America strikes back after two u. S. Troops were killed in iraq. A very busy friday early today starts right now and what a week its been and we have made it to friday im frances rivera. And im phillip mena. We wake up to a country on hold. As the coronavirus continues its unrelenting spread from cascading cancellations to disruptions in our everyday lives. Americans now prepare for our new normal heres what we know at this hour the number of cases here in the United States have passed 1,600. Meanwhile, new york state has declared a state of emergency. Banning all large gatherings theyre also opening a public drivethrough testing facility at the epicenter of the outbreak in new rochelle. And just across the river in jersey city, the mayor has imposed a curfew on bars and clubs to 10 00 p. M. Its all in an attempt to contain the virus. Hes also asking bars to take attendance if they have over 25 people inside. After revealing their shocking coronavirus diagnosis, tom rainks hanks and his wife rita wilson share a hopeful update with tom reminding us no matter what, there is no crying in baseball tom says the couple is taking it one day at a time and are following the advice of experts. He also thanks everyone in australia for taking such good care of them and in northeast ohio, the girl scouts are cancelling all thiei cookie booths. Mean while, the countrys military Academy West Point is delaying the return of their cadets from spring break by two weeks. They were due back on the 15th but, instead, will not return until march 28th theyll start remote classes next week. In the nations capital, the resting place for our nations greatest heroes is also closing. Arlington National Cemetery will be closed to visitors starting today. Funerals are still expected to go on as scheduled and Just Launched xfl has decided to cancel the rest of their season the Organization Says all players will be paid base pay and benefits for the regular 2020 season. And Ticket Holders will get a refund the National Rifle association has cancelled their annual convention. The meeting was supposed to be held next month in nashville the organization will reschedule the conference. We are all making up to a new normal today as this virus continues to spread. At midnight, a government ban will take effect on travel from europe to the United States and thats leaving americans overseas scrambling to get home. Nbcs jay gray has a look at the full scope of this pandemic. Its like a scene from a sciencefiction movie. But the danger from coronavirus is very real were screening people to identify the disease. The outbreak, driving many across the country to mobile testing sites like this one in connecticut. While National Guard troops deliver food and supplies to families in new rochelle, new york, the area has the largest cluster of patients in the u. S. Who have tested positive for the virus. I think theres fears across the board no matter what colleges are sending students home conferences, concerts, and st. Patricks day parades are being cancelled. Cities are limiting crowd sizes. Broadway has gone dark now for at least six weeks and the markets continue a free fall clearly, this illness is no game the nba suspending its season. At least two players on the utah jazz have tested positive for the virus. Major League Soccer stopping play for at least 30 days and the nhl is freezing games as well. You see it. The players have left the court. The College Basketball season is over. Conference championships, cancelled. The ncaa announcing its cancelled the march madness tournaments. The pandemic is also reshaping the political landscape. Bernie sanders, joe biden, and President Trump have cancelled public rallieslet the debate between biden and sanders this weekend has been moved from phoenix to the nations capital. There will be no audience there. Coronavirus affecting almost every aspect of daily life. We are taking this day by day, hour by hour, and seeing what are the next steps . With the illness quickly spreading across the country, jay gray, nbc news. And the virus is completely upending the Entertainment Industry just about Everything Else with large crowds are getting cancelled or delayed to try to stem the spread of the coronavirus. Arenas will sit empty after all the Major Sports League suspended their seasons. The New York Post declaring the day the sports world stopped nbcs Miguel Almaguer has more. The governor here signed an executive order warning against gatherings over 250 people for those at higher risk of contracting the coronavirus, like adults over 60, the group should be no larger than ten in los angeles, the mayor suggested not going out for dinner these are our parents, our grandparents, our neighbors, our coworkers and the action you take, or dont take, could decide the fate of their lives. The announcement came as the nations largest professional sports