The Washington Post reports:

MEXICO CITY — The United States and Mexico have reached an agreement for a partial closure of the border, according to U.S and Mexican officials.

Mexico’s Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced the closure on Twitter, and President Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed the deal at a White House briefing Friday.

“We are not talking about a closure of the border with the U.S. because it is not that,” Ebrard said early Friday. “It will be restricted; it will be restricted for cases that are related to tourism and recreation.”

Ebrard added that Mexico would continue accepting asylum seekers sent back under the Migrant Protection Protocols, along with Mexican deportees. But it would not allow the United States to return all migrants who cross the border illegally to Mexican territory, as the Trump Administration proposed earlier this week. He insisted the measures would not restrict any economic activity and would “reduce the risk of the virus’s spread.”

[Washington Post]

Meanwhile, Slate reports that Mexico is doing little to prep for the spread of COVID-19:

Last weekend, 110,000 people attended the “Vive Latino” music festival in Mexico City, which took place as scheduled despite several confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mexico’s capital. At the same time, while governments worldwide took drastic measures to slow down the spread of the disease, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, known as AMLO, traveled to the south of Mexico and met with adoring crowds, shaking hands and hugging and kissing supporters. During his daily press conferences, AMLO has insisted that his honesty and moral rectitude protect him from the virus and that the threat of COVID-19 is greatly exaggerated. “I have great faith that we will move our dear Mexico forward, that misfortunes and pandemics won’t affect us,” he told reporters at a press conference on Sunday.

[Slate]

Pima County now has eight confirmed cases of Coronavirus, or COVID-19, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services website.

Maricopa County gained 12 cases, putting their totals at 34 confirmed.

Expect as more testing becomes available that these numbers will rise.

Pima County reports that the new case reported today is a female in her 60s who is isolating at home and not hospitalized.

Two the previous individuals who required hospitalization have been released.

For updated case counts and more information about COVID-19, visit www.pima.gov/COVID19. The public can also call 1-844-542-8201 for general questions.

As of today's Arizona Department of Health Services report: A total of 343 people have been tested by the state, for COVID-19; 101 cases are still pending and 211 have been ruled out. A total of 63 people have tested positive by both state and private labs

You can see updated totals from the Arizona Department of Health here.

As for cases throughout the world, this tracker provides an interactive look at how COVID-19 is spreading, and its impacts.

Gov. Doug Ducey has ordered bars, gyms, theaters and places were people congregate to close as of close of business on Friday, March 20. Restaurants will still be able to offer take-out or delivery—and now they can also deliver beer, wine and alcohol.

The order applies to any county with cases of COVID-19, the fast-spreading and deadly novel coronavirus that is infecting hundreds of thousands of people across the globe.

Ducey said the order was aimed at "proactively limiting the spread of COVID-19.”

“These latest actions are based on the facts and on data, and come after careful consultation with public health experts from every county in Arizona, our hospitals, local elected officials, and private sector partners," Ducey said in a prepared statement. "They reflect guidance from the CDC and the latest recommendations from our Department of Health Services, while going even further to bolster our efforts with additional manpower and resources. This is an all-in effort. We are determined to take all necessary precautions to address this outbreak and will continue to act with urgency to protect public health.”

Ducey's actions come on the same day that Pima County and the towns of Oro Valley and Marana took the same steps with restaurants, bars, gyms and other gathering places. Tucson Mayor Regina Romero took similar steps on Tuesday.

According to the Governor's Office press release, Ducey also:

• Ordered the National Guard to help grocery stores to restock their shelves as more and more Arizonans seek to stock up on staples. The National Guard will also help food banks, which are struggling to find volunteers.

• Ordered a halt to all elective surgeries throughout the state to free up medical resources and maintain the capacity for hospitals and providers to continue offering vital services.

• Delayed the expiration date on Arizona driver licenses so that people over 65 will not have to visit the MVD for a renewal, nor will commercial vehicle drivers have to take a break from their duties to renew their their licenses.

As of today, Arizona Department of Health Services report, 14 people in Pima County have tested tested positive for COVID-19. In Arizona, a total of 44 people have tested positive. Among state tests, 130 cases are still pending and 175 have been ruled out. Private labs are testing people for COVID-19. Statewide numbers updated here.

