Coronavirus updates: Sens. Romney, Lee provide advice to Utahns impacted by travel restrictions

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SALT LAKE CITY — Here are the latest coronavirus-related updates from Utah and around the world.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Wednesday the upcoming general conference, scheduled for the first weekend of April, will be held via technology only to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The public will not be allowed in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City during the event, the church said.

If you're on a mobile device and can't see the updates below, click on this link.

Wednesday, 10:51pm

Sens. Romney, Lee provide advice to Utahns impacted by travel restrictions

While new travel restrictions do not apply to U.S. citizens, President Donald Trump's Administration has indicated U.S. citizens may be subject to screening in order to return and will be directed to a limited number of airports where screening can take place. The senators advised all Americans abroad to register with the State Department's STEP program, which allows the government to contact them directly with the latest information on travel to the United States. Sign up for the State Department’s STEP program here.Country-specific travel information and advisories may be found here.

Wednesday, 09:36pm

Weber State will announce COVID-19 impacts to campus activities Thursday at 9:30 a.m.

Wednesday, 07:49pm

Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson test positive for COVID-19

Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, tested positive for the novel coronavirus in Australia, the actor announced on Wednesday.

pic.twitter.com/pgybgIYJdG
— Tom Hanks (@tomhanks) March 12, 2020

Wednesday, 07:45pm

Trump suspends travel between US and Europe for 30 days

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is suspending all travel between the U.S. and Europe for 30 days beginning Friday as he seeks to combat a viral pandemic. Trump made the announcement in an Oval Office address to the nation, blaming the European Union for not acting quickly enough to address the “foreign virus” and saying U.S. clusters were “seeded” by European travelers. Read the full story here.

Wednesday, 07:40pm

Reports: Rudy Gobert tests positive for COVID-19, NBA suspends season

A Utah Jazz player, reported to be Rudy Gobert, has tested positive for coronavirus and the NBA announced on Wednesday that it has suspended its season. Read the full story here.

Wednesday, 07:32pm

Jazz-Thunder game postponed amid coronavirus concerns

Moments before their game was supposed to tip off on Wednesday, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz both walked off the court at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma. Officials later reported the game had been postponed. Read the full story here.

Wednesday, 07:19pm

No large gatherings allowed for church schools, leaders announce

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on Wednesday that no large gatherings will be held for any Church Educational System events, including commencements, devotionals, conferences, public lectures, performances and concerts. The events may be canceled or live-streamed instead, church officials said in a statement. Find more information here.

Wednesday, 04:10pm

What the WHO pandemic declaration means

The World Health Organization declared the new coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on Wednesday. But it's important to note that a pandemic doesn't indicate the severity of the illness; it simply means a disease is spreading widely. The head of the World Health Organization said the U.N. health agency is deeply concerned about the alarming levels of spread. Read more about what a pandemic means in this Q&A from The Associated Press.

Wednesday, 03:47pm

Dow hits record-breaking, amid ongoing virus fears

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,464 points, bringing it 20% below its record set last month and putting it in what Wall Street calls a “bear market.” The broader S&P 500, which professional investors care more about, is just 1 percentage point away from falling into bear territory and bringing to an end one of the greatest runs in Wall Street’s history. Read the full story here.

Wednesday, 03:29pm

University of Utah pushes decision to cancel classes to Thursday morning

UPDATE: A decision on whether in-person classes will be canceled will be announced tomorrow morning at 9a.

Information about #COVID19 and its impact on campus can be found at https://t.co/ec9q5HZn74
— University of Utah (@UUtah) March 11, 2020

Wednesday, 03:04pm

3rd Utah case of COVID-19 announced in Summit County

The third case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has been confirmed in Utah, officials announced on Wednesday. The man diagnosed is younger than 60, lives in Summit County and recently traveled to Europe and had close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case. Read the full story here.

Wednesday, 03:01pm

Utah State University suspends all campus events due to coronavirus concerns

Starting Thursday, Utah State University will suspend all university events and other campus events to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The university announced the news in a tweet Wednesday afternoon. All university-related travel, both international and domestic, will also be cancelled through April 8. The university is considering transitioning to online courses if necessary, but officials have not yet announced if that will take place, the university said.

Wednesday, 02:45pm

NCAA tournaments to be held without fan audiences

Fans will no longer be allowed to attend NCAA tournaments, officials announced on Wednesday. Only essential staff and limited family can attend. Read the full story here.

