March 12 coronavirus news

By Jessie Yeung, Adam Renton, Sheena McKenzie and Meg Wagner, CNN

Updated 10:06 PM ET, Thu March 12, 2020

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7:38 p.m. ET, March 12, 2020

National Rifle Association cancels annual meeting

The National Rifle Association has canceled its annual meeting, slated for next month in Nashville, due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, according to a statement.

“Please know that we did not reach this decision lightly,” the NRA said in a statement. “We were ultimately guided by our responsibility to help ensure the safety and well-being of our NRA members, guests and surrounding community.”

The meeting, scheduled for April 16-19, would have been the group's 149th, according to the statement.

7:33 p.m. ET, March 12, 2020

XFL cancels remainder of season

The just-launched XFL has decided to cancel the rest of its season, according to a statement.

"All players will be paid their base pay and benefits for the 2020 regular season. All XFL ticket holders will be issued refunds or credit toward future games. The XFL is committed to playing a full season in 2021 and future years," XFL said in a statement.

Late last month, a part-time stadium employee at Seattle's CenturyLink Field who worked a game between the league's Seattle Dragons and Dallas Renegades later tested positive for coronavirus.

7:33 p.m. ET, March 12, 2020

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints suspends all public gatherings worldwide

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, historic Mormon Salt Lake Temple shown on December 17, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. George Frey/Getty Images/FILE

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has decided to suspend all public gatherings around the world until further notice due to coronavirus, according to a statement.

The list of events includes stake conferences, leadership conferences and all public worship services, including sacrament meetings, the church said.

"Where possible, please conduct any essential leadership meetings via technology. Specific questions may be referred to local priesthood leaders," the church said. "We encourage members in their ministering efforts to care for one another. We should follow the Savior’s example to bless and lift others."

7:27 p.m. ET, March 12, 2020

American Airline pilot tests positive for coronavirus

From CNN's Joshua Replogle and Greg Wallace

An American Airlines pilot has tested positive for coronavirus, according to the airline and a second source familiar with the matter.

“American’s Chief Medical Officer and leaders from our pilots’ office have been in touch with our Dallas Fort Worth based pilot who tested positive for COVID-19. We are in close contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and public health officials and are coordinating with them on all required health and safety measures," according to a statement from the airline.

The pilot is based out of Dallas-Fort Worth, according to the source familiar with the matter.

An airline official says on background that they believe the risk of transmission to passengers to be low. The airline provided no further information about the circumstances or condition of any other crew that worked with the infected pilot.

The airline official declined to provide any information on the pilot's condition, citing privacy reasons.

7:24 p.m. ET, March 12, 2020

Obama: "We have to look out for each other"

Former President Barack Obama asked for people to consider each other as they wonder why so many places are shutting down due to the coronavirus outbreak.

While tweeting out a link to a Vox article about how canceling events and quarantines can save lives, he said, "We have to look out for each other."

Read Obama's tweet below:

7:11 p.m. ET, March 12, 2020

Trump was in physical proximity of infected Brazilian official, sources say

From CNN's Kaitlan Collins

President Trump was in close physical proximity with the Brazilian president's press secretary Saturday night — who has now tested positive for the coronavirus, two people familiar told CNN.

The press secretary attended the dinner Trump hosted at his Mar a Lago resort in Florida, took a photo with Trump, and later stood feet away from the President as he spoke during Kimberly Guilfoyle's birthday, the sources said.

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham issued a statement Thursday saying, "Both the President and Vice President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time."

"The White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service has been working closely with various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First & Second Families, and all White House staff healthy," Grisham added.

7:24 p.m. ET, March 12, 2020

Los Angeles Zoo and Universal Studios will close over coronavirus concerns

From CNN's Cheri Mossburg

California's Universal Studios and the Los Angeles Zoo will close due to concerns surrounding coronavirus.

Citing the health of team members and guests, Universal Studios will be closed starting Saturday, with hopes of reopening on March 28, according to a statement from the theme park.

The Los Angeles Zoo will close tomorrow, according to a post on their website. The animals will continue to be cared for, and employees are asked to report to work.

“At this time, we do not have any indication that this virus is of immediate concern to any of our animals,” the statement from the zoo said.

7:04 p.m. ET, March 12, 2020

Arlington National Cemetery will close to visitors beginning Friday

From CNN's Jamie Crawford

Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia will close to visitors beginning Friday as "precautionary measures to protect the health of our employees, families and visitors" are taken amidst the coronavirus pandemic, according to a statement from the cemetery.

Funerals will be conducted as scheduled, the cemetery said.

“U.S. Army and Department of Defense guidance is clear: force health protection is paramount,” said Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director of the Office of Army National Cemeteries and Arlington National Cemetery. “We have a responsibility to protect our employees, the families of our fallen service members paying respect to their loved ones, and to the thousands of visitors per day who come here to appreciate this national shrine. We do not make this decision lightly, but closing our doors to visitors allows us to focus our energy and resources on our core mission of safely laying our nation’s warriors to rest.”

7:06 p.m. ET, March 12, 2020

Brazil's president says he expects results from his coronavirus test "in the next hours"

From CNN’s Taylor Barnes in Atlanta

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, wearing a face mask and speaking on Facebook Live, said he expects the results of his coronavirus test in the coming hours.

“I believe in the next hours we will have the result from [my test] and from some other people who were with me,” Bolsonaro said, referring to others who traveled to the United States with him last weekend.

Fabio Wajngarten, the president's press secretary, tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, according an official statement from the president’s office.

Wajngarten was with Bolsonaro on the US trip, during which the Brazilian president dined with President Trump at Mar-a-Largo. Wajngarten posted a picture of himself with Trump on Instagram a few days ago.