WASHINGTON (AP) — Pressure was mounting on the Trump administration Wednesday to release people from immigration detention facilities where at least one detainee has tested positive for COVID-19 and advocates fear tight quarters and overall conditions could cause rapid spread of the virus.

The U.S. holds around 37,000 people in immigration detention. Detainees and advocates say many are vulnerable because of age and pre-existing medical conditions, and because they are often held in open rooms, beds 3-feet apart, and without adequate supplies of masks or other protections.

“It’s impossible to stay calm,” said Marco Battistotti, an Italian who is among 170 people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Bristol County jail in Massachusetts. “People are panicking. People are in fear.”

The 54-year-old Battistotti was among about 100 detainees at the county jail near Cape Cod who signed a letter released by a local immigration lawyer detailing conditions inside. They asked to be released to await decisions on their immigration cases.

“I don’t want to die in an ICE jail,” he said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “Why can’t I fight my case on the outside?”

The agency, which reported the positive test of a 31-year-old man from Mexico held in Bergen County, New Jersey, on Tuesday, has announced steps to protect detained migrants and staff from the virus, but hasn’t said whether it plans to review cases for possible release because of the outbreak. It did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the complaints about conditions from the detainees and their advocates.

The administration has tried to balance its overall hard line on immigration, a signature policy of President Donald Trump, and its response to the outbreak, with ICE announcing previously that it would “temporarily adjust” operations to focus on apprehending people who pose a risk to public safety or are subject to mandatory detention because of a criminal record.

Immigrant advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union, are filing lawsuits in California, Maryland, Pennsylvania and elsewhere, seeking court orders for the immediate release of people in immigration detention, especially those at risk because of their age or medical conditions.

It’s unclear how many detainees overall are at higher risk, but one California suit alone had 13 plaintiffs, all over 55.

A panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Monday, citing the “rapidly escalating public health crisis,” ordered the immediate release of a 37-year-old woman who is fighting deportation to Mexico.

The woman’s lawyer, Max Carter-Oberstone, said the government told him it would not oppose the decision, which the court took on its own initiative in a rare move on behalf of a woman who he says has been threatened with death by members of a Mexican drug cartel.

“It wasn’t something we asked for or were expecting,” Carter-Oberstone said. “The court is clearly reacting to the greater public health crisis that we’re in right now and re-evaluating how it’s going to dispose of its immigration cases in light of that crisis that we’re all experiencing.”

The situation in immigration detention, which include facilities run by local jurisdictions and private contractors, is similar to that facing jails and prisons, with staff also at risk from a virus that already has sickened at least 55,000 people and killed about 800 in the U.S.

One difference is that more than half of ICE detainees have no criminal charges or conviction and are held only for immigration reasons. Under previous administrations, many would likely have been released on bond as they pursued their cases.

ICE has reported one positive test of an employee at a detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and 18 confirmed cases among staff not involved in detaining migrants. A contractor reported a positive case of a staff member at a facility in Harris County, Texas. The agency says it is screening new detainees and isolating detainees who show symptoms of the coronavirus disease.

Detainees say those measures won’t do much, with people staying in dorm-like bays with no social distancing possible or in smaller rooms that they sometimes have to clean themselves, with insufficient cleaning supplies.

Francisca Morales Diaz, a 45-year-old from Mexico who was released Friday from an ICE detention center in Louisiana, said she and others were issued soap and toilet paper for their own use once a week and they would run out. When they complained, she says they were told there were shortages on the outside as well.

“There isn’t enough medicine. It’s not well-maintained,” Morales told AP. Her fear is that “at any moment, they’re going to come and take me back there.”

Ira Alkalay, a lawyer representing some of the detainees at the jail near Cape Cod, said the detainees are responsible for cleaning their unit, which includes a dining area and bathrooms, but aren’t even given bleach. Some who signed the letter suffer from respiratory ailments such as tuberculosis, emphysema and asthma that put them at higher risk to the virus.

“These are not sanitary conditions at all,” Alkalay said. “If the virus is introduced, many people could get sick all at once. Hospitals in the area can become quickly overwhelmed.”

The office of Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, who has made headlines for offering to send the jail’s ICE detainees to help build Trump’s promised border wall, has stressed there are currently no confirmed or suspected cases of the virus at the facility.

“We suspect these detainees are working with outside political activist groups to use the coronavirus crisis to advance their political agenda,” the sheriff’s spokesman, Jonathan Darling, said this week.

Eunice Cho, an ACLU lawyer, said the confined spaces and limited medical treatment in many immigration jails made them especially vulnerable — and if the virus spreads through one facility, the number of sick people who would require advanced care could overwhelm area hospitals. Many ICE jails are in rural areas with smaller hospitals.

“This is closely related to the public health of our entire community,” Cho said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1562938154243.png" alt="Image courtesy U.S. Office of Homeland Security" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy U.S. Office of Homeland Security</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Pressure was mounting on the Trump administration Wednesday to release people from immigration detention facilities where at least one detainee has tested positive for COVID-19 and advocates fear tight quarters and overall conditions could cause rapid spread of the virus.The U.S. holds around 37,000 people in immigration detention. Detainees and advocates say many are vulnerable because of age and pre-existing medical conditions, and because they are often held in open rooms, beds 3-feet apart, and without adequate supplies of masks or other protections.“It’s impossible to stay calm,” said Marco Battistotti, an Italian who is among 170 people detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Bristol County jail in Massachusetts. “People are panicking. People are in fear.”The 54-year-old Battistotti was among about 100 detainees at the county jail near Cape Cod who signed a letter released by a local immigration lawyer detailing conditions inside. They asked to be released to await decisions on their immigration cases.“I don’t want to die in an ICE jail,” he said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. “Why can’t I fight my case on the outside?”The agency, which reported the positive test of a 31-year-old man from Mexico held in Bergen County, New Jersey, on Tuesday, has announced steps to protect detained migrants and staff from the virus, but hasn’t said whether it plans to review cases for possible release because of the outbreak. It did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the complaints about conditions from the detainees and their advocates.The administration has tried to balance its overall hard line on immigration, a signature policy of President Donald Trump, and its response to the outbreak, with ICE announcing previously that it would “temporarily adjust” operations to focus on apprehending people who pose a risk to public safety or are subject to mandatory detention because of a criminal record.Immigrant advocates, including the American Civil Liberties Union, are filing lawsuits in California, Maryland, Pennsylvania and elsewhere, seeking court orders for the immediate release of people in immigration detention, especially those at risk because of their age or medical conditions.It’s unclear how many detainees overall are at higher risk, but one California suit alone had 13 plaintiffs, all over 55.A panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Monday, citing the “rapidly escalating public health crisis,” ordered the immediate release of a 37-year-old woman who is fighting deportation to Mexico.The woman’s lawyer, Max Carter-Oberstone, said the government told him it would not oppose the decision, which the court took on its own initiative in a rare move on behalf of a woman who he says has been threatened with death by members of a Mexican drug cartel.“It wasn’t something we asked for or were expecting,” Carter-Oberstone said. “The court is clearly reacting to the greater public health crisis that we’re in right now and re-evaluating how it’s going to dispose of its immigration cases in light of that crisis that we’re all experiencing.”The situation in immigration detention, which include facilities run by local jurisdictions and private contractors, is similar to that facing jails and prisons, with staff also at risk from a virus that already has sickened at least 55,000 people and killed about 800 in the U.S.One difference is that more than half of ICE detainees have no criminal charges or conviction and are held only for immigration reasons. Under previous administrations, many would likely have been released on bond as they pursued their cases.ICE has reported one positive test of an employee at a detention facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and 18 confirmed cases among staff not involved in detaining migrants. A contractor reported a positive case of a staff member at a facility in Harris County, Texas. The agency says it is screening new detainees and isolating detainees who show symptoms of the coronavirus disease.Detainees say those measures won’t do much, with people staying in dorm-like bays with no social distancing possible or in smaller rooms that they sometimes have to clean themselves, with insufficient cleaning supplies.Francisca Morales Diaz, a 45-year-old from Mexico who was released Friday from an ICE detention center in Louisiana, said she and others were issued soap and toilet paper for their own use once a week and they would run out. When they complained, she says they were told there were shortages on the outside as well.“There isn’t enough medicine. It’s not well-maintained,” Morales told AP. Her fear is that “at any moment, they’re going to come and take me back there.”Ira Alkalay, a lawyer representing some of the detainees at the jail near Cape Cod, said the detainees are responsible for cleaning their unit, which includes a dining area and bathrooms, but aren’t even given bleach. Some who signed the letter suffer from respiratory ailments such as tuberculosis, emphysema and asthma that put them at higher risk to the virus.“These are not sanitary conditions at all,” Alkalay said. “If the virus is introduced, many people could get sick all at once. Hospitals in the area can become quickly overwhelmed.”The office of Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, who has made headlines for offering to send the jail’s ICE detainees to help build Trump’s promised border wall, has stressed there are currently no confirmed or suspected cases of the virus at the facility.“We suspect these detainees are working with outside political activist groups to use the coronavirus crisis to advance their political agenda,” the sheriff’s spokesman, Jonathan Darling, said this week.Eunice Cho, an ACLU lawyer, said the confined spaces and limited medical treatment in many immigration jails made them especially vulnerable — and if the virus spreads through one facility, the number of sick people who would require advanced care could overwhelm area hospitals. Many ICE jails are in rural areas with smaller hospitals.“This is closely related to the public health of our entire community,” Cho said.

