewals to go on line or call us at (785) 309-5865.

· For vehicle renewals go to the iKan website with the PIN number on the renewal for you received from the state, <a href="https://ikan.ks.gov/">https://ikan.ks.gov/</a>

· For title and Commercial vehicle work please call the above noted number for an appointment.

· For tax payments please call the Treasurer’s Office at (785) 309-5860.

If you recently purchased a vehicle and have a temporary tag you have 60 days from your date of purchase to get your vehicle registered. Please do not come in without an appointment.

Jim DuBois Saline County Treasurer

Restrictions are being implemented by the Saline County Treasurer's office.The following is a statement released early this afternoon by County Treasurer Jim DuBois.I would like to announce that in lieu of the impact that the COVID-19 virus is causing, the Saline County Tag and Treasurer’s Offices will be by appointment only. Access will be limited to the 1st floor north door at the City-County Building effective Friday (March 20th) Through April 3rd. The south Satellite Office will be restricted by appointment only. I would like to encourage customers who have renewals to go on line or call us at (785) 309-5865.· For vehicle renewals go to the iKan website with the PIN number on the renewal for you received from the state, <a href="https://ikan.ks.gov/">https://ikan.ks.gov/</a>· For title and Commercial vehicle work please call the above noted number for an appointment.· For tax payments please call the Treasurer’s Office at (785) 309-5860.If you recently purchased a vehicle and have a temporary tag you have 60 days from your date of purchase to get your vehicle registered. Please do not come in without an appointment.Jim DuBois Saline County Treasurer

County treasurer's office implementing restrictions

TOPEKA— While many are familiar with the news of travelers stranded on the Diamond Princess Cruise ship due to coronavirus, most have not heard the work Kansas health officials and others did to get residents from Kansas home this week and into quarantine.

According to KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman, officials in Kansas were sensitive to the fact that these vacationers had been caught off-guard while on their cruise holiday when the ship was forced to idle off the California coast because of coronavirus cases aboard.

Officials with U.S. Health and Human Services and the State Department notified authorities in Kansas. "We decided we wanted to help these ten travelers from seven households in five different counties in Kansas get home," said Norman.

A State Department&nbsp; aircraft flew the ten home.&nbsp; When they arrived at Kansas City International and Eisenhower Airport in Wichita, staff from the KDHE&nbsp; wearing protective clothing were there to greet them and escort them to their cars.

The Kansas Highway Patrol assisted so that they were able to drive safely to their homes, according to Norman.&nbsp; "We had ten exhausted, frustrated and now very happy travelers safely home."

The KDHE also worked with their neighbors to make sure the travelers had groceries and other supplies necessary when they arrived.&nbsp; "It was a very happy outcome to a very difficult situation." 

The travelers remain under mandatory quarantine but none of them are ill, according to Norman.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584621794280.png" alt="Diamond Princess Cruise passengers photo courtesy KABC TV" />
 <figcaption>Diamond Princess Cruise passengers photo courtesy KABC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA— While many are familiar with the news of travelers stranded on the Diamond Princess Cruise ship due to coronavirus, most have not heard the work Kansas health officials and others did to get residents from Kansas home this week and into quarantine.According to KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman, officials in Kansas were sensitive to the fact that these vacationers had been caught off-guard while on their cruise holiday when the ship was forced to idle off the California coast because of coronavirus cases aboard.Officials with U.S. Health and Human Services and the State Department notified authorities in Kansas. "We decided we wanted to help these ten travelers from seven households in five different counties in Kansas get home," said Norman.A State Department&nbsp; aircraft flew the ten home.&nbsp; When they arrived at Kansas City International and Eisenhower Airport in Wichita, staff from the KDHE&nbsp; wearing protective clothing were there to greet them and escort them to their cars.The Kansas Highway Patrol assisted so that they were able to drive safely to their homes, according to Norman.&nbsp; "We had ten exhausted, frustrated and now very happy travelers safely home."The KDHE also worked with their neighbors to make sure the travelers had groceries and other supplies necessary when they arrived.&nbsp; "It was a very happy outcome to a very difficult situation." The travelers remain under mandatory quarantine but none of them are ill, according to Norman.

KDHE, KHP assisted Kansas travelers from stranded cruise ship

On Wednesday, the Salina Airport Authority temporarily closed its office.

Following is a statement from the Salina Airport Authority.

To align with the CDC’s recommendations and Governor Kelly’s Executive Order for social distancing and help slow the spread of COVID-19, the Salina Airport Authority (SAA) administrative office will be temporarily closed to the public until further notice.

SAA staff will continue to work diligently to support Airport and Industrial Center businesses and organizations, general aviation and all airport tenants and users.

Please contact our office at (785) 827-3914 to speak with SAA executive staff or to schedule a meeting.

