Today Ohio, Delaware and Louisiana joined California, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey and Illinois by issuing mandatory stay at home orders for their citizens.

Update (2000ET): Stock futures hit limit down again overnight after Senate Democrats shot down the administration's latest economic stimulus package, New Zealand said it would issue an order calling for nationwide self-isolation, while NYC announced the closure of all non-essential businesses.

Update (1330ET): After nearly two weeks of reporting one grim record after another, Italy has finally reported a drop in new cases on Sunday.

" Today the CORE 4 partners of Jackson County, Missouri; Johnson County, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri, and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, based on the urgency of the COVID-19 public health emergency and the imminent rapid progression of the pandemic in our area, announce that beginning Tuesday, March 24, residents will be directed to stay at home except for essential needs. "

Update (0940ET): After one of his aides tested positive, VP Pence was tested, and as it turns out, has tested negative, along with his wife, Karen Pence.

Update (1510ET): Across Europe on Saturday, deaths accorded to COVID-19 soared, with Italy reporting a record 793 deaths on Friday, and Spain reporting another 300 cases, bringing their totals to 4,825 and 1,326.

Update (1415ET): Just as Gov. Cuomo hinted earlier this week, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has signed an executive order mandating that all non-essential workers living in the state stay home.

"Young Italians attending college in Italy’s heavily-infected northern regions have returned home to the nation’s south, putting its health system at risk of collapse. Southern regions are now seeing a steady increase of coronavirus patients — many of whom are the parents of students who come back from the north."

"After watching the outbreak of COVID-19 for the past two months, I’ve followed the pace of the infection, its severity, and how our world is tackling the virus. While we should be concerned and diligent, the situation has dramatically elevated to a mob-like fear spreading faster than COVID-19 itself. When 13% of Americans believe they are currently infected with COVID-19 (mathematically impossible), full-on panic is blocking our ability to think clearly and determine how to deploy our resources to stop this virus. Over three-fourths of Americans are scared of what we are doing to our society through law and hysteria, not of infection or spreading COVID-19 to those most vulnerable."

This is a long but nicely done article. Many informative graphs are included. This article was taken down by Medium, its publisher, because of too much traffic. Zero Hedge has it up now.

At this point, we are 2-months away from the US's patient zero in the State of Washington. It is hard for us to imagine a more "can-do" President. We think the scope of what he has accomplished is remarkable. Scroll down and look at our Corona Virus stories and count the actions the President has taken.

"

First, regardless of what the poll numbers reflect, based on a three-year track record of doing whatever it takes, it is safe to say President Trump would do whatever was the best approach while considering polling of those hard decisions irrelevant.

Second, even with the constant back-biting, snark and transparent attacks from the mainstream media, President Trump’s strength as a leader and manager of crisis is well identified by the majority of Americans.

"Earlier today President Trump announced the closing of the southern border (Mexico) and northern border (Canada) to non-essential travel. Entry/Exit for trade and business travel will continue to operate with additional screening."

"In the wake of coronavirus and tanking stocks, cruise companies have sought assistance from the US government. But for decades, the industry has done everything in its power to avoid paying into the system."