leagues, the nba, mlb, nhl, and mls, are now all set to go quiet this, the new reality after suspending play until further notice because of the coronavirus. The ncaa, pulling the plug on march madness. The tidal wave of historic decisions unfolding after the virus took center court just before tip off utah all star rudy gobert, who was not in the arena, tested positive for the coronavirus. The game tonight has been postponed. As fans flooded out of the stadium, concern after goe bares monday press conference when asked about the virus, he jokingly touched every microphone before leaving. Now, teammate, also tested positive. The impact is vast and broad not only on the team and league themselves but also on the concession workers and stands and also the local businesses that surround the stadium. Tom hanks and wife rita wilson now the public faces of the pandemic after testing positive and being hospitalized in australia we have worldclass doctors that are determined to look after them and give them the best possible care. In new york even the bright lights of broadway are set to go dark for a month. Talk shows like ellen. No touch. No even shaking my hand. Will tape without audiences for now. The future of American Sports and entertainment in limbo as the coronavirus reshapes the way we live and play and now, comes word of more closures Universal Studios and disney land here in los angeles say they will shut down operations this weekend frances. Miguel, thank you. Now, the pandemic overseas. The new center of the coronavirus storm is in europe chief Foreign CorrespondentRichard Engel. The cdc says europe is the new epicenter. And countries are falling down like dominos one shutting down after another. Ireland report its first coronavirus death, now closing schools. The irish Prime Minister with President Trump. We need to do this for a couple weeks to make sure the virus doesnt spread. In italy, the death toll rising over a thousand officials already banning most public gatherings. And ordering a threefeet separation in public nbcs matt bradley is there. Every shop and business in this country shut down, including iconic italian brands like gucci only Grocery Stores and pharmacies are allowed to stay open. Shaking fewer hands. Canadas Prime MinisterJustin Trudeau announcing he will selfisolate after his wife got flu symptoms after a trip to the uk and in germany, americans are struggling to get home i feel like there is a lot of panic and i dont really know. The one place that seems to have passed through the worst of the virus is china where it first broke out in december the last patients were discharged from hospitals china crash built. China used the full force of its oneparty state to contain this virus, including locking down wuhan, a city of 11 million people. It did work but it was extremely draconian. And and i just dont know that we need to be quite that aggressive. And how long the peak outbreak might last in the states, experts tell us weeks. Or maybe months. All right thanks to Richard Engel for that report. And the coronavirus has taken an absolute wrecking ball to wall street. Dow futures are regaining some footing after the worst day for markets since black monday in 1987 another drop could make it the dows worst week of all time yesterdays free fall forced another 15minute halt in trading for the second time this week the dow bleeding over 2,300 points before the close. A phrase you may be hearing more about flattening the curve its been circulating in the media. And here to explain is nbc meteorologist bill karins. Good morning. This is something we all can do and now its something we are going to be doing with School Closures increasing the week as we go throughout the country if we dont have these closures and continued life as it was, we would have had this area, this red curve. We would have shot up so quickly that the Healthcare System would have been overwhelmed. Hospitals would be overwhelmed so we are trying to flatten that were going to try that way, we can get our hospitals and our doctors and nurses, given the room and hospitals and enough beds that they can treat the people that need to be treated we dont want to happen whats going on in italy where they are having to pick which patients to treat. Were this red x we have shot up recently about a 30 to 35 daily increase rate with the number of cases that matches whats going on in iran, germany, france, also south korea. So were no different. Thats pretty uniform. Once it grips and gets hold in a country, how fast it shoots up and this is a really interesting graph here ill turn around this way. This is the cases in the u. S. By region and you can see, by far, the increase per day, right now the west and the northeast are having the most cases. The least is the south and the midwest. Of course, everybodys going to wonder whats the heat and impact on this