On Wednesday, the Salina Airport Authority temporarily closed its office.Following is a statement from the Salina Airport Authority.To align with the CDC’s recommendations and Governor Kelly’s Executive Order for social distancing and help slow the spread of COVID-19, the Salina Airport Authority (SAA) administrative office will be temporarily closed to the public until further notice.SAA staff will continue to work diligently to support Airport and Industrial Center businesses and organizations, general aviation and all airport tenants and users.Please contact our office at (785) 827-3914 to speak with SAA executive staff or to schedule a meeting.

Salina Airport Authority office temporarily closed

In response to COVID-19 guidelines, the City of Salina has implemented a modified approach to direct public interaction at its various customer service locations. 

While public access is not prohibited, citizens are being asked to consider whether their visit to city facilities is for essential business, and whether the business needs to be done in person.

Citizens are instead encouraged to conduct business by phone, email and online.

These efforts are being made to align with the following:

• The president’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America: 15 days to slow the spread, which began on March 16 and involves avoiding gatherings of 10 or more people for a 15-day period.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance for the next eight weeks, which recommends that organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.

• Governor Kelly’s Executive Order No. 20-04, effective through May 1 on social distancing to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in Kansas.

The City of Salina encourages everyone to stay informed by following COVID-19 guidance from Saline County, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the Centers for Disease Control.

A list of city department numbers can be found below or online by visiting <a href="http://www.salina-ks.gov">www.salina-ks.gov</a>, followed by City Departments. Citizens also can call the city manager’s office at (785) 309-5700.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584487791224.jpeg" alt="Salina Post file photo" />
 <figcaption>Salina Post file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>In response to COVID-19 guidelines, the City of Salina has implemented a modified approach to direct public interaction at its various customer service locations. While public access is not prohibited, citizens are being asked to consider whether their visit to city facilities is for essential business, and whether the business needs to be done in person.Citizens are instead encouraged to conduct business by phone, email and online.These efforts are being made to align with the following:• The president’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America: 15 days to slow the spread, which began on March 16 and involves avoiding gatherings of 10 or more people for a 15-day period.• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance for the next eight weeks, which recommends that organizers (whether groups or individuals) cancel or postpone in-person events that consist of 50 people or more throughout the United States.• Governor Kelly’s Executive Order No. 20-04, effective through May 1 on social distancing to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in Kansas.The City of Salina encourages everyone to stay informed by following COVID-19 guidance from Saline County, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and the Centers for Disease Control.A list of city department numbers can be found below or online by visiting <a href="http://www.salina-ks.gov">www.salina-ks.gov</a>, followed by City Departments. Citizens also can call the city manager’s office at (785) 309-5700.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584630873461.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

City implements modified public interaction approach

JACKSON COUNTY, Kansas —A northeast Kansas resident is in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19.

Northeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department officials report this is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Jackson County, Kansas. NEK officials have contacted people who recently visited the individual.

No details have been given about the person who displayed the symptoms.

The person is in isolation and is following the recommendations of health officials.

Officials in the Holton office recommend anyone with symptoms associated with the respiratory disease, such as a temperature of at least 100.4 and a dry cough, to stay home and call their doctor if symptoms require medical attention.

Authorities in Council Grove reported late Wednesday, two individuals in Morris County, Kansas tested positive for coronavirus, according to the county health department. The two also visited several locations in Council Grove while symptomatic including a grocery store and two restaurants.&nbsp;

The health department urged anyone who visited the same locations and time should call their healthcare provider.

The locations included Watts Coffee on the morning of March 12 and 13, Rays Apple Market on the morning of March 12, Life Center on the morning of March 13 and Ad Astra restaurant at 6:30p.m. March 13.

<a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/COVID-19_Resource_Center.htm">Click here fo</a>r the KDHE resource center.

JACKSON COUNTY, Kansas —A northeast Kansas resident is in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19.Northeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department officials report this is the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Jackson County, Kansas. NEK officials have contacted people who recently visited the individual.No details have been given about the person who displayed the symptoms.The person is in isolation and is following the recommendations of health officials.Officials in the Holton office recommend anyone with symptoms associated with the respiratory disease, such as a temperature of at least 100.4 and a dry cough, to stay home and call their doctor if symptoms require medical attention.Authorities in Council Grove reported late Wednesday, two individuals in Morris County, Kansas tested positive for coronavirus, according to the county health department. The two also visited several locations in Council Grove while symptomatic including a grocery store and two restaurants.&nbsp;The health department urged anyone who visited the same locations and time should call their healthcare provider.The locations included Watts Coffee on the morning of March 12 and 13, Rays Apple Market on the morning of March 12, Life Center on the morning of March 13 and Ad Astra restaurant at 6:30p.m. March 13.<a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/COVID-19_Resource_Center.htm">Click here fo</a>r the KDHE resource center.

