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Coronavirus Watch: PSA, don't hoard face masks


We've all seen the videos of people lining up to buy supplies at Costco. But it's not time to go into apocalypse mode.

Health officials say that buying up precious face masks and gloves is putting the lives of health care workers at risk. So, how can you keep yourself and your family safe? Here's some tips: 

  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. 
  • Don't touch your eyes, nose and mouth. Cover your cough.
  • Clean household objects and surfaces.

Welcome to our third edition of Coronavirus Watch from the Paste BN Network, where we'll be sending updates on everything you need to know about COVID-19.

Here's the latest, as of 2 p.m. ET:

  • In the U.S., at least nine people have died, with 138 confirmed cases across 15 states.
  • Democrats and Republicans have agreed to provide $8.3 billion to combat the virus and help treat those affected. The budget is more than triple the amount President Donald Trump requested.
  • Los Angeles has declared a state of emergency.
  • The death rate among reported coronavirus patients is now about 3.4%. (For context: The death rate for the flu, which infects at least 32 million people each year, is about 0.1%).
  • England's confirmed case total has jumped to 80. That's more than 94,000 cases worldwide.
  • Sorry Bond fans: The release date for Daniel Craig's final James Bond film "No Time to Die" has been postponed until November.

We also want to hear from you. What questions about the coronavirus would you like answered? 

Vi Anne from Eagan, Minnesota, wants to know: Is it true that the virus is expected to diminish when warmer weather arrives?

Unfortunately, Vi Anne, we don't know yet. Scientists suspect that COVID-19 spreads through respiratory droplets, and most viral respiratory diseases, such as the common cold and flu, have seasons. They spread more during the colder months, but you can still get sick from them during the warmer months, too.

"I’m happy to hope that it goes down as the weather warms up, but I think it’s premature to assume that, and we’re certainly not using that to sit back and expect it to go away," said Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

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Here are today's coronavirus need-to-knows.

— Grace Hauck, Breaking News Reporter, @grace_hauck