What you need to know today about the virus outbreak

President Donald Trump is raising the idea of what he’s calling a quarantine involving New York and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut, states hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic

President Donald Trump is raising the idea of what he’s calling a quarantine involving New York and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut, states hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic. But there are questions as to whether the federal government has the power to do so. Trump says he was thinking it would just be “for a short period of time if we do it at all.”

The United States has more confirmed coronavirus infections than any other country. Cities including Detroit, Chicago and New Orleans are growing as hotspots of infection, while New York City continues to be pummeled. Nurses there are calling for more masks and other gear to safeguard themselves against the virus that has so far sickened more than 52,000 people and killed over 700 in New York state, mostly in the city.

New York’s governor has delayed the state’s presidential primary from April to June to keep people from gathering during the coronavirus pandemic. More than a dozen states have delayed some elections, in some cases including their presidential primaries.

Here are some of AP’s top stories Saturday on the world’s coronavirus pandemic. Follow APNews.com/VirusOutbreak for updates through the day and APNews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak for stories explaining some of its complexities.

WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY:

— President Donald Trump says he is considering some type of an enforceable quarantine to prevent people in New York and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut from traveling.

— The United States leads the world in of confirmed coronavirus infections, with cities such as Detroit, Chicago and New Orleans growing as hotspots. New York City continues to be pummeled by the outbreak.

— New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo delays his state’s presidential primary from April until June.

— Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says anyone showing symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to board domestic flights or intercity trains. The requirement will go into effect Monday.

— Even though much of the U.S. has closed everything but food stores and medical facilities amid the coronavirus pandemic, many places down South remain open.

— Census workers in the U.S. have to take a different approach to collecting information. Nonprofits and civic organizations leading census outreach efforts are pivoting to digital strategies.

— Australian authorities press ahead with plans to fly 800 cruise ship passengers to Germany t his weekend. The ship, the Artania, is docked at Fremantle.

— Thousands of tourists escaping cold weather in Europe are scrambling to find alternative ways to return home from Asia.

— Virus prevention measures have taken a violent turn in parts of Africa as countries impose lockdowns and curfews or seal off major cities.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

For most people, the 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 and death. The vast majority of people recover.

Here are the symptoms of the virus compared with the common flu.

One of the best ways to prevent spread of the virus is washing your hands with soap and water. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends first washing with warm or cold water and then lathering soap for 20 seconds to get it on the backs of hands, between fingers and under fingernails before rinsing off.

You should wash your phone, too. Here’s how.

Misinformation overload: How to separate fact from fiction and rumor from deliberate efforts to mislead.

TRACKING THE VIRUS: Drill down and zoom in at the individual county level, and you can access numbers that will show you the situation where you are, and where loved ones or people you’re worried about live.

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IN OTHER NEWS:

PRISONS AS EPICENTERS: Health experts say prisons and jails are considered a potential epicenter for America’s coronavirus pandemic. Inmates share cells and sit elbow-to-elbow at dining areas.

VIRUS HITS POLICE DEPARTMENTS: More than a fifth of Detroit’s police force is quarantined; two officers have died from coronavirus and at least 39 have tested positive, including the chief of police.

AP PHOTOS: The doctors and nurses on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic in Italy.

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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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