Update: Morris, Jackson County report patients with coronavirus

For the first time in its 37 year history, the Sacred Heart Junior / Senior High School Charity Auction will be held exclusively online, and will be open to the public.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We had already decided to offer some of the auction items in an online format knowing that virtual auctions are becoming a trend, the situation at hand just forced us to go all in, so we are hoping for a successful event,” said Renee Thompson, events coordinator.&nbsp;

The Sacred Heart Charity Auction is the largest annual fundraiser for the school.&nbsp;&nbsp;Last year’s auction brought in $128,000 for the school’s operating budget.&nbsp;&nbsp;The “Itemless Item” donations this year will be used primarily for classroom technology and equipment.&nbsp;&nbsp;This will include new smartboard technology, updated science equipment and materials for science and woodworking classes, and additional Chromebooks so that the entire student body can be 1:1.&nbsp;&nbsp;The auction website will feature a donation button for the “Itemless Item.”

The items up for auction will be available to view online starting today, with the auction going live at noon on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;The public can participate in the bidding by going to:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://irishknight2020.ggo.bid/" target="_blank">https://IrishKnight2020.ggo.bid</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;You will be asked to create an account and enter your credit card information, then you will be set up to start bidding!&nbsp;

Development Office staff will be hosting a Facebook Live feed from the school from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;They will be highlighting auction items, hosting the raffle drawing for the Grand Cash Giveaway, answering phone calls, and just virtually bringing the Sacred Heart Community together.

If you have any questions, you may call the Sacred Heart Development Office at 785-825-4011 and the staff will be happy to help you!

For the first time in its 37 year history, the Sacred Heart Junior / Senior High School Charity Auction will be held exclusively online, and will be open to the public.&nbsp;&nbsp;“We had already decided to offer some of the auction items in an online format knowing that virtual auctions are becoming a trend, the situation at hand just forced us to go all in, so we are hoping for a successful event,” said Renee Thompson, events coordinator.&nbsp;The Sacred Heart Charity Auction is the largest annual fundraiser for the school.&nbsp;&nbsp;Last year’s auction brought in $128,000 for the school’s operating budget.&nbsp;&nbsp;The “Itemless Item” donations this year will be used primarily for classroom technology and equipment.&nbsp;&nbsp;This will include new smartboard technology, updated science equipment and materials for science and woodworking classes, and additional Chromebooks so that the entire student body can be 1:1.&nbsp;&nbsp;The auction website will feature a donation button for the “Itemless Item.”The items up for auction will be available to view online starting today, with the auction going live at noon on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;The public can participate in the bidding by going to:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://irishknight2020.ggo.bid/" target="_blank">https://IrishKnight2020.ggo.bid</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;You will be asked to create an account and enter your credit card information, then you will be set up to start bidding!&nbsp;Development Office staff will be hosting a Facebook Live feed from the school from 6-8 p.m. on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;They will be highlighting auction items, hosting the raffle drawing for the Grand Cash Giveaway, answering phone calls, and just virtually bringing the Sacred Heart Community together.If you have any questions, you may call the Sacred Heart Development Office at 785-825-4011 and the staff will be happy to help you!

Sacred Heart charity auction moves to online format

Landmark Apostolic Church has announced that its services will be virtual until further notice.&nbsp;

Links to the online services can be found on the church's <a href="http://www.apostolicsofsalina.com">website</a>.

Landmark Apostolic Church has announced that its services will be virtual until further notice.&nbsp;Links to the online services can be found on the church's <a href="http://www.apostolicsofsalina.com">website</a>.

Landmark Apostolic Church moves to online services

(Additional virus cases have been reported since Wednesday's news conference)

TOPEKA—Wednesday's coronavirus press conference with KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman covered several  updates, including new testing procedures due to community spread in Johnson County, Kansas.&nbsp;

Watch the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KDHEnews/videos/300134447646003/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&amp;eid=ARA2tJT0v1wx3QxUQ5yh8P8twIdgRNHDUecczqftKP6nJ3nJ9SbpbxHk2fWmegqcbp-Zyxb11T1pRKUK">press conference here.</a>

During the press conference, Norman said that of the 21 who had tested positive for coronavirus in Kansas, 19 were tested at KDHE labs and two at private, commercial labs.

There is one case in Douglas County, one in Franklin County, two in Leavenworth County, five in Wyandotte County, one in Butler County and eleven in Johnson County. The patient in Ford County traveled from out of state and is not a part of the state total, according to Norman.&nbsp;

The state is testing between 130 -200 samples per day, according to Norman and he said he didn't expect that number to drop. Approximately 4 percent of the tests come back positive.

In addition, Johnson County has now reached the level of community transmission, according to Norman.&nbsp; "Five of the 11 cases were acquired locally and not through travel and not any known contacts. With that, the testing&nbsp;<a href="https://jocogov.org/press-release/county-management/joint-county-announcement-covid-19-kc-metro">strategies there will change.</a>&nbsp;Only those Johnson County patients hospitalized with illness that could be coronavirus will be tested.

