The Deseret News will provide additional breaking coronavirus coverage throughout the day at this story. Check back often for more updates.
New Jersey Guardsman dies from coronavirus, first military COVID-19 death
2:20 p.m.
A New Jersey Army National Guard captain has died from the coronavirus, marking the first death of a military service member from the virus, Stars and Stripes reported.
Capt. Douglas Linn Hickok — of Pennsylvania, but a soldier in the New Jersey National Guard — died in a Pennsylvania hospital after a weeklong fight with the coronavirus. Hickok was a physician assistant and it was unclear if he had been activated for duty when he contracted the deadly virus.
”Today is a sad day for the Department of Defense as we have lost our first American service member — active, Reserve or Guard — to coronavirus,” said Mark Esper, the Department of Defense secretary, in a statement.
The captain was married and had two children.
Hickok’s widow asked New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to “make the point when we say stay at home, we mean stay at home.”
Single-deadliest day in Britain, but COVID-19 toll could be even higher
1:30 p.m.
Britain had its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic on Tuesday, but the toll in the country could be even higher than reported, according to The Washington Post. A British official reported 381 deaths in the last 24 hours, with a total of coronavirus fatalities now at 1,789.
But those numbers could keep climbing as different agencies in Britain grapple with how they count the deceased.
Government health departments in England and Wales reported that 170 people had died of the coronavirus through March 20. The agency only counts deaths at hospitals for confirmed coronavirus patients.
Britain’s Office for National Statistics — which counts deaths outside of hospitals and instances where the coronavirus is detailed on a death certificate — reported 210 fatalities in the same area during the same time period, a 23.5% difference.
Upward of 25,000 people in Britain have been confirmed to have the virus, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
In Russia, fines and jail for breaking lockdown and spreading lies
11:30 a.m.
Russia reports relatively low numbers of coronavirus cases and death as the nation’s parliament has approved strict penalties for breaking lockdown, according to the BBC.
In the new “anti-virus” laws, a person with coronavirus who breaks quarantine can be sentenced to seven years in prison if their breach leads to the death of others. Healthy individuals who leave their home during the lockdown can face heavy fines.
And the penalty for spreading what is determined to be lies about the coronavirus? Up to five years in prison.
Russia, the ninth-most populated country in the world, reports 2,337 coronavirus cases and 17 related deaths, according to Johns Hopkins coronavirus tally on Tuesday. That total represents a 27% rise in cases from Monday, Bloomberg reported. Much smaller European countries like Poland and Romania— the 37th and 59th most-populated countries — report similar numbers of cases to Russia, but more deaths at 32 and 78 fatalities.
On Tuesday, it was confirmed that Dr. Denis Protsenko, the head of Moscow’s primary hospital treating coronavirus patients, tested positive for the virus, according to Bloomberg. The doctor said he felt fine. A week ago, Putin met with Protsenko while touring the hospital. A spokesman for the president said Putin is tested regularly and is well.
New Jersey parents charged for hosting weekend bat mitzvah
9:15 a.m.
A New Jersey couple has been charged with multiple counts of child endangerment after hosting a bat mitzvah on Sunday, defying the governor’s ban on events and order to keep social distancing standards during the coronavirus pandemic, NBC Philadelphia reported.
Local officials said 40 to 50 people had attended the religious celebration that was held in the couple’s yard and street. The hosting parents were charged with five counts of child endangerment, a charge for each of their children that were at the celebration.
Ocean County, New Jersey, Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in statement that his office would “prosecute any individual who defies or breaks the law, state of emergency or otherwise.”
“Everyone must respect and follow the law,” the prosecutor said.
Police officials across New Jersey have addressed 34 indictable charges and 70 other issues relating to Gov. Phil Murphy’s coronavirus mandate, NBC reported.