Trump administration urged to free migrants as virus surges

BELTON, Mo. (AP) — A man fatally injured by the FBI was planning a bomb attack on a medical facility in the Kansas City area, the agency said in a news release Wednesday.

Timothy Wilson, 36, was injured Tuesday when FBI agents served a probable cause arrest warrant in Belton after a long-running domestic terrorism investigation, according to a statement Wednesday from Timothy Langan, special agent in charge of the FBI's Kansas City office.

The statement did not detail what happened when agents served the warrant, but said Wilson was armed when he was injured and died later at a hospital.

A monthslong investigation determined that Wilson was a potentially violent extremist, motivated by religious, racial and anti-government beliefs, according to the statement. He had planned for several months to carry out a bombing and decided to target a Kansas City-area hospital using a “vehicle-borne” improvised explosive.

Wilson chose a hospital that was providing critical care during the current coronavirus pandemic and had taken steps to acquire materials to build the bomb in an attempt to cause “severe harm and mass casualties,” according to the statement.

The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force kept close watch on Wilson and was prepared to arrest him when he tried to pick up what he thought was a bomb, although there was no bomb, the statement said. The FBI worked with federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorneys office in Kansas City during the investigation.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Authorities say one person is dead after a shooting involving an FBI agent south of Kansas City.

The FBI said in a statement that the shooting happened Tuesday in Belton.

FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said the person who was shot died at a hospital. No one else was hurt.

The FBI released no other details, including why agents responded to the area and what led up to the shooting. The agency says the shooting is under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585227846641.png" alt="Authorities on the scene of Wednesday's investigation <a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/fbi-says-man-who-died-in-agent-involved-shooting-tuesday-in-belton-was-domestic-terror-suspect/">photo courtesy Fox4 Kansas City</a>" />
 <figcaption>Authorities on the scene of Wednesday's investigation <a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/fbi-says-man-who-died-in-agent-involved-shooting-tuesday-in-belton-was-domestic-terror-suspect/">photo courtesy Fox4 Kansas City</a></figcaption>
 </figure>BELTON, Mo. (AP) — A man fatally injured by the FBI was planning a bomb attack on a medical facility in the Kansas City area, the agency said in a news release Wednesday.Timothy Wilson, 36, was injured Tuesday when FBI agents served a probable cause arrest warrant in Belton after a long-running domestic terrorism investigation, according to a statement Wednesday from Timothy Langan, special agent in charge of the FBI's Kansas City office.The statement did not detail what happened when agents served the warrant, but said Wilson was armed when he was injured and died later at a hospital.A monthslong investigation determined that Wilson was a potentially violent extremist, motivated by religious, racial and anti-government beliefs, according to the statement. He had planned for several months to carry out a bombing and decided to target a Kansas City-area hospital using a “vehicle-borne” improvised explosive.Wilson chose a hospital that was providing critical care during the current coronavirus pandemic and had taken steps to acquire materials to build the bomb in an attempt to cause “severe harm and mass casualties,” according to the statement.The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force kept close watch on Wilson and was prepared to arrest him when he tried to pick up what he thought was a bomb, although there was no bomb, the statement said. The FBI worked with federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorneys office in Kansas City during the investigation.No further details were released.--------KANSAS CITY (AP) — Authorities say one person is dead after a shooting involving an FBI agent south of Kansas City.The FBI said in a statement that the shooting happened Tuesday in Belton.FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton said the person who was shot died at a hospital. No one else was hurt.The FBI released no other details, including why agents responded to the area and what led up to the shooting. The agency says the shooting is under investigation.

Update: Man killed by the FBI was planning KC hospital bombing

FAIRBURY, Neb. (AP) - A driver was injured when her car was struck by a locomotive at a crossing in the southeast Nebraska city of Fairbury, authorities said.

The crash occurred a little before 8:30 p.m. Monday. The car had gotten high-centered on tracks on the city's southwest side, authorities said. A passenger got out upon seeing the training coming, but the driver stayed in an effort to get the car off the tracks.

She failed and was injured when the train struck the car, authorities said. The car came to rest about 100 feet (30.5 meters) from the intersection.

The driver was taken to a hospital. She's been identified as Isabella Kenley, 22, of Fairbury. Her passenger was identified as Dana Culp, 23.

FAIRBURY, Neb. (AP) - A driver was injured when her car was struck by a locomotive at a crossing in the southeast Nebraska city of Fairbury, authorities said.The crash occurred a little before 8:30 p.m. Monday. The car had gotten high-centered on tracks on the city's southwest side, authorities said. A passenger got out upon seeing the training coming, but the driver stayed in an effort to get the car off the tracks.She failed and was injured when the train struck the car, authorities said. The car came to rest about 100 feet (30.5 meters) from the intersection.The driver was taken to a hospital. She's been identified as Isabella Kenley, 22, of Fairbury. Her passenger was identified as Dana Culp, 23.

Driver injured when locomotive strikes her high-centered car

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed an unparalleled $2.2 trillion economic rescue package steering aid to businesses, workers and health care systems engulfed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The unanimous vote Wednesday came despite misgivings on both sides about whether it goes too far or not far enough and capped days of difficult negotiations as Washington confronted a national challenge unlike it has ever faced.

The 880-page measure is the largest economic relief bill in U.S. history. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared somber and exhausted as he announced the vote — and he released senators from Washington until April 20, though he promised to recall them if needed.

“The legislation now before us now is historic because it is meant to match a historic crisis,” said Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “Our health care system is not prepared to care for the sick. Our workers are without work. Our businesses cannot do business. Our factories lie idle. The gears of the American economy have ground to a halt.”