Johnson County residents with mild symptoms that they would not typically seek care will not be tested. Those individual should isolate at home, away from others for at least seven days from after symptoms started or 72 hours from after the fever is gone. Anyone with more severe symptoms should contact their healthcare provider. Those with mild symptoms should not expect to be tested."

Coronavirus&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/download/COVID-19_One_Pager.pdf">fact sheet here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1580602266609.png" alt="Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary</figcaption>
 </figure>(Additional virus cases have been reported since Wednesday's news conference)TOPEKA—Wednesday's coronavirus press conference with KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman covered several updates, including new testing procedures due to community spread in Johnson County, Kansas.&nbsp;Watch the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KDHEnews/videos/300134447646003/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&amp;eid=ARA2tJT0v1wx3QxUQ5yh8P8twIdgRNHDUecczqftKP6nJ3nJ9SbpbxHk2fWmegqcbp-Zyxb11T1pRKUK">press conference here.</a>During the press conference, Norman said that of the 21 who had tested positive for coronavirus in Kansas, 19 were tested at KDHE labs and two at private, commercial labs.There is one case in Douglas County, one in Franklin County, two in Leavenworth County, five in Wyandotte County, one in Butler County and eleven in Johnson County. The patient in Ford County traveled from out of state and is not a part of the state total, according to Norman.&nbsp;The state is testing between 130 -200 samples per day, according to Norman and he said he didn't expect that number to drop. Approximately 4 percent of the tests come back positive.In addition, Johnson County has now reached the level of community transmission, according to Norman.&nbsp; "Five of the 11 cases were acquired locally and not through travel and not any known contacts. With that, the testing&nbsp;<a href="https://jocogov.org/press-release/county-management/joint-county-announcement-covid-19-kc-metro">strategies there will change.</a>&nbsp;Only those Johnson County patients hospitalized with illness that could be coronavirus will be tested.Johnson County residents with mild symptoms that they would not typically seek care will not be tested. Those individual should isolate at home, away from others for at least seven days from after symptoms started or 72 hours from after the fever is gone. Anyone with more severe symptoms should contact their healthcare provider. Those with mild symptoms should not expect to be tested."Coronavirus&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus/download/COVID-19_One_Pager.pdf">fact sheet here.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584560418621.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥 KDHE: New virus testing procedures due to community spread 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Describing himself as a “wartime president” fighting an invisible enemy, President Donald Trump invoked rarely used emergency powers to marshal critical medical supplies against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus pandemic</a>. Trump also signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0373a78b0aacc49d1f6bd8901c8ccc67">an aid package</a>&nbsp;— which the Senate approved earlier Wednesday — that will guarantee sick leave to workers who fall ill.

Trump tapped his authority under the 70-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16bf293467703f6b4fceae5a7f272ab5">Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to give the government more power to steer production by private companies and try to overcome shortages in masks, ventilators and other supplies.

Yet he seemed to minimize the urgency of the decision, later tweeting that he “only signed the Defense Production Act to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a7c233f0b3bcdb72c06cca6271ba6713">the Chinese Virus</a>&nbsp;should we need to invoke it in a worst case scenario in the future.”

“Hopefully there will be no need,” he added, “but we are all in this TOGETHER!”

The mixed messaging came as Trump took a series of other extraordinary steps to steady the nation, its day-to-day life suddenly and fundamentally altered.

The Canada-U.S. border, the world’s longest,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/47f7d6b0de23ad98a6742aa725b30435">was effectively closed</a>, save for commerce and essential travel, while the administration pushed its plan to send relief checks to millions of Americans.

Trump said he will expand the nation’s diagnostic testing capacity and deploy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/379cf72b9fe2c0774d873a57afe44a94">a Navy hospital ship</a>&nbsp;to New York City, which is rapidly becoming an epicenter of the pandemic, and another such ship to the West Coast. And the Housing and Urban Development Department will suspend foreclosures and evictions through April to help the growing number of Americans who face losing jobs and missing rent and mortgage payments.

But as Trump laid out efforts to help the economy, markets plummeted. Gone were nearly all the gains that the Dow Jones Industrial Average had made since Trump took office.

The administration announcements came on a fast-moving day of developments across the capital, its empty streets standing in contrast to the whirlwind of activity inside the grand spaces of the White House and the Capitol.

The Senate overwhelmingly passed a second coronavirus response bill, which Trump signed Wednesday night. The vote was a lopsided 90-8 despite worries by many Republicans about a temporary new employer mandate to provide sick leave to workers who get COVID-19. The measure is also aimed at making tests for the virus free.

Meanwhile the administration pushed forward its broad economic rescue plan, which proposes $500 billion in checks to millions of Americans, with the first checks to come April 6 if Congress approves.

The White House urged hospitals to cancel all elective surgeries to reduce the risk of being overwhelmed by cases. The president was pressed on why a number of celebrities, like professional basketball players, seemed to have easier access to diagnostic tests than ordinary citizens.

