March 11 coronavirus news

By Veronica Rocha, Fernando Alfonso III, Joshua Berlinger, Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 12:02 a.m. ET, March 12, 2020

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3:18 p.m. ET, March 11, 2020

Italian medical chief dies from coronavirus

From Helena de Moura

Italy’s medical community is mourning the death of the head of the medical association in the northern Italian region of Varese, Italy’s state-run ANSA reported Wednesday.

Roberto Stella, president of the Medical Guild of Varese, died Tuesday night in Como, where the 67-year-old was hospitalized for respiratory failure due to coronavirus, the agency reported.

In a statement, Italy’s National Federation of Doctors and General Practitioners mourned Stella’s death, highlighting his contributions on a national level. They added that they hope the government will take notice of the dangers Italian doctors and nurses are facing.

“He was the example of the capability and hard work of family doctors,” said Silvestro Scotti, national secretary of the federation, said in a statement released Wednesday.

“His death represents the outcry of all colleagues who still today are not equipped with the proper individual protection needed."

Stella was a well-respected general practitioner both at the local and national level.

3:25 p.m. ET, March 11, 2020

JFK Library closing immediately due to potential exposure to coronavirus

From CNN's Rob Frehse

Jeff Greenberg/Universal Images Group Editorial/Getty Images/FILE

The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is closing immediately after two employees attended a conference last week where other attendees had confirmed cases of coronavirus, the organization said in a statement today.

Neither of the employees have shown symptoms and both are in self-quarantine, according to the statement.

“If you have visited the Library between March 2 and March 11, please monitor your health for symptoms of coronavirus, including fever, cough, and shortness of breath,” the library and museum said.

The conference in question was the BLIST Industry Party 2020 held on March 4 at the Row Hotel in Somerville, Massachusetts, JFK library and museum spokesman Matt Porter told CNN.

The conference was a “pre-season industry bash for Boston’s wedding and event industry,” according to their Eventbrite site.

CNN has reached out to the event organizer, Whim Events, for more information.

2:46 p.m. ET, March 11, 2020

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo canceled while coronavirus spreads across Texas

From CNN's Melissa Alonso

One of the largest livestock exhibitions and rodeos in the world will close early due to novel coronavirus fears, Houston city officials announced today.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo opened on March 3 and was scheduled to run until March 22. It will now close this afternoon, officials said at a press conference today.

"Up until yesterday, all of the cases had been related to international travel," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said. A Montgomery County coronavirus case that was reported Tuesday night "was evidence of some community spread," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said.

Despite the containment efforts, "we will see wider spread," Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo said.

"If we had the capability to test more people, we surely would be having more positives and perhaps more evidence of community transmission," Hidalgo said.

All other city events for the month of March will also be rescheduled or canceled, Turner said.

There are 21 confirmed cases in Texas, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services

3:23 p.m. ET, March 11, 2020

Golden State Warriors will play NBA game without fans on Thursday

The Golden State Warriors will play Thursday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets at the Chase Center in San Francisco, California, without fans, the team announced.

The team said that all fans who purchased tickets will receive a refund.

Watch:

2:23 p.m. ET, March 11, 2020

San Francisco Giants cancel March 24 game

The San Francisco Giants announce it's canceling their preseason exhibition game against the Oakland Athletics at Oracle Park on March 24 due to a ban on large gatherings in the city and county.

The Giants are scheduled to start the regular season on the road and aren’t slated to host their first regular season game until April 3.

Here's the team's statement:

"We have been in close coordination with Major League Baseball and our local health and government agencies to monitor and plan for any potential impacts of COVID-19. In light of the City and County San Francisco’s announcement today to prohibit public gatherings of 1,000 people for the next two weeks, we will not play our upcoming March 24th exhibition game against the Oakland A’s at Oracle Park in San Francisco. We have no other large public gatherings scheduled at Oracle Park during this time period. We are in the process of working with Major League Baseball and the A’s to finalize alternative arrangements. We will make that information available as soon as possible."

2:17 p.m. ET, March 11, 2020

There are 39 new coronavirus cases in New York, governor says

There are 39 new cases of coronavirus in New York state, bringing the total cases in the state to 212, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a news conference today.

Here are where the new cases are being reported:

13 in Westchester
12 in New York City
9 in Nassau County, Long Island
5 in Suffolk County, Long Island

2:12 p.m. ET, March 11, 2020

Starbucks to offer catastrophe pay and mental health support to employees exposed to coronavirus

From CNN's Kate Trafecante

Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Starbucks announced today that it will offer any employee diagnosed or exposed to COVID-19 up to 14 days of catastrophe pay.

"I want you to know that here at Starbucks, you should never have to choose between work and taking care of yourself," Rossann Williams, president of Starbucks US, wrote in a message to employees.

The catastrophe pay is an additional measure on top of sick pay and time off. If Starbucks employees are still unable to work after two weeks, they can access additional pay up to 26 weeks.

Starbucks is also offering employees mental health resources, such as access to free counseling and a meditation app.

1:52 p.m. ET, March 11, 2020

San Francisco bans large group gatherings

From CNN's Cheri Mossburg

San Francisco is halting all large group gatherings in an effort to slow the spread of novel coronavirus, Mayor London Breed announced.

Group events of 1,000 or more people will be prohibited for now.

“We know cancelling these events is a challenge for everyone and we’ve been talking with venues and event organizers about the need to protect public health,” Breed said in a statement.

The order will be in place for two weeks and will be revisited as the coronavirus outbreak in the city continues to evolve.

1:37 p.m. ET, March 11, 2020

Washington state governor prohibits large events in three counties

Gov. Jay Inslee announced that Washington state will prohibit events of more than 250 people in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

At least 273 cases of coronavirus have been reported in Washington state. There have been at least 24 coronavirus-related deaths in the state.