According to the CDC, COVID-19 symptoms typically occur two to 14 days after exposure, and include fever, cough and shortness of breath. However, some cases of the virus are entirely asymptomatic. Practices to avoid infection include social distancing (of at least six feet), washing your hands, avoiding unnecessary trips and not touching your face. COVID-19 can survive on cardboard for up to 24 hours, and on stainless steel and plastic surfaces up to three days. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, call your healthcare provider for medical advice.

For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Post updated to note that infections are in the hundreds of thousands.

While many businesses in major metropolitan areas having closed their doors for the foreseeable future, medical cannabis patients don’t have to worry about most dispensaries closing, although Tucson Saints Dispensary announced today it will temporarily shut its doors.

Since cannabis is a medicine, it is an essential service and dispensaries will continue to sell products as usual, said Sam Richard, executive director for the Arizona Dispensaries Association.
But “everyone’s doing things a little differently,” he said.

Several dispensaries have posted notices on their websites detailing their response to COVID-19 emphasizing patient and employee safety and following Centers for Disease Control guidelines.
Common precautions include limiting the number of patients inside the dispensary, only allowing people in the waiting room and frequently wiping down surfaces. Dispensaries have encouraged employees who feel sick to use their paid time off.

Many dispensaries have also changed their hours, opening late, closing early or both.
Some, like TruMed in Phoenix, have transitioned to fulfilling online orders only, while other still allow to-go orders if patients know what they want. Downtown Dispensary in Tucson has installed special air filters to ensure a sterile environment.

However, many dispensaries have seen stocked items dwindle, especially regarding flower. But shortages are the result of the sudden purchasing shock, Richard said, and dispensaries should have their usual menu items available within a couple days.

Dr. James Galloway is a former assistant U.S. Surgeon General, a cardiovascular medical doctor and a public health expert. He served as a Senior Federal Official on Health for Pandemic Influenza and Bioterrorism for the Department of Homeland Security and as the Director of the Office of Health System Collaboration for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, integrating clinical care and public health at a national level. Dr. Galloway is a Tucson resident who has been monitoring the global impacts of the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak, and governments’ responses to them. This interview has been edited for clarity.

What steps could the Trump Administration have taken earlier to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic?

On January 9, an outbreak of an “unidentified and possibly new” viral disease in central China was reported and was sending alarms across Asia. Shortly afterwards, Taiwan and Hong Kong and South Korea were contemplating quarantine zones and scanning travelers from China for signs of fever or pneumonia. And then on January 21, they locked down Wuhan, the city in China. In late January, multiple articles came out from well-known scientific experts, saying that we needed aggressive interventions. That was late January. And it was on March 11 when Trump gave his first speech acknowledging the seriousness of the Coronavirus. Unfortunately, early on there were a lot of denials and statements of things like “we’re on top of it” and “it’s totally under control,” which put our government as well as our population at ease when things really should have been ramping up. Things that could have been done earlier are things like accepting the World Health Organization’s offer for testing kits, or organizing and directing individuals, doctors and hospitals about how and where to get the tests for patients. Providing leadership to the states, counties and localities as CDC usually does early on in a situation like this, and allowing states to use the testing kits they had developed without federal approval, which was just done a few days ago. So those are a few things that could have been done, but the issues remain that there is a tremendous lack of available testing kits, despite statements that they were available to all.

Going forward, how can national governments work with disease experts and healthcare experts to effectively respond to this rapidly changing situation?

There's several critically important aspects of this. Unmuzzling the experts, allowing the scientist to help guide from their perspectives as we move forward, collaborating among states, local counties and local municipalities with a leadership that allows for uniform implementation of appropriate rules and regulations and guidelines, and collaboration across the globe with other nations and with the World Health Organization in a meaningful way to gather the expertise, as well as the information from our global partners.

What makes COVID-19 different from the common cold or the flu?

It’s very infectious, but most importantly, it has a higher mortality rate. The mortality rate that’s been published is around 3 percent. That’s likely elevated above what we’ll see because the people who’ve been tested were the really sick ones, so the mortality rate would be higher. If we were able to test everyone, more than likely, the mortality rate may be down as low as 1 percent, but that’s still 10 times the mortality rate for the flu, which is 0.1 percent. So if you combine the contagiousness with the mortality rate, it makes it a much greater challenge to control and with the potential for much more devastating results.