“Perhaps that’s the story of life,” Trump said. “I’ve heard that happens on occasion.”

Trump dismissed a suggestion from his own treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, that the nation could face 20% unemployment at least in the short term.

That’s an “absolute total worst case scenario,” Trump said. “We’re no way near it.”

The government has told Americans to avoid groups of more than 10 people and the elderly to stay home while a pointed reminder was given to millennials to follow the guidelines and avoid social gatherings. Trump likened the effort to the measures taken during World War II and said it would require national “sacrifice.”

“It’s a war,” he said. “I view it as a, in a sense, a wartime president. It’s a very tough situation.”

No longer able to run for reelection on a healthy economy, he was taking on the mantle of a wartime leader after played down the severity of the crisis for weeks.

The president also employed more nativist, us-vs-them rhetoric at the briefing, continuing his recent habit of referring to the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus,” which has been sharply criticized as racist. “It’s not racist at all,” Trump said. “It comes from China, that’s all.”

He was asked about a report that a White House aide had referred to the virus as the “Kung flu” when talking to an Asian-American reporter and Trump did not signal disapproval of the offensive term.

Trump later met nursing leaders and expressed “gratitude for those on the front lines in our war against the global pandemic” as he held out hope that the pandemic would be over soon.

“It’s been something, but we’re winning and we will win,” he said. “It’s a question of when and I think it’s going to go quickly. We hope it’s going to go quickly.”

A limited number of people gathered around a large table, their chairs spread apart in a display of social distancing.

The Defense Production Act gives the president broad authority to shape the domestic industrial base so that it is capable of providing essential materials and goods needed in a national security crisis. The law allows the president to require businesses and corporations to give priority to and accept contracts for required materials and services.

The executive order issued by Trump gives Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar the authority to determine “the proper nationwide priorities and allocation of all health and medical resources, including controlling the distribution of such materials ... in the civilian market, for responding to the spread of COVID-19 within the United States.” It also applies to certain health services.

Azar released a statement Wednesday night, saying, “we are coordinating closely with private suppliers, healthcare purchasers, and our federal partners like the Commerce Department to ensure that resources are going where they’re needed.”

Trump also said he would soon invoke a rarely used federal statute that would enable the U.S. to tighten controls along the southwest border because of the new coronavirus, based on a recommendation of the U.S. surgeon general.

The president said the law, intended to halt the spread of communicable diseases, would give authorities “great latitude” to help control the outbreak. Earlier, U.S. officials told The Associated Press that the administration would invoke the law to immediately turn back all people who cross the border illegally from Mexico and to refuse people the right to claim asylum there.

More than eight weeks after the first U.S. case of the virus was detected, the federal government is still struggling to conduct widescale testing for the virus. Compounding the problem, laboratories are reporting shortages of supplies needed to run the tests, which officials urged to be given to those most likely to have COVID-19.

Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the White House response, cautioned that there has been a backlog of swabs waiting in labs to be tested, and as that backlog clears “we will see the number of people diagnosed dramatically increased” in the next few days.

Asked about the administration’s mixed messages when it comes to the threat posed by the virus, Birx said new studies about how long the virus can be transmissible on hard surfaces helped prompt the administration’s tightening of recommendations on social distancing. “None of us really understood” that, she said. “We’re still working out how much is by human transmission and how much is it by surface.” She added, “Don’t exposure yourself to surfaces outside the home.”

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

As it tries to get its message to the public, the White House said a series of ads, digital and on television, will feature the president and first lady Melania Trump urging Americans to follow the guidelines. Birx also renewed her call for younger people to follow federal guidelines and stop meeting in groups.

She said there have been “concerning reports” from France and Italy about young people becoming seriously ill. The task force last week urged young generations to avoid going out to bars and restaurants and to avoid groups of more than 10 people.

“We cannot have these large gatherings that continue throughout the country for people who are off work,” Birx said. She added that the federal pandemic task force so far has not seen any “significant mortality” in children.

The White House has had several coronavirus-related health scares, with the president himself exposed to at least three people who later tested positive. Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said Wednesday that she had tested negative for the virus. McDaniel, who met last week with the president and Senate Republicans, had previously been exposed to someone who tested positive.

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Senate has overwhelming passed a second coronavirus response bill, and is sending it to President Donald Trump to enact with his signature. The vote was a lopsided 90-8 despite misgivings among many Republicans over a temporary new employer mandate to provide sick leave to workers who contract COVID-19. The measure is also aimed at making diagnostic tests for the virus free.  

Confronting twin health and economic crises, President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will invoke emergency powers to marshal critical medical supplies against a coronavirus pandemic threatening to overwhelm hospitals and other treatment centers.

Trump described himself as a “wartime president” as virus cases surged and the markets fell, and he took a series of extraordinary steps to steady a battered nation, its day-to-day life fundamentally altered.