The package is intended as relief for an economy spiraling into recession or worse and a nation facing a grim toll from an infection that’s killed more than 21,000 people worldwide. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, asked how long the aid would keep the economy afloat, said: “We’ve anticipated three months. Hopefully, we won’t need this for three months.”

Underscoring the effort’s sheer magnitude, the bill finances a response with a price tag that equals half the size of the entire $4 trillion-plus annual federal budget. The $2.2 trillion estimate is the White House’s best guess.

Insistently optimistic, President Donald Trump said of the greatest public health emergency in anyone’s lifetime, “I don’t think its going to end up being such a rough patch” and anticipated the economy soaring “like a rocket ship” when it’s over.

“The government has temporarily shut down the economy because of this disease, and the government must help those who are hurt by it,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.

The drive by leaders to speed the bill through the Senate was slowed as four conservative Republican senators from states whose economies are dominated by low-wage jobs demanded changes, saying the legislation as written might give workers like store clerks incentives to stay on unemployment instead of return to their jobs since they may earn more money if they’re laid off than if they’re working. They settled for a failed vote to modify the provision.

Other objections floated in from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has become a prominent Democrat on the national scene as the country battles the pandemic. Cuomo, whose state has seen more deaths from the pandemic than any other, said, “I’m telling you, these numbers don’t work.”

Ardent liberals like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were restless as well, but top Washington Democrats assured them that additional coronavirus legislation will follow this spring and signaled that delaying the pending measure would be foolish.

The sprawling measure is the third coronavirus response bill produced by Congress and by far the largest. It builds on efforts focused on vaccines and emergency response, sick and family medical leave for workers and food aid.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., swung behind the bipartisan agreement, saying it “takes us a long way down the road in meeting the needs of the American people.”

Senate passage delivered the legislation to the Democratic-controlled House, which is expected to pass it Friday. House members are scattered around the country. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the measure would pass by voice vote without lawmakers having to return to Washington.

The package would give direct payments to most Americans, expand unemployment benefits and provide a $367 billion program for small businesses to keep making payroll while workers are forced to stay home.

It includes a heavily negotiated $500 billion program for guaranteed, subsidized loans to larger industries, including airlines. Hospitals would get significant help as well.

Six days of arduous talks produced the bill, creating tensions among Congress’ top leaders, who each took care to tend to party politics as they maneuvered and battled over crafting the legislation. But failure was not an option — nor was starting over — which permitted both sides to include their priorities.

“This is a proud moment for the United States Senate and the country, and we’re going to win this battle,” McConnell told reporters afterward. “We’ve pivoted from impeachment to 100-to-nothing on this rescue package … this is about as flawless as you could possibly be.” The vote actually was 96-0 because several members missed the vote out of concerns they have been exposed to the virus.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has tested positive for it, while GOP Whip John Thune returned to South Dakota on Wednesday after feeling ill.

The bill would provide one-time direct payments to Americans of $1,200 per adult making up to $75,000 a year and $2,400 to a married couple making up to $150,000, with $500 payments per child.

A huge cash infusion for hospitals expecting a flood of COVID-19 patients grew during the talks to an estimated $130 billion. Another $45 billion would fund additional relief through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for local response efforts and community services.

Democrats said the package would help replace the salaries of furloughed workers for four months, rather than the three months first proposed. Furloughed workers would get whatever amount a state usually provides for unemployment, plus a $600-per-week add-on, with gig workers like Uber drivers covered for the first time.

Businesses controlled by members of Congress and top administration officials, including Trump and his immediate family members, would be ineligible for the bill’s business assistance.

Schumer boasted of negotiating wins for transit systems, hospitals and cash-hungry state governments that were cemented after Democrats blocked the measure in votes held Sunday and Monday.

But Cuomo said the Senate package would send less than $4 billion to New York, far short of his estimate that the crisis will cost his state up to $15 billion over the next year. More than 280 New Yorkers have died from the virus, a death toll more than double that of any other state.

Still, Pelosi said the need for more money for New York is “no reason to stop the step we are taking.”

Pelosi was a force behind $400 million in grants to states to expand voting by mail and other steps that Democrats billed as making voting safer but Republican critics called political opportunism. The package also contains $15.5 billion more for a surge in demand for food stamps as part of a massive $330 billion title for agency operations.

State and local authorities would receive up to $150 billion in grants to fight the virus, care for their residents and provide basic services.

Republicans won inclusion of an employee retention tax credit that’s estimated to provide $50 billion to companies that retain employees on payroll and cover 50% of workers’ paycheck up to $10,000. Companies would also be able to defer payment of the 6.2% Social Security payroll tax.

A companion appropriations package ballooned as well, growing from a $46 billion White House proposal to $330 billion, which dwarfs earlier disasters — including Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy combined.

Europe is enacting its own economic recovery packages, with huge amounts of credit guarantees, government spending and other support.

Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, has agreed to commit more than 1 trillion euros ($1.1 trillion) in fiscal stimulus and support — roughly 30% of that nation’s entire annual output. France, Spain and Italy have launched similar programs.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.