will it also, there is a pretty good area of rain thats going to be moving through the northeast as we go throughout the morning so yesterday, the growth rate in the United States was about 30 . Weve been averaging about 30 to 35 per day. We need to bring that down or the Healthcare System will be overwhelmed. And doing that, there are a lot of extreme measures being taken for all of us. Everybodys got their own thing theyre doing. One guy in italy is doing whatever it takes to prevent catching the virus look at this creative way to distance himself from others by wearing that giant table around his waist taking the cdcs advice and w. H. O. Literally in his efforts to keep people away from him the table is about three feet wide on all sides. Still less than the six feet that the w. H. O. cdc recommends. Just stay home. What are you going to do just ahead, the olympic torch is lit but only the cameras were watching plus more here on early today. My psoriasis, clearer. Cosentyx works on all of this. Four years and counting. So watch out. I got this watch me. Real people with active Psoriatic Arthritis are feeling real relief with cosentyx. Cosentyx is a different kind of targeted biologic. It treats the multiple symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis to help you look and feel better. It even helps stop further joint damage. Dont use if youre allergic to cosentyx. Before starting, get checked for tuberculosis. An increased risk of infections and lowered ability. To fight them may occur. Tell your doctor about an infection or symptoms, if your inflammatory bowel disease symptoms develop or worsen. Or if youve had a vaccine, or plan to. Serious allergic reactions may occur. I just look and feel better. I got real relief with cosentyx. Watch me feel real relief. Ask your rheumatologist about cosentyx. All strength, we aint stoppin believe me go straight till the morning look like we wont wait, were taking everything we wanted we can do it all strength, no sweat t minus ten seconds eggo homestyle waffles. We are go for. Lift off. Now that theyre crispier and fluffier. I think this ones a solo mission. I understand. Would you let go of your eggo . Leading the news the Lighting Ceremony of the olympic flame for the tokyo 2020 olympics took place in greece this week. But this time, the Greek Olympic Committee decided to have the ceremony without spectators after dozens of people in the area tested positive for the coronavirus. Up to 12,000 people were expected but only 100 accredited guests from the international Olympic Committee and tokyo 2020 organizing committee were allowed to attend. Newly released video shows the moment last weeks devastating tornado ripped through downtown nashville demolishing traffic lights on a street where cars were just driving moments before the tornado killed at least 24 people in the nashville area, making it the second most deadly tornado event in tennessee history. After a rocket attack that killed two u. S. Service members happened there nbcs courty kube has the details. This is the vehicle u. S. Officials say was used to launch the deadly attack. More than 30 rockets fired at a military base north of baghdad wednesday. At least 18 rockets hit camp taji, killing two american troops and one british soldier the pentagon saying an iranianbacked militia was behind the attack. President trump was asked, will the u. S. Retaliate id rather not say. But lets just put it this way you will see fully determined it was iran, as you know it was a rebel group but most likely, looked like it could be backed by iran. After an iranianbacked militia attacked a military base in iraq in december killing an american contractor, the u. S. Struck five of the militant groups bases. Days later, also killing irans top general. Our thanks to courtney for that report. Still to come from the 2020 race to the latenight circuit, Pete Buttigieg tries his hand at hosting duties. And parenting in the time of toconaru how talk to your kids about the dangers of this pandemic get the care and attention you deserve even faster. Thats our promise. Now, you can skip the line with walgreens express, get in and out quickly with 24hour locations, or have your prescriptions delivered whenever you need us, were always just minutes away. Walgreens. Struggling to clean tough messes with wipes . Try mr. Clean magic eraser sheets. Just wet, squeeze and erase icky messes in microwaves and on stovetops for an amazing clean, get the power of mr. Clean magic eraser in disposable sheets. Cwhich means its even loved by 5 year old cammie. Er. Who doesnt eat anything but buttered noodles. [clears throat] oh right. And now plant buttered noodles. Mmm even butter lovers love it. Breathe freely fast, with vicks sinex. My congestions gone. I can breathe again ahhhh i can breathe again ughh vicks sinex. Breathe on. [ natural drums and [ music begins to build ]] [ drums beat faster ] unlimited coffee for 8. 