Coronavirus Updates: The Latest COVID-19 Headlines From March 19, 2020

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — On Wednesday, the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in Minnesota jumped to 77. Meanwhile in Washington, President Donald Trump signed a relief bill that provides free testing and paid leave for certain workers as the administration works out an even bigger package to address the economic fallout.

Here are the latest headlines in the COVID-19 pandemic:

• • 8:54 p.m.: California's governor has issued a statewide "stay at home" order, which goes into effect Thursday night.
  • 7:24 p.m.: Wisconsin has its first two confirmed deaths from COVID-19, according to Gov. Tony Evers.
  • 6:25 p.m.: Enterprise Rent-A-Car says they are waiving fees and reducing the minimum age to rent a car to 18 in order to accommodate college students who are travelling home.
  • 6:22 p.m.: President Trump says the G7 summit in June will now be held via videoconference instead of meeting at Camp David.
  • 5:23 p.m.: All naturalization ceremonies at Minnesota's four U.S. District Court buildings scheduled between March 19 through May 8 will be rescheduled to future dates once COVID-19 pandemic guidance allows.
  • 4:09 p.m.: Wisconsin state parks and trails will remain open to the public.
  • 3:57 p.m.: The main lobby of the Stearns County Sheriff's Office will close until further notice Friday, March 20 at 8 a.m. The Law Enforcement Center lobby will be closed to general public Monday through Friday, except for Tuesdays and Thursdays for gun permit applications.
  • 3:29 p.m.: The Polk County Sheriff's Office, along with all other Polk County offices, will be closed to the public effective Friday, March 20th at noon. This includes both the Crookston and Fosston sub-station offices.
  • 3:21 p.m.: Bachman's decides to close retail stores at the end of day on Friday, March 20, 2020, until Monday, April 6, 2020.
  • 2:47 p.m.: An employee at Waupun Correctional Institution tested positive for COVID-19, marking the first reported case of coronavirus in Wisconsin's prison system.
  • 2:31 p.m.: Hy-Vee is installing temporary protective windows at store checkouts and temporarily banning the use of reusable bags in an effort to limit the spread of COVID-19.
  • 2:08 p.m.: Kohl's stores are temporarily closing until April 1 because of COVID-19.
  • 2:02 p.m.: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Wisconsin jumped by nearly 50 in one day, reaching 155 on Thursday.
  • 1:59 p.m.: The Target Center's perishable foods will be donated to the Twin Cities community amid a suspended NBA season due to the coronavirus outbreak.
  • 1:13 p.m.: Compass Airlines, headquartered at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, is shutting down as travel demand drops amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
  • 12:50 p.m.: Gov. Walz orders health care providers to postpone elective surgeries and procedures beginning March 23.
  • 12:46 p.m.: Galleria Edina to close temporarily from March 19 - April 3.
  • 12:07 p.m.: U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and Representative Mark Pocan introduced legislation to require the Defense Department to make testing kits for COVID-19 available to all American service members deployed to the Middle East.
  • 12 p.m.: President Trump said much of the responsibility to secure enough ventilators, masks and tests lies with governors rather than the federal government, as he delivered a press conference alongside members of the Coronavirus Task Force Thursday.
  • 11:45 a.m.: On Thursday, Major League Soccer announced that it would extend that suspension until at least May 10 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
  • 11:41 a.m.: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey joined several other mayors across the nation in asking the federal government for $250 billion in emergency assistance for city governments.
  • 11:04 a.m.: Number of positive COVID-19 cases in Minnesota climbs to 89, up from 77 on Wednesday.
  • 10:30 a.m.: Stocks drop following news that the number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits has surged.
  • 9:53 a.m.: Walmart says it's limiting purchases of some types of products, including paper products, milk, eggs and hand sanitizer.
  • 9:42 a.m.: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is set to unveil a massive spending package in response to the outbreak.
  • 9:19 a.m.: China's health ministry says the city of Wuhan — the original epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic — and the surrounding Hubei province reported no new cases in the last 24 hours.
  • 8:07 a.m.: The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits surged to their highest level in over two years, officials say.
  • 7:09 a.m.: The New York Stock Exchange will temporarily close its iconic trading floor in lower Manhattan and move to all-electronic trading beginning Monday.
  • 6:15 a.m.: There are now two lawmakers who have tested positive for coronavirus on Capitol Hill. Congressmen Mario Diaz-Balart, Republican of Florida, and Ben McAdams, a Utah Democrat, both tested positive for the virus.
  • 5:50 a.m.: Young Americans are warned that they're not "totally invincible" when it comes to coronavirus.