Are other countries taking the right steps by doing total lockdowns to prevent the spread?

Retail merchants on Fourth Avenue are locking their doors and setting up shop online—and on social media—in an attempt to salvage sales lost after the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association canceled the 50th Annual Fourth Avenue Street Fair on March 13, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fred Ronstadt, executive director of FAMA, said he was at a loss when it became clear the spring street fair would need to be canceled. The street fair, held twice a year, accounts for nearly half of the association’s revenue to maintain the avenue, Ronstadt said. But more importantly, he knows how much street fair season means to Fourth Avenue merchants before going into triple-digit weather.

“It’s the revenue we use to take care of the avenue, pick up trash, clean the streets and market events,” Ronstadt said. “But it’s especially tough on the merchants. This is the revenue they need to get through summer.”

Help came in the form of a street fair volunteer for the Ironhorse neighborhood’s beer tent. Daniel Dempsey, owner of local start-up coManage, developed the Fourth Avenue Virtual Street Fair’s page.

“When we saw the event was cancelled, we saw there was no way to easily find the vendors, it was all in a PDF. So we decided to take the data and throw together a simple, static website,” Dempsey said. “This is not even close to what we do. We went from idea on that Thursday to done by Friday.”

The virtual street fair highlights all the booths that would have participated this year, with links to peruse and purchase their crafts. The page has received over 25,000 click-thrus in under a week of going live, said Ronstadt.

“It lists all the artists that would’ve been in the fair plus all of the merchants that would’ve had booths, as well,” Ronstadt said. “All the links and sales go directly to the artists.”

But the virtual street fair isn’t the only thing individual Fourth Avenue merchants have planned for Friday. Lizzie Mead, owner of Silver Sea Jewelry, and her crew are also taking matters into their own hands since closing up shop due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Right when they decided street fair was not going to be a go, I realized I was super overstretched and I’ve dumped all my money into products for street fair,” Mead said. “So, I just tried to come up with a solution.”

Silver Sea Jewelry is hosting Merm-Aid on Facebook Live, showcasing their handmade jewelry in the style of the Home Shopping Network for eight hours, starting at 11 a.m. Friday morning.

“We’ve had a lot of juice for our live sale already on Facebook and that’s been great,” Mead said. “The most important thing right now is my employees because they’re my best friends.”
Mead said she hopes her live-streaming sale will help her be able to give street fair bonuses to her employees in addition to their hourly rate, as that’s something she’s done since moving to Fourth Avenue 11 years ago.

“My feeling was let’s do this live sale and try to get (her employees) what they would’ve made at street fair,” Mead said. “The goal of this sale is to help them pocket more money to get them solid.”

For Mead, having street fair canceled is especially hard. Not only do those three days account for over two months of income, she said, the jewelry maker also has to start making her inventory months in advance. Mead said she hopes to be able to recoup the money she's already spent.

“The best thing I can do at this point is come up with a way to at least try to make up the prep-money I spent for street fair,” Mead said. “Not try to make the money I would have made. I would just like to make-up what I invested.”

Amending the emergency proclamations issued yesterday, the towns of Marana and Oro Valley have announced Thursday afternoon all bars, gyms and places of public gathering would have to close through the end of the month.

The order also prohibits all restaurants from serving on-site, and encourages the use of delivery, curbside and take out service.

The restriction does not apply to grocery stores, markets, convenience stores, pharmacies, food banks and several other establishments.

The move follows this morning's vote by the Pima County Board of Supervisors to adopt similar measures. On Tuesday, Tucson was the first city in the region to close bars, gyms and other businesses were people congregate and limit restaurants to take-out and delivery.

“While each community has unique needs, our goal as a region is to bring Pima County into alignment with the management of COVID-19,” said Mayor Joe Winfield. “As this crisis continues to unfold, community leaders are having to constantly reassess current guidelines and determine when to take new measures. Our County Board of Supervisors has determined that this next level of precaution is necessary, so the Town of Oro Valley will follow their lead and adjust our local recommendations accordingly.”