In the United States, more than 69,000 people have been sickened and more than 1,000 have died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585219043906.png" alt="View of the the U.S. Senate floor as they passed the $2 Trillion Coronavirus Economic Stimulus Bill, 96-0.&nbsp; -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>View of the the U.S. Senate floor as they passed the $2 Trillion Coronavirus Economic Stimulus Bill, 96-0.&nbsp; -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed an unparalleled $2.2 trillion economic rescue package steering aid to businesses, workers and health care systems engulfed by the coronavirus pandemic.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The CARES Act provides one of the most powerful and timely economic relief packages in our nation&#39;s history and I&#39;m glad the Senate finally passed this crucial legislation. <a href="https://t.co/80GnZCiJL2">https://t.co/80GnZCiJL2</a> <a href="https://t.co/KTIM9td6UR">pic.twitter.com/KTIM9td6UR</a>&mdash; Senator Pat Roberts (@SenPatRoberts) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenPatRoberts/status/1243024323746684928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The unanimous vote Wednesday came despite misgivings on both sides about whether it goes too far or not far enough and capped days of difficult negotiations as Washington confronted a national challenge unlike it has ever faced.The 880-page measure is the largest economic relief bill in U.S. history. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared somber and exhausted as he announced the vote — and he released senators from Washington until April 20, though he promised to recall them if needed.“The legislation now before us now is historic because it is meant to match a historic crisis,” said Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “Our health care system is not prepared to care for the sick. Our workers are without work. Our businesses cannot do business. Our factories lie idle. The gears of the American economy have ground to a halt.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: The Senate just passed the CARES Act, Phase III of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> relief efforts. Our country is facing a pandemic, and we must act now to make certain Kansans have the support they need to weather this storm.&mdash; Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) <a href="https://twitter.com/JerryMoran/status/1243033520160804869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 26, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The package is intended as relief for an economy spiraling into recession or worse and a nation facing a grim toll from an infection that’s killed more than 21,000 people worldwide. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, asked how long the aid would keep the economy afloat, said: “We’ve anticipated three months. Hopefully, we won’t need this for three months.”Underscoring the effort’s sheer magnitude, the bill finances a response with a price tag that equals half the size of the entire $4 trillion-plus annual federal budget. The $2.2 trillion estimate is the White House’s best guess.Insistently optimistic, President Donald Trump said of the greatest public health emergency in anyone’s lifetime, “I don’t think its going to end up being such a rough patch” and anticipated the economy soaring “like a rocket ship” when it’s over.“The government has temporarily shut down the economy because of this disease, and the government must help those who are hurt by it,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.The drive by leaders to speed the bill through the Senate was slowed as four conservative Republican senators from states whose economies are dominated by low-wage jobs demanded changes, saying the legislation as written might give workers like store clerks incentives to stay on unemployment instead of return to their jobs since they may earn more money if they’re laid off than if they’re working. They settled for a failed vote to modify the provision.Other objections floated in from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who has become a prominent Democrat on the national scene as the country battles the pandemic. Cuomo, whose state has seen more deaths from the pandemic than any other, said, “I’m telling you, these numbers don’t work.”Ardent liberals like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were restless as well, but top Washington Democrats assured them that additional coronavirus legislation will follow this spring and signaled that delaying the pending measure would be foolish.The sprawling measure is the third coronavirus response bill produced by Congress and by far the largest. It builds on efforts focused on vaccines and emergency response, sick and family medical leave for workers and food aid.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., swung behind the bipartisan agreement, saying it “takes us a long way down the road in meeting the needs of the American people.”Senate passage delivered the legislation to the Democratic-controlled House, which is expected to pass it Friday. House members are scattered around the country. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said the measure would pass by voice vote without lawmakers having to return to Washington.The package would give direct payments to most Americans, expand unemployment benefits and provide a $367 billion program for small businesses to keep making payroll while workers are forced to stay home.It includes a heavily negotiated $500 billion program for guaranteed, subsidized loans to larger industries, including airlines. Hospitals would get significant help as well.Six days of arduous talks produced the bill, creating tensions among Congress’ top leaders, who each took care to tend to party politics as they maneuvered and battled over crafting the legislation. But failure was not an option — nor was starting over — which permitted both sides to include their priorities.“This is a proud moment for the United States Senate and the country, and we’re going to win this battle,” McConnell told reporters afterward. “We’ve pivoted from impeachment to 100-to-nothing on this rescue package … this is about as flawless as you could possibly be.” The vote actually was 96-0 because several members missed the vote out of concerns they have been exposed to the virus.Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has tested positive for it, while GOP Whip John Thune returned to South Dakota on Wednesday after feeling ill.The bill would provide one-time direct payments to Americans of $1,200 per adult making up to $75,000 a year and $2,400 to a married couple making up to $150,000, with $500 payments per child.A huge cash infusion for hospitals expecting a flood of COVID-19 patients grew during the talks to an estimated $130 billion. Another $45 billion would fund additional relief through the Federal Emergency Management Agency for local response efforts and community services.Democrats said the package would help replace the salaries of furloughed workers for four months, rather than the three months first proposed. Furloughed workers would get whatever amount a state usually provides for unemployment, plus a $600-per-week add-on, with gig workers like Uber drivers covered for the first time.Businesses controlled by members of Congress and top administration officials, including Trump and his immediate family members, would be ineligible for the bill’s business assistance.Schumer boasted of negotiating wins for transit systems, hospitals and cash-hungry state governments that were cemented after Democrats blocked the measure in votes held Sunday and Monday.But Cuomo said the Senate package would send less than $4 billion to New York, far short of his estimate that the crisis will cost his state up to $15 billion over the next year. More than 280 New Yorkers have died from the virus, a death toll more than double that of any other state.Still, Pelosi said the need for more money for New York is “no reason to stop the step we are taking.”Pelosi was a force behind $400 million in grants to states to expand voting by mail and other steps that Democrats billed as making voting safer but Republican critics called political opportunism. The package also contains $15.5 billion more for a surge in demand for food stamps as part of a massive $330 billion title for agency operations.State and local authorities would receive up to $150 billion in grants to fight the virus, care for their residents and provide basic services.Republicans won inclusion of an employee retention tax credit that’s estimated to provide $50 billion to companies that retain employees on payroll and cover 50% of workers’ paycheck up to $10,000. Companies would also be able to defer payment of the 6.2% Social Security payroll tax.A companion appropriations package ballooned as well, growing from a $46 billion White House proposal to $330 billion, which dwarfs earlier disasters — including Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy combined.Europe is enacting its own economic recovery packages, with huge amounts of credit guarantees, government spending and other support.Germany, Europe’s biggest economy, has agreed to commit more than 1 trillion euros ($1.1 trillion) in fiscal stimulus and support — roughly 30% of that nation’s entire annual output. France, Spain and Italy have launched similar programs.For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death.In the United States, more than 69,000 people have been sickened and more than 1,000 have died.

Senate unanimously passes massive coronavirus aid plan

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has approved an $83.6 million emergency relief package to help public health officials respond to new coronavirus as the number of cases continued to rise and Lincoln city officials imposed new rules that will close some businesses and restrict how others can operate. 

Gov. Pete Ricketts signed the new funding bill Wednesday to pay for additional medical and cleaning supplies, tests and overtime for state health care workers. 

He also added Lancaster, Dodge and Saunders counties to the list of places where restaurants and bars will be forced to close their dining rooms because of the health risk. 

Nebraska has had 66 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, which was two more than on Tuesday.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska has approved an $83.6 million emergency relief package to help public health officials respond to new coronavirus as the number of cases continued to rise and Lincoln city officials imposed new rules that will close some businesses and restrict how others can operate. Gov. Pete Ricketts signed the new funding bill Wednesday to pay for additional medical and cleaning supplies, tests and overtime for state health care workers. He also added Lancaster, Dodge and Saunders counties to the list of places where restaurants and bars will be forced to close their dining rooms because of the health risk. Nebraska has had 66 COVID-19 cases as of Wednesday, which was two more than on Tuesday.

Nebraska OKs $83.6M virus package as more cases surface

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Hospital officials say a health care provider who worked in the neonatal intensive care unit of Children’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center in Omaha has tested positive for COVID-19. 

The hospital said in a news release Wednesday that the provider had contact with 10 patients, and that the families of the patients and hospital staff members who came in contact with the infected person have been informed. 

The provider was tested after developing symptoms following work last weekend at the hospital and is now isolating at home. 

Health officials said Tuesday that Nebraska had had 64 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak began.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Hospital officials say a health care provider who worked in the neonatal intensive care unit of Children’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center in Omaha has tested positive for COVID-19. The hospital said in a news release Wednesday that the provider had contact with 10 patients, and that the families of the patients and hospital staff members who came in contact with the infected person have been informed. The provider was tested after developing symptoms following work last weekend at the hospital and is now isolating at home. Health officials said Tuesday that Nebraska had had 64 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the outbreak began.

Omaha Children's Hospital worker tests positive for COVID-19

NEW YORK (AP)— With its global scope and its staying power, the&nbsp;coronavirus&nbsp;outbreak poses unprecedented challenges for charities and nonprofit groups that rely on donations.

The American Red Cross faces a severe blood shortage due to the cancellation of nearly 2,700 blood drives. The Girl Scouts' annual cookie sale — vital to the group's finances — has been disrupted by a top-level plea to halt in-person sales.

And a 21-member coalition of major nonprofits is pleading with Congress to allocate $60 billion so charities can keep their staff on the job and ramp up assistance programs.

The CEO of one of those groups, Brian Gallagher of United Way Worldwide, has worked with the charity since 1981, engaging in its response to the 9/11 attacks, the Ebola threat, Hurricane Katrina and other disasters.

He said the COVID-19 outbreak has no parallel: "It's as if a natural disaster is hitting in slow motion just about every country on Earth."

Already, foundations and other major donors have contributed more than $1.9 billion to combat the outbreak, according to Candid, a New York-based nonprofit that tracks philanthropic giving.

The overall total, including donations from individuals, is surely far higher. Yet nonprofit leaders fear that the needs arising from the outbreak will outstrip even the possibility of massive future giving, let alone a possible drop in giving if a recession takes hold.