99 a month. Panera, your cup is always full. Thats going to be me in three months, isnt it hes calling it. Wow, check it out that is a former democratic president ial candidate Pete Buttigieg making his late night debut as guest host for jimmy kimmel. Different world seeing that on late night. As the Coronavirus Impact deepens, the states of maryland, ohio, and michigan announced that they are closing all Public Schools starting on monday with millions of childrens lives now disrupted, nbcs kate snow has more on how to talk to your kids about it. Growing concerns. Across the country. Group of people remaining in quarantine because of the coronavirus. Kids hear the headlines and pick up on adult emotions. The virus thats going on is killing lots of people so my moms like afraid. The top tip for parents, calm yourself down before having a conversation. Even if youre not exactly feeling calm, you want to try to appear that way for the conversation. Why is that so important . Kids really vibe off of their adults in their life, off of their parents. So if you set an emotional tone of anxiety, theyre going to pick up on that and theyre going to think i should be anxious, too. Dr. Jamie howard. New york taes Child Mind Institute advises parents to keep the discussion age appropriate. You can let your kid take the lead in the conversation by saying what questions do you have and you can also ask what have you learned . So that you have an opportunity to correct any misinformation. I keep saying to my teenagers, this is still very rare is that right to emphasize its an evolving situation but from what we know right now, yes, its still rare. Stick to the facts and focus on what youre doing to stay safe. Has it been easy to talk to her about coronavirus . It has been easy. I explain to her that there is a new virus coming around and we need to be extra vigilant with our handwashing. Keeping a routine is important, too even if school is closed, continue to structure the day with predictable meal times and study time maybe even dust off the board games. Kate snow, nbc news, new york. Going to be a whole new scope ahead of us. Especially, a lot of these kids at home. But they will learn from now on about the importance of handwharfihan handwashing for the rest of their lives. Its already really sinking in. Bills back with us for the weekend forecast. And some of you know who gets coronavirus, how to owkn if you should consider getting home thats ahead here on early today. Now might not be the best time to ask yourself, are my bones strong . life is full of make or break moments. Thats why its so important to help reduce your risk of fracture with prolia®. Only prolia® is proven to help strengthen and protect bones from fracture with 1 shot every 6 months. Do not take prolia® if you have low blood calcium, are pregnant, are allergic to it, or take xgeva. Serious allergic reactions like low blood pressure, trouble breathing, throat tightness, face, lip or tongue swelling, rash, itching or hives have happened. Tell your doctor about dental problems, as severe jaw bone problems may happen. Or new or unusual pain in your hip, groin or thigh, as unusual thigh bone fractures have occurred. Speak to your doctor before stopping, skipping or delaying prolia®, as spine and other bone fractures have occurred. Prolia® can cause serious side effects, like low blood calcium, serious infections, which could need hospitalization, skin problems, and severe bone, joint, or muscle pain. Are you ready . Ask your doctor how prolia® can help strengthen your bones. All strength, we aint stoppin believe me go straight till the morning look like we wont wait, were taking everything we wanted we can do it all strength, no sweat t minus ten seconds eggo homestyle waffles. We are go for. Lift off. Now that theyre crispier and fluffier. I think this ones a solo mission. I understand. Would you let go of your eggo . Laso you can enjoy it even ifst youre sensitive. Se. Yet some say it isnt real milk. I guess those cows must actually be big dogs. Sit i said sit for bathroom odors that linger try febreze small spaces. Just press firmly and it continuously eliminates odors in the air and on soft surfaces. For 45 days. Diarrhea . Pepto diarrhea to the rescue. Its 3x concentrated liquid formula coats and kills bacteria to relieve diarrhea. The leading competitor only treats symptoms it does nothing to kill the bacteria. Treat diarrhea at its source with pepto diarrhea. Looks like a lot of us will be doing a lot more stuff outdoors. The weekend forecast, we are going to have to watch the areas we get the rain, get the horrible weather because then youre stuck back inside but for the northeast, great lakes, looking good on saturday. Rain could develop in missouri into tennessee watch out for flooding in those areas. By sunday, little cooler in the areas by the great lakes in the midwest but at least youre dry. Looking at a storm coming into california we will have some showers and storms back through areas of texas. No Severe Weather or anything like that. You know, just a little cooler its still winter. We keep forgetting that, right good for social distancing maybe being one with nature. Fresh air. Talking about how you can do your part to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Protected my family against bacteria. But they dont last after people touch the surface again. New microban 24 finally a household cleaner that keeps killing bacteria for 24 hours. Watch as both brands kill 99. 