The Town of Marana issued the following statement:

To further protect the safety of our residents, businesses, faith-based groups and non-profit organizations, Mayor Ed Honea has issued an amendment to the Town of Marana Mayoral Proclamation of Emergency which will order all bars, gyms, and places of public gathering to close, and will prohibit all restaurants from being open for on-site consumption. The amendment also encourages the use of restaurant delivery service, curbside-service, or drive-through service, and to use other appropriate precautions so as to mitigate the potential transmission of COVID-19. This amendment serves to aggressively assist in flattening the curve of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and keeping our hospitals from becoming overwhelmed.

As of today, Arizona Department of Health Services report, seven people in Pima County have tested tested positive for COVID-19. In Arizona, a total of 44 people have tested positive. Among state tests, 130 cases are still pending and 175 have been ruled out. Private labs are testing people for COVID-19. Statewide numbers updated here.

According to the CDC, COVID-19 symptoms typically occur two to 14 days after exposure, and include fever, cough and shortness of breath. However, some cases of the virus are entirely asymptomatic. Practices to avoid infection include social distancing (of at least six feet), washing your hands, avoiding unnecessary trips and not touching your face. COVID-19 can survive on cardboard for up to 24 hours, and on stainless steel and plastic surfaces up to three days. If you think you have been exposed to COVID-19 and develop a fever and symptoms, call your healthcare provider for medical advice. For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the face of the spreading COVID-19 epidemic, the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 to declare an emergency and order bars, breweries, gyms, movie theaters and other spaces where people gather in unincorporated Pima County to close their doors by 8 p.m. tonight. Restaurants are still open and can offer take-out or delivery service.

Democrats Richard Elias, Ramon Valadez and Sharon Bronson voted in favor of the closure, while Republicans Ally Miller and Steve Christy were opposed.

The closures are through March 31.

The order would not affect grocery stories, pharmacies, food banks, banks and some cafeterias located inside hospitals, nursing homes or food vendors at Tucson International Airport.

The declaration would also encourage churches and the houses of worship to limit gatherings on their premises.

Christy, who voted against the proclamation of an emergency, said he had serious problems with the measure, indicating he would rather the supervisors follow the actions of governments like Oro Valley, Marana and South Tucson, which have released statements that “urge” and “advise” businesses to utilize social distancing practices, but does not mandate any serious action be taken.

Pima County now has seven confirmed cases of Coronavirus, or COVID-19, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services website.

Maricopa County's cases nearly doubled as well, putting their totals at 22 confirmed, up eight from 14 cases on Thursday, March 18.

As of today's Arizona Department of Health Services report, Pima County has seven confirmed cases of COVID-19. A total of 330 people have been tested for COVID-19; a total of 25 people have tested positive, 130 cases are still pending and 175 have been ruled out. You can see updated totals from the Arizona Department of Health here.

As for cases throughout the world, this tracker provides an interactive look at how COVID-19 is spreading, and its impacts.

Today's Southern Arizona coronavirus roundup:

• Pima County had five confirmed cases and the state of Arizona had 15 cases as of the morning of Wednesday, March 18.

• Restaurants in Pima County, Marana and Oro Valley remain open but Pima County is discussing new policies and the mayors of both towns have declared emergencies and plan to follow Pima County's lead. The Pima County Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss an emergency declaration at a special meeting tomorrow. Also, Rocco's Little Chicago is now delivering!

• Marana Unified School District announced it is distributing Chromebook to students and will operate a mobile meals truck for students while schools are temporarily closed.

• Tucson Medical Center is no longer allowing visitors unless you are accompanying a pediatric patient or a mother giving birth.

• How lucky are you feeling? Casino del Sol and Casino of the Sun have shut down but Desert Diamond Casinos ad Entertainment in Tucson, Sahuarita and Glendale remain open.

• More temporary closures and limited hours: Tucson Premium Outlets is shuttering through March 29. Target is limiting its hours.

• Pima County constables say they will not proceed with evictions without further guidance from Pima County Health Department and the Arizona Supreme Court during the outbreak.

• The Department of Corrections has changed healthcare policies in face of the outbreak.

• The U.S. Senate has passed a coronavirus relief bill that boosts unemployment insurance and allows free coronavirus testing. A larger relief package is in the works.