“Even if we get this virus under control, there will be several months of recovery for many people,” said Patricia McIlreavy, president of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. “Business will have closed, many families will have exhausted every reserve.”

Among the major charities bracing for future challenges is the Salvation Army, which says it annually receives about $2 billion in public support to serve about 23 million people living in poverty.

“We expect that service number to rise exponentially in the coming months," requiring "tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars to support our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Dale Bannon, the faith-based organization’s community relations and development secretary.”

He said the Salvation Army, like many other charities, has been forced to cancel numerous fundraising events because of the outbreak. It is now focusing on online fundraising operations.

Canceled blood drives have been devastating to the American Red Cross, which provides about 40% of the nation’s blood supply.

In a statement Wednesday, the organization estimated that there have been 86,000 fewer blood donations in recent weeks because of the wave of blood drive cancellations at workplaces, colleges and other venues as people were told to work or study from home and practice social distancing.

Patients being treated in hospitals for the coronavirus do not generally need blood transfusions, but the worsening blood shortage could affect surgery and cancer patients and victims of car accidents.

Anticipating that blood drive cancellations will continue, the Red Cross pleaded for potential donors to support drives that do take place or for donors to visit its blood-donation facilities.

The group outlined additional safety precautions being taken, including checking the temperature of staff and donors before they enter locations and requiring staff to change gloves each time they interact with a different donor.

For the&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/GirlScouts" target="_blank">Girl Scouts of the USA</a>, calling for a halt to in-person cookie sales was momentous, given that the sales net roughly $800 million annually and are the core of the organization’s fundraising.

Girls who had been selling cookies at booths outside stores and other locations were asked to focus on online sales instead.

“The risk of interaction with large crowds is just too great,” said the Girl Scouts’ CEO, Sylvia Acevedo.

The Girl Scouts are asking their corporate supporters to consider making bulk cookie purchases. A spokeswoman, Valerie Geiss, said it would be several months before the financial outcome of the sales campaign is known.

Many local Girl Scout gatherings across the country have been suspended, though some units are meeting online. The Washington-based Girl Scouts of Nation’s Capital said it will be hosting more than 40 “virtual troop meetings” next week, potentially serving about 5,000 girls.

The Girl Scouts were among the 21 nonprofits appealing to congress on Thursday for the $60 billion infusion of support for charitable organizations.

Their appeal said America’s charities employ 12 million workers, many of them working on the front lines of the coronavirus response.

“The financial impact of the crisis has put the very survival of many essential service providers at risk,” said Steven C. Preston, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “Charities are our society’s shock absorber when crisis hits.”

At the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, McIlreavy says there has been a surge of requests from would-be donors seeking guidance on how to give effectively in response to the pandemic.

‘‘Folks just want to know the money is going somewhere where it's actually going to help someone,” she said.

Her center urges donors to be wary of misinformation and do thorough research of charities before making gifts. It identifies key areas that could interest donors: urgent medical response needs, long-term medical research and assistance to vulnerable people in the U.S. or abroad.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

For the United Way, a current priority is to strengthen and expand the 211 network that helps people who call the number to connect with providers of urgently needed social services.

Gallagher said 211 specialists have answered about 12 million requests annually, and he predicts there will be an additional 200,000 calls per day in coming weeks because of the outbreak.

Looking broadly, Gallagher believes there will be a surge in charitable giving for the next few months, and then a downturn as a weak economy takes a toll.

Big charities like United Way will get through it, Gallagher said. “The smaller nonprofits — houses of worship, soup kitchens — they will struggle."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583346468616.jpeg" alt="The pandemic stopped the annual Girl Scout cookie sale. Above is Alliance, NE councilwomen Annora Bentley with Girl Scouts in Box Butte County.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The pandemic stopped the annual Girl Scout cookie sale. Above is Alliance, NE councilwomen Annora Bentley with Girl Scouts in Box Butte County.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP)— With its global scope and its staying power, the&nbsp;coronavirus&nbsp;outbreak poses unprecedented challenges for charities and nonprofit groups that rely on donations.The American Red Cross faces a severe blood shortage due to the cancellation of nearly 2,700 blood drives. The Girl Scouts' annual cookie sale — vital to the group's finances — has been disrupted by a top-level plea to halt in-person sales.And a 21-member coalition of major nonprofits is pleading with Congress to allocate $60 billion so charities can keep their staff on the job and ramp up assistance programs.The CEO of one of those groups, Brian Gallagher of United Way Worldwide, has worked with the charity since 1981, engaging in its response to the 9/11 attacks, the Ebola threat, Hurricane Katrina and other disasters.He said the COVID-19 outbreak has no parallel: "It's as if a natural disaster is hitting in slow motion just about every country on Earth."Already, foundations and other major donors have contributed more than $1.9 billion to combat the outbreak, according to Candid, a New York-based nonprofit that tracks philanthropic giving.The overall total, including donations from individuals, is surely far higher. Yet nonprofit leaders fear that the needs arising from the outbreak will outstrip even the possibility of massive future giving, let alone a possible drop in giving if a recession takes hold.“Even if we get this virus under control, there will be several months of recovery for many people,” said Patricia McIlreavy, president of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. “Business will have closed, many families will have exhausted every reserve.”Among the major charities bracing for future challenges is the Salvation Army, which says it annually receives about $2 billion in public support to serve about 23 million people living in poverty.“We expect that service number to rise exponentially in the coming months," requiring "tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars to support our most vulnerable neighbors,” said Dale Bannon, the faith-based organization’s community relations and development secretary.”He said the Salvation Army, like many other charities, has been forced to cancel numerous fundraising events because of the outbreak. It is now focusing on online fundraising operations.Canceled blood drives have been devastating to the American Red Cross, which provides about 40% of the nation’s blood supply.In a statement Wednesday, the organization estimated that there have been 86,000 fewer blood donations in recent weeks because of the wave of blood drive cancellations at workplaces, colleges and other venues as people were told to work or study from home and practice social distancing.Patients being treated in hospitals for the coronavirus do not generally need blood transfusions, but the worsening blood shortage could affect surgery and cancer patients and victims of car accidents.Anticipating that blood drive cancellations will continue, the Red Cross pleaded for potential donors to support drives that do take place or for donors to visit its blood-donation facilities.The group outlined additional safety precautions being taken, including checking the temperature of staff and donors before they enter locations and requiring staff to change gloves each time they interact with a different donor.For the&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/alerts/GirlScouts" target="_blank">Girl Scouts of the USA</a>, calling for a halt to in-person cookie sales was momentous, given that the sales net roughly $800 million annually and are the core of the organization’s fundraising.Girls who had been selling cookies at booths outside stores and other locations were asked to focus on online sales instead.“The risk of interaction with large crowds is just too great,” said the Girl Scouts’ CEO, Sylvia Acevedo.The Girl Scouts are asking their corporate supporters to consider making bulk cookie purchases. A spokeswoman, Valerie Geiss, said it would be several months before the financial outcome of the sales campaign is known.Many local Girl Scout gatherings across the country have been suspended, though some units are meeting online. The Washington-based Girl Scouts of Nation’s Capital said it will be hosting more than 40 “virtual troop meetings” next week, potentially serving about 5,000 girls.The Girl Scouts were among the 21 nonprofits appealing to congress on Thursday for the $60 billion infusion of support for charitable organizations.Their appeal said America’s charities employ 12 million workers, many of them working on the front lines of the coronavirus response.“The financial impact of the crisis has put the very survival of many essential service providers at risk,” said Steven C. Preston, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “Charities are our society’s shock absorber when crisis hits.”At the Center for Disaster Philanthropy, McIlreavy says there has been a surge of requests from would-be donors seeking guidance on how to give effectively in response to the pandemic.‘‘Folks just want to know the money is going somewhere where it's actually going to help someone,” she said.Her center urges donors to be wary of misinformation and do thorough research of charities before making gifts. It identifies key areas that could interest donors: urgent medical response needs, long-term medical research and assistance to vulnerable people in the U.S. or abroad.For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.For the United Way, a current priority is to strengthen and expand the 211 network that helps people who call the number to connect with providers of urgently needed social services.Gallagher said 211 specialists have answered about 12 million requests annually, and he predicts there will be an additional 200,000 calls per day in coming weeks because of the outbreak.Looking broadly, Gallagher believes there will be a surge in charitable giving for the next few months, and then a downturn as a weak economy takes a toll.Big charities like United Way will get through it, Gallagher said. “The smaller nonprofits — houses of worship, soup kitchens — they will struggle."

