A "Major Disaster": Army Deploys In New York State As Confirmed Cases Top 11,000: Live Updates

(1230ET): New cases are being reported out of New York State and NYC are being reported faster than we can keep up, as the state ramps up testing.

NYC officials just announced that the total number of confirmed cases in the city has climbed to 7,530. An hour ago, Gov. Cuomo put the number at 6,211.

By our count, this puts the new total cases in New York State at 11,675.

Last night, de Blasio described NYC as the "epicenter" of the US outbreak.

Update (1145ET): During Saturday's press briefing, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo made clear that he wasn't waiting around for the military and FEMA to solve his state's problems.

After announcing new restrictions that closed all "non-essential" businesses and threatened fines and other punishments for any "non-essential" New York workers who violate his 'stay at home' order (though, of course, certain activities like buying food, medication and doctors appointments will be permitted).

As state's scramble to follow President Trump's advice to try and acquire equipment through their own supply chains, Cuomo revealed that New York State had ordered 6,000 ventilators.

He also announced that he would be traveling around the state on Saturday with state workers looking for appropriate staging areas for the Army Corp of Engineers, which is preparing to renovate buildings to prepare more space for COVID-19 patients.

With a federal cost-sharing rate of 75%, New York State will be able to dole emergency funds out to counties, towns and cities, as well as the state's Native American tribes. Nonprofits working in the state can also receive money if they meet certain criteria. Part of the money will pay for 'crisis counseling' for New Yorkers who are psychologically or physically impacted by the crisis.

As Cuomo's press conference was ending, the state reported another 3,254 new cases of the virus, bringing its total to 10,356, making New York State the first in the US to pass 10,000.

Here's a video from Cuomo's press briefing:

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/army-deploys-new-york-nyc-reports-1-coronavirus-death-hour-live-updates

Nevada Governor Sisolak Shuts Down State After 2 Coronavirus Deaths and 161 Cases – Will Fine Businesses that Do Not Shut Down

Nevada Governor Sisolak shut down the state after two coronavirus deaths and 161 cases.

Governor Sisolak says he will fine businesses that defy his order and stay open.

Governor Sisolak: Previously, I asked nonessential businesses to close, but this moment now demands more.

Today, I directed ALL nonessential businesses to close. I repeat. If you are NOT an essential business, I am using my power as Governor under an emergency declaration to order you to close. This decision, like the others before it to close our schools and the industry that is the lifeblood of NV, was incredibly difficult to make. But we must grasp the gravity of our new reality as we battle this invisible enemy. If #HomeMeansNevada to you, #StayHomeForNevada. Just after my press conference today, Nevada’s total number of positive cases increased. And because this developed elsewhere before arriving in Nevada, we don’t have to guess at what comes next: the numbers aren’t slowing down, and we have not yet reached our apex. And as our cases increase and our situation becomes more dire, literally by the hour, I will continue to face the challenge head on with more drastic measures than I had previously anticipated in order to protect ALL Nevadans. I’ll meet this moment. While I’m so proud of all those who’ve put their State before themselves & committed to #StayHomeForNV, we know that not everyone stepped up. And for those of you who’ve reached out, frustrated that certain businesses or leaders were endangering your families, I heard you. This directive grants local governments the authority to impose civil fines & revoke licenses of businesses that do not shut down. If businesses defy this order, it could be treated as a criminal act. Do not let it come to that. This is effective from midnight until April 16th… The people of NV will remain my North Star as we navigate uncharted waters & make painstaking decisions.

This decision, like the others before it to close our schools and the industry that is the lifeblood of NV, was incredibly difficult to make. But we must grasp the gravity of our new reality as we battle this invisible enemy. If #HomeMeansNevada to you, #StayHomeForNevada.

— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) March 20, 2020

And as our cases increase and our situation becomes more dire, literally by the hour, I will continue to face the challenge head on with more drastic measures than I had previously anticipated in order to protect ALL Nevadans. I’ll meet this moment.

— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) March 21, 2020

This directive grants local governments the authority to impose civil fines & revoke licenses of businesses that do not shut down. If businesses defy this order, it could be treated as a criminal act. Do not let it come to that. This is effective from midnight until April 16th.

— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) March 21, 2020

Statewide, we have fewer than 5,000 acute care beds. Of those 5,000, fewer than 700 are ICU beds that are better equipped to handle COVID-19. More than 80% of those beds are occupied. That means we have only 20% of beds available. We have similar limits with ventilators.

— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) March 21, 2020

Like other states, we don’t have enough test kits to know the full scope. Test results are only a snapshot of how many tests are completed. They do not account for all those that are likely walking around with this virus who don’t even know it because they aren’t symptomatic.

— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) March 21, 2020

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/03/nevada-governor-sisolak-shuts-down-state-after-2-coronavirus-deaths-and-161-cases-will-fine-businesses-that-do-not-shut-down/

Little Rock Air Force Base declares EMERGENCY after US airman tests positive for Covid-19

The Little Rock Air Force Base (AFB) in Arkansas has declared a month-long public health emergency after an airman stationed there was confirmed to carry the coronavirus, contracted during recent travel overseas.

The airman, who has not been named, is the first to test positive at the base, the Air Force said in a statement on Friday, noting that the 30-day emergency order will allow the facility’s commander to take special containment measures to limit further spread of the disease.

“Right now we have one confirmed case of Covid-19 on our installation,” said Colonel John Schutte, installation commander at Little Rock AFB.

We will continue to work with our interagency partners to ensure we do everything we can to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 and ensure our airmen, families and employees here have the most up-to-date information on appropriate measures to prevent the potential spread of the virus.

https://www.rt.com/usa/483692-little-rock-emergency-coronavirus/

Will They Not Spread It? Cops Exposed to COVID-19 Told to Keep Working

Chicago, IL — California has been locked down with their governor skirting the idea of Martial Law, the rest of the country is following suit, people shutter themselves inside and those who have been exposed are being told to self-quarantine for 14 days. Curfews are rolling out, businesses closed, millions unemployed, and a national lockdown is looming as governments attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19. There is one group of people, however, who are remaining on the streets in spite of their exposure — cops.

According to the CDC, if you come in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, you should monitor your health for fever, cough and shortness of breath during the 14 days after the last day you were in close contact with the sick person with COVID-19. You should not go to work or school, and should avoid public places for 14 days.

We could not find the section in their guidelines that says cops should not follow these recommendations.

Nevertheless, on Thursday, the Chicago police department notified its officers that a member of the force has tested positive for COVID-19. Following the notification, the cops who worked in close proximity to the infected officer were told to stay on the job.

In an email sent to department employees, interim Chicago Police Superintendent Charlie Beck wrote that “all members who work in close contact with this individual have been notified and advised to continue to report for work and self-monitor for any symptoms.”

This move is being met with harsh criticism from health experts.

As WBEZ reports, Dr. Robert Murphy, executive director of the Institute for Global Health at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine said the decision to tell people who have had direct exposure to a case of COVID-19 to keep coming to work is “wrong.”

“I mean, if we want to get rid of this thing, everybody in close proximity to that person should be quarantined at home,” Murphy said. “We’re so behind in the testing still. But anyone with close contact has to be in self-quarantine. I mean, that’s just, I don’t think there’s any question.”

Murphy explained how the shortage of test kits makes us vulnerable and therefore everyone exposed should self-quarantine for 14 days. He said that for cops, self-quarantine is especially important since they not only put their coworker’s health at risk, but the general public as well.

“[Officers will be] interacting with the public, interacting with people who may end up in prison or jail. Who then could spread it in jail? You know how hard it is to isolate people in a jail? I mean, it’s gonna be a nightmare if that happens,” Murphy said.

According to WBEZ, in a statement, department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said CPD is working with the Department of Public Health “to identify all individuals who were in contact with the member.”

Guglielmi ensures the public that they wiped down the officer’s area, so there is nothing to worry about.

Guglielmi said once they were notified of the positive COVID-19 test, “the department began a thorough cleaning and disinfection of the facility where the employee was stationed. The employee’s work area and any vehicles and equipment used by the individual are also being cleaned.”

“The health and safety of our employees is the utmost priority,” Guglielmi said. But given the department’s current policy, that statement rings hollow. What’s more, it appears that the department couldn’t care less about the public’s health either. Given their history with illegal and violent raids on countless innocent families, this information should come as no surprise.

https://thefreethoughtproject.com/covid-19-police-stay-working/

National Guard Chief: Don't Federalize Us To Fight Outbreak - Will Waste "Billions"

Following Italy's declaration of martial law, and with some US states like California coming very close to it amid rumors the White House has plans to mobilize the military on a federal level, the National Guard Bureau chief is hitting back against discussions to activate the guard.

