The fast-spreading Covid-19 outbreak continued to cast a long shadow over the US on Monday as the number of confirmed cases passed 3,600 and the death toll reached 69.
US data trackers, including Johns Hopkins and The New York Times, showed the coronavirus spreading across all American states with the exception of West Virginia.
The highest number of cases has been recorded in New York, with 732 confirmed, followed by Washington state with 636, while Alaska, North Dakota and Virgin Islands recorded one case each.
The markets took a big hit on Monday, with the Dow plunging 2,000 points despite the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates to zero the day before.
Across the US, schools, restaurants and bars were ordered to close in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco and Seattle.
In Washington DC, nightclubs were ordered to close, and restrictions were put on bars and restaurant seating.
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A worker in a protective suit sprays disinfectants near Imam Abbas shrine in the holy city of Kerbala, Iraq. Reuters -
A doctor and laboratory specialists prepare before visiting the ward for quarantined people who had close contact with the first Kenyan coronavirus patient at the Infectious Disease Unit of Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. AFP -
Pope Francis delivers a blessing over an empty St. Peter's square at the Vatican, after his streamed Angelus prayer. The Vatican said on March 15 that its traditional Easter week celebrations would be held without worshippers due to the coronavirus. AFP -
Pope Francis walks in a deserted Rome to pray at two shrines for the end of the coronavirus pandemic, in Rome, Italy. Reuters -
People ride a three wheeled motorcycle despite the 'social distancing' measures in Makati, Philippines. EPA -
An employee of the pubic transport company during the daily disinfection of buses in the early morning hours in Bucharest, Romania. AP Photo -
A woman crosses the usually busy La Castellana avenue in Madrid. AFP -
Medical staff show victory sign to the media at the window of the Dubrava hospital, Croatia. AFP -
A man walks in a buidling across from the citadel of Erbil, a tourist landmark usually busy with visitors, in the capital of the northern Iraqi Kurdish autonomous region. AFP -
A woman stands next to an empty shelf in a supermarket in Paris a day after France ordered the closure of all non-essential public places including restaurants and cafes. AFP -
People queue in line to receive packages for precautions against coronavirus disease provided by the Basij, a militia loyal to Iran's Islamic republic establishment, from a booth outside Meydane Valiasr metro station in the capital Tehran. AFP -
A woman walks near Arc de Triomphe following France's closure of most non-indispensable locations, cafes, restaurants, cinemas, nightclubs and shops. Reuters -
A member of the Venezuelan civil protection agency explains to commuters symptoms and preventive measures for the new coronavirus in Caracas, Venezuela. AP Photo -
An Indian hospital worker burns used clothes outside of an isolation ward at Fever Hospital in Hyderabad, India. AP Photo
Disneyland and Disney World closed and the Vegas casino strip was also starting to shut down, after the Centres of Disease Control recommended that gatherings of 50 people or more should not take place for two months.
Meanwhile, a cyber-attack was reportedly launched on the US government health agency in charge of responding to Covid-19.
The Health and Human Services Department “suffered a cyber-attack on its computer system Sunday night”, Bloomberg reported on Monday night.
No data appears to have been stolen but the attack “intended to slow the agency’s systems down” and was able to spread disinformation alleging a “national lockdown”.
The National Security Council sent out a tweet on Sunday warning of the fake rumours.
Also on Monday, US President Donald Trump’s resort in Florida, Mar-a-Lago, was undergoing a “deep clean” and closing for the day, CNN reported.
Three people with Mr Trump at Mar-a-Lago two weekends ago have tested positive for the virus.
Vaccine testing under way
US health agencies continued to expedite their work on developing a vaccine, with the first clinical trial taking place in Seattle on Monday.
The National Institutes of Health is funding the trial, which is taking place at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle.
But it will take a year to 18 months to fully validate any potential vaccine.
“Testing will begin with 45 young, healthy volunteers with different doses of shots co-developed by NIH and Moderna,” it said.
The spreading of the virus was a major topic in the Democratic debate between Senator Bernie Sanders and former vice president Joe Biden on Sunday night.
The two candidates touched elbows instead of shaking hands and criticised the Trump administration’s response to the crisis.
A Quinnipiac poll released on Monday gave Mr Biden a double-digit lead over Mr Trump as far as the crisis was concerned.
