Portal:Current events/2020 March 21

March 21, 2020 (Saturday)

Arts and culture

COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
- COVID-19 pandemic in Tennessee
  - The Grand Ole Opry broadcasts from an empty venue for the first time since 1925. (ABC News)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Economy of China, COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
  - China resumes construction of its infrastructure to help ease the economic impact of COVID-19. (The Star)

Health and environment

COVID-19 pandemic
- COVID-19 vaccine
  - The World Health Organization says at least 20 vaccines for COVID-19 are in development around the world and that clinical trials are underway. (The Times of Israel)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Asia
  - COVID-19 pandemic in mainland China
    - China reports zero domestic cases of COVID-19 for a third consecutive day. (South China Morning Post)
    - China sends masks and medical experts abroad to aid countries affected by COVID-19. (ABC News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in East Timor
    - East Timor confirms its first case of COVID-19. (New Straits Times)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Taiwan
    - Taiwan reports 18 imported cases of COVID-19. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Fiji
    - Fiji confirms its second case of COVID-19. (FBC News)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Africa
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Mauritius
    - Mauritius reports its first death from COVID-19. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Angola
    - Angola reports its first confirmed cases of COVID-19, two male Angolan nationals who recently returned from Portugal. (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda
    - Uganda reports its first confirmed case of COVID-19. The patient is a 36-year-old Ugandan male who recently arrived in the country on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from Dubai. (National Post)
- COVID-19 pandemic in Europe
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Italy
    - Italy says an additional 793 people have died from COVID-19 in the country, bringing the death toll to 4,825. It is the highest number of deaths in a single 24-hour period in the country to date. (New York Post)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Finland
    - Finland's National Institute for Health and Welfare reports the country's first death from COVID-19. (Yle)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Georgia (country)
    - Georgia declares a nationwide state of emergency due to COVID-19, effective until April 21. (Civil Georgia)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
    - Spain's Ministry of Health reports an additional 324 COVID-19 deaths, the country's largest one-day increase. The country's death toll stands at 1,326, with 24,926 cases, the second highest in Europe. (The Independent)
    - Spain announces it is closing hotels in the country for the sake of converting them into hospitals, as local medical facilities are being overwhelmed by COVID-19 patients. A military hospital will also be constructed in the capital Madrid. (Lailasnews) (Reuters)
    - Lorenzo Sanz, the former president of Real Madrid CF, dies after testing positive for COVID-19. (Evening Standard)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
    - The British government orders all pubs, restaurants, theaters, cinemas, gyms and other social hubs to close down to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. (Reuters)
    - The United Kingdom's Department of Health and Social Care confirms 53 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the country's death toll to 233. All those who died had underlying health conditions and the oldest patient was 94-years-old, according to NHS England. (ITV News)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Albania
    - Albania's government deploys troops to enforce a 40-hour nationwide curfew. Prime Minister Edi Rama says Albanians "will stay inside after 13:00", and that police and the armed forces "will use force against whoever breaks the law, including pensioners, and will use water canons and tear gas if need be." (Reuters)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in France
    - France reports 112 more deaths from COVID-19, bringing the country's death toll to 562. There are 1,525 people in severe condition with the virus, half of which are people under the age of 60. (France 24)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey
    - Turkey's Ministry of the Interior imposes a curfew for people over the age of 65 and the chronically ill. (Daily Sabah)
    - Turkey's Ministry of Health reports that the country's COVID-19 death toll stands at 21, with 947 confirmed cases. (Daily Sabah)
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Cyprus
    - Cyprus reports its first death from COVID-19. (Reuters)
- COVID-19 pandemic in North America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in the United States
    - Ketchikan, in Southeast Alaska, shelters in place after six people test positive for COVID-19 in the town of 8,000 residents. (KTUU-TV)
    - COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan
      - Michigan says eight people have died from COVID-19. (MLive)
- COVID-19 pandemic in South America
  - COVID-19 pandemic in Chile
    - Chile's Ministry of Health reports its country's first COVID-19 death in an 83-year woman from Renca, Santiago. The country has more than 500 confirmed cases, the second-largest number in South America after Brazil. (Reuters)

International relations

North Korea–South Korea relations, North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
- Yonhap News Agency reports that North Korea has fired two projectiles from Pyongan Province into the Sea of Japan. (Reuters) (BBC News)
North Korea–United States relations
- North Korea says that U.S. President Donald Trump wrote a letter to Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un to express his willingness to work with him on dealing with COVID-19. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

COVID-19 pandemic in Washington, D.C.
- Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence test negative for COVID-19. (CNBC)

Sports

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports
- Football player Wu Lei, a Chinese national based in Spain, tests positive for COVID-19. He says he is recovering from the virus. (Reuters)