Virus outbreak poses massive challenges for US charities

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Someone who bought a lottery ticket at a Lincoln market has won $1 million. 

The Nebraska Lottery said Wednesday that the numbers on the Mega Millions ticket matched five numbers from Tuesday night's drawing: 2, 8, 16, 18 and 31.

 But it didn't have the Mega Ball number of 14, missing out on the $101 million jackpot. 

The ticket was bought at Schmick's Market on West O Street.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Someone who bought a lottery ticket at a Lincoln market has won $1 million. The Nebraska Lottery said Wednesday that the numbers on the Mega Millions ticket matched five numbers from Tuesday night's drawing: 2, 8, 16, 18 and 31. But it didn't have the Mega Ball number of 14, missing out on the $101 million jackpot. The ticket was bought at Schmick's Market on West O Street.

$1M Mega Millions ticket sold at Lincoln grocery store

EDISON, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say an 83-year-old woman was fatally injured by an explosion and fire at her rural residence in south-central Nebraska. 

Firefighters from Edison and Oxford put out the fire Friday at the property northeast of Edison before flames could spread from an outbuilding to other structures. 

Furnas County Attorney Morgan Farquhar identified the victim as Alberta Leising.

 A propane leak is suspected of causing the blast and fire.

EDISON, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say an 83-year-old woman was fatally injured by an explosion and fire at her rural residence in south-central Nebraska. Firefighters from Edison and Oxford put out the fire Friday at the property northeast of Edison before flames could spread from an outbuilding to other structures. Furnas County Attorney Morgan Farquhar identified the victim as Alberta Leising. A propane leak is suspected of causing the blast and fire.

Propane leak suspected in blast, fire that killed woman, 83

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Gov. Kristi Noem says South Dakota may be as much as eight weeks away from the peak of COVID-19 and needs to continue limiting business activity even as President Donald Trump considers relaxing national guidance. 

The Republican governor says she'll continue to support restrictions on businesses and social gatherings. 

Noem expects infections to increase and is bracing the state's health care system for a surge of patients. 

The governor also said schools will remain closed until May 1. 

Meanwhile, nine women fled the Women's Prison in Pierre after an inmate tested postive for the virus. One of the escapees has been caught.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Gov. Kristi Noem says South Dakota may be as much as eight weeks away from the peak of COVID-19 and needs to continue limiting business activity even as President Donald Trump considers relaxing national guidance. The Republican governor says she'll continue to support restrictions on businesses and social gatherings. Noem expects infections to increase and is bracing the state's health care system for a surge of patients. The governor also said schools will remain closed until May 1. Meanwhile, nine women fled the Women's Prison in Pierre after an inmate tested postive for the virus. One of the escapees has been caught.

Gov. Noem says COVID-19 will last months despite Trump's optimism

DWIGHT, Neb. (AP) - A driver was fatally injured when his vehicle ran off a state highway and rolled in eastern Nebraska's Butler County.

The accident occurred early Tuesday morning, just west of Dwight. David Krafka was headed west on Nebraska Highway 66 when his vehicle crashed and he was ejected, the Butler County Sheriff's Office said. The 51-year-old man was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Alcohol consumption is suspected as a crash factor, the sheriff's office said.

DWIGHT, Neb. (AP) - A driver was fatally injured when his vehicle ran off a state highway and rolled in eastern Nebraska's Butler County.The accident occurred early Tuesday morning, just west of Dwight. David Krafka was headed west on Nebraska Highway 66 when his vehicle crashed and he was ejected, the Butler County Sheriff's Office said. The 51-year-old man was pronounced dead at a hospital.Alcohol consumption is suspected as a crash factor, the sheriff's office said.

Driver fatally injured in rollover crash off state highway

NEW YORK (AP) — A loss of smell or taste might be an early sign of infection with the pandemic virus, say medical experts who cite reports from several countries.

It might even serve as a useful screening tool, they say.

The idea of a virus infection reducing sense of smell is not new. Respiratory viral infection is a common cause of loss of smell, because inflammation can interfere with airflow and the ability to detect odors. The sense of smell usually returns when the infection resolves, but in a small percentage of cases, smell loss can persist after other symptoms disappear. In some cases, it is permanent.

Now, there’s “good evidence” from South Korea, China and Italy for loss or impairment of smell in infected people, says a joint&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entuk.org/sites/default/files/files/Loss%20of%20sense%20of%20smell%20as%20marker%20of%20COVID.pdf">statement&nbsp;</a>from the presidents of the British Rhinological Society and of ENT UK, a British group that represents ear, nose and throat doctors. In South Korea, some 30% of people who tested positive for the virus have cited loss of smell as their major complaint in otherwise mild cases, they wrote.

So that might be useful as a way to spot infected people without other symptoms — fever, coughing and shortness of breath — of the new coronavirus, they wrote.

A similar&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entnet.org/content/coronavirus-disease-2019-resources">proposal&nbsp;</a>was published Sunday by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. It noted “rapidly accumulating” anecdotal evidence from around the world that the pandemic virus can cause not only loss of smell but also a diminished sense of taste. So the appearance of those symptoms in people without another explanation should alert doctors to the possibility of a COVID-19 infection, the group said.

Maria Van Kerkhove, an outbreak expert at the World Health Organization, told reporters Monday that the U.N. health agency is looking into the question of whether the loss of smell or taste are a defining feature of the disease.

Dr. Eric Holbrook, an expert on nasal and sinus disease at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear hospital in Boston, said the reports have been a hot topic among researchers and doctors. But “we don’t have hard evidence right now” about how often smell loss occurs in people infected with the pandemic virus, he said in an interview Monday.

Holbrook said the reports he has seen suggest the sense of smell returns within a couple weeks, but how long it lasts has yet to be firmly established.

He also said it’s difficult to assess reports of a loss of taste because people with an impaired sense of smell often report a loss of flavor, which is technically different from an impairment in taste.

Holbrook said he is trying to set up a study of smell in people being tested for the coronavirus at Boston-area hospitals.