Most immediately, Trump said he would employ the Defense Production Act as needed, giving the government more power to steer production by private companies and try to overcome shortages in masks, ventilators and other supplies.

Trump also said he will expand the nation’s testing capacity and deploy a Navy hospital ship to New York City, which is rapidly becoming an epicenter of the pandemic, and another such ship to the West Coast.

The Housing and Urban Development Department will suspend foreclosures and evictions through April. A growing number of Americans face losing jobs and missing rent and mortgage payments.

But as Trump laid out efforts to steady the economy, the markets plummeted. Gone were the last of the gains that the Dow Jones Industrial Average had made since Trump took office.

Administration announcements came on a fast-moving day of developments across the nation’s capitol, its empty streets standing in contrast to the whirlwind of activity inside the grand spaces of the White House and the Capitol.

The Senate approved financial aid package, economic relief plan provides $500 billion in checks to millions of Americans, with the first checks to come April 6. 

Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau jointly announced that the U.S.-Canada border would be closed, except for essential personnel and for trade. The virus is afflicting people in both countries.

The White House urged hospitals to cancel all elective surgeries to reduce the risk of being overwhelmed by rising cases. The president was pressed on why a number of celebrities, like professional basketball players, seemed to have easier access to diagnostic tests than ordinary citizens.

Trump dismissed talk from his own treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, who suggested that the nation could face 20% unemployment at least in the short term.

The administration has told Americans to avoid groups of more than 10 people and the elderly to stay home while a pointed reminder was given to millennials to follow the guidelines and avoid social gatherings. Trump likened the effort to the measures taken during World War II and said it would require national “sacrifice.”

No long able to run for reelection on a healthy economy, he was taking on the mantle of a wartime leader after played down the severity of the crisis for weeks.

The Defense Production Act gives the president a broad set of authorities to shape the domestic industrial base so that it is capable of providing essential materials and goods needed in a national security crisis.

The law allows the president to require businesses and corporations to prioritize and accept contracts for required materials and services. It also allows the president to provide incentives for the domestic industrial base to expand the production and supply of critical materials and goods, according to a March 2 report by the Congressional Research Service.