NCAA President Mark Emmert statement on limiting attendance at NCAA events: https://t.co/TIHHJjdse5 pic.twitter.com/8I1HdceDfN
— NCAA (@NCAA) March 11, 2020

Wednesday, 01:27pm

University of Utah deliberating if in-person classes will be moved to online

We know many of you are wondering if in-person classes will be canceled due to the #COVID19 situation.

University officials are deliberating on whether to move all classes online for the remainder of the semester. A decision and announcement will be made by 5p today.
— University of Utah (@UUtah) March 11, 2020

Wednesday, 01:00pm

Washington state bans big events amid rising virus deaths

Washington state’s governor announced a ban on gatherings of more than 250 people in virtually the entire Seattle metro area Wednesday to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus in the state where at least 24 people have died.

Wednesday, 12:58pm

WHO declares virus crisis a pandemic, urges world to fight

Expressing alarm both about mounting infections and inadequate government responses, the World Health Organization declared Wednesday that the global coronavirus crisis is now a pandemic but added that it’s not too late for countries to act.

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

"We have therefore made the assessment that #COVID19 can be characterized as a pandemic"-@DrTedros #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/JqdsM2051A
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) March 11, 2020

Wednesday, 12:22pm

Golden State Warriors to play next home game without fans

The Golden State Warriors became the first NBA team that will play a game without fan attendance due to "escalating concerns about the spread of the coronavirus," the team confirmed Wednesday.

Due to escalating concerns about the spread of the coronavirus, and in consultation with the City and County of San Francisco, tomorrow night’s game vs. the Nets at Chase Center will be played without fans. Fans with tickets to this game will receive a refund in the amount paid. pic.twitter.com/DMpO71ocvg
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) March 11, 2020

Wednesday, 10:26am

April general conference will be 'via technology only,' church says

Leaders for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced on Wednesday this April's general conference sessions will be done virtually. "Members will not gather at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City or at stake centers or meetinghouses in areas where COVID-19 is active," the church said.

Wednesday, 09:00am

Timeline: The Spread of COVID-19

— Liesl Nielsen, KSL.com

Wednesday, 08:58am

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall declares local state of emergency

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall declared a state of local emergency on Tuesday evening to help the city prepare for a potential outbreak of COVID-19. “While there are no known cases of COVID-19 in Salt Lake City, it is important that we act preemptively to prepare now," Mendenhall said in a news release. "Doing so will help us to ensure our city’s financial stability, and the continuity of vital operations in the event that we experience the spread of this virus." The declaration means the city will have access to state and federal funding if necessary, and will allow Mendenhall to enact special rules, such as curfews and other preventative actions, to make sure the city is safe.

Last night I signed a declaration of a State of Local Emergency to prepare for the potential spread of COVID-19.

While there are no known cases of COVID-19 in Salt Lake City, it is important that we act preemptively to prepare now. #utpol #slc pic.twitter.com/BlmMNavRVm
— SLC Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) March 11, 2020

Wednesday, 08:22am

Stocks fall again on Wall Street as wild swings continue

Stocks are sinking again Wednesday, wiping out more than half of a huge rally from a day earlier as Wall Street continues to be hit by wild swings. Another big central bank made an emergency cut to interest rates in hopes of blunting the economic pain caused by the coronavirus, which economists call the global economy’s biggest threat. But investors are still waiting for details promised by President Donald Trump on potential aid for the economy through tax breaks and other relief. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 808 points, or 3.2%, to 24,222, and the Nasdaq was down 2.5%.

Wednesday, 08:20am

Local businesses seeing different impacts due to coronavirus concerns

Worries about the coronavirus are impacting Utah businesses, with some seeing supply prices skyrocket while others are seeing fewer customers come through their doors.

Wednesday, 08:20am

ICYMI: Catch up on coronavirus developments from yesterday

Utah has its second case of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. The female patient lives in the Weber-Morgan health district and is older than 60.

Utah’s COVID-19 Task Force recommended that the state’s hospitals and health care facilities work to create “designated sites to screen for novel coronavirus infections.”

With new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Utah, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, state health officials are turning to business owners to reduce the risk of spread.

The uber-popular Coachella music festival has been postponed from its usual two-weekend run in April to October due to concerns about the growing coronavirus.

Coronavirus updates: Sens. Romney, Lee provide advice to Utahns impacted by travel restrictions

By Jacob Klopfenstein for KSL.com and Lauren Bennett, KSL.com | Updated - March 11, 2020 at 11:05 p.m. | Posted - March 11, 2020 at 8:20 a.m.

(John Minchillo, AP Photo)