NEW YORK (AP) — A loss of smell or taste might be an early sign of infection with the pandemic virus, say medical experts who cite reports from several countries.It might even serve as a useful screening tool, they say.The idea of a virus infection reducing sense of smell is not new. Respiratory viral infection is a common cause of loss of smell, because inflammation can interfere with airflow and the ability to detect odors. The sense of smell usually returns when the infection resolves, but in a small percentage of cases, smell loss can persist after other symptoms disappear. In some cases, it is permanent.Now, there’s “good evidence” from South Korea, China and Italy for loss or impairment of smell in infected people, says a joint&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entuk.org/sites/default/files/files/Loss%20of%20sense%20of%20smell%20as%20marker%20of%20COVID.pdf">statement&nbsp;</a>from the presidents of the British Rhinological Society and of ENT UK, a British group that represents ear, nose and throat doctors. In South Korea, some 30% of people who tested positive for the virus have cited loss of smell as their major complaint in otherwise mild cases, they wrote.So that might be useful as a way to spot infected people without other symptoms — fever, coughing and shortness of breath — of the new coronavirus, they wrote.A similar&nbsp;<a href="https://www.entnet.org/content/coronavirus-disease-2019-resources">proposal&nbsp;</a>was published Sunday by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. It noted “rapidly accumulating” anecdotal evidence from around the world that the pandemic virus can cause not only loss of smell but also a diminished sense of taste. So the appearance of those symptoms in people without another explanation should alert doctors to the possibility of a COVID-19 infection, the group said.Maria Van Kerkhove, an outbreak expert at the World Health Organization, told reporters Monday that the U.N. health agency is looking into the question of whether the loss of smell or taste are a defining feature of the disease.Dr. Eric Holbrook, an expert on nasal and sinus disease at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear hospital in Boston, said the reports have been a hot topic among researchers and doctors. But “we don’t have hard evidence right now” about how often smell loss occurs in people infected with the pandemic virus, he said in an interview Monday.Holbrook said the reports he has seen suggest the sense of smell returns within a couple weeks, but how long it lasts has yet to be firmly established.He also said it’s difficult to assess reports of a loss of taste because people with an impaired sense of smell often report a loss of flavor, which is technically different from an impairment in taste.Holbrook said he is trying to set up a study of smell in people being tested for the coronavirus at Boston-area hospitals.

Loss of smell, taste, might signal pandemic virus infection

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Four new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Douglas County, according to preliminary data from the Douglas County Health Department (DCHD).

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Health Department’s Epidemiology Team is continuing to investigate these latest cases, which bring the total in Douglas County to 38.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; These individuals include a woman in her 30s and three men ranging in age from their 40s to their 70s. One case has been identified as the result of community spread and one person is hospitalized.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Health Department is advising that precautions to avoid a COVID-19 infection need to be taken throughout the community, not just in locations previously listed as having the potential for exposure. It also is important to consider that many people who are sick have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. The CDC has said that four out of five people who have become ill acquired the disease from someone who didn’t know they had it. That means there are likely many more people in the community who are infected with COVID-19 than have been reported.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Please increase your awareness of COVID-19 symptoms, which include a fever, cough, sore throat, or difficulty breathing. Some people have experienced a loss of their sense of taste or smell. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, or develop symptoms, contact your health care provider and tell them how you are feeling and any possible history of exposure. We ask that you call ahead before you go to the doctor’s office or an emergency room.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; DCHD’s information line remains open to anyone with general questions about COVID-19. That number, (402) 444-3400, is answered seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Nebraska DHHS has a COVID-19 information line open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily at (402) 552-6645. Any person who has questions outside those hours is asked to call the United Way’s 2-1-1 Resource Hotline.

News Release&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Four new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Douglas County, according to preliminary data from the Douglas County Health Department (DCHD).&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Health Department’s Epidemiology Team is continuing to investigate these latest cases, which bring the total in Douglas County to 38.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; These individuals include a woman in her 30s and three men ranging in age from their 40s to their 70s. One case has been identified as the result of community spread and one person is hospitalized.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Health Department is advising that precautions to avoid a COVID-19 infection need to be taken throughout the community, not just in locations previously listed as having the potential for exposure. It also is important to consider that many people who are sick have mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. The CDC has said that four out of five people who have become ill acquired the disease from someone who didn’t know they had it. That means there are likely many more people in the community who are infected with COVID-19 than have been reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Please increase your awareness of COVID-19 symptoms, which include a fever, cough, sore throat, or difficulty breathing. Some people have experienced a loss of their sense of taste or smell. If you have COVID-19 symptoms, or develop symptoms, contact your health care provider and tell them how you are feeling and any possible history of exposure. We ask that you call ahead before you go to the doctor’s office or an emergency room.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; DCHD’s information line remains open to anyone with general questions about COVID-19. That number, (402) 444-3400, is answered seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Nebraska DHHS has a COVID-19 information line open from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily at (402) 552-6645. Any person who has questions outside those hours is asked to call the United Way’s 2-1-1 Resource Hotline.

Douglas County reports 4 new confirmed cases of COVID-19

ASHLAND, Mo. (AP) — A mid-Missouri man who allegedly threatened to give two store clerks coronavirus was charged Monday with two counts of first-degree harassment.

Anthony Nunes, 26,of Ashland told clerks at two stores that he had the coronavirus. The clerks said he was coughing and told them he had a high fever and sore throat.

Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler said the county takes temperatures of all prisoners as part of its protocol. He said Nunes did not have a fever as of Monday afternoon.

A probable cause statement from the County Sheriff's Department does not name the stores where the alleged incidents occurred, but one was reported Friday and the other Saturday.

Nunes was being held Monday in the Cole County Jail on a $5,000 bond.&nbsp; He is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1585061988345.png" alt="Nunes photo Cole Co. Sheriff's office" />
 <figcaption>Nunes photo Cole Co. Sheriff's office</figcaption>
 </figure>ASHLAND, Mo. (AP) — A mid-Missouri man who allegedly threatened to give two store clerks coronavirus was charged Monday with two counts of first-degree harassment.Anthony Nunes, 26,of Ashland told clerks at two stores that he had the coronavirus. The clerks said he was coughing and told them he had a high fever and sore throat.Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler said the county takes temperatures of all prisoners as part of its protocol. He said Nunes did not have a fever as of Monday afternoon.A probable cause statement from the County Sheriff's Department does not name the stores where the alleged incidents occurred, but one was reported Friday and the other Saturday.Nunes was being held Monday in the Cole County Jail on a $5,000 bond.&nbsp; He is no longer in custody, according to online jail records.

Authorities: Man threatened to give store clerks coronavirus

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A 16-year-old boy who was shot earlier this month in north Omaha has died of his injuries, and two other teens have been charged in his death, police said.

Daheem Conley died in an Omaha hospital on March 18, six days after he was shot in an area several blocks west of Miller Park, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://www.omaha.com/news/crime/police-say-teenager-shot-in-north-omaha-has-died-two/article_63765014-98b3-58e6-be3e-3bdc4688a3d6.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.

Two 17-year-old males have been charged as adults in Conley's death, officials said. One is being charged with second-degree murder, a weapons count and and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. The other teen is charged with felony assault and a weapons count.

The Associated Press generally does not name juveniles charged with crimes.

Police have said officers were called to the area where the shooting happened shortly after 10 p.m. March 12. Arriving officers learned a shooting victim, later identified as Conley, had been taken by a private vehicle to CHI Health Immanuel's emergency room.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A 16-year-old boy who was shot earlier this month in north Omaha has died of his injuries, and two other teens have been charged in his death, police said.Daheem Conley died in an Omaha hospital on March 18, six days after he was shot in an area several blocks west of Miller Park, the Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://www.omaha.com/news/crime/police-say-teenager-shot-in-north-omaha-has-died-two/article_63765014-98b3-58e6-be3e-3bdc4688a3d6.html" target="_blank">reported</a>.Two 17-year-old males have been charged as adults in Conley's death, officials said. One is being charged with second-degree murder, a weapons count and and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. The other teen is charged with felony assault and a weapons count.The Associated Press generally does not name juveniles charged with crimes.Police have said officers were called to the area where the shooting happened shortly after 10 p.m. March 12. Arriving officers learned a shooting victim, later identified as Conley, had been taken by a private vehicle to CHI Health Immanuel's emergency room.

