March 11 coronavirus news

The GLAAD Media Awards have been canceled because of concerns over coronavirus.

GLAAD is a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, which was expected to hold its 31st annual awards in New York on March 19.

Italy has recorded a jump of 2,313 coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with the total tally now at 12,462, the country's Civil Protection Agency said. 

This is the biggest recorded jump since the outbreak began, but the head of the Italian Civil Protection Agency Angelo Borelli said that authorities did not have all of the data for Lombardy, the worst hit region, on Tuesday so those numbers did not fully reflect the situation. 

Rush University Medical Center in Chicago has built a large tent in its “forward triage” area, an enclosed area outside its emergency room, which was originally partly designed to receive infectious disease patients.

The area serves as the hospital’s ambulance and private vehicle bay for incoming patients suspected of having the virus.

Rush is considered one of the best suited Chicago hospitals to handle coronavirus patients.

Hospital spokesperson Charles Jolie told CNN that all the air inside the tent and the ambulance bay is sanitized before it is exhausted outside to reduce the chances of contamination elsewhere. Jolie said the purpose of the tent is to add one additional layer of protection to ensure that patients elsewhere in the hospital who may be at risk of contracting the virus do not get infected.

As coronavirus continues to spread across the US, 23 states and Washington, DC, have declared a state of emergency.

Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana, Arkansas and Washington, DC, all made their declarations today.

Here is a breakdown of when the other states made their declarations:

NCAA President Mark Emmert has decided to hold the upcoming Division I men’s and women’s basketball tournaments without spectators.

In a statement, Emmert declared that "March Madness" will still take place — this after consultations with public health officials and a NCAA-appointed coronavirus advisory panel — but that the tournament will be held with only essential staff and family members. 

The NCAA has also recommended that every upcoming sporting event — which would include the on-going conference basketball tournaments — to be closed to the public.

Football player Daniele Rugani who plays for the Italian team Juventus, which is based in the northern city of Turin, has tested positive for coronavirus, the club said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Juventus Football Club is currently activating all the isolation procedures required by law," the statement says, adding that the club is tracing how many people he was in contact with. 

The Sergeant at Arms has informed congressional leaders they are preparing to announce that all Capitol Tours will be halted for the remainder of the month due to the coronavirus, according to two congressional aides. 

The House and Senate Sergeants at Arms will make the announcement soon, a source said. The exact timing is unclear.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has declared a state of emergency in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The state has reported nine confirmed cases of coronavirus, but Ducey said, “We are anticipating additional positive cases, and we're not taking any chances.”

Ducey, speaking at a news conference today, said the declaration will free up emergency funds and make it possible for health care workers to cut through licensing red tape.

He also issued an executive order that requires nursing homes to check workers and visitors for symptoms of coronavirus, as well as require insurance companies to cover the full cost of coronavirus testing for their policyholders.

One of the proposals President Trump may lay out this evening is declaring a national emergency under the Stafford Act, which would free up aid, an administration official said.

That proposal is under active consideration, the official said.

Trump is expected to make a statement tonight at about 9 p.m. ET.