9 of bacteria and viruses. The difference . Even after multiple touches, microban 24 keeps killing 99. 9 of bacteria for 24hours. New microban 24. Available in multipurpose cleaner, sanitizing spray, and bathroom cleaner. Tastes and bakes like butter. Which means even 229 times state fair baking champion lynn rupleysmith is going plant based. Im going to have to build a bigger ribbon case. Even butter lovers love it. Take dayquil severe with vicks vapocool. D, acapella whoa vo and vaporize it with an intense rush of vicks vapors. acapella ahhhhhhhhhhh vo dayquil severe with vicks vapocool. The daytime coughing, stuffy head, vaporize your cold, medicine. Willie geist joins us now with a preview of whats coming on sunday today. Good morning, willie. Good morning, guys. This week on sunday today, we revisit one of our favorite conversations with this is us star sterling k. Brown long before he had audiences reaching for the kleenex playing Randal Pearson on the hit nbc show sterling was a struggling actor paying the bills for more than a decade with small roles. Some of which his open mother said she could barely watch. This year sterlings moment consisted of a part in frozen 2. Plus the latest news in politics this weekend on sunday today, you can catch us in the morning or set that dvr and watch us anytime you like for now, i will send it back to you, frances and phillip and well see you sunday morning. Turning back now to the coronavirus. And a question Many Americans are asking how do you anyway when to stay home if you think you may have been exposed heres nbcs stephanie gosk. Slow the virus down thats what Health Officials say will be key in the coming days were asking to selfquarantine for 14 days. Selfquarantine for 14 days. Selfquarantine. Selfquarantine. Socalled selfquarantine is one way to do it separating yourself from others, voluntarily, for 14 days to see if symptoms develop. The cdc advises people consider taking action if they have been exposed to someone who tested positive at work, that could mean someone who sits six feet or closer. A colleague you interact with regularly. Or a friend youve recently had dinner with. But guidance is confusing. And, for now, if youre not showing symptoms, it may be a personal judgment call taking this step is disruptive not going to work, staying at home, and keeping distance from friends and family make sure not to share dishes, towels, or bedding homes should already be stocked with necessities toiletries, food, prescription, and overthecounter medications to last up to a month. Going outside for a long walk or bike ride may actually be okay going to stores and coffee shops is not because there are too many people in the end, it is a difficult step to take with the selfless goal, protecting others. Stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york you know, stephanie mentioned about stocking up there. Its not as easy is that these days were seeing more and more the lines are so long. All these things that we need, gone right off the shelves. Three words out of stock when you look online as well thinking youre going to get it delivered. And you only add to the panic when Something Like that is happening. You think what do i not have that i should be having . Thanks for watching early today today on this fri lets get dodawn to business. The business of road trips. Adventure. And reconnecting. Modernized comfort inns and suites have been refreshed because our business is you. Get the lowest price guaranteed on all Choice Hotels when you book direct at choicehotels. Com. Good morning and thanks for joining us. Im laura garcia. And im marcus washington. Developments in the coronavirus pandemic continues to change by the minute. Im here in our Coronavirus Crisis center with the latest for you. First, the number of cases across the country are growing. There are now more than 1,500 cases this morning. Two deaths reported in florida. Those are the first outside the west coast. In total 40 people have died here in the u. S. On Capitol Hill Congress is expected to make an announcement on a coronavirus aid package. That package will provide funding and resources for workers, families and businesses. In the bay area santa