More than eight weeks after the first U.S. case of the virus was detected, the federal government is still struggling to conduct widescale testing for the virus. Compounding the problem, laboratories are reporting shortages of key supplies needed to run tests.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584547845573.png" alt="President Trump made the announcement Wednesday-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump made the announcement Wednesday-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Describing himself as a “wartime president” fighting an invisible enemy, President Donald Trump invoked rarely used emergency powers to marshal critical medical supplies against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak">the coronavirus pandemic</a>. Trump also signed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0373a78b0aacc49d1f6bd8901c8ccc67">an aid package</a>&nbsp;— which the Senate approved earlier Wednesday — that will guarantee sick leave to workers who fall ill.Trump tapped his authority under the 70-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16bf293467703f6b4fceae5a7f272ab5">Defense Production Act</a>&nbsp;to give the government more power to steer production by private companies and try to overcome shortages in masks, ventilators and other supplies.Yet he seemed to minimize the urgency of the decision, later tweeting that he “only signed the Defense Production Act to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a7c233f0b3bcdb72c06cca6271ba6713">the Chinese Virus</a>&nbsp;should we need to invoke it in a worst case scenario in the future.”“Hopefully there will be no need,” he added, “but we are all in this TOGETHER!”The mixed messaging came as Trump took a series of other extraordinary steps to steady the nation, its day-to-day life suddenly and fundamentally altered.The Canada-U.S. border, the world’s longest,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/47f7d6b0de23ad98a6742aa725b30435">was effectively closed</a>, save for commerce and essential travel, while the administration pushed its plan to send relief checks to millions of Americans.Trump said he will expand the nation’s diagnostic testing capacity and deploy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/379cf72b9fe2c0774d873a57afe44a94">a Navy hospital ship</a>&nbsp;to New York City, which is rapidly becoming an epicenter of the pandemic, and another such ship to the West Coast. And the Housing and Urban Development Department will suspend foreclosures and evictions through April to help the growing number of Americans who face losing jobs and missing rent and mortgage payments.But as Trump laid out efforts to help the economy, markets plummeted. Gone were nearly all the gains that the Dow Jones Industrial Average had made since Trump took office.The administration announcements came on a fast-moving day of developments across the capital, its empty streets standing in contrast to the whirlwind of activity inside the grand spaces of the White House and the Capitol.The Senate overwhelmingly passed a second coronavirus response bill, which Trump signed Wednesday night. The vote was a lopsided 90-8 despite worries by many Republicans about a temporary new employer mandate to provide sick leave to workers who get COVID-19. The measure is also aimed at making tests for the virus free.Meanwhile the administration pushed forward its broad economic rescue plan, which proposes $500 billion in checks to millions of Americans, with the first checks to come April 6 if Congress approves.The White House urged hospitals to cancel all elective surgeries to reduce the risk of being overwhelmed by cases. The president was pressed on why a number of celebrities, like professional basketball players, seemed to have easier access to diagnostic tests than ordinary citizens.“Perhaps that’s the story of life,” Trump said. “I’ve heard that happens on occasion.”Trump dismissed a suggestion from his own treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, that the nation could face 20% unemployment at least in the short term.That’s an “absolute total worst case scenario,” Trump said. “We’re no way near it.”The government has told Americans to avoid groups of more than 10 people and the elderly to stay home while a pointed reminder was given to millennials to follow the guidelines and avoid social gatherings. Trump likened the effort to the measures taken during World War II and said it would require national “sacrifice.”“It’s a war,” he said. “I view it as a, in a sense, a wartime president. It’s a very tough situation.”No longer able to run for reelection on a healthy economy, he was taking on the mantle of a wartime leader after played down the severity of the crisis for weeks.The president also employed more nativist, us-vs-them rhetoric at the briefing, continuing his recent habit of referring to the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus,” which has been sharply criticized as racist. “It’s not racist at all,” Trump said. “It comes from China, that’s all.”He was asked about a report that a White House aide had referred to the virus as the “Kung flu” when talking to an Asian-American reporter and Trump did not signal disapproval of the offensive term.Trump later met nursing leaders and expressed “gratitude for those on the front lines in our war against the global pandemic” as he held out hope that the pandemic would be over soon.“It’s been something, but we’re winning and we will win,” he said. “It’s a question of when and I think it’s going to go quickly. We hope it’s going to go quickly.”A limited number of people gathered around a large table, their chairs spread apart in a display of social distancing.The Defense Production Act gives the president broad authority to shape the domestic industrial base so that it is capable of providing essential materials and goods needed in a national security crisis. The law allows the president to require businesses and corporations to give priority to and accept contracts for required materials and services.The executive order issued by Trump gives Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar the authority to determine “the proper nationwide priorities and allocation of all health and medical resources, including controlling the distribution of such materials ... in the civilian market, for responding to the spread of COVID-19 within the United States.” It also applies to certain health services.Azar released a statement Wednesday night, saying, “we are coordinating closely with private suppliers, healthcare purchasers, and our federal partners like the Commerce Department to ensure that resources are going where they’re needed.”Trump also said he would soon invoke a rarely used federal statute that would enable the U.S. to tighten controls along the southwest border because of the new coronavirus, based on a recommendation of the U.S. surgeon general.The president said the law, intended to halt the spread of communicable diseases, would give authorities “great latitude” to help control the outbreak. Earlier, U.S. officials told The Associated Press that the administration would invoke the law to immediately turn back all people who cross the border illegally from Mexico and to refuse people the right to claim asylum there.More than eight weeks after the first U.S. case of the virus was detected, the federal government is still struggling to conduct widescale testing for the virus. Compounding the problem, laboratories are reporting shortages of supplies needed to run the tests, which officials urged to be given to those most likely to have COVID-19.Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the White House response, cautioned that there has been a backlog of swabs waiting in labs to be tested, and as that backlog clears “we will see the number of people diagnosed dramatically increased” in the next few days.Asked about the administration’s mixed messages when it comes to the threat posed by the virus, Birx said new studies about how long the virus can be transmissible on hard surfaces helped prompt the administration’s tightening of recommendations on social distancing. “None of us really understood” that, she said. “We’re still working out how much is by human transmission and how much is it by surface.” She added, “Don’t exposure yourself to surfaces outside the home.”For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.As it tries to get its message to the public, the White House said a series of ads, digital and on television, will feature the president and first lady Melania Trump urging Americans to follow the guidelines. Birx also renewed her call for younger people to follow federal guidelines and stop meeting in groups.She said there have been “concerning reports” from France and Italy about young people becoming seriously ill. The task force last week urged young generations to avoid going out to bars and restaurants and to avoid groups of more than 10 people.