National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Joseph Lengyel told reporters at a Pentagon press briefing on Thursday that federalizing the National Guard to fight the Covid-19 pandemic would ultimately prove illogical and inefficient, as it was designed fundamentally for a state and local response.

This as President Trump mulls federal activation of the guard through Title 10. Gen. Lengyel acknowledged this is legally an option, yet would be imprudent. The general said it “would not make sense in this situation,” according to Air Force Magazine.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/national-guard-chief-dont-federalize-us-fight-outbreak-would-waste-billions

Chinese Ambassador Lauds Hillary Clinton’s Attack on President Trump: ‘Justice Always Speak Loudly’

An ambassador from China is lauding Hillary Clinton’s recent attack on President Trump.

“The president is turning to racist rhetoric to distract from his failures to take the coronavirus seriously early on, make tests widely available, and adequately prepare the country for a period of crisis,” Clinton wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.

“Don’t fall for it. Don’t let your friends and family fall for it.”

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/03/21/chinese-ambassador-lauds-hillary-clintons-attack-on-president-trump-justice-always-speak-loudly/

DNC Responds To Carter Page Lawsuit, Claiming Steele Dossier Is ‘Substantially True’

Responding to a lawsuit from Carter Page, lawyers for the Democratic National Committee claimed in a court filing this week that the “gist” of the Steele dossier is accurate.

Page sued the DNC and two of its outside attorneys on Jan. 30, accusing them of spreading false information collected by dossier author Christopher Steele.

The Justice Department inspector general found significant problems with Steele’s reporting.

Lawyers for the Democratic National Committee claimed in court filings this week that the Steele dossier’s statements regarding Trump campaign aide Carter Page were “substantially true,” a defense that is at odds with the findings of the Justice Department’s inspector general.

“Here, the ‘gist’ of the complained-of statements — that Page coordinated with Russian government contacts as an adviser to the Trump campaign — aligns with Page’s own description of his conduct,” the DNC lawyers asserted in a court filing on Monday.

The filing was the DNC’s first in response to a defamation lawsuit that Page filed on Jan. 30 accusing the DNC and two lawyers for its outside law firm, Perkins Coie, of providing false information to journalists that came from Christopher Steele, a former British spy.

Perkins Coie, which also represented the Clinton campaign, hired the firm Fusion GPS in April 2016 to investigate Donald Trump. Fusion GPS in turn hired Steele to investigate Trump’s possible ties to Russia. Steele produced 17 memos as part of the project, alleging a “well-developed conspiracy of cooperation” between the Trump campaign and Russian government.

https://dailycaller.com/2020/03/21/steele-dossier-carter-page-lawsuit/

UK: Far-left activists call for “Labour Jihad”

Supporters of Rebecca Long-Bailey, a young, far-left MP and possible future leader of Britain’s Labour Party, have been exposed, calling for “real Labour Jihad to bring equality for all” by political website Guido Fawkes.

The messages were sent in a WhatsApp group called “LDN for RLB” and met with only mild concern about the negative connotations of the word Jihad. The Labour Party has increasingly been seen as a vehicle for Islamists – the current leader, Jeremy Corbyn, invited Hamas and Hezbollah to a meeting in Westminster where he referred to them as “friends” and voted against proscribing al-Qaeda.

More recently, the leadership candidates all agreed to demands from the hard-line Islamic group The Muslim Council of Britain who have concerning links to extremism. The Labour Party also suspended anti-racism campaigner Trevor Phillips for “Islamophobia.”

Rebecca Long-Bailey, who is seen as Labour’s most left-wing candidate, most likely will continue to take the party in the same radical direction as Jeremy Corbyn. This isn’t the first time her leadership bid has caused controversy after she appointed a self-proclaimed Stalinist as her campaign manager.

Whilst the debates have been mostly cordial between the three remaining leadership candidates, questions have been raised as to whether or not this will be a fair election. Lisa Nandy, the only candidate who voted for Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal, has been demanding answers after it was revealed that thousands of party members have not received their ballots. These are mostly new members who are more likely to vote for a more centrist candidate.

https://voiceofeurope.com/2020/03/uk-far-left-activists-call-for-labour-jihad/

Federal Judge Rules Migrants Must Stay in Detention Center

A federal judge in Seattle rejected three nonprofits’ effort to force U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to release migrants in a detention center in Washington state because of the threat from coronavirus.

