News Brief: Week of Mar. 1-7

National

Coronavirus update

The coronavirus has now infected over 500 individuals in the United States. As of Sunday, March 8, 21 individuals have died from the virus.

Washington, New York and California all have over 100 confirmed cases, respectively. A cruise ship in California recently docked with 21 confirmed cases onboard. Cases have also been confirmed in 30 more states.

President Donald Trump signed a spending bill on Friday, March 6 in order to prevent the spread of the virus through the country. The $8.3 billion aid package will go towards prevention efforts, research and the creation of a potential vaccine.

Globally, over 100,000 individuals have tested positive for the virus, and over 3,800 have died. Italy now has the most confirmed cases besides China, with over 7,800 individuals testing positive and over 360 deaths. The entire Lombardy region is under lockdown. In addition, funerals and cultural events are banned, schools and museums are closed. Citizens have been ordered to stay one meter apart at grocery stores, sporting events, churches and bars.

Biden leads Democratic race following Super Tuesday as candidates drop

Joe Biden led the polls on Super Tuesday, winning 10 states and securing 610 delegates, putting him in the lead for the Democratic primaries.

The former vice president now has a total of 652 delegates, with 1,991 delegates needed to secure the nomination for the presidential election in November.

Bernie Sanders follows behind Biden with a total of 575 delegates. He won four states and 513 delegates on Super Tuesday.

Following Super Tuesday, candidates Elizabeth Warren and Mike Bloomberg dropped out of the race. Bloomberg publicly endorsed Biden, but Warren has yet to make a public endorsement.

Candidates Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar dropped out of the race on March 1 and 2, respectively. Both endorsed Biden following their departure from the race.

Six more states will vote in the presidential primaries on Tuesday, March 10.

State/Local

Coronavirus in Oklahoma

The international virus has now arrived in Oklahoma by means of one man’s recent trip to Italy.

Gov. Kevin Stitt announced a man in his fifties has tested positive for the coronavirus after a recent trip to Italy. He resides in Tulsa County and arrived back in Oklahoma on Sunday, Feb. 23. He visited a healthcare provider on Saturday, Feb. 29, after showing signs of a respiratory illness and has been quarantined ever since. He is in stable condition.

“At this time, there is no evidence of community spread, and the risk to the general public remains low,” Stitt said.

Two Oklahoma pastors are also under quarantine for the virus. Life.Church founder Craig Groeschel and pastor-innovation leader Bobby Gruenewald attended a leadership conference in Germany in late February. The conference was cut short after one of the speakers tested positive for the coronavirus.

“In the run-up to the congress, [the speaker] had personal contact with some senior people who are now in quarantine for security reasons, but according to the health authority were not contagious until the end of the congress,” the event officials said.

The two pastors have been under quarantine in their homes since returning, however, neither has shown symptoms of the virus.