“We cannot have these large gatherings that continue throughout the country for people who are off work,” Birx said. She added that the federal pandemic task force so far has not seen any “significant mortality” in children.The White House has had several coronavirus-related health scares, with the president himself exposed to at least three people who later tested positive. Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said Wednesday that she had tested negative for the virus. McDaniel, who met last week with the president and Senate Republicans, had previously been exposed to someone who tested positive.___-----------WASHINGTON (AP) —The Senate has overwhelming passed a second coronavirus response bill, and is sending it to President Donald Trump to enact with his signature. The vote was a lopsided 90-8 despite misgivings among many Republicans over a temporary new employer mandate to provide sick leave to workers who contract COVID-19. The measure is also aimed at making diagnostic tests for the virus free. Confronting twin health and economic crises, President Donald Trump said Wednesday he will invoke emergency powers to marshal critical medical supplies against a coronavirus pandemic threatening to overwhelm hospitals and other treatment centers.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I only signed the Defense Production Act to combat the Chinese Virus should we need to invoke it in a worst case scenario in the future. Hopefully there will be no need, but we are all in this TOGETHER!&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1240391871026864130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump described himself as a “wartime president” as virus cases surged and the markets fell, and he took a series of extraordinary steps to steady a battered nation, its day-to-day life fundamentally altered.Most immediately, Trump said he would employ the Defense Production Act as needed, giving the government more power to steer production by private companies and try to overcome shortages in masks, ventilators and other supplies.Trump also said he will expand the nation’s testing capacity and deploy a Navy hospital ship to New York City, which is rapidly becoming an epicenter of the pandemic, and another such ship to the West Coast.The Housing and Urban Development Department will suspend foreclosures and evictions through April. A growing number of Americans face losing jobs and missing rent and mortgage payments.But as Trump laid out efforts to steady the economy, the markets plummeted. Gone were the last of the gains that the Dow Jones Industrial Average had made since Trump took office.Administration announcements came on a fast-moving day of developments across the nation’s capitol, its empty streets standing in contrast to the whirlwind of activity inside the grand spaces of the White House and the Capitol.The Senate approved financial aid package, economic relief plan provides $500 billion in checks to millions of Americans, with the first checks to come April 6. Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau jointly announced that the U.S.-Canada border would be closed, except for essential personnel and for trade. The virus is afflicting people in both countries.The White House urged hospitals to cancel all elective surgeries to reduce the risk of being overwhelmed by rising cases. The president was pressed on why a number of celebrities, like professional basketball players, seemed to have easier access to diagnostic tests than ordinary citizens.“Perhaps that’s the story of life,” Trump said. “I’ve heard that happens on occasion.”Trump dismissed talk from his own treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, who suggested that the nation could face 20% unemployment at least in the short term.That’s an “absolute total worst case scenario,” Trump said. “We’re no way near it.”The administration has told Americans to avoid groups of more than 10 people and the elderly to stay home while a pointed reminder was given to millennials to follow the guidelines and avoid social gatherings. Trump likened the effort to the measures taken during World War II and said it would require national “sacrifice.”“It’s a war,” he said. “I view it as a, in a sense, a wartime president. It’s a very tough situation.”No long able to run for reelection on a healthy economy, he was taking on the mantle of a wartime leader after played down the severity of the crisis for weeks.The president also employed more nativist, us-vs-them rhetoric at the briefing, continuing his recent habit of referring to the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus,” which has been sharply criticized as racist. “It’s not racist at all,” Trump said. “It comes from China, that’s all.”He was asked about a report that a White House aide had referred to the virus as the “Kung flu” when talking to an Asian-American reporter and Trump did not signal disapproval of the offensive term.The Defense Production Act gives the president a broad set of authorities to shape the domestic industrial base so that it is capable of providing essential materials and goods needed in a national security crisis.The law allows the president to require businesses and corporations to prioritize and accept contracts for required materials and services. It also allows the president to provide incentives for the domestic industrial base to expand the production and supply of critical materials and goods, according to a March 2 report by the Congressional Research Service.Trump also said he would soon invoke a rarely used federal statute that would enable the U.S. to tighten controls along the southwest border because of the new coronavirus, based on a recommendation of the U.S. surgeon general.The president said the law, intended to halt the spread of communicable diseases, would give authorities “great latitude” to help control the outbreak. Earlier, U.S. officials told The Associated Press that the administration would invoke the law to immediately turn back all people who cross the border illegally from Mexico and to refuse people the right to claim asylum there.More than eight weeks after the first U.S. case of the virus was detected, the federal government is still struggling to conduct widescale testing for the virus. Compounding the problem, laboratories are reporting shortages of key supplies needed to run tests.Vice President Mike Pence reiterated Wednesday that testing should give priority to those most likely to have COVID-19.“It’s important to remember that people without symptoms should not get tested,” Pence said. “We want to make sure the supply of testing is there for those who need it most.”Deborah Birx, who is coordinating the White House response, cautioned there has been a backlog of swabs waiting in labs to be tested, and as that backlog clears “we will see the number of people diagnosed dramatically increased” in the next few days.Birx said the science discovering how long the virus can be transmissible on hard surfaces helped prompt the administration’s tightening of recommendations on social distancing. “None of us really understood the level of surface piece,” she said. “We’re still working out how much is it by human-human transmission and how much is it by surface.” She said: “Don’t exposure yourself to surfaces outside the home.”For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.Birx also renewed her call for younger people to follow federal guideline and stop meeting in groups.She said there have been “concerning reports” from France and Italy about young people becoming seriously ill. The task force last week urged young generations to avoid going out to bars and restaurants and to not meet in groups of more than 10 people.“We cannot have these large gatherings that continue throughout the country for people who are off work,” Birx said. She added that the federal pandemic task force so far has not seen any “significant mortality” in children.___

Coronavirus Update