U.S. District Judge James L. Robart on Thursday denied a request for a restraining order requested by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Washington, and the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project. The organizations argued that holding migrants who are older or have underlying medical conditions puts them at high risk for contracting the virus.

“There is no evidence that anyone at NWDC has COVID-19, and plaintiffs do not address the measures defendants are taking to prevent such a spread from occurring,” Robart said in a Law360 article on the development.

Law360 reported on the ruling:

Attorneys have told Law360 that they are concerned ICE is not prepared to handle a potential outbreak of the virus at the agency’s detention centers, where immigrants are trapped in communal spaces.

ICE has been hit with numerous lawsuits accusing it of not providing detainees with adequate medical care, including an August complaint alleging the agency has been failing to ensure centers operated by private contractors are meeting the standards of confinement mandated by federal law and the U.S. Constitution.

Eunice Cho, an attorney for migrants, issued a statement vowing continued litigation.

“Public health officials are in agreement — it is not a matter of if there is a COVID-19 outbreak in immigrant detention centers, but when,” Cho said. “ICE should heed their warning. By refusing to immediately release our clients, ICE is jeopardizing their lives and the lives of its staff and their families.”

Law 360 reported that ICE responded Wednesday to the request for the restraining order, but the filing is not being made public.

The case is Dawson v. Asher, No. 2:20-cv-00409 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/03/21/coronavirus-federal-judge-rules-migrants-must-stay-in-detention-center/

DHS Changes Rule to Import More H-1B Foreign Workers in Economic Meltdown

President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security quietly adopted a second tactic to speed the inflow of foreign H-1B workers into U.S. jobs — even though hundreds of thousands of American graduates are expected to lose their jobs in the next few weeks.

An email sent out March 19 told companies that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency would accept electronic signatures instead of the original ink signatures that are normally required on the I-129 forms that must be filed to import foreign visa-workers:

We will accept all benefit forms and documents with reproduced signatures. … For forms that require an original “wet” signature, per form instructions, USCIS will accept electronically reproduced original signatures for the duration of the National Emergency,

Greg Siskind, a Tennessee-based immigration lawyer who works for employers, described the concession as “very good news.”

The announcement came after the agency said it would speed the overall process by barring wealthier employers from buying their way to the front of the processing line, via the “premium processing” procedure.

“Boooo!!! – Premium Processing Program Suspended by USCIS,” said another tweet by Siskind, some of whose clients prefer to pay the fee for premium processing.

The signature concession removed another barrier for the many lawyers who were trying to submit tens of thousands of requests for new H-1B workers by Friday, March 20:

But the economic crash means the federal government must stop the inflow of H-1B workers so that sidelined American professionals can get jobs, a Florida-based American computer expert told Breibart News March 19.

“Fiona” earned two college degrees in the early 2000s after she left the real estate industry following the 2007 collapse. Since then, she has worked a series of contract jobs, most recently at a seven-month stint at an insurance company run by an imported workforce of H-1B workers from India. She said her job ended when she was forced out by Indian managers, in part, because of her excellent performance reviews. She is in her 50s, has been unemployed for several months, and fears recruiters will blackball her if she speaks on the record.

She told Breitbart News, “I’m not eligible for unemployment. So I have lived off my savings, and I’m living with my son. I’m still applying for jobs, but they’re very few and far between. I can’t relocate again because when they cut my contract job, I had to cut my lease off early, so now, my credit is bad. My lease history is bad. I can’t go and take the risks that I did before. I was getting ready to go and look for a minimum wage job until this coronavirus came here, you know. Come next month, you know what? I can’t pay my bills because I’ve gone for like eight months on my savings.”

She added, “To be honest with you, I have given up on American companies. I have given up on being able to be hired by America because I’m American, and Americans don’t matter. And I’m sorry I’m going to get a little bit emotional here. … Americans don’t matter. I hear politicians, you know, saying, “Okay, you know what? We’re going to open our borders, and you can have free health…I don’t have health insurance. You know, Americans don’t matter. All that matters is foreign workers. All that matters is if the foreign individuals…I mean, it’s like we don’t matter. America doesn’t matter.”

https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2020/03/21/dhs-changes-rule-help-import-h-1b-foreign-workers-economic-meltdown/