Police: Teen shot earlier this month in Omaha has died

NEW YORK (AP) — The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged to its best day since 1933 as Congress and the White House neared a deal on Tuesday to inject nearly $2 trillion of aid into an economy ravaged by the coronavirus.

The Dow burst 11.4% higher, while the more closely followed S&amp;P 500 index leapt 9.4% as a wave of buying around the world interrupted what has been a brutal month of nearly nonstop selling. Despite the gains, investors were far from saying markets have hit bottom. Rallies nearly as big as this have punctuated the last few weeks, and none lasted more than a day.

Both Democrats and Republicans said Tuesday they’re close to agreeing on a massive economic rescue package, which will include payments to U.S. households and aid for small businesses and the travel industry, among other things. A vote in the Senate could come later Tuesday or Wednesday.

Investors have been waiting in frustration for such aid, particularly as the Federal Reserve has done nearly all it can to sustain markets, including its latest round of extraordinary aid launched Monday.

“I don’t think there’s any more confidence in the fundamental outlook, but the fact that we’re making progress is good news,” said Katie Nixon, chief investment officer at Northern Trust Wealth Management. “It’s sort of like, keep the patient alive in the emergency room so you can provide some treatment options.”

The Dow rose 2,112.98 points, its biggest point gain in history, to 20,704.91. The S&amp;P 500, which is much more important to most 401(k) accounts, rose 209.93, or 9.4%, to 2,447.33 for its third-biggest percentage gain since World War II. The Nasdaq composite jumped 557.18 points, or 8.1%, to 7,417.86.

The buying circled the world. South Korean stocks surged 8.6%, Germany’s market jumped 11% and Treasury yields rose in a sign that investors are feeling less fearful.

The market has seen rebounds like this before, only for them to wash out immediately. Since stocks began selling off on Feb. 20, the S&amp;P 500 has had six days where it’s risen, and all but one of them were big gains of more than 4%. After them, stocks fell an average of 5% the next day.

“One of the things to be careful about is thinking this will be the panacea or that this fiscal response will be sufficient,” said Eric Freedman, chief investment officer at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.

Ultimately, investors say they need to see the number of new infections peak before markets can find a floor. The increasing spread is forcing companies to park airplanes, shut hotels and close restaurants to dine-in customers.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. Those with mild illness recover in about two weeks. Severe illness including pneumonia can occur, especially in the elderly and people with existing health problems. Recovery could take six weeks in such cases.

Economists are topping each other’s dire forecasts for how much the economy will shrink this spring due to the closures of businesses, and a growing number say a recession seems inevitable.

Some of the market’s areas hardest hit by the closures, though, led the way higher Tuesday as expectations rose for incoming aid from the U.S. government.

Norwegian Cruise Lines, MGM Resorts and American Airlines Group were all up at least 33%. Energy companies and banks were also strong, though all remain well below where they were a month ago.

Governments and central banks in other countries around the world are unveiling unprecedented levels of support for their economies in an attempt to limit the scale of the upcoming virus-related slump. Germany, a bastion of budgetary discipline, also approved a big fiscal boost.

The gains came even as the first reports arrived showing how badly the outbreak is hitting the global economy. In the United States, a preliminary reading on business activity in March showed the steepest contraction on record, going back to 2009. Reports were also gloomy for Europe.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584366201093.png" alt="Image courtesy New York Stock Exchange" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy New York Stock Exchange</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged to its best day since 1933 as Congress and the White House neared a deal on Tuesday to inject nearly $2 trillion of aid into an economy ravaged by the coronavirus.The Dow burst 11.4% higher, while the more closely followed S&amp;P 500 index leapt 9.4% as a wave of buying around the world interrupted what has been a brutal month of nearly nonstop selling. Despite the gains, investors were far from saying markets have hit bottom. Rallies nearly as big as this have punctuated the last few weeks, and none lasted more than a day.Both Democrats and Republicans said Tuesday they’re close to agreeing on a massive economic rescue package, which will include payments to U.S. households and aid for small businesses and the travel industry, among other things. A vote in the Senate could come later Tuesday or Wednesday.Investors have been waiting in frustration for such aid, particularly as the Federal Reserve has done nearly all it can to sustain markets, including its latest round of extraordinary aid launched Monday.“I don’t think there’s any more confidence in the fundamental outlook, but the fact that we’re making progress is good news,” said Katie Nixon, chief investment officer at Northern Trust Wealth Management. “It’s sort of like, keep the patient alive in the emergency room so you can provide some treatment options.”The Dow rose 2,112.98 points, its biggest point gain in history, to 20,704.91. The S&amp;P 500, which is much more important to most 401(k) accounts, rose 209.93, or 9.4%, to 2,447.33 for its third-biggest percentage gain since World War II. The Nasdaq composite jumped 557.18 points, or 8.1%, to 7,417.86.The buying circled the world. South Korean stocks surged 8.6%, Germany’s market jumped 11% and Treasury yields rose in a sign that investors are feeling less fearful.The market has seen rebounds like this before, only for them to wash out immediately. Since stocks began selling off on Feb. 20, the S&amp;P 500 has had six days where it’s risen, and all but one of them were big gains of more than 4%. After them, stocks fell an average of 5% the next day.“One of the things to be careful about is thinking this will be the panacea or that this fiscal response will be sufficient,” said Eric Freedman, chief investment officer at U.S. Bank Wealth Management.Ultimately, investors say they need to see the number of new infections peak before markets can find a floor. The increasing spread is forcing companies to park airplanes, shut hotels and close restaurants to dine-in customers.For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. Those with mild illness recover in about two weeks. Severe illness including pneumonia can occur, especially in the elderly and people with existing health problems. Recovery could take six weeks in such cases.Economists are topping each other’s dire forecasts for how much the economy will shrink this spring due to the closures of businesses, and a growing number say a recession seems inevitable.Some of the market’s areas hardest hit by the closures, though, led the way higher Tuesday as expectations rose for incoming aid from the U.S. government.Norwegian Cruise Lines, MGM Resorts and American Airlines Group were all up at least 33%. Energy companies and banks were also strong, though all remain well below where they were a month ago.Governments and central banks in other countries around the world are unveiling unprecedented levels of support for their economies in an attempt to limit the scale of the upcoming virus-related slump. Germany, a bastion of budgetary discipline, also approved a big fiscal boost.The gains came even as the first reports arrived showing how badly the outbreak is hitting the global economy. In the United States, a preliminary reading on business activity in March showed the steepest contraction on record, going back to 2009. Reports were also gloomy for Europe.“Everyone was prepared for a set of shockers, and that is precisely what we got, but they are not a surprise,” said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG. “It is at times like this that the market’s propensity to look forward is demonstrated most effectively.”More dour data is nearly assuredly on the way. On Thursday, economists expect a report to show the number of Americans applying for jobless claims easily set a record last week. Some say the number could be way beyond 1 million, amid a wave of layoffs, topping the prior record of 695,000 set in 1982.Helping to lift sentiment in markets is news from China that it is preparing to lift the lockdown in Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak, and from Italy reporting a reduction in the number of new cases and coronavirus-related deaths.“It’s still early days, of course — perhaps investors can start to envisage life beyond the coronavirus,” said Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA Europe. “That could make stocks look a little more attractive, although anyone jumping back in now will need to have nerves of steel.”Despite Tuesday’s big gains, it’s no time to get complacent, said Adam Taback, chief investment officer for Wells Fargo Private Bank.“We would caution that the danger is not all behind us at this point,” he said. “We still have not seen numbers that give us an indication of just how bad things are. Today was a good day, but we would